READ THE OFFICIAL OWNER'S MANUAL HERE.

Roland's description of the Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator.

 

TOMORROW RETURNS.

Built on the legacy of Roland’s most iconic drum machines, the TR-1000 Rhythm Creator blends analog warmth, digital precision, and sampling freedom into a powerful, genre-spanning instrument. Bridging classic workflows with modern sound design, the TR-1000 is the definitive platform for shaping what comes next. The future is back—and it’s in your hands.

HIGHLIGHTS.

• The deepest and most powerful drum machine ever created by Roland
• Newly developed analog engine with classic TR-808 and TR-909 sounds offering vintage feel, modern flair, extended range, and new parameters not available on the originals
• ACB modeling engine with a diverse range of sounds, including 21 circuit-bent 8X and 9X models that push 808 and 909 sounds into new sonic directions
• FM, PCM, and virtual analog engines for creating bass lines, synth tones, and wild digital textures
• Advanced sampler with over 2000 onboard sounds, stereo sampling/resampling, BPM sync, time-stretching, non-destructive slice editing, and 46 GB of memory for user samples
• Next-generation TR-REC step sequencer with off-grid control, cycle, rotate, track/step start timing, direction, motion recording, and probability
• Four dedicated layer tracks for detailed drum sound design and extended sequencing
• Stereo analog effects section with new state-variable filter (SVF), analog drive, and external routing
• Tactile performance effects, including a Morph slider, snapshots, and step loop control for rhythmic play
• Expansive audio I/O with stereo mix output, individual instrument outputs, dedicated analog FX output, and dual mono/stereo input for external gear
• MIDI I/O, trigger I/O, DIN sync, clock out, and filter CV input
• Control input for an expression pedal or footswitch
• USB-C multi-channel audio/MIDI interface
• Flexible USB device port for connecting an external Roland MIDI controller or a flash drive for updates, backup/restore, and sample import/export
• Rugged metal chassis and durable components
• Edit and organize sounds with the TR-1000 App

 

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Meet the TR-1000 Rhythm Creator, Roland’s most advanced drum machine ever. Built from the ground up with input from influential artists and the community, the TR-1000 combines analog warmth, digital precision, stereo sampling, and deep sequencing in a single modern instrument. Whether you're a producer, performer, or sound designer, this is the rhythm machine you've been waiting for.

 

THE SHAPE OF SOUND TO COME.

From the foundational to the experimental, the TR-1000 does it all. Conceive, create, and perform with a complete range of premium drum sounds, powered by analog, digital, and sampling engines with advanced tone-shaping and layered track architecture.

 

ROLAND ANALOG, REIMAGINED.

The TR-1000 is the first Roland drum machine with a true analog engine in over 40 years. It features 16 of the most coveted circuits from the TR-808 and TR-909, faithfully recreated from the original designs with detailed engineering and carefully selected modern components. Fusing vintage soul with expanded control, this engine delivers the authentic analog TR sound, boosted with new parameters and vastly expanded dynamic range.

 

REWRITING THE RULES OF RHYTHM.

Alongside the TR-1000’s analog sounds are powerful digital engines driven by Roland’s latest modeling technology. Our ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) platform provides detailed analog circuit emulations, including 21 circuit-bent 8X and 9X models. Drawing from the 808 and 909, these new voices include quick-access parameters for live shaping and expanded controls that push the sound far beyond the range of conventional analog. You also get FM percussion, virtual analog synthesis, and a deep library of PCM samples for sonic exploration and fresh digital textures.

 

SAMPLE, STRETCH, SLICE, RESAMPLE.

Classic TR instruments laid the foundations for countless electronic music genres—and when paired with digital sampling, their influence deepened. Comprehensive sample tools are fully integrated into the TR-1000 workflow, including stereo sampling and resampling, BPM sync, seamless time-stretching, and non-destructive slice editing. The onboard 64 GB memory comes with a curated collection of 2,000 samples, with 46 GB free for your own captures, edits, and sample imports.

 

ANALOG AND DIGITAL EFFECTS.

Refine and transform with the TR-1000’s rich palette of tactile effects. Shape sounds with the new analog state-variable filter (SVF) inspired by classic Roland OTA designs. Add saturated punch using the dedicated analog drive. Color tones with digital favorites like crusher, filter, isolator, saturator, pitch delay, flanger, and more. Enhance the mix with reverb and delay sends for each track, and then add additional flavor and movement with a slate of master effects.

 

DEEP SOUND DESIGN.

Powerful in-line processing makes it easy to sculpt distinctive and dynamic rhythms with the TR-1000. Each track combines a model-specific sound generator, compressor, multimode filter/four-band EQ, and amp/envelope control. Four of the available tracks allow for two independent sound generators to be stacked or programmed separately, complete with per-track FX, internal sidechaining, output routing, and a three-target LFO.

 

STEPPING UP.

The TR-1000’s advanced sequencer expands the legendary TR workflow with a focus on feel and flexibility. Program sounds fast, perform with intent, and shape rhythms in real time using extensive pattern tools, expressive controls, and deep timing options.

 

FROM LOCKED TO LOADED.

The TR-1000 makes sequencing feel alive, whether you’re programming tight techno patterns or drifting into loose, lopsided grooves. Lock in with classic TR-REC step input, real-time recording, or new off-grid options to push or pull the pocket. Flexible input modes let you dial in the right feel and nudge individual steps until the groove hits just right.

 

DYNAMIC PATTERN CONTROL.

Intuitive tools give you the power to program grooves that breathe and evolve with every pass. Use motion recording to capture live parameter changes for modulation and movement. Control how each track progresses with direction settings like forward, reverse, pendulum, and more. Define cycle conditions to determine when steps play and tap into per-step probability to introduce variation and surprise.

 

GET OFF THE GRID.

From machine-locked rhythms to grooves with a human feel, the TR-1000 flows smoothly with your timing preferences. Use quantization to keep things tight. Or turn it off to capture natural rhythmic variations. Dial in shuffle per track to apply distinct amounts of swing and instantly shift playback timing left/right for quick variations and new rhythmic feels.

 

SEAMLESS SYNC.

Keep your entire studio or live setup unified with the TR-1000 as the centerpiece. Thanks to a wide range of connectivity options, you can effortlessly lock with Eurorack hardware, vintage gear, and DAWs.

 

SONG MODE.

The TR-1000 introduces a comprehensive song mode for hands-free playback of complex arrangements, bringing a new level of performance freedom to multi-instrumentalists, singers, and hybrid performers. Link patterns and variations in any order, repeat sections, and build full tracks with ease.

 

TOUCH, TRIGGER, AND TRANSFORM.

The TR-1000 is made to be played. With a free-flowing layout and loads of direct-access controls, you have instant command over every performance detail.

 

THE INTERFACE IS YOUR INSTRUMENT.

The TR-1000’s ergonomic panel encourages exploration and real-time creation. Sculpted, high-grip knobs and smooth, responsive faders are built for riding levels, shaping FX, and working transitions with pinpoint precision.

 

CLASSIC STEP KEYS.

Durable keys with RGB indicators deliver an expressive, time-tested matrix for rhythm creation and sound control. Use them for classic TR-REC step programming, tapping out drums in real time, changing dynamics with 16 velocity steps, sample slicing, and more.

 

MORPH AND MANIPULATE.

The new Morph slider brings another level of expression to the TR experience. It can be assigned to a wide combination of parameters, enabling wild macro control, smooth transitions, and radical transformations with simple movements. Unique Morph settings are available in each pattern to light up your performances with color and energy.

 

MOMENTS ON TAP.

With the TR-1000’s new snapshot feature, you can program playable step buttons that instantly recall any knob position for an instrument. Up to 16 snapshots are available per track, perfect for switching up sounds, FX settings, or mix levels with quick presses as you work.

 

BUILT TO CONNECT.

Made for seamless integration with hybrid setups, modular rigs, and modern studios, the TR-1000 offers the I/O and routing flexibility to support expansive production and performance setups.

 

PRO I/O.

The TR-1000 features a main stereo output, an analog FX output, and ten jacks that function as individual audio outputs or analog triggers for external gear. You also have dedicated trigger I/O, a filter/CV input, a clock out, and a dual mono/stereo input for sampling and processing signals through TR effects. Finally, there’s a front-panel headphone jack with its own level control for easy monitoring.

 

USB, MIDI, AND DIN SYNC.

The TR-1000 functions as a multi-channel USB-C audio/MIDI interface that connects with your favorite computer platform. The versatile USB device port supports flash drives for system updates, data backup/restore, and WAV audio import/export, plus USB MIDI controllers such as the Roland A-49 or A-PRO series. Comprehensive MIDI I/O is available too, along with DIN sync to lock with pre-MIDI synths and drum machines.

 

TR-1000 APP.

The TR-1000 App allows you to control the hardware from your computer, offering a large display for real-time parameter editing, a librarian for organizing your personal sound collection, and more.

 

FUTURE-PROOFED.

Designed with a future-focused architecture, the TR-1000 is a long-term creative partner made to evolve with you.

 

ARTIST-INFORMED WORKFLOW.

Roland’s engineers created the original TRs, laying the foundation for decades of rhythm innovation. But it was artists who brought those machines to life. With the TR-1000, we worked closely with today’s producers and performers to craft an instrument grounded in real-world creativity and the features that forward-thinking artists need.

 

ROBUST AND RUGGED.

Many TR-808s and TR-909s remain in daily use over four decades after their creation. The TR-1000 is also built for the long haul, supported by a high-grade aluminum panel, steel chassis, and top-quality components throughout. A universal internal power supply and fan-free thermal design ensure quiet, efficient operation through every creative session and live show.

 

AN UPDATABLE PLATFORM.

The TR-1000 runs on a robust DSP and firmware platform designed to support future sound engines, new features, and system updates, extending the life and capability of your instrument for years to come.

 

 

BONUS CONTENT FROM ROLAND: DEVELOPING THE ROLAND TR-1000 RHYTHM CREATOR.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at how the TR-1000 integrated input from the creative community into the final product.

(sourced directly from Roland.com, accessed 21 November 2025)   

by Ari Rosenschein, Senior Manager, Brand & Product Copy for Roland.

The journey of an instrument from initial idea to its eventual physical manifestation incorporates many voices. From the technical engineers to product managers, each personality, opinion, and specialization helps shape the outcome of a creative project. In the case of the TR-1000 Rhythm Creator, the first Roland drum machine in four decades with a true analog engine, this chorus of perspectives included another critical group: artists. The Engineering team garnered powerful insights by road-showing the TR-1000 and engaging music makers who have long supported Roland gear. Product Leader, Peter Brown, gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the TR-1000 integrated input from the creative community into the final product. 

Lessons Learned

Previous Roland instruments became iconic successes after their commercial failure, and pioneering artists are largely to credit for this. What lessons from this influenced the TR-1000?      

There’s probably a limit to which you can design instruments to fit a specific workflow, but in the end, the artist will find their own way to use them. These days, instruments are so deep, filled with features and comprehensive workflows, but I’ve spent years meeting users who only use a fraction of them, even after eight years. It’s not a bad thing, though. It encouraged us to make the features more digestible and easier to discover.    

Removing Guardrails

As a product manager, what felt important to capture for rhythm creators, and how did you approach it when meeting with artists around the TR-1000?  Did any TR stories stand out?       

Spontaneity and happy accidents, especially with sequencing. I think it was Terry Hunter who told us about how people would pound random rhythms into the 909. Since it was always quantized, it would spit back interesting rhythms—that and removing guardrails on the sound engines, allowing things to sound “bad” or unpredictable. Many folks want to hear the sounds get pushed “too far.” This leaves it up to the user to decide the limit of what’s usable or not. Maybe when it sounds the most extreme, we just haven’t heard those sounds used in music yet.    

 

What artists were part of the TR-1000 development process?    

There was a great mix of frequent collaborators and newer folks. We had lots of early conversations in Detroit. Artists in Underground Resistance, BMG, and Aux 88. Satoshi Tomiie, Kuniyuki, and Hisashi Saito dedicated a lot of their time to testing early prototypes of the sound engine.   

In Berlin and the UK, we showed off early versions to Overmono, Leonard de Leonard, Floating Points, and other folks. It wasn’t always a homerun. We digested all sorts of feedback about workflow, the design, the sampling, etc. Working artists or folks making their primary source of income producing music are least likely to abandon tools they know inside and out. Nobody is paying you when you are learning a new instrument. It motivated us to design the TR-1000 to be familiar (TR-style interface), while adding new elements that fix something or make things easier for them.    

Reactions and Requests

What were some of the initial reactions from musicians about Roland creating its first analog drum machine in forty years?    

To some artists, it was certainly exciting. Plugging in and playing even just the 808 hi-hats alone brought some big smiles—those who hold fidelity in high regard. For others, the digital side was way more compelling.

Hearing the modified 8X and 9X tones was so refreshing, especially for artists so used to hearing the same tones for decades. Satoshi Tomiie put it best: “It’s like an 808, but different.” That alone was hugely inspiring.   

 

You have a history of working with artists on developing products like the SP-404MKII and others. How was this process unique?    

The MKII already had a rough blueprint made for us, just through community feedback alone. Of course, we spoke with artists as well to get detail and nuance. The TR-1000 conversations were way more exploratory. The market is also more spread out, so we traveled a good amount to try to see each artist’s studio and how everything was set up.   

What feature requests came up repeatedly in early conversations with artists?       

Sample chopping and incorporating drum breaks with analog/digital tones. Initially, we didn’t have non-destructive sample slicing, but that was a big request in the context of making things fast and fluid.     

 

Counterbalance

Walk us through what a development meeting with musicians is like.    

They’re completely different in Japan compared to the rest of the world. In Japan, an entire afternoon is scheduled at the R&D center. Each sound is reviewed in the studio or auditorium, and each parameter is tested. Everything is thoroughly examined. The patience of these artists is astounding. In the US and EU, it’s way more free-form.   

Once the standalone prototype made noise, we would hook it up and start making sound immediately, full-on. Seeing how the instrument fairs when thrown into a studio or session cold with little prep was a great contextual counterbalance. The artists tend to focus on the areas that interest them, so that some meetings would be exclusive to analog sound, with others the sampling, etc.   

 

Did some added enhancements (such as expanded pitch and decay ranges, and tunability) emerge from your talks? How did musicians react to virtual analog modeling, FM synthesis, VA waveforms, and PCM features?    

In Detroit, the artists kept telling us they wanted to “freak the sound.” We had to take that sentiment and make it real. While the analog sounds can be molded inside the sound engine, creatively automated, and sequenced, this is where the digital component really shows its strength.

There’s one tone that I love showing off. The 9X Rim Shot takes the 909 Rim Shot and breaks each component apart into its own voice. It’s actually three oscillator layers combined, so each layer’s tune and decay can be independently controlled.   

I would start with the core sound settings, which the artist would presumably have heard thousands of times, and slowly deconstruct them in real time. It breaks a fourth wall—you hear this time-tested sound start to mutate, and you get to understand it on a deeper level. Most of the time, the reactions are like “Whaaaa?” or “Woaaahhh!”   

 

Mod Life  

Of all the new features, the circuit-bent 808 and 909 voices feel very much in the spirit of listening to Roland fans. Did you see some modded units?      

Satoshi Tomiie had a modded 909 with a great sound character. We studied and compared it to our analog and digital prototypes. We also listened to units that had strange character—not modded, but for whatever reason, they came out of the factory sounding wonky.    

There’s so much subjectivity regarding what sounds “good” or “like a X0X.” ACB’s initial mission was to create a median sound with just enough control to achieve an ideal result. In the process, we built these DSP models with a high degree of modularity. This made the “digital circuit bending” process possible for normies like me who are not DSP engineers to tinker around and see what sounds interesting. 

 

Finding the Look

Did artists have input into the TR-1000 aesthetic in terms of color, knob layout, and general design?      

Definitely. The aesthetic was heavily inspired by UR’s feedback, wanting less bright and in-your-face colors, something more stoic. We also had early versions that had slightly different layouts and spacings. At one point, the Morph fader was perfectly in line with the step sequencer, and I think Shawn Rudiman pointed out that it was a dangerous spot, likely to get moved by accident when people did the finger-drag trick to program all of the steps at once.    

 

What were your most positive memories of traveling and developing the TR-1000?   

Regarding marketing activity, we had an activation in Amsterdam at ADE last year. We hosted about 40 artists at a small coffee shop called Black and Gold. It felt like the perfect audience for the product. Everyone understood it right away and was asking the right questions.    

The early development of hacking ACB and prototyping the analog was a blast. My team got to be creative and blue-sky in a way that’s impossible with other products. The “try it and let’s find out” mentality felt refreshing. Ishimine, one of the development leaders, said the project had a “new smell” (新しいにおい). Fun fact: He was the lead on the TR-727, so it’s kind of a cool full-circle moment for him.  

The analog development was more focused, but also a lot of fun. We had quite a few sessions in the listening rooms in the Hamamatsu factory, comparing the characteristics of four or five machines. Having to decide the direction of the analog sound/parameters with given constraints was like trying to solve a morphing puzzle in the best kind of way.