If you have spent any time making electronic music, chances are you have heard the sounds of the Roland TR-808 and TR-909.
Even if you have never used the original machines, you probably know them. That deep 808 kick, those metallic 909 hi-hats, the claps, the snares. These sounds have been used so much that they have become part of the language of electronic music.
But why are these two drum machines still so popular, more than 40 years after they were released?
THE TR-808
The Roland TR-808 was released in 1980.
At the time, it wasn't considered a huge success. One of the reasons was that it didn't sound particularly realistic. The machine was designed to create electronic versions of drums, but the sounds didn't really behave like real acoustic drums.
That turned out to be a good thing.
The 808 had its own character. The kick was deep, long and resonant. The snare had a distinctive noisy quality, while the claps and hi-hats had a sound that was instantly recognizable.
The kick became especially important.
Instead of simply acting as the low end of a drum kit, the 808 kick could almost become a bass instrument. Its long decay and deep resonance gave producers a completely different way of using the kick in a track.
This sound eventually became hugely influential in electro, hip-hop, trap and electronic music in general.
The 808 didn't try to sound like a real drummer.
It sounded like an electronic instrument.
THE TR-909
A few years later, in 1983, Roland released the TR-909.
The idea was similar, but the sound was very different.
The 909 combined analog synthesis with digital samples. Its kick and snare were analog, while sounds such as the hi-hats and cymbals used samples.
The result was brighter and more aggressive than the 808.
The 909 kick has a strong attack and a punchy low end. Its hi-hats and cymbals have that characteristic metallic sound that became closely associated with house, techno and rave music.
This is one of the main reasons the 909 became so important to electronic music.
If the 808 is often associated with deep, heavy low end, the 909 is much more about punch, attack and energy.
808 OR 909?
There isn't really a better one. They simply have different personalities.
The 808 is great when you want deep kicks, powerful low end and a warmer, more rounded sound.
The 909 is perfect when you want punchy drums, sharp hi-hats and aggressive percussion that can cut through a busy mix.
And you don't have to choose one or the other.
Using elements inspired by both machines can give you a very solid starting point for an electronic drum pattern.
WHY ARE THEY STILL EVERYWHERE?
There are plenty of modern drum machines and incredibly detailed drum libraries available today. So why do producers keep coming back to sounds that were created decades ago?
Because they work !
The sounds of the 808 and 909 have a very recognizable character, and they tend to sit well in a mix. Their kicks have strong low-end foundations, their percussion has clear transients, and their sounds immediately give a track a certain feeling.
There is also something important about familiarity.
After decades of house, techno, electro, hip-hop, hardcore and rave music, our ears are used to these sounds. A simple 909 pattern can instantly make a track feel like electronic music.
But that doesn't mean you have to use them exactly like they were used in the 1980s.
FROM CLASSIC DRUM MACHINES TO MODERN RAVE
The influence of the 808 and 909 is still easy to hear in modern hard techno, hardcore, gabber, acid and rave music.
The basic sounds might be the same, but the way producers use them has changed.
A clean 909 kick can be distorted until it becomes extremely aggressive. A simple hat pattern can be processed, layered and resampled. An 808 kick can be pushed into completely different territory with saturation, distortion and heavy processing.
The original machines are often just the starting point.
That's what makes these sounds so interesting. You can take something that has been around for more than 40 years and still make it sound completely new.
BUILDING YOUR OWN DRUMS
You don't need an original TR-808 or TR-909 sitting in your studio to get that sound.
Samples and loops give you a much faster way to work with these classic sounds, especially when you're producing modern electronic music.
At PHAZOR AUDIO, we've taken inspiration from this classic drum-machine sound and pushed it toward harder, more modern styles.
If you're looking for ready-to-use drum loops inspired by the sound of classic 808 and 909 machines, check out our drum sample packs.
You get the character of those legendary machines while having the flexibility to process, chop and rearrange the loops however you want.
EXPLORE THE 909 LOOPS SAMPLE PACK →
EXPLORE THE 808 LOOPS SAMPLE PACK →