Voltage 78 beat
All circuit buses meet under the master accent VCA. The pattern runs at 116 BPM.
V78 Preset-rhythm circuit instrument
Voltage 78. The whole machine matters.
A preset-rhythm instrument modelled from the Roland CR-78’s service data and measured behaviour. Its 14 voice circuits share noise and oscillator sources. Factory calibration fixes the kit balance. Cancel groups and the master accent VCA complete the connected system.
Fifteen triggers · connected routingTake the interactive tour
Original beat · engine rendersHear Voltage 78
START · MIDI · routingOpen the Voltage 78 guide
- Fourteen voice circuits, fifteen trigger choices
- Factory frequencies, decays and relative levels
- One shared noise source across related voices
- Continuous master-VCA accent follows per-step voltage
- 0 recorded one-shots in the sound engine
LISTEN Voltage 78 engine
Hear the full machine, then isolate each circuit
Each clip is a deterministic render from the Voltage 78 engine. The 4-bar beat uses an original Voltage Drums pattern.
Bass drum
The 62.5 Hz resonator.
Snare drum
A tuned body supplies the shell. The noise source is shared with other voices. Their movement remains related.
Cowbell
The keyed pair runs at 555 Hz and 800 Hz. This render is taken before Balance.
01 The voice set
Fourteen circuits answer 15 triggers
The guiro has separate high-rate and low-rate triggers, so its one circuit supplies 2 playable choices. All other abbreviations map to distinct synthesized parts.
Bass drum
62.5 Hz ladder resonator
Snare drum
340 Hz shell · gated noise
Rim shot
1.48 kHz tuned tank
Claves
2.63 kHz tuned tank
Cowbell
555 / 800 Hz keyed pair
High bongo
600 Hz ladder resonator
Low bongo
400 Hz ladder resonator
Low conga
208 Hz ladder resonator
Cymbal
Shared noise · tuned gate
Hi-hat
Shared noise · 60 ms decay
Maracas
Shared noise · 20 ms decay
Tambourine
Add voice · ringing gate
Guiro high / low
125 / 77 Hz step-length scrape
Metal beat
Three-oscillator metallic bank
Calibrated as a kit: the factory Vpp table sets all 15 voice levels. Rim shot is deliberately twice the bass drum’s factory peak voltage; that relationship is part of the instrument.
02 Circuit signatures
Preset-rhythm character stays in motion
The guiro duration follows the sequencer step. Add voices enter after Balance. Metallic and noise sources continue between hits.
A 3-section RC phase-shift ladder rings at the factory setpoint. Voltage 80 uses a bridged-T circuit instead.
A resonant tank dominates the measured output.
The scrape follows sequencer step length. A slower tempo extends it. The circuit generates the whole duration.
Current release status
Voltage 78 is a separate plug-in included with Voltage Drums. Select it directly in your host after installing the collection through Bitsnacks Vending Machine.
03 The real control surface
Balance the machine as one circuit
The original architecture fixes each voice’s level and tone. A small set of machine controls acts across the complete circuit.
- Balance. Crossfades the tonal and noise buses around a centre detent.
- Accent. The range is continuous. Per-step voltage sets the lift at the master VCA.
- Add levels. Tambourine has its own level after Balance. Guiro and metal beat have separate controls in the same position.
- Master level. Final output gain.
- Cymbal + hi-hat. One group cancels both parts. Metal beat continues independently.
- Bass drum. Removes that trigger group.
- Snare drum. Its trigger group can be cancelled on its own. The voice circuit remains calibrated.
- Cowbell + claves. Both parts follow one hardware cancel line.
04 One connected rhythm machine
Relationships are part of the sound.
Noise is shared
Cymbal, hi-hat and maracas draw from one source. One level trim controls that source. Their movement stays related.
Accent follows the voices
Per-step control voltage lifts the master VCA. Individual trigger shapes remain unchanged.
Add voices sit outside Balance
Those 3 level controls join after the tonal/noise crossfade.
05 Voltage 78 FAQ
Three direct answers.
Is Voltage 78 a sample-based rhythm machine?
No. Resonators supply the tonal voices; keyed oscillators cover cowbell and metal beat. A shared noise circuit feeds the remaining noise voices through swing-type gates and envelopes. The Roland CR-78 factory adjustment table sets the balance.
Why is there no level and tone control for every voice?
The hardware did not have them. Voltage 78 keeps Balance and Accent at machine level. Three add-voice controls enter later in the circuit. Four cancel groups remove trigger families, while factory calibration fixes individual voice levels.
Is Voltage 78 available?
Yes. Voltage 78 is a separate plug-in included with Voltage Drums and installed through Bitsnacks Vending Machine.
Trademark notice. The Roland CR-78 is referenced only to identify the hardware studied and measured. Roland and CR-78 are trademarks of Roland Corporation. Voltage 78 and Voltage Drums are independent products, not affiliated with or endorsed by Roland.
06 The family
Another decade brings different circuit logic
Compare Voltage 78’s preset-rhythm architecture with the sixteen-voice Voltage 80 instrument.
Sixteen voices · playable nowExplore Voltage 80