Roland TR-707 and TR-727 get an authentic software emulation on Roland Cloud
Two legendary beatmaking machines return with some modern features.
Roland has brought its renowned TR-707 and TR-727 to Roland Cloud, enabling producers and musicians to access an authentic software emulation of the drum machines.
- READ MORE: Plug-ins I Actually Use: Picard Brothers
The TR-707 and TR-727 hardware used PCM samples combined with analogue circuitry to create their iconic percussion sounds. Roland’s TR-707 had 15 classic punchy drum sounds, including kick, snare, hi-hat, clap, toms, cymbals and more. The TR-727, meanwhile, was a Latin percussion powerhouse that complemented the sounds of the 707. Roland says that the two machines were an “unstoppable” force when combined.
Roland’s legendary drum machines have a distinct lo-fi feel to them, by today’s standards, thanks to 25kHz sample rates and resolution as low as 6-bit. Plus, the analogue circuitry introduced variations in pitch and decay characteristics.
To bring these imperfections to the software versions of the TR-707 and TR-727, Roland started with the original PCM wave data. Then, it used Analog Circuit Behaviour (ACB) technology to replicate the quirks of the PCM engine and analogue output stages. The company says this results in “100 per cent authenticity”, along with some modern additions to adapt them into contemporary workflows.
The new features include an updated sequencer – although still boasting an old-school aesthetic – that let you add more detail to your grooves. The sequencer’s expanded view reveals individual lanes with mute, solo and shuffle for each instrument, with per-step accents.
You’re also able to shape the characteristics of each drum hit, with attack, decay and tuning, plus the ability to overdrive the internal circuitry.
The Roland Cloud TR-707 and TR-727 can run as a plug-in for your DAW in VST3, AAX and AU formats. You can purchase them for $149 each or access them via a Roland Cloud Ultimate membership – each paid level of the Roland Cloud subscription feature a free 30-day trial of Ultimate so you can try out the instruments.
Learn more at roland.com.
