The TR-626 is sort of an upgraded digital version of the classic TR-606 and TR-505 Rhythm Composers. This beat-box is still simple but has a few good points that come from its legendary ancestors - the TR-909 and TR-808. Its sounds are pretty drab, they are 12 bit low-quality samples of the most boring acoustic drum sounds around. Fortunately the sounds can be individually tuned and mixed and there are 8 individual outputs for the basic sounds as well as a stereo out. Its sequencer is very basic, coming with 48 preset patterns and 48 user patterns. But it has a simple matrix display similar to that on the TR-505, clearly displaying the current pattern in a graphical layout. The 626 also featured very good MIDI implementation for it's time. It has been used by Vangelis and Jimmy Edgar.

abstract

October 31, 2011 @ 10:53 pm

this box gets a hard time? ok sounds not so great but nifty little sequencer, hook up to any sampler equals hours of fun an tight beats, ssssshhhhh

laila

October 11, 2011 @ 6:12 pm

Matt !!!!! see page 99 From the manual.

Matt

July 21, 2011 @ 1:34 am

Does anyone know where I can find a copy of that guide decal/sticker, that you see skuck the TR-626's face. So far, every picture I've seen of a 626 with the sticker on it, is so grainy, that when you try to enlarge it, it is completely unreadable. I tried asking Roland US, but they don't have it on file. I'm guessing there's got to be some information on that sticker that's not in the manual.

BAal

April 6, 2011 @ 10:39 am

A VERY nice machine. Simple, portable, powerful..trigger out, midi, tape sync
The 16 step interface is sick, great way to sequence.

lightman

February 4, 2011 @ 8:17 am

Dunno why the 626 always gets underrated. You can give it lots of punch if you tune the sounds and route them over an eq and proper effects, it can act as a Midi-to-Trigger interface that is able to control both Midi and CV/Gate/Trigger-only analog gear, you can turn it into a simple but fun step sequencer for external Midi devices by adjusting the channel and note parameters of the instruments, and if you're fed up with its sound you can circuit-bend the heck out of it. The 505 has the same sounds but only a fraction of the features. In short, I love my 626 and will never part with it.

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