Roland TR-909

The 909 was designed by Tadao Kikumoto, who also designed the Roland TB-303 synthesizer.[1] Chief Roland engineer Makoto Muroi credited the design of the analog and pulse-code modulation voice circuits to "Mr Ou" and its software to "Mr Hoshiai".[2]

Roland TR-909 rear view

Whereas its predecessor, the TR-808, is known for its "boomy" bass, the 909 sounds aggressive and "punchy".[3][4] It was the first Roland drum machine to use samples (prerecorded sounds), for its crash, ride and hi-hat sounds; other sounds are generated with analog synthesis.[5] As the clap and snare are generated via the same noise source, they produce a phasing effect when played together.[6]

The 909 was also the first Roland drum machine to use MIDI,[2] allowing it to synchronize with other devices,[5] or for sounds to be triggered by an external MIDI controller for wider dynamic range.[2] Older Roland machines can be synchronized via its DIN sync port (a precursor to MIDI).[2]

The 909 features a sequencer that can chain up to 96 patterns into songs of up to 896 measures, and controls including shuffle and flam.[5] It features an improved accent feature, allowing users to accent particular beats or sounds.[2]

Roland changed elements of the 909 during its lifetime, correcting problems and adjusting sounds. Some users modify their machines to match sounds from earlier revisions.[6]

The 909 was released in 1983[5] and retailed for $1,195 USD, equivalent to $3,251 in 2021.[5] It was a commercial failure, as users preferred the more realistic sampled sounds of competing products such as the LinnDrum.[2] Roland ceased production after one year,[2] having built 10,000 units.[7] The 909 was succeeded in 1984 by the TR-707, which uses samples for all its sounds.[2]

Whereas the TR-808 was important in the development of hip hop, the 909, alongside the 303 synthesizer, influenced dance music such as techno, house and acid.[8][9] According to Gordon Reid of Sound on Sound, "Like the TR-808 before it, nobody could have predicted the reverence in which the TR-909 would eventually come to be held."[5]

The first known commercial use of a 909 is on the album Remission by Skinny Puppy, released months after the 909 launch.[5] In the late 1980s, the 909 was popularized by producers in Chicago and Detroit such as Derrick May, Frankie Knuckles and Jeff Mills, who bought second-hand units.[3] As it was the first Roland drum machine to use MIDI, producers used the 909 as a hub to synchronize and sequence other machines, which Roland had not anticipated.[5] The 909 has also been used in rock and alternative music; Mark Bell used it to create "militaristic" percussion for Björk's 1997 song "Hunter",[10][11] and Radiohead used it on "Videotape", from their 2007 album In Rainbows.[12] Mixmag described the American DJ and composer Jeff Mills as the "master" of the 909.[13]

In 2017, Roland released the TR-09, a miniature version of the 909 with additional features.[6]

• "Roland TR-909". Electronics & Music Maker. March 1984. p. 38. OCLC 317187644.