Roland has announced a firmware update for its flagship TR-8S drum machine.

Continuing the lineage of the TR-808 and TR-909, the free Version 2.0 update to the TR-8S is claimed to ‘make this already-powerful instrument the most complete drum machine ever’, offering an FM synthesis engine with Morph control, expanded performance effects and reload functions to speed up workflow.

The TR-8S offers ACB recreations of past TR drum machine sounds, a diverse range of onboard samples, mono/stereo sample import capability and effects – all driven by the TR Rec sequencer and a mixing interface built for real-time performance.

The new FM synthesis engine delivers futuristic tone colours, including metallic hits and other harmonically rich percussion sounds. Users can sweep through sonic variations with the Morph control, manipulating FM depth, ratio and feedback with simple knob movements. FM sounds can be freely blended with classic TR sounds and custom samples, paving the way to never-before-heard grooves.

The TR-8S includes many percussion-tuned effects for enhancing individual sounds or entire kits with character, depth and space. Version 2.0 adds Saturator, Freq Shift, Ring Mod and Spread effects to the mix, which can be assigned to control knobs for shaping sounds on the fly.

Version 2.0 also adds many reload functions that restore pattern and kit elements to their stored states with quick actions, providing exciting new ways to manipulate beats while creating sounds and performing live.

More: www.roland.com/global