Roland CR-78

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The Roland CompuRhythm CR-78 is a drum machine that was released in 1978.

The CR-78, although very primitive by today's standards, was an important advance in technology at the time, and was used by many influential artists on a number of famous recordings. The wood effect cabinet and preset rhythms of the CR-78 such as Waltz, Bossa Nova and Rhumba suggest that it was seen by its designers as primarily an accompaniment for an electric organ, but the CR-78 went on to become one of the favourite instruments of New Wave and electronic musicians in the early 1980s.

The CR-78 used analog drum voices, which sounded very little like real acoustic drums or percussion, but nonetheless had a sound which some found pleasant and appealing. The unit also incorporated an early Intel microprocessor to provide digital control of various other functions.

All previous Roland drum machines had merely offered a selection of preset rhythms. The CR-78's key feature was that, in addition to offering 34 preset rhythms, it provided four user-programmable memory locations for storing one's own rhythms. These could be programmed using a form of 'step-programming' with Roland's WS-1 add-on box.

The CR-78's front panel allowed the user to further customize the preset rhythms, by altering the volume balance between bass and treble sounds, cancelling some sounds altogether, and adding ring modulation ("metal beat") to the cymbal sounds. Many of the preset rhythms have considerable character, and the ability to manipulate them further made the CR-78 surprisingly versatile.

A selection of preset fills and rhythm variations were also available, to either trigger manually, or automatically every 2, 4, 8 or 16 bars. Again, some of these have a lot of musical character, providing percussion hooks in synth-pop songs such as Enola Gay by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Underpass by John Foxx.

No digital control of tempo was provided on the front panel, only an analogue knob, however the CR-78 would also accept an external V-trig clock.

Some famous users of the CR-78 are Warren Cann of Ultravox, Fatboy Slim, Gary Numan, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Anthony Phillips, and Phil Collins, Blondie, New Musik. John Foxx's pioneering electronic album Metamatic used the CR-78 on every track.

Famous songs that use a Roland CR-78 drum machine include:

Heart of Glass by Blondie, In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins, Same Old Scene by Roxy Music, Enola Gay by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Underpass by John Foxx.