'How To' Articles, Product Guides

The Ultimate Guide to the TR-8S Rhythm Performer – Applying Reverb to Your Kit and Instruments

The TR-8S provides a lot of flexibility in how you can apply reverb to your Kits and Instruments. The performance-oriented design allows you to set initial values for effects, and then easily manipulate them in real-time as you play.

Let’s take a look at setting reverb in the Kit and on individual Instruments, then at adjusting reverb during a performance.

Contributed by Alexander Marlowe for Roland Corporation Australia

Setting the Reverb of the Kit

Hold Shift and press the Kit Button to view the Kit Edit screen.
Turn the Value Knob to select Reverb: Type and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to select a Reverb Type and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to select Reverb: Time and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to set the Reverb Time and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to select Reverb: Level and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to set the Reverb Level and press Enter.
Follow above steps to adjust other reverb parameters as desired.

Setting the Reverb of Individual Instruments

Press the Instrument Select Button [BD-RC] of the first Instrument for which you want to adjust the Reverb.
Hold Shift and press the INST Button to view the Instrument Edit screen.
Turn the Value Knob to select Reverb Send and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to set the Reverb Send Amount.
Press the Instrument Select Button [BD-RC] of the next Instrument for which you want to adjust the Reverb.
Turn the Value Knob to set the Reverb Send Amount.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 as desired.

To save your changes to the Kit:

Hold the Write Button and press the Kit Button.
Turn the Value Knob to select the destination Kit Number in which to save.
Press Enter, the Display shows ‘Kit Write?’ Press Enter again to confirm.

The Reverb settings you just saved serve as a starting point for how much Reverb is on the Kit when you first select a Pattern which uses that Kit. Once you start to play, you may find you want to change the amount of Reverb on individual Instruments. Or, alternatively, on the Kit as a whole in real-time as your song progresses.

Adjusting Reverb in Real-time

To adjust the Reverb on the whole Kit in real-time, simply turn the Reverb Level Knob, located just above the Low Tom Track on the front panel.

To adjust the Reverb of Individual Instruments in real-time:

Press the Start/Stop Button to start playing your Pattern.
Hold the Instrument Select Button of the Instrument for which you want to adjust Reverb and turn the Reverb Level Knob.
Repeat step 2 with all Instruments for which you want to adjust Reverb.

Keep in mind the maximum amount of Reverb you can apply to any individual instrument will be limited by the amount of Reverb overall set by the Reverb Level Knob, or by the Reverb Level value saved in the Kit. Of course the reverse in also true: if all the Reverb Send Values of all the Individual Instruments are set to zero, turning up the Reverb Level Knob will have no effect.

PRO TIP

There may be some Instruments to which you generally don’t want to apply Reverb, the Bass Drum being a common example. Reverb on the Bass Drum can cause a lot of mushiness and loss of clarity in your mix. In those cases, be sure to go into the Instrument Edit screen and set the Reverb Send amount for those Instruments to zero.

Article written by Alex Marlowe

Alex Marlowe is a Composer/Producer, Musician and Consultant based in Melbourne, Australia. Alex has placed music in numerous movies and TV shows, and toured worldwide as a keyboardist with major artists. As a Teacher and Consultant, Alex has worked with platinum songwriters, music editors, producers and composers, and conducted courses in Music Production and Music Software, including at the Songwriting School of Los Angeles. You can find more info, and contact Alex at: www.logicproanswers.com