Hi @Monopete, just to double check: do you mean kit gain +10db? Was looking into your tips, and on the Tr-8s or in the TR Editor I couldn’t fit Kit Level in midi numbers (128 being max). So I’m guessing you mean Kit Level +10.0dB? Or am I missing something? Thanks!
Correct. 
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Thanks - thought as much but thanks for confirming 
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Hey @mbeltran you can use SYS-EX - here’s a thread with loads of work done by some other Elektronauts to get you started - I was hoping to setup one of my BCR2000 units to do precisely this - control those deeper parameters that don’t have a CC control possible and it IS possible, just needs a lot of sleuthing to get the right SYS-EX strings worked out, which others have made a great start on in this thread:
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Korg SQ-64 transmits sysex …. 
I took a quick look and this stuff is way above my paygrade lol. I’ll just make it work for now, but thank you!
Question for TR-8S users, i am wondering if it’s wise and possible to add a TR8s to my collection for two purposes. One the obvious, classic drummachine. That question i can answer for myself. The other, to use the audio input and compressor as a compressor on my mixers masterbus inserts. I am wondering what the pros and cons are.
- does the tr has enough gain on outputs to match master output levels on mixer
- does it handle pro +4dbu levels on input and is the internal gain staging sufficient?
- since the compressor is digital, how is the soundquality of the AD-compressor-DA path?
- very important: how much do you like the compressor?
- is it possible to use a TR track as sidechain signal ?
Its just for jamming purposes, I understand a proper analog outboard compressor would be the better choice.
Yes.
Yes.
Banging.
A lot. Although Ive only used it on the drum mix. Not a full mix.
Yes.
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It also has a soft clipper at the end of the chain, which can be abused to smash your mix and get some nice distorted tones, but it can also be used gently to catch the peaks of a mix without compressing (so no audible volume ducks).
It is not well documented and you can only make use of it by increasing the gain of your kit/mix with no indication of when/how hard you hit the soft clipper, so you have to do that by ear. It also doesn’t have an attenuation option after the soft clipper (except the Normal/Boost output switch). But it sounds great.
I actually like soft clipping on my master much better than a compressor. It is often much more transparent without any audible artefacts (sudden volume differences of single sounds when the volume of the full mix makes the compressor kick in).
Also, for catching peaks with a compressor, you need a really fast attack and release time, which can also produce distortion/artefacts.
And you can make use of both simultaneously, because the soft clipper is not part of the master fx, but it is always there (probably as a safety net), so yes, is is very suitable as an end of chain “mastering” device. It is also very nice to put a filter on the master fx, so you can build up tension etc.
About the sidechain feature: keep in mind this is actually just a volume ducker that is triggered by one of the drum tracks of your choice (default is BD). It is not real sidechain compression, nor part of the compressor in the master fx section.
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I really love how finished my TR-8S sounds and the freedom of choice regarding voices and insert effects is simply the best.
But I always want to punch a fucking hole through this thing when doing sound design. When I go wild on the parameters of an instrument but at some point I decide to change the instrument… all my changes on the parameters persist so I can’t hear the instrument how it’s supposed to be without diving into the menu and manually revert my changes?! Are they serious? Am I stupid?
And nope, before I’d use this crappy-design-award-winning editor (or: what happens if you allow hardware engineers to build desktop software, 1995 edition) I’d get rid of the device all together and use a software instrument in the first place.
Ive never experienced this. Long time user of TR8-S. Theres a way to clear the instrument to default, couldnt tell you what it is, All my operations are muscle memory now, and im away from the studio right now, but it would be in the manual.
I dont use the editor either.
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It seems to me that this happens to me too. I tweak a boatload of INST parameters then change to a different instrument and all of my tweaks are still there. I’ve not looked but I’ve also not seen how to clear all parameter changes back to default for an instrument. I’ve had mine since release and I’ve never really bothered to look into it.
I probably should though.
Long time TR8s owner/user here and this doesn’t bother me, never noticed it. I think the way it is correct, for me atleast, or consider the flip side use case:
Imagine if when changing your INST sound, all the parms reset and how infuriating it would be to accidentally loose all of your carefully tweaked parms? Just my 2 cents and presenting the other side of the coin.
I like if I edit OH parms and it’s sounding nice with 909OH, then I think ‘what will another hat sound like with these parms’? (as you have done) easy just change your inst to an 808OH or whatever and you can audition that sound with all the parms you just tweaked.
If you really want to audition clean instruments within the existing kit context, just use one of the other 11 tracks as dedicated ‘clean’ sound track (no parm tweaks), …that way you can audition the clean sound.
Haha, yep. I’ve used a couple of times, it’s useful occasionally to me. It would be nice to have decent sample management built into it.
Hope that’s useful to you
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It feels like the ONE thing that people would have really wanted in that editor was easy sample management…and it’s not even really addressed at all. lol. Oh, Roland
Although I will say the editor is useful for other things and makes it much faster to tweak certain parameters and things
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That’s ok for the basic machines in there like 808 and 909. All my patches/“kits” consist of 4-6 sample voices and they need way more time to design. I tweak at least tune, coarse tune, rate, attack, decay, bit reduce, filter cutoff, filter resonance, filter velocity and pan in most of my sound designs. Sometimes even more. The only thing which is an even bigger PITA in this machine is the lack of user defined instrument patches.
Anyway, the TR-8S is integral part of my setup for 3 years and there’s simply no competition aside from AUv3s on my iPad. Sometimes I’m tempted to give the Rytm one more chance because of the great patch structure, the MIDI implementation and slightly smaller footprint. But the sound is just somehow inferior and the lack of sound design tools drives me away every time.
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Really liking the gain staging/fx tips in here. I record differently though and don’t use the master outs for the whole drum sound. What I do on the TR8 is assign 6 drums to the indi outs and then use the master for stereo outs. This is helpful if I want to have my toms panned and not put each one in a separate out.
So what I have been doing is running my indi outs through hardware analog gear, mainly compression, saturation and drive. I don’t have enough gear for all 6 outs, so the Tr8s appeals since I can put the saturator effect on those, when I need them.
Also the Tr8 is far more basic in terms of gainstaging. So I was curious who else records with the indi outs, plus stereo mains and what levels you all would recommend for that use case.
Ill probably copy what you all did with the main outs, just to hear what it does to the sound. I can say that the “boost” option on the Tr8 has too much volume for multitracking and I never use it. But maybe that is different on the S?
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What do you feel the Rytm lacks in terms of sound design tools compared to the TR-8S? Because to me it’s the inverse, I love the TR-8S for its very quick workflow but absolutely dread having to do sound design on it with that shitfuck of menu system, I get bored just thinking on how to access the LFO menu once again…
I feel you! The TR-8S menu diving sucks ass. Sample loading too. Whyyyyyy did they omit the „back“ button with this kinda menu structure?! The Rytm is way more accessible in this regard. The lack of LFOs is kinda sad too. But the insert effects for every slot and the possibilities for sample manipulation compensate it. The process is more annoying but I’m way more satisfied with the results. It feels weird considering how sophisticated the Rytm is.
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There is an lfo. I use it all the time. Slow and random is awesome for hats and snares.