A Reimagining of the TR-909
The Roland TR-09 was a software-modeled clone of the original TR-909 drum machine. It was part of Roland’s boutique lineup, but was only in production for a few years before it was discontinued. Utilizing Roland’s ACB technology, the drum sounds on the TR-09 are an excellent representation of the original TR-909. However, there are some drawbacks with the boutique range – namely the tiny knobs, buttons, 1/8″ mini-jack output, lack of pan knobs, and no connector for a power adapter.

First, I set out sampling the TR-09 using a high-quality preamp (API 512V) to get the best signal-to-noise ratio possible, and also to inject some shades of analog color. In addition, the sounds were sculpted with an API 550A hardware EQ and an Neve 542 Tape Simulator.
Second, I recreated a harder edged TR-09 kit that was influenced by the distorted 909 sounds Gabber producers were using in the 90’s. To accomplish this I overloaded the Class A/B input of the API 512V for both overdriven and distorted kicks. Next, the OTO Machines BAM filter section was utilized to shave off the high-end on some of the drums to give them a lo-fi quality without altering the core sound. The BAM was also used for Reverb and the Dramastic Obsidian for lo-fi compression duties.
These drums are now included in the Heretical Audio Archetypal Drum Sample Pack. It contains 925 drum hits of the Roland TR-09 recorded at various tone, accent, and pitch settings so you can build your own kits that suits your style of production.
Now you can have the sounds of the TR-09 processed through boutique hardware outboard without all the drawbacks of the original’s overly small format. All the sounds of the TR-09 in the convenience of your DAW or sampler is now possible.