TR-606

Name: TR-606
Price: 149 USD
Author: Roland

by Roland · Drum Instrument · TR-606 drum machine emulation

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TR-606 is Roland's ACB-modeled software version of the 1981 TR-606 Drumatix, with seven analog drum voices and overdrive.

Its step sequencer adds flams, sub-steps, per-instrument shuffle and drag-and-drop MIDI and audio; it comes with Roland Cloud membership.

Best for: Drums, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Hip-Hop & Trap, Lo-Fi.

Keywords: drum machine, sequencer, hardware emulation, modern, 80s, classic, fat, lo-fi, sound design.

What it does

TR-606 is Roland's software version of the TR-606 Drumatix, a small analog drum machine. Roland calls it "a detailed replica" built with its Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) modeling, with new features added for modern production.

Seven analog voices: bass drum, snare, low tom, high tom, cymbal, open hi-hat and closed hi-hat, with seven-voice polyphony.
Sound shaping: tuning and decay for each instrument, which the original hardware did not offer.
Overdrive: push the modeled circuit for fatter, distorted hits.
Sequencer: a classic step sequencer expanded with a lane per instrument: 7 parts, 16 steps per measure and eight variations (A–H) per pattern.
Groove details: adjustable flams, sub-steps and soft hits, plus last step and shuffle set per instrument for polymetric patterns.
Memory: 128 patterns per bank, and you can create extra banks.
DAW and hardware: drag patterns into the DAW as MIDI or audio, and exchange patterns with the TR-8S and the Boutique TR-06.

It runs at 44.1 to 192 kHz. It comes with Roland Cloud membership, which has a 30-day free trial, and Plugin Boutique sells it outright.

Source: Roland product page

When to use it

TR-606 is a circuit model of one small analog drum machine, so it does far less than Battery 4 or XO but gives the thin, snappy 606 sound with real tuning and decay instead of static samples. Unlike Battery 4 and XO, it cannot load your own samples or build mixed kits; what it adds is a TR-style step sequencer with per-instrument shuffle and last step. Compared with Nerve, its sequencer is closer to the hardware workflow, but it has no sample import or resampling. Next to Roland's own TR-909 it is lighter and brighter, with seven voices instead of eleven, and it suits background percussion more than heavy kicks.

Best for: analog hi-hats, ticking percussion, minimal techno, electro and acid grooves.
Genres: techno, electro, acid house, hip-hop and lo-fi.
Look elsewhere if: you want to load your own samples or build mixed kits (Battery 4 or XO), or you need a heavy kick (TR-909).

What producers say

Buyers see it as an authentic, good-sounding 606 with a modern workflow; the complaints are about the interface and the price.

Plugin Boutique users rate it 4.7 out of 5 from 36 ratings, praising its faithful sound, vintage character, multiple outputs and expanded programming.
Criticisms: some found the interface "outdated", one reported the preset browser blocking DAW inputs, and several felt the full price is high.

Plugin Boutique user reviews

Where to buy

Plugin Boutique: $149
Roland: see store

Tutorials and reviews

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