Kevin Saunderson teaches a free 909 workshop, online and in Detroit

The best 909 Day reveal yesterday was this: on Saturday, Kevin Saunderson, techno originator and one of the Belleville Three, teaches a free workshop on the 909 with Roland (with Dustin Good). You can tune in online, and until tomorrow, there are in-person slots in Detroit, at Waajeed’s Underground Music Academy.

Turn up Jaymie Silk’s 2-volume Reclaim the Music and Transform Ur Mind

Jaymie Silk just dropped volume 2 of Reclaim the Music, his spontaneous summer all-hardware bangers. It’s hard-hitting oldschool techno, it’s got that 90s sound (especially thanks to a vintage compressor), and it also has explosions of percussion that are true to African roots. “909, 808, percussions, groove.” You should check his calls to activism, too.

Peter Kirn - July 23, 2026

Roland is celebrating Bandcamp Friday with 3 months free Ultimate Studio

Roland and Bandcamp are teaming up this time. They’re planning various collaborations, but today the lead is, you can get three free months of their Ultimate Software Suite – 808, 909, 303, RE-201, and a lot more. Here’s how it works and how to grab it.

Peter Kirn - October 4, 2024

D16’s Drumazon 2 review: a must-have 909-inspired drum machine plug-in

Peter Kirn - November 2, 2023

tahti, free browser groovebox, is now improved and has an open source sample library

Peter Kirn - February 21, 2022

VCV Rack adds Drums right now – analog-modeled modular drum machine for $30

Peter Kirn - September 14, 2021

Roland TR-909: the hat, the shirt, a nearly-free sound pack

Peter Kirn - September 10, 2021

Make a 909 kick on the Make Noise 0-Coast, and more drum modeling fun

Peter Kirn - May 28, 2020

Roland just made syncing Serato and TR drum machines automatic

Peter Kirn - January 24, 2019