808, 909 and 303: the Machines That Made Techno

Three numbers turn up again and again in techno: 808, 909 and 303. They’re Roland machines from the early eighties, built to replace real drummers and bass players. None of them sold well at first. Then, second-hand and cheap, they ended up in the hands of young producers in Detroit, Chicago and the UK, and dance music was never the same.

TR-808: the boom

Released in 1980, the TR-808 drum machine didn’t sound like a real drum kit, and that was the problem at the time. Its deep, long kick, snappy claps and metallic cowbell later became essential to hip hop, electro and early techno. Its booming bass drum is still copied everywhere.

TR-909: the techno kick

The TR-909 arrived in 1983, mixing synthesised sounds with sampled cymbals and hi-hats. Its kick is punchy and tight, its hi-hats crisp. If you think of the classic techno and house groove, you’re probably thinking of a 909. Many modern drum machines still offer «909-style» sounds.

TB-303: the acid squelch

The TB-303 Bass Line was meant to accompany guitarists. It flopped. But turning its cutoff and resonance knobs while a pattern plays creates a squelchy, liquid sound that nothing else makes. In 1987, Phuture’s «Acid Tracks» in Chicago showed what it could do, and acid house was born. When that sound hit the UK in 1988, it soundtracked the Second Summer of Love.

Why they still matter

• Their sounds define genres: 909 hats, 808 booms and 303 lines are instantly recognisable.
• They encouraged experimentation: cheap, simple and unforgiving, they pushed producers to find new ideas.
• They’re everywhere: originals cost a fortune today, but clones, reissues and software versions are in studios worldwide.

Hear them live

Many live sets still use these machines or their modern versions. Look for «live» on line-ups in our UK techno listings, and read where the sound came from in The Belleville Three.

FAQs

What is the TR-909 used for?

It’s a drum machine whose kick, claps and hi-hats became the backbone of techno and house.

What does the TB-303 sound like?

A squelchy, liquid bassline that changes as you turn the filter knobs. It’s the sound of acid.

Did the 808 and 909 fail when they came out?

Yes, commercially. They became legendary only once cheap second-hand units reached young producers.