Online 808 Drum Machine
The Roland TR-808 changed music forever. Now you can program 808 beats in your browser for free.
The 808 Legacy
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer (1980) was a commercial failure. Roland made 12,000 units and discontinued it. Then producers discovered that its boomy kick drum, snappy snare, and metallic cowbell sounded incredible in hip-hop, techno, and pop. Today, the 808 is the most sampled drum machine in history. Its sounds define trap, modern hip-hop, R&B, reggaeton, and electronic music. The term "808" has become shorthand for any deep, sustained bass kick.
Loading 808 Sounds
Padwolf doesn't come with built-in sounds — you load your own. This is actually an advantage: you can use authentic TR-808 samples, modern resampled 808s, or completely custom sounds. Download a free 808 drum kit (search "free 808 drum kit" — thousands available). Then drag these onto Padwolf's pads: • Pad 1: 808 Kick / Bass (the deep sustained boom) • Pad 2: 808 Snare (the snappy crack) • Pad 3: 808 Closed Hi-Hat (the tick) • Pad 4: 808 Open Hi-Hat (the sizzle) • Pad 5: 808 Clap • Pad 6: 808 Cowbell • Pad 7: 808 Rimshot • Pad 8: 808 Tom (low) • Pad 9: 808 Tom (mid) • Pad 10: 808 Tom (high) • Pad 11: 808 Conga (low) • Pad 12: 808 Conga (mid) • Pad 13: 808 Conga (high) • Pad 14: 808 Maracas • Pad 15: 808 Claves • Pad 16: 808 Cymbal
Load your 808 kitProgramming Classic 808 Patterns
The original TR-808 used a step sequencer — 16 steps, click to toggle. Padwolf's sequencer works exactly the same way. Classic electro / hip-hop 808 pattern:
Trap 808 pattern:
Reggaeton 808 pattern:
Pitching the 808 Bass
What makes modern 808 production special is pitching the kick/bass to play melodies. In Padwolf: 1. Load your 808 bass sample on multiple pads (use the Copy command) 2. Set each copy to a different pitch using the semitone control 3. Sequence them on different steps to create a bassline For example, load the 808 bass on pads 1-4: • Pad 1: 0 semitones (root note — usually C) • Pad 2: -5 semitones (F below) • Pad 3: -2 semitones (Bb below) • Pad 4: +3 semitones (Eb above) Now sequence these pads on different steps for a simple trap bassline. Use loop mode if your 808 sample needs to sustain between hits.
The Mute Group Trick
On the real TR-808, the open and closed hi-hat are physically the same cymbal — pressing the pedal closes it. So they can't sound simultaneously. Recreate this in Padwolf: put your closed and open hi-hat in the same mute group. When the closed hat triggers, it chokes the open hat's sustain — exactly like real hardware. This also works for the congas and toms: sounds in the same mute group cut each other off, creating realistic articulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Search for "free 808 drum kit" — sites like Goldbaby, SampleFocus, and r/drumkits on Reddit have authentic TR-808 samples. Many are recorded from real hardware. For modern trap 808 bass, search "free trap 808 bass samples."
The TR-808 is the full drum machine with 16 sounds (kick, snare, hats, claps, toms, congas, cowbell, etc.). An "808 bass" specifically refers to the 808 kick drum sound — pitched low, often with a long sustain tail. In trap production, the 808 bass is both the kick and the bassline.
Yes. Padwolf is free and requires no account. 808 samples are widely available for free. You literally need nothing but a browser and an internet connection.