TR-727

Name: TR-727
Price: 149 USD
Author: Roland

by Roland · Drum Instrument · TR-727 Latin percussion machine

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TR-727 is Roland's software version of the 1985 TR-727 percussion machine, using the original sample ROM with all 15 Latin percussion sounds.

It adds PCM clock control, overdrive, flams, sub-steps and 43 new patterns for styles such as afrobeat and reggaeton; it comes with Roland Cloud membership.

Best for: Drums, Sound Design, Acoustic Instruments. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Pop, Hip-Hop & Trap.

Keywords: drum machine, modern, sequencer, 80s, classic, glassy, resizable UI, sound design.

What it does

TR-727 is the Latin percussion sibling of the TR-707, rebuilt with Analog Circuit Behavior modeling around the original sample ROM. Roland pitches it for classic Latin percussion and for modern styles, with "modern upgrades" to the original workflow.

Original sounds: all 15 TR-727 sounds across 11 parts: high and low bongo, muted and open high conga, low conga, high and low timbale, high and low agogo, cabasa/maracas, short and long whistle, quijada and star chime.
Sound shaping: tuning, decay and gain per instrument, plus sample-rate control.
PCM clock and drive: change the sample clock from 6.25 kHz to 100 kHz and overdrive the internal circuitry.
Sequencer: 11 parts, 16 steps and eight variations (A–H), with per-instrument lanes, mute and solo, adjustable shuffle, per-step accent, hard or weak hits, alternate sounds, three sub-step types and nine flam types.
Patterns: the 64 original patterns plus 43 new patterns and kits for modern genres.
Workflow: drag-and-drop MIDI and audio, multiple outputs for separate processing, and a resizable UI with original and aged skins.

It has 11-voice polyphony. Roland offers it through Roland Cloud Ultimate, with a 30-day free trial.

Source: Roland product page

When to use it

TR-727 is a specialist: a model of one percussion machine, best layered over a main drum part rather than used alone. Compared with Battery 4 and XO it has no kick, snare or hats and cannot load samples, but it gives a ready set of congas, bongos, timbales, agogos and whistles with a sequencer built for percussion patterns. Compared with Nerve, its per-instrument shuffle, flams and sub-steps are aimed at programming hand-percussion grooves in a TR-style grid. It shares its engine and layout with Roland's TR-707, so the two work as a matched pair.

Best for: adding Latin percussion layers to house, pop, afrobeat and reggaeton tracks.
Genres: house, pop, Latin, afrobeat and reggaeton.
Look elsewhere if: you need a full drum kit; pair it with TR-707 or use Battery 4 or XO.

Where to buy

Plugin Boutique: $149
Roland: see store

Tutorials and reviews

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