Roland - The TR-909 Story

Within the realms of house and techno, it’s almost certain that the Roland TR-909 has powered more tracks and live performances than any other drum machine. 909DAY (September 9) is for everyone who loves dance music—whether you’re at an open-air festival, an underground club or in the depths of the studio, cooking up the sounds of tomorrow. You already know the 909 sound—read on to discover its story.

‘A MAN, A TR-909, AND A CAST OF THOUSANDS’

It takes a very special machine to keep a crowd of people moving at the end of a festival

PART 1

THE ORIGIN
1983, JAPAN

In the early ‘80s dance music as we know it didn’t exist. Of course, there had been disco and some uptempo soul records would definitely get you moving, but the ‘lights-out, heads-down’ vibe of house and techno was nowhere to be seen or heard. This was especially true in Osaka, Japan, where a team of engineers at Roland Corporation began working on the successor to the TR-808, unaware of the impact it would have on electronic music and culture.

TR-808:
THE SEQUEL

In 1982, when Roland stopped producing the TR-808, the industry was changing fast. The TR-808 had been in development from 1978, so with a replacement on the horizon there was much to consider. Lessons had also been learned on what people liked—and disliked—about drum machines on the market. And since engineers always want to try new things, the key question was “what shall we do differently?”

ANALOG
& DIGITAL?

For the TR-909, Roland was still pursuing the idea of an analog ‘drum synthesizer’ rather than a machine that played back digital samples of ‘real’ drums. The analog approach gave the user extensive control over the sound—for example, you could de-tune the kick drum or toms for some very creative results. But it was decided that the hi-hats and cymbals of the TR-909 should be digital recordings of their acoustic counterparts, as the engineers felt a more realistic sound would help the TR-909 feel like a substantial upgrade compared to the all analog TR-808.

THE TR-909
SOUND

Combining punchy analog drums with crisp, sharply defined hi-hats and cymbals yielded a potent collection of sounds. On their own, they didn’t really fit into the genres of the day—for example, the kick drum and toms sounded too powerful to come from an acoustic kit. And yet, as the TR-909 seemed to blend really well into a mix and as producers explored new sonic territories, the TR-909 would be slowly incorporated into the emerging blueprints for house and techno.

THE MIDI
CONNECTION

The TR-909 was Roland’s first drum machine to feature MIDI, which back in 1983 was a new technical standard that allowed electronic instruments to ‘talk’ to each other. By using MIDI-equipped gear, people could build small studios, typically comprising a drum machine, sampler and effects processors—a DIY ethos that would cause a shift in power from record companies to the people making the music. Just a few years later, many classic house and techno records would emerge from these relatively sparse setups, often with a TR-909 at the center.

THE
SEQUENCER

One of the key upgrades of the TR-909 was the sequencer, which allowed ‘patterns’ to be created using the 10 built-in drum sounds. The TR-909 sequencer had features like ‘flam’ and shuffle, to make pattern playback feel a bit more human, and less machine-like. Critically the TR-909 could make patterns swing and— combined with its ability to drive other MIDI-equipped gear like samplers—it was often found at the heart of early electronic music studios, providing the timing (and drums) for the entire track being produced.

Launched in 1983 for $1300, the Roland TR-909 was only produced for a year—with just 10,000 units made. Even though it offered an array of improvements over the TR-808—including MIDI connectivity, a powerful sequencer, external storage and superior sound quality—it had a shorter life than its predecessor. In hindsight, instead of targeting professional studios, the TR-909 was probably more suited to ‘bedroom’ producers who needed drum sounds and a versatile sequencer that could power additional equipment—so that they could create an entire piece of music with a minimal setup. And that’s exactly what happened once the TR-909 appeared in second-hand shops, acquired by people with some rather interesting ideas about where music was headed...

PART 2

PLAYERS + PLACES
1985 TO 1995: HOUSE AND TECHNO

By the mid-eighties, and now in the hands of young music producers from Detroit and Chicago, the TR-909 started to appear on records which became the classics of a brand-new music scene. These ground-breaking productions encoded the TR-909’s sonic DNA into early house and techno, acting as a signpost to future generations of producers who would eagerly seek out the machine that gave dance music its kick. And as electronic music exploded, the shockwave expanded far beyond the places where it was originally made. London, Manchester, and Berlin all became epicenters for a powerful and thriving youth culture that still exists today. Here are just a few of the legendary tracks that defined house and techno—with just a little help from the Roland TR-909.

BIG FUN
INNER CITY

When Kevin Saunderson and James Pennington sampled the 1986 Nitro Delux record “Let’s Get Brutal,” they couldn’t have imagined the result would be Detroit Techno’s first international success story. “That was kind of the birth,” Saunderson told FACT Mag in 2004. This was the start of Inner City’s first single. Even before the group had a name or members.

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ENERGY FLASH
JOEY BELTRAM

Credited as having revolutionalized techno—twice—by the age of 21, NYC-based Joey Beltram kicked off his production career with Energy Flash. A sinister, relentless juggernaut of a track, the drums on Energy Flash arguably show the TR-909 at its most effective, with metallic hi-hats, reverb-drenched clap and a concussive kick drum that punched through the smoke and strobes of the early nineties. Never bettered.

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STRINGS OF LIFE
RHYTHIM IS RHYTHIM

Think about the most influential—and most beloved—techno tracks of all time and it’s hard to imagine a list that doesn’t have Strings of Life at the top. An audacious amalgam of strings, piano and no-nonsense drums, Derrick May’s masterpiece employs the TR-909 to euphoric effect, resulting in a record that proved—once and for all—that electronic could also be emotional.

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CHIME
ORBITAL

Released right at the end of the eighties and forged in the London raves that gave the band its name, Chime is the track that propelled Orbital into the major leagues. With a respectful nod to Detroit but also full of its own energy and ideas, Chime finally put the UK on the map and set the standard for years to come. Three decades on and still causing mass outbreaks of ‘hands in air’.

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HELIOSPAN
APHEX TWIN

The Aphex Twin catalog boasts many celebrated compositions. Still, one of his earliest breakthroughs was “Heliosphan” from Selected Ambient Works 85-92. Acting as a bedrock for the artist’s later work, “Heliosphan” grows atop busy hi-hats and alternating bass and snare drums. James created the groove with the Roland TR-909.

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HUNTER
BJORK

“Hunter,” the opener of Bjork’s Homogenic’s, lives in a dizzying, mystifying sonic landscape. With its push and pull between anxiety and courage, bleating bass, and serpentine synths, the song evokes both death and rebirth. The militaristic spiraling of the Roland TR-909, in stereo, weaves a helix of percussive reverie. The listener is immediately drawn into a caustic world of intrigue.

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DAVE OGILVIE
ON SKINNY PUPPY AND THE TR-909

Dave "Rave" Ogilvie shares his memories of recording Skinny Puppy's landmark album Remission, one of the earliest recorded uses of the TR-909.

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PUMP UP THE JAM
TECHNOTRONIC

The tale of the 1989 classic electronic dance hit, “Pump Up the Jam,” might be, depending on how you look at it, either celebratory or sordid. On the one hand, there’s the music, itself. The instantly energetic beat uses timeless elements from the Roland TR-909. But there’s also the odd—at times confusing—backstory behind the music video’s center stage star and the track’s powerful singer.

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ROLAND ENGINEERING:
ATSUSHI HOSHIAI AND THE TR-909

It might surprise you to learn that one of the original engineers of Roland TR-909 is still active within the company. Meet Atsushi Hoshiai. A longtime Roland veteran, Hoshiai-san currently works in the fundamental technology R&D department. There, he is constantly on the hunt for the next technological innovation to inspire future generations of musicians and fans.

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PART 3

THE CULTURE
LATE ‘90S TO PRESENT, WORLDWIDE

Today, electronic music is everywhere. Whether it’s the EDM cathedrals of Las Vegas, the hedonism of Ibiza and Miami, or Amsterdam’s 909 festival—if you love dance music, the 909 sound is all around you. The influence of Detroit, Chicago and Berlin continues to inspire and evolve, motivating partygoers and producers alike to keep the flag flying. And even though electronic music now comes in many flavours, one thing is certain: when the lights are down and the hands go up, the TR-909 comes out—nearly forty years on and still going strong.

JOIN THE 909 CELEBRATION
Post your 909 stories and memories with the #909day hashtag and we’ll feature the best below.

PART 4

THE TR-909 TODAY

FROM NOW INTO THE FUTURE

If you want the classic Roland TR-909 sound, you’ve got several options. If you can find one—and afford one—an original issue, early-eighties TR-909 will do just fine. But there are other options that are more affordable and surpass the sound and performance capabilities of the original.

ORIGINAL
TR-909

The OG. With only 10,000 ever made, units from the original production run are becoming increasingly rare and soughtafter. But if you want ultimate bragging rights (and that hardto- emulate hardware sequencer swing) then an original Roland TR-909 could be the way to go. Just keep it locked up and don’t tell anybody you have one.

AIRA
TR-8/TR-8S

The AIRA TR-8S re-imagined what a Roland TR-909 would sound like if it was developed today - with the ability to include samples, and a host of performance-based effects.

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TR-09
ROLAND
BOUTIQUE

No longer in production, the Roland TR-09 is part of the Roland Boutique range of classic reissues. There’s the same user interface (although it’s much simpler to program and construct patterns), and it’s also battery-powered so you can drop some 909 flavours wherever you fancy.

ROLAND
CLOUD 909

Analog meets digital on the dancefloor! Roland Cloud’s software TR-909 integrates the original’s sample ROM, modeling the early digital technology of the vintage hardware. Create multiple instances of the 909 within your tracks and “drag and drop” patterns directly from the 909 into a project as MIDI or audio. Plus, the 909’s 16-step sequencer now has an EDIT function which expands to include an individual lane for each instrument, allowing for effortless programming.

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TRY THE TR-909 IN YOUR BROWSER
(ALONG WITH OTHER ROLAND CLASSICS)

In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, Roland has collaborated with sound designer Yuri Suzuki to create Roland 50 Studio, a digital reworking of some of our most famous and influential devices. Explore the TR-909 right now, along with the TR-808 Rhythm Composer, TB-303 Bass Line, SH-101 synthesizer and SP-404MKII sampler. You can even save the results to share with the world!

ROLAND 50 STUDIO

LEGENDARY SOUND.
ICONIC GEAR.

Attention 909 fanatics: Wear your love for the drum machine. The TR-909 collection of tees and hats is made for music makers and rule breakers.

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‘A MAN, A TR-909, AND A CAST OF THOUSANDS’

THE ORIGIN 1983, JAPAN

TR-808: THE SEQUEL

ANALOG & DIGITAL?

THE TR-909SOUND

THE MIDICONNECTION

THESEQUENCER

PLAYERS + PLACES 1985 TO 1995: HOUSE AND TECHNO

BIG FUN INNER CITY

ENERGY FLASH JOEY BELTRAM

STRINGS OF LIFE RHYTHIM IS RHYTHIM

CHIME ORBITAL

HELIOSPAN APHEX TWIN

HUNTER BJORK

DAVE OGILVIE ON SKINNY PUPPY AND THE TR-909

PUMP UP THE JAM TECHNOTRONIC

ROLAND ENGINEERING: ATSUSHI HOSHIAI AND THE TR-909

THE CULTURE LATE ‘90S TO PRESENT, WORLDWIDE

JOIN THE 909 CELEBRATIONPost your 909 stories and memories with the #909day hashtag and we’ll feature the best below.