A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit

Kurt James Werner; Jonathan Abel; Julius Smith

A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit

Kurt James Werner, Jonathan Abel, Julius Smith

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

6 Citations (Scopus)

1026 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We present an analysis of the bass drum circuit from the classic Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, based on physical models of the device’s many sub-circuits. A digital model based on this analysis (implemented in Cycling 74’s Gen~) retains the salient features of the original and allows accurate emulation of circuit-bent modifications—complicated behavior that is impossible to capture through black-box modeling or structured sampling. Additionally, this analysis will clear up common misconceptions about the circuit, support the design of further drum machine modifications, and form a foundation for circuit-based musicological inquiry into the history of analog drum machines.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14)
Editors	Sascha Disch, Bernd Edler, Jürgen Herre, Meinard Müller, Rudolf Rabenstein, Stefan Turowski
Place of Publication	Erlangen, Germany
Pages	159–166
Number of pages	8
Publication status	Published - 01 Sept 2014
Externally published	Yes
Event	17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14) - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nuürnberg, Erlangen, Germany Duration: 01 Sept 2014 → 05 Sept 2014 Conference number: 17 http://www.dafx14.fau.de/

Publication series

Name	DAFx Proceedins
Publisher	DAFx
ISSN (Print)	2413-6700
ISSN (Electronic)	2413-6689

Conference

Conference	17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14)
Abbreviated title	DAFx-14
Country/Territory	Germany
City	Erlangen
Period	01/09/2014 → 05/09/2014
Internet address	http://www.dafx14.fau.de/

Access to Document

A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit
© 2014 The Authors Published in the Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14)
Final published version, 4.04 MBLicence: Unspecified

http://www.dafx14.fau.de/papers/dafx14_kurt_james_werner_a_physically_informed,_ci.pdfLicence: Unspecified

17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14)
Kurt Werner (Participant)
01 Sept 2014 → 05 Sept 2014
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference

Cite this

Werner, K. J., Abel, J., & Smith, J. (2014). A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit. In S. Disch, B. Edler, J. Herre, M. Müller, R. Rabenstein, & S. Turowski (Eds.), Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14) (pp. 159–166). (DAFx Proceedins).. http://www.dafx14.fau.de/papers/dafx14_kurt_james_werner_a_physically_informed,_ci.pdf

Werner, Kurt James ; Abel, Jonathan ; Smith, Julius. / A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14). editor / Sascha Disch ; Bernd Edler ; Jürgen Herre ; Meinard Müller ; Rudolf Rabenstein ; Stefan Turowski. Erlangen, Germany, 2014. pp. 159–166 (DAFx Proceedins).

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title = "A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit",

abstract = "We present an analysis of the bass drum circuit from the classic Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, based on physical models of the device{\textquoteright}s many sub-circuits. A digital model based on this analysis (implemented in Cycling 74{\textquoteright}s Gen~) retains the salient features of the original and allows accurate emulation of circuit-bent modifications—complicated behavior that is impossible to capture through black-box modeling or structured sampling. Additionally, this analysis will clear up common misconceptions about the circuit, support the design of further drum machine modifications, and form a foundation for circuit-based musicological inquiry into the history of analog drum machines.",

author = "Werner, {Kurt James} and Jonathan Abel and Julius Smith",

year = "2014",

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language = "English",

isbn = "978-3-00-046825-4",

series = "DAFx Proceedins",

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booktitle = "Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14)",

note = "17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14), DAFx-14 ; Conference date: 01-09-2014 Through 05-09-2014",

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Werner, KJ, Abel, J & Smith, J 2014, A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit. in S Disch, B Edler, J Herre, M Müller, R Rabenstein & S Turowski (eds), Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14). DAFx Proceedins, Erlangen, Germany, pp. 159–166, 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14), Erlangen, Germany, 01/09/2014. <http://www.dafx14.fau.de/papers/dafx14_kurt_james_werner_a_physically_informed,_ci.pdf>

A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit. / Werner, Kurt James; Abel, Jonathan; Smith, Julius.
Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14). ed. / Sascha Disch; Bernd Edler; Jürgen Herre; Meinard Müller; Rudolf Rabenstein; Stefan Turowski. Erlangen, Germany, 2014. p. 159–166 (DAFx Proceedins).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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AU - Abel, Jonathan

AU - Smith, Julius

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N2 - We present an analysis of the bass drum circuit from the classic Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, based on physical models of the device’s many sub-circuits. A digital model based on this analysis (implemented in Cycling 74’s Gen~) retains the salient features of the original and allows accurate emulation of circuit-bent modifications—complicated behavior that is impossible to capture through black-box modeling or structured sampling. Additionally, this analysis will clear up common misconceptions about the circuit, support the design of further drum machine modifications, and form a foundation for circuit-based musicological inquiry into the history of analog drum machines.

AB - We present an analysis of the bass drum circuit from the classic Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, based on physical models of the device’s many sub-circuits. A digital model based on this analysis (implemented in Cycling 74’s Gen~) retains the salient features of the original and allows accurate emulation of circuit-bent modifications—complicated behavior that is impossible to capture through black-box modeling or structured sampling. Additionally, this analysis will clear up common misconceptions about the circuit, support the design of further drum machine modifications, and form a foundation for circuit-based musicological inquiry into the history of analog drum machines.

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 978-3-00-046825-4

T3 - DAFx Proceedins

SP - 159

EP - 166

BT - Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14)

A2 - Disch, Sascha

A2 - Edler, Bernd

A2 - Herre, Jürgen

A2 - Müller, Meinard

A2 - Rabenstein, Rudolf

A2 - Turowski, Stefan

CY - Erlangen, Germany

T2 - 17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14)

Y2 - 1 September 2014 through 5 September 2014

ER -

A Physically-Informed, Circuit-Bendable, Digital Model of the Roland TR-808 Bass Drum Circuit

Abstract

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17th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-14)

Cite this