Synth Adventures
Boutique family

TR-808 · Multi-voice rhythm

TR-08

The boom and hats that defined hip-hop and techno — portable, USB audio, and live-writable.

Analog-modelled 808 voices, sub-steps, shuffle, trigger out to drive SH-01A / TB-03.

Roland manuals
ROLAND · TR-08

Signal at a glance

  1. Inst select
  2. Level / tone / decay per voice
  3. 16-step + sub-steps
  4. Accent
  5. Trigger out

Panel map

BD · SD · LT/MT/HT · RS/CP · CH/OH · CY/CB
Classic 808 instrument set.
LEVEL · TONE · DECAY · SNAPPY
Per-voice colour (where the original had them).
SUB STEPS
Up to 16 subdivisions per step for rolls.
SHUFFLE · TEMPO
Swing and clock.
TRIG OUT
Fire an external synth on a chosen track.

Starter recipes

  • Boom–clap house

    Four-on-the-floor BD, clap on 2 and 4, open hat off-beats.

    1. BD on every quarter; SD/CP on 5 and 13.
    2. CH on 8ths; OH on off-beat 8ths sparingly.
    3. Add sub-step closed-hat rolls into fills.

  • Trigger the SH-01A

    Use TRIG OUT so the Boutique mono synth fires with the kick or a dedicated track.

    1. Assign trigger out to a spare track or BD.
    2. Patch TRIG → SH-01A EXT; match levels.
    3. Sequence accents on the SH while drums run.

Pairs well with

FAQ

TR-08 vs TR-8S?
TR-08 is a focused 808 Boutique. TR-8S is a full AIRA rhythm workstation with samples, kits and deeper sequencing — next stop on the gear route.