Today is August 8, and you know what that means: it's the music tech world's annual excuse to sing the praises of history's most iconic drum machine. This year, the legendary Roland TR-808 turns 45, ...

Often used as either a kick, a bass, or a combined kick-and-bass in many genres, the TR-808 bass drum is undoubtedly the most recognisable (and possibly overused) electronic kick sound of all time.

The kick drum sound from Roland's legendary drum machine makes for a superb bass source, as this sub-heavy genre demonstrates… When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate ...

You might not know it, but you've heard a TR-808. Released in 1980 by Japan's Roland Corporation, the rudimentary drum machine supplied the bombastic beats of early hip-hop, the futuristic sounds of ...

But Roland stopped making the 808 in the mid-80s. You can buy one on eBay now for around three grand (and maybe another grand to bring it into good working condition), or use one of the thousands of ...