IKUTARO. Was truly the Steve jobs of the music industry,his creation of the 808 is something that will be around for a 100 years and more,may your incredible,creative soul Rest In Peace 🙏🏾 if you ever bought a @roland_us drum machine,sampled the sounds or at least use the hihat,kick and snare in ever record you make, you should repost this
The music world is mourning the loss of Roland founder and electronic instrument pioneer Ikutaro Kakehashi, who has died aged 87.
The Japanese engineer created many popular drum machines, including the iconic TR-808.
Its sound is a staple of hip-hop and electronic music, used by everyone from Kanye West to Marvin Gaye.
Kakehashi received a technical Grammy in 2013 for contributions to electronic music technology.
Dave Smith – Kakehashi’s co-winner – told the BBC he “was just an amazing man, a good friend, a very good competitor of course and just innovative continually all that time”.
Before leading Roland for 40 years, Mr Kakehashi founded Ace Tone in the 1960s.
The firm made amplifiers and primitive drum machines, laying the groundwork for the engineer’s future success.
Roland TR-808: The drum machine that refused to die
The sound of the TR-808 proved a game-changer in the 1980s and 90s.
It appears on Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing”, and in the opening bars of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”.
Rapper Kanye West’s 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak showcases the machine throughout.
TearJay Of The Future
Looks confusing yikes