Roland TR-505

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The Roland TR-505 is a budget drum machine and MIDI sequencer from the same family as the Roland TR-909, TR-707, and TR-808. Released in the late 80s, the unit can be used to sequence short, punchy, 12-bit samples. The drum kit includes basic rock drum samples, plus a compliment of Latino style drum sounds:

• Bass drum
• Snare drum
• Low tom
• Mid tom
• High tom
• Low Cowbell
• High Cowbell
• Low Conga
• High Conga
• Timbale
• Rimshot
• Handclap
• Hi-hat (open or closed, but not at the same time)
• Cymbal (ride or crash, but not at the same time)

The TR-505 features 5 basic modes including:

• Track Play - play whole tracks
• Track Write - sequence patterns into tracks
• Step Write - sequence patterns by stepping through each position in the pattern
• Tap Write - sequence patterns by tapping drums sounds in time

Also, the unit can be played in real time by tapping the pads.

Interesting time signatures can be programmed by changing the length of patterns and the 'scale', which actually refers to the signature ratio/swing. The unit handles MIDI quite capably. Each instrument can be assigned a level/velocity from one to five, a MIDI channel, and a MIDI note number. Individual pads also transmit MIDI data when tapped, although these aren't velocity sensitive. An 'accent' can be applied to any position in a pattern and will affect all instruments triggered at that position by increasing their volume. The memory in the TR-505 can store up to 48 patterns in 6 songs.

[edit] External links

• TR-505 yahoogroup
• Burnkit2600 - Circuit bending and modding the TR-505