Roland AIRA Tease Continues With A Look At The TR-909 Rhythm Composer

Roland has released another teaser video for their Aira drum machine:

In the second video, Roland engineers discuss the technologies involved in getting the right sounds for the successor to the TR-808. The TR-909 Rhythm Composer evolved from the TR-808, adding digital samples and MIDI. House and Techno were born. Now the next step begins.

It looks like we may be hearing that cymbal again.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

46 thoughts on “Roland AIRA Tease Continues With A Look At The TR-909 Rhythm Composer

    1. It smells like BS…please do not get me wrong…if in the video he says that the the sounds got working with analog circuits are the real deal,,,,but the cymbals (back in the 80’s) and they are pursuing “evolution”. I would like to expect and and for I would like to pay, is indeed and evolution of that analog original circuitry without the “cons” of the original idea more than 20 years after…turn something that was conceive full analog (due it privileges) into something that was a “con” at the time (again respecting the original conception idea) into an extension of the original “con” for me is a downsize…again imho

  1. It look like the kick and snare channels are analogue, they even look like they were lifted from the 909. All the other channels look like pcm channels,also like on the 909.

      1. Indeed. Jon is incorrect. Only the hi-hats and cymbals are sampled on the TR-909. And you’ve merely presented this fact, without offering any opinion on what’s better or worse. And yet you’re still being downvoted.

  2. Really nice, I like the way they’re telling the story, a slow reveal, to let us understand, and come to love what they’re doing.

    Nice one Roland! (Still comes down to the price though)

  3. Electro, Acid House and Detroit Techno,We all owe Roland. No app for a tablet, no super expensive synth will ever have the buzz or longevity Roland gear has given the acid and techno world.
    What is their new bassline going to be like?

    1. I’m looking forward to the Aira as much as anybody else, but “the purists and snobs” you refer to are putting out some great music too. The Aira might not work well for others even if it works well for us, and that’s okay.

  4. Did anyone else see the machine with the LEDs lighting up a circle? It doesn’t look like the tr-08 or anything else we’ve seen so far…

  5. word is the TR-08 machine will cover both 808 and 909… which is very appealing to me, because i use samples from those machines in almost every track ive made for like 15 years now

    dont fuck it up roland!

    1. its the TR-08 without a case.. it has that circle of LEDs around the big dial in the top right corner.. if you look close you can see the sliders and knobs underneath, as well as the step buttons below that

      1. Ahh; I really hope, for Roland’s sake, that this is what we have all hoped for.
        I will be so glad for them if it is. I might even buy one !

  6. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/WOZoQoS.jpg[/IMG]
    So it has USB and what is that written at the top. Something that ends in ORMER? PerfORMER maybe? Not sure. But damn I hope Roland doesn’t make this VA, that would force me to officially classify them as trolling after the Jupiter 80…which is basically to synthesizers what Whole Foods is to grocery stores.

    1. *yawn* Not more JP-80 hate. Its got a 3-oscillator synth architecture going for it, if people will explore it. If you don’t care for the Roland SOUND in some way, okay, that’s 90% subjective. I just find it odd to object to an instrument for not meeting an imaginary standard. Hard-core performance keyboards are either very comprehensive or very focused. I didn’t sit and diss my workstations for not being modulars or ethnic drum specialists. I saved up and added pieces that focused on those roles. With synths, you almost HAVE to diversify. That’s why you see people who are using Push and MPCs plus a Volca tapped into the loop. No one box will really “Do It All” by every standard, but three or four WILL. Same with AIRA, even if it does have a power library to offer.

      1. Interesting point. I appreciate the perspective. I would have to agree with you. My only point is, why not name it distinctly different than the Jupiter. As it stands it doesn’t really have much in common with what most would associate with the Juliter name. But maybe I am just being a little too “get off my lawn” crabby. Eh, to each their own.

  7. http://i.imgur.com/WOZoQoS.jpg
    So it has USB and what is that written at the top. Something that ends in ORMER? PerfORMER maybe? Not sure. But damn I hope Roland doesn’t make this VA, that would force me to officially classify them as trolling after the Jupiter 80…which is basically to synthesizers what Whole Foods is to grocery stores.

  8. Please Roland, use Motorized Rotary encoders.for the AIRA ( From JAPAN )
    and a VST editor for the new Instruments.
    cheers 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *