Roland TR 505

Updated on Dec 11, 2024

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Manufacturer Roland Polyphony 8 voices Synthesis type Digital Sample-based		Dates 1986 Oscillator n/a

Storage memory Patterns: 48 user, 48 preset. 6 Songs.

The Roland TR-505 is a drum machine and MIDI sequencer from the same family as the Roland TR-909, TR-808, TR-707, and TR-626. Released in 1986, the unit can be used to sequence short, punchy, 12-bit samples. The drum kit includes basic rock drum sounds similar to those of the 707, plus a complement of Latin-style drum sounds similar to those of the TR-727, which was similar to the TR-707, but it had Latin instruments instead of rock drums.

Drum sounds:

The three pairs that cannot be played simultaneously are cymbal crash and ride, rimshot and hand clap, and hi-hat open and closed.

Modes

The TR-505 features five basic modes, including the following:

Track Play - plays whole tracks (arrangements of patterns to form songs).

Track Write - sequence patterns into tracks.

Step Write - sequence patterns by stepping through each position in the pattern.

Tap Write - sequence patterns by tapping drums sounds in real time.

Real time - play patterns in real time by tapping the pads.

Time signatures other than 4/4 can be programmed by changing the length of patterns and the scale, which actually refers to the signature ratio/swing.

Midi implementation

The unit handles MIDI quite capably. Each instrument can be assigned a level/velocity from one to five, a MIDI channel, and a MIDI note number. Individual pads also transmit MIDI data when tapped, although these aren't velocity sensitive. An accent can be applied to any position in a pattern and will affect all instruments triggered at that position by increasing their volume. The memory in the TR-505 can store up to 48 patterns in 6 songs.

References

Roland TR-505 Wikipedia

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