At the Roland Corporation store in Tokyo - 8th to 31st August - the ‘808 DAY’ event is designed as a celebration of the world’s first programmable percussion machine: the Roland TR-808. As a tip of the hat to the then groundbreaking technology, anyone purchasing its modern-day equivalent – the SP-404MKII electronic audio sampler—will receive a limited-edition custom-printed faceplate, featuring a TR-808-inspired design, printed on the Roland DG VersaOBJECT MO-240 direct-to-object printer.
808 Day at the Roland store in Tokyo (8-31 August) is a special event to commemorate the TR-808: the world's first programmable drum machine
Taichi Nakamura of the Marketing Unit, Global Sales & Marketing Division of Roland DG, says: “Our company was founded in 1981 as a Roland Corporation group company, alongside the music division. Although we are now separate companies, we still both seek to ‘inspire the enjoyment of creativity’ as we provide people around the world with products that bring their ideas to life, along with the wow-factor and excitement that comes from that. We are thrilled to now collaborate with Roland in bringing customized music devices to people through our graphic printing technology.”
The original Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, commonly known as the 808, is a drum machine manufactured by Roland Corporation between 1980 and 1983. It was one of the first drum machines to allow users to program rhythms instead of using preset patterns. The unique sound produced by the TR-808 has had a profound impact on the creation of hip-hop, dance, and contemporary pop music, and now, more than 40 years after its introduction, the machine has become something of a cultural icon.
The SP-404MKII electronic audio sampler limited-edition custom-printed faceplateIn a strange sort of parallel symmetry, the Roland DG VersaOBJECT MO-240 is one of the first printers to allow users to print onto flat media up to A2 size made from glass, metal, plastic, wood and more, even giving the ability to print Braille text directly to signage.
Satofumi Hashimoto, the Retail Office Manager of the Roland Tokyo store, says: “Roland DG’s UV printer plays an essential role in this celebration, because it enables high-definition direct printing on metal, which is difficult for ordinary inkjet printers, and its Orange and Red inks have enabled us to faithfully reproduce the TR-808’s iconic colours.
An actual TR-808 - rarely seen these days - will be on display at the event, and the store itself will be decorated with lighting and images like a live stage.
