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Average Price: $238

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$601+

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Description

Transform your beats with the Roland R-5, a versatile and dynamic drum machine designed for both beginner DJs and seasoned music producers alike. Known for its advanced rhythm programming capabilities, the R-5 offers a wide range of sounds and features to elevate your music production. Whether you're crafting complex drum patterns or enhancing live performances, this drum machine provides the flexibility and power you need.

The Roland R-5 is equipped with a sophisticated sound engine that delivers clear and punchy drum sounds, allowing you to experiment with various genres. It features a user-friendly interface, making it easy to sequence and tweak your tracks on the go. With its intuitive LCD display, navigating through its extensive sound library and programming options is a breeze.

Perfect for musicians who demand precision and creativity, the R-5 includes MIDI connectivity, giving you the ability to integrate it seamlessly into your existing setup. Its compact design ensures portability, making it an ideal choice for gigs and studio sessions.

Whether you're laying down the foundation of a track or adding intricate details to your beat, the Roland R-5 stands out as a reliable tool in your creative arsenal.

Key Features:

  • Advanced rhythm programming capabilities
  • High-quality sound engine for clear and punchy sounds
  • Intuitive LCD display for easy navigation
  • Extensive sound library with diverse drum options
  • MIDI connectivity for seamless integration
  • User-friendly interface ideal for live and studio use
  • Compact design for portability

Product specs

Brand Roland
Model R-5 Human Rhythm Composer
Finish Black
Year 1990s
Made In Japan
Categories Drum Machines
Analog / Digital Digital
MIDI I/O MIDI Input, MIDI Output, MIDI Through
Polyphony 32 Voices

FAQs

What are the key features of the Roland R-5 drum machine?

The Roland R-5, known as the Human Rhythm Composer, offers digital sound with 32-voice polyphony and MIDI capabilities, including MIDI Input, Output, and Through. It's designed for expressive rhythmic performances with velocity-sensitive pads.

Does the Roland R-5 support MIDI integration?

Yes, the Roland R-5 supports MIDI integration with MIDI Input, Output, and Through, allowing it to connect seamlessly with other MIDI-compatible gear for expanded performance and recording options.

How many voices of polyphony does the Roland R-5 have?

The Roland R-5 provides 32 voices of polyphony, enabling complex and layered rhythmic compositions without note dropouts.

Is the Roland R-5 drum machine suitable for live performances?

Yes, the Roland R-5 is suitable for live performances, thanks to its velocity-sensitive pads and MIDI capabilities, which allow for dynamic and expressive control over your drum patterns.

What type of sounds can I expect from the Roland R-5?

The Roland R-5 offers a range of digital drum and percussion sounds, designed to replicate human-like rhythm patterns, making it versatile for various music genres and styles.

Cokabit

Cokabit

Roland R-5 Human Rhythm Composer DEMO

Video thumbnail for Roland R-5 Human Rhythm Composer DEMO by Cokabit

Roland R-5 Human Rhythm Composer DEMO

Cokabit

Cokabit

Video thumbnail for Roland R-5 Human Rhythm Composer Factory Demo Song and Preset Pad Banks by zibbybone

Roland R-5 Human Rhythm Composer Factory Demo Song and Preset Pad Banks

zibbybone

zibbybone

Video thumbnail for Roland R5 Drum machine by CJ99

Roland R5 Drum machine

CJ99

CJ99

Video thumbnail for Roland R-5 Human Rhythm Composer + RE-101 Space Echo by SUBTOKYOSHOP Music Gears

Roland R-5 Human Rhythm Composer + RE-101 Space Echo

SUBTOKYOSHOP Music Gears

SUBTOKYOSHOP Music Gears

Video thumbnail for Roland R 5  Human Rhythm Composer + Aria GR-535  Stereo Gated Spring Reverb  test by SUBTOKYOSHOP Music Gears

Roland R 5 Human Rhythm Composer + Aria GR-535 Stereo Gated Spring Reverb test

SUBTOKYOSHOP Music Gears

SUBTOKYOSHOP Music Gears

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Roland R-5.

Features and functionality

  • Lacks expansion card options, limiting sound versatility compared to models like the R8 with expansion capabilities.

    Source
  • The R8's ability to record pitch slider activity during play adds creative flexibility.

    Source
  • Real-time recording can be maintained by toggling the edit page, allowing seamless transitions without stopping.

    Source
  • The R8's "Feel" feature adjusts microtiming and velocity, giving a more humanized performance.

    Source

User experience

  • Some users find the R5's aftertouch-sensitive pads beneficial for dynamic rolls and flams.

    Source
  • Owners caution against issues with unresponsive menu buttons over time.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • Noted as foundational in some Chicago footwork studios, indicating specific genre use.

    Source

Comparisons

  • Users consider saving for a TR-08 instead due to more modern features and sound preferences.

    Source
  • Users note the R8's pads are less responsive compared to the D-70, affecting playability.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • The Mk1's soft-touch coating can degrade with cleaning agents like rubbing alcohol, leading to peeling and sticky surfaces.

    Source
  • Power supply issues are common, with recommendations for building internal PSUs to avoid buying replacements.

    Source

5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 1 Rating

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
doktorplekter

One of my favorite ever drum-machines

The pads on this machine is a disaster, but the sounds & programming makes up for it! The programming is a bit tricky, but fun will definitely be had when it's figured out! It sounds both funky & rocky

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Eric Persing uses Roland R-5

Eric Persing

Keyboardist, Composer

...
Verified via Spectrasonics

Eric Persing has had a unique and influential relationship with Roland Corp for two decades. He started as a product demonstrator in 1984, showing some of Roland's first MIDI instruments. He quickly became involved in the R&D side with Roland Japan, earning the title "Chief Sound Designer", and began contributing his design ideas, real-world studio experience and sound design expertise. Persing's skills have left their mark on countless classic Roland instruments.

He is the originator of many legendary Roland sounds that have become part of the vocabulary and lexicon of musical sound. These include the Factory D-50 sounds such as Fantasia, Soundtrack and Digital Native Dance, a majority of the JV/XP/XV series Classics, all the Factory JD-800 sounds, the original Juno "Hoover" sound and thousands of others.

Here is a partial list of the Roland instruments that Eric has contributed his sound design, sampling and design consulting skills:

Juno-106 Alpha Juno 1&2 JX-3P JX-8P JX-10 Jupiter 6 Super Jupiter D-50 D-550 D-110 D-10 D-20 D-70 MT-32 U-110 U-20 U-220 Sound Canvas JD-800 JD-990 JV-80 JV-90 JV-1000 JV-1080 JV-2080 XP-10 XP-50 XP-60 XP-80 XV-3080 XV-5050 XV-5080 Fantom JP-8000 JP-8080 S-10 S-220 S-50 S-550 S-770 S-760 S-750 MC-303 MC-500 MC-505 VP-9000 MSQ-700 MSQ-100 MKS-20 MKS-30 MKS-50 MKS-70 MKS-80 R-8 R-5 DR-660 DR-770 R-70 V-Drums V-Drums expansion board SRV-2000 DEP-5 RSP-550 R-880 SRV-330 SE-50 SE-70 VS-880 VS-1680 SR-JV series expansion boards SRX series expansion boards Sound Canvas Project series CD-ROM libraries Archives series CD-ROM libraries Composers series CD-ROM libraries

See how Kirk Degiorgio uses Roland R-5

Kirk Degiorgio

Music Producer

...
Verified via Attack Magazine

He says, ". I came back from Detroit, sold my record collection, got a few grand together and bought an Akai S950 sampler, a Roland D-5 as a master keyboard, a DAT machine, a Roland R-5, which was their latest drum machine at the time, and an Atari 1040 with Opcode Vision. So I had pretty good gear to start with and I locked myself away for six months to read manuals and teach myself."

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Roland R-5, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Community setups

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keyhead

keyhead

Gear IQ 126

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