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Roland TR-606

Drum machine

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The Roland TR-606 Drumatix is a drum machine built by Roland Corporation from 1981 to 1984.

01Sounds

It uses analog synthesis rather than samples to produce sound. It imitates acoustic percussion: the bass drum, snare, toms, cymbal and hi-hat (open and closed). The sounds cannot be edited. MusicRadar wrote that "the snare snaps and cracks, the kick offers a satisfying thud, and the metallic hats sizzle".

02Sequencer

Rhythms can be programmed using the sequencer, which includes controls for accents. The sequencer can hold 32 patterns in memory, and patterns can be sequenced to create songs. The TR-606 was designed to be used with the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer, and can be synchronized using DIN sync.

03Users

The TR-606 was used by artists including the Sisters of Mercy, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Skinny Puppy, Big Black, Autechre, Aphex Twin, Luke Vibert, Massive Attack, and Nine Inch Nails. It is used frequently in IDM. The electronic musician Kid606 took his stage name from the TR-606.

Watch videos about Roland TR-606Explainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Roland TR-606, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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