You may not know the 808 drum machine, but you have definitely heard it: the original Roland TR-808 was the first programmable drum machine and has been a mainstay of electronic music ever since.

The first classic beat is the 4/4 kick utilising the bass drum of an 808 drum kit. Logic has its own 808 kit and here it is in the piano editor; most DAWs also ship with an 808 or similar.

That headline sounds suspect, but it is the most succinct way to explain why the Roland TR-808 drum machine has a very distinct, and difficult to replicate noise circuit. The drum machine was ...