Roland TR-1000 Drum Machine In-Depth Demo

In his latest video, synthesist Alex Bell takes an in-depth look at the new Roland TR-1000 drum machine.

The TR-1000 is the first Roland drum machine in over 40 years with true analog voices. It builds on the legacy of the TR-808 and TR-909 machines, but goes far beyond the 808 and 909 in its ability to tweak the analog voices, but also offers digital voices and sampling.

Ball offers an overview of the TR-1000, how it compares to the 808 and 909, shares his thoughts on it and demonstrates in with several performance jams.

Topics covered:

0:00 Intro Jam
1:08 What is it?
3:10 Analogue
9:52 Digital
12:21 Sampling
13:51 Sequencing
15:54 Performance & FX
17:14 Summary & Outro Jam

Ball calls the TR-1000 “a superb return to analog for Roland”.

Check out the video and share your thoughts on the Roland TR-1000 in the comments!

16 thoughts on “Roland TR-1000 Drum Machine In-Depth Demo”

  4. Not that it is within my price range (unless I desire a divorce) and my TR-8S, LmDrum and Polyend Play+ covers everything I need, but is it just me that doesn’t like the design?
    I mean, gone are the colorful buttons on the 808 and even TR-8S. This entire unit is monochrome. Black and white. It looks like one of the plastic chassis synths Korg used to throw out in the 90s

    1. Design is in line of the latest trends, we are in 2025 after all 😉
      “It looks like one of the plastic chassis synths Korg used to throw out in the 90s”
      Except it isn’t , it is made out of steel an aluminium and top notch buttons, pots and sliders… It all adds up to exceptional built quality and excellent design.
      BTW; your TR-8S, LmDrum and Polyend Play+ costs way more than TR-1000 and yet 3 of them combined can’t much flexibility and features of single TR-1000 😉

    2. It’s okay, in a no nonsense sort of way, like Erica. Modern and sleek, not overdesigned. I wouldn’t be surprised if they aim for a n SP-404 personalisation options down the line, via colored knobs and overlays.

    3. I agree with you, not that I like colourful per se, but I think the monochrome and tiny / unlit lettering do not make this machine easy to handle live where lighting is usually bad. And I dont want to hang with a lamp…

    4. I thought this at first – especially since the colors on the 808 are functional and let you immediately see the grouping of steps within a beat.

      But the LEDs in the buttons can dynamically provide this type of feedback, and nobody complains about the lack of colorful buttons on the 606, 707, etc.

      The panel does bring to mind the more minimal designs of the 80s – more like Yamaha – but back then the designs didn’t have 100 controls on the panel!

  5. I don’t think it sounds that great to other analog/digital gear available now. I recently test drove one at Perfect Circuit in Burbank and here are some key take-aways:

    1) Absurdly long start-up time. From the time you press power ‘on’ to when the load screen finally goes away takes about a minute.

    2) There doesn’t seem to be much range in the bass drum decay as compared to other analog drum machines.

    3) The knobs still feel cheap compared to other Roland gear.

    4) Unnecessarily menu-divey

    5) The TR steps do feel good, not quite like the original 909, but def a nod in that direction.

    Recommendation: save money and get a deeply discounted, used Analog RYTM mk2.

  6. I thought this was an instant purchase until I thought about the percussion patches on my TR-8S and MC707 and the lack of percussion patches on Roland instruments. I’m waiting to see the sound list before I buy, it has to have at least both HandSonic sounds and a couple of hundred new sounds.

  7. It is too bland. Time to break out the neon vinyl tape and X-acto knife for a custom racing stripe job. There’s room for some kaiju and anime crap at the top, too.

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