'How To' Articles, Product Guides

The Ultimate Guide to the TR-8S Rhythm Performer – Effective Use of Master FX and INST FX

The TR-8S gives you lots of options for assigning effects to the Kit as a whole, as well as to individual Instruments, and adjusting effects in real-time as part of your performance.

Let’s take a look at the Master FX which are applied to the Kit as a whole.

Contributed by Alexander Marlowe for Roland Corporation Australia

To set the Master FX for a Kit:

Hold Shift and press the Kit Button to view the Kit Edit screen.
Hold Shift and turn the Value Knob to select MASTER FX: Type and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to select the desired FX Type and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to select Sw and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to set Sw to On and press Enter.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 for other FX Parameters and edit them as desired.

To try out the Master FX you’ve selected:

Press the Start/Stop Button to play a Pattern.
Press the Master FX On Button to turn on Master FX.
Turn the Master FX CTRL Knob to apply the Master FX.

Next, try assigning different FX to Individual Instruments:

Press the Instrument Select Button [BD-RC] of the first Instrument for which you want to choose an Effect.
Hold Shift and press the INST Button to view the Instrument Edit screen.
Turn the Value Knob to select FX Type and press Enter.
Turn the Value Knob to choose an Effect Type.
Press the Instrument Select Button [BD-RC] of the next Instrument for which you want to choose an Effect.
Turn the Value Knob to choose an FX Type.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 for any other Instruments for which you want to set FX.
Press the CTRL Select Button and turn the Value Knob to select InstFX.

With CTRL Select set to InstFX, the CTRL Knobs on each Instrument Track apply the FX Types you set with the steps above.

To try out the Individual Instrument FX you’ve selected:

1) Press the Start/Stop Button to play a Pattern. 2) Turn CTRL Knobs on various Instrument Track to apply the FX set for each Instrument.

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.

PRO TIP

For a DJ Mixer Filter effect, try selecting LPF/HPF as the Master FX Type.

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