ROLAND TR DRUM MACHINES
SYNC WITH SERATO DJ PRO

The Serato x Roland TR-SYNC update brings the power of Roland’s iconic drum machines to your DJ setup. Simply connect your Roland TR drum machine to Serato DJ Pro and they’ll sync to the same BPM. Now you can easily add your own drum loops with the same drum sounds used on your favorite music. Flip genres, beef up classic tracks, remix and transition between songs in new ways. Anyone can play the next big track, but how many DJs can make it their own?
Hook up your Roland TR drum machine to Serato DJ Pro and elevate your game.

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I understand mixing beats, but what exactly is a drum machine?

A drum machine is an instrument for creating drum loops. It contains drum sounds, or a collection of sounds called a kit. Each drum kit contains a kick drum, snare, hi-hats, cymbals and other drum sounds. Once you have a drum kit that you like, you can quickly program your own drum loops using the drum machine’s pattern sequencer. You now have the foundation for a music track of your own.

What’s so special about Roland drum machines?

Drums make people dance, and Roland drum machines have been used on some of the most iconic music ever made. Their unmistakable sound inspired the creation of entire genres of music. The legendary TR-808 and 909 are the most influential drum machines of all time and have become part of the DNA of hip hop, trap, house, techno and more. These are the drum sounds that dominate dance floors - what will you do with them?

Why would I use a drum machine in a DJ set?

Once you’ve mastered the basics of mixing and performance, how else can you stand out from all the other DJs out there? Adding a drum machine to your DJ setup expands your creative options and changes the way tracks sound. For example, layering a harder beat over an existing track, or using an acapella with your own loops to create a brand-new remix on the fly. You can make songs sound ‘bigger’ or extend your music library across different genres. You can lay down the groundwork for production ideas that might develop into your own production. And if you play edits and remixes, instead of searching the record pools, you can make your own versions for truly unique DJ sets.

Isn’t making your own beats complicated?

Think of a drum loop being split into 16 slices, or steps. On a Roland drum machine, there are 16 buttons that correspond to these steps. Just choose a kick drum sound, select the steps where you want to hear it, and it loops automatically. Add a snare drum and some hi-hats, and you’ve made your first beat! This is exactly how many producers get a track started in the studio.

How do I include my own beats in my DJ set?

Treat the drum machine as another deck - only it’s playing something that you’ve created. To set up, plug the USB from the TR drum machine to your computer, and then connect the audio output to an available input on your DJ mixer or controller. Because Serato DJ Pro takes care of the sync, you can focus on your performance and the new creative options now available to you. Change the vibe of the track by layering your drums on top, or even transform it into another genre by adding your own beats to an acapella for a live, and totally unique, remix.

Show me what’s possible when you add a drum machine to a DJ set

Check out this performance from Miles Medina, as he incorporates a Roland drum machine into his DJ set.

Check out some of our favorite Serato x Roland artist performances

Watch Roland’s DJ controllers being put to work across the genres in a variety of styles — and then find out how to get started yourself.

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