TR8S feature requests

[GMayle]

Had my TR8s years and still use it a lot. It's not really a drum machine for making songs on. But it's a great drum machine for making backbeat rhythms and basses, if you want to record and tweak them in realtime. My feature request would be for Step Probability, I think it's sort of an expected feature these days, and is sadly missing from the TR8s. But I still think it's overall the best drum machine Roland have made, especially if you view it for what it actually is, a straightahead rhythm-making machine, one you record/play live rather than perfect a whole song on.

[pitrak]

Have the TR8S for a couple of weeks now, coming from digitakt. Really love it, it's more of an improvisation instrument than the DT.

Some feature request regarding the grid, and how I think they could be implemented:

SHUFFLE

• different shuffle algoritms, to be selected in the menu
  min/max shuffle setting in menu so you can adjust the range of the shuffle button per pattern

micro-timing / nudge

• press step and turn shuffle => shift step forward or backward on the grid

conditional trigs

• step + tempo button left = step probability (in 10% steps)
  step + tempo button right = step condition (1/2, 1/3, 2/3, 1/4, .... )

Needing shift + KIT or INST to edit the instrument is also quite frustrating while playing a synth and operating with one had. Long press to edit would be great, could be implemented next to shift as a hidden feature!

Better access to side chaining type and depth would be nice as well, albeit over midi. Direct access on the panel seems difficult to implement..

[Henri]

a proper PC / MAC VST editor which allows:
. direct access to hidden menus
. assignable midi control of parameters
. easy sample management from computer

Not just a nice recreation of the front panel.

[Katmat]

Dear Roland..

I've just sold my beloved TR 707 and upgraded to a TR8S.. I Love it! Feels just like the 707 but with a 909 that kicks and all the samples I could ever want.. Great.

But I just can't understand why a simple Song/Track mode hasn't been implemented yet! I get that you want this to be a performance device, thats great. But myself and countless other bedroom musicians, going way back into the golden days of the original 707 want to use your drum machine to make a song, without an extra pair of hands to operate the device.

It seems like such a simple thing which your 80s drum machines implemented effortlessly, it's baffling to me why, in 2021, a simple song sequence mode has not been added to the functions. It doesn't need to detract in anyway from the device as a performance orientated bit of gear.

If you can add an FM engine i'm sure you can very easily add this in the firmware, and it would make an amazing piece of kit even better instantly.

All it needs to do, (just like the 707 and 909 did), is let you select which pattern plays, on which bar, in sequence. Just a simple bar count, every time you go up a number you select a pattern.

1 = 1.01A
2 = 1.01A
3 = 1.01B
4 = 1.01C
5 = 2.01A
...
127 = 3.04A
128 = 3.04B

etc. etc..

Please please implement this! It's so sad I have this amazing device but can't use it to make music the way I and thousands of other bedroom producers have done going way back to the 80s...

Hope you read this!

Jamie

[Katmat]

Actually I've come up with an even simpler solution that is half way between pattern chaining and song mode.

If we could chain patterns 1-16 say, but we can specify how many times the sequencer loops each pattern before moving on to the next. So you could break a song down in to 16 divisions if you like

Pattern 1 - intro - loop 1x
pattern 2 - verse - loop 4x
Pattern 3 - chorus - loop 2x
..
pattern 9 - bridge - loop 8x
...
Pattern 16 outro - loop 2x

Would be so useful...

Thanks,
Jamie

[johntype]

TR8S-SUB-REST.jpg (120.23 KiB) Viewed 2338 times

SUB RESTS are SUB STEPS with intervals of silence.

FEATURES:

1) With Sub Rest 1/3 it is possible to write triplets on the 16th scale.

2) With Sub Rest 1/2 you can write with a resolution of 32nd while remaining in the 16th scale.

TR8S-SUB-REST-EXAMPLES.jpg (132.82 KiB) Viewed 2338 times

SUGGESTIONS:

1) An idea to activate and deactivate the Sub Rest mode with the key combination [UTILITY] + [SUB].
2) It will be helpful to assign different pad colors between Sub Step and Sub Rest for easier sequencing.
3) Being able to see on the screen which Sub Step and Sub Rest have been written to the pad.


FINAL THOUGHTS:

The TR-8S is a beautiful drum machine but unfortunately does not have the ability to sequence triplets on the 16h scale. I own a TR-8S and an MC-101. I thought maybe Roland has deliberately limited this function to the MC series only, with which in some way you can write triplets with Note Start or with Note Repeat (only on MC-707). Personally I think a DRUM MACHINE like the TR8-S should be more specialized in rhythm sequencing than other machines.


John Type
Italy

[og__karo]

Have the TR8S for a couple of weeks now, coming from digitakt. Really love it, it's more of an improvisation instrument than the DT.

Some feature request regarding the grid, and how I think they could be implemented:

SHUFFLE

• different shuffle algoritms, to be selected in the menu
  min/max shuffle setting in menu so you can adjust the range of the shuffle button per pattern

micro-timing / nudge

• press step and turn shuffle => shift step forward or backward on the grid

conditional trigs

• step + tempo button left = step probability (in 10% steps)
  step + tempo button right = step condition (1/2, 1/3, 2/3, 1/4, .... )

Needing shift + KIT or INST to edit the instrument is also quite frustrating while playing a synth and operating with one had. Long press to edit would be great, could be implemented next to shift as a hidden feature!

Better access to side chaining type and depth would be nice as well, albeit over midi. Direct access on the panel seems difficult to implement..

agree microtiming + conditional (1/2, 1/3, 2/3, 1/4, .... ) is what I miss most

[isaac.null.void]

the only things that make this not the perfect drum computer is no VST for DAW, makes me very sad.

and class compliance, so could use with iPad would be most amazing feature.

[Synatic]

Hey its me synatic

Haha but i dont get it.
Why you dont do on the go import samples really annoying.

And also why less system possibilities for samples

And also a screen under every fader wich sample it is also very handy for people who have tons of own samples they wanna mix in different projects.

And that you dont have a option when you switch in filter or fx that you can choose for dont hear the switch or yes you wanna hear it. Yeah you can do it with volume but people who are live playing dont wanna have this.
Because its a 11 fader machine

And also that the motion can be placed on every trigger
But yeah you know also thats it better to have that

Kindly regards
With all good vibes every word

[Synatic]

And also

To see your sample names and you can also name them

And another thing is a option to not hear your adjustments while your playing.. so that you can only hear it on your haedphone for example

[Synatic]

Another one should be great if you could choose how many times you like to repeat abcd or ab or efgh like 2x after eachother or 3 times the first row and the next row 1 time..

[GMayle]

Step microshifting. For dem wot have groovey riddim, brothers and sisters :)

[aminoplacid]

Pretty much a +1 to all the sample management requests above here. Especially the nested folders.

But also would love a pre-listen ability when browsing samples on an SD card. Having a large sample SD card is great but when you can barely manage them because you can’t nest folders or pre-listen, it defeats some of the value.

Would also like better control over grouping samples that have been imported. Like adding more groups rather than lumping all into the Imported folder.

[Unit:E]

Pretty much a +1 to all the sample management requests above here. Especially the nested folders.

But also would love a pre-listen ability when browsing samples on an SD card. Having a large sample SD card is great but when you can barely manage them because you can’t nest folders or pre-listen, it defeats some of the value.

Holding the Sample button will let you preview samples from the SD card. Simply highlight the sample on-screen and hold the Sample button.