science

Roland TR-707

Roland TR-707 is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Roland TR-707 rather than just read about it. In short: The Roland TR-707 Rhythm Composer is a drum machine released by Roland Corporation in 1985. Later in 1985, Roland released the TR-727, a model with sounds sampled from Latin percussion.

Key takeaways

Roland TR-707 belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Roland TR-707 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Roland TR-707 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Roland TR-707 Rhythm Composer is a drum machine released by Roland Corporation in 1985. Later in 1985, Roland released the TR-727, a model with sounds sampled from Latin percussion.

Features The TR-707 was the first Roland drum machine to exclusively use sampled sounds. It also added an LCD screen displaying information such as programming data, tempo, measure, and the MIDI channel. The sounds comprise two bass drums, two snares, three toms, rimshot, cowbell, clap, crash cymbal, ride cymbal and hi-hat (open and closed), tambourine, handclap. The sounds cannot be tuned. It is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, the TR-909. The TR-707 provides four levels of shuffle that operate globally on the rhythm, as well as flam that can be applied to any step. The device offers 64 programmable patterns, which are editable via step-write or tap-write, that can be sequenced together into any of four different tracks. Patterns and tracks can be stored on the device (providing that two AA batteries are inserted) or onto an optional memory cartridge with twice the capacity. The TR-707 is particularly sought after by users of Roland gear from the same era because it can synchronize with other hardware via both MIDI and DIN sync, although it cannot do so when controlled by other hardware. There is also an output that allows the Rimshot to trigger hardware that accepts a voltage pulse. There are individual volume sliders and output jacks for each instrument group.

Architecture While the TR-707 is a primarily digital device, it still employs some analog circuitry like envelopes and amplifiers. The sounds where envelope circuits are used to contour the sounds are the Crash and Ride Cymbal, and the Hi-Hats. The Crash and Ride Cymbals are stored and replayed at 6-bit resolution whereas the other sounds are 8-bit samples. This low bit resolution significantly alters the dynamics of the original sounds resulting in very compressed sounds with an unnaturally long sustain.

These envelopes also play a role in reducing the quantization noise introduced by the low bit-depth used in the TR-707's circuits, particularly during the decay portion of sounds. With the introduction of a 707/727 sound set for the Roland TR-8, Roland published an in-depth explanation of what causes a TR-707 unit to behave differently than a set of sampled sounds from the machine.

Legacy The TR-707 was a staple in early house music, particularly with acid house. It is also a staple of almost all electronically produced Arabic pop music (al jeel). The TR-707 only offers a limited number of instruments sampled at 8 bits, but it is still in use because of its versatility in synchronizing with other hardware and its fully featured interface, comparable to that of high-end Roland drum machines such as the TR-808 and TR-909. In 1985, Roland released the TR-727, a model of the TR-707 with sounds sampled from Latin percussion. The TR-505 contains a subset of samples selected from the 707 and 727. Songs that use the TR-707 include "Need You Tonight" by INXS, ''Move Your Body" by Marshall Jefferson and "Washing Machine" by Mr. Fingers.

References

External links Roland TR-707 Owner's Manual Synthmuseum: Roland TR-707

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Roland TR-707

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Roland TR-707 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Roland TR-707 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Roland TR-707 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Roland TR-707

In research: Roland TR-707 appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Roland TR-707 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Roland TR-707 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Drum machines, Grooveboxes, Japanese inventions, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Roland TR-707 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Roland TR-707 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Roland TR-707 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Roland TR-707 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Roland TR-707 in simple terms?

The Roland TR-707 Rhythm Composer is a drum machine released by Roland Corporation in 1985. Later in 1985, Roland released the TR-727, a model with sounds sampled from Latin percussion.

Why does Roland TR-707 matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Roland TR-707?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Roland TR-707.