what is an 808

An 808 is a type of electronic percussion sample that originates from the Roland TR-808 drum machine. It is characterized by a punchy low-end subby-ness that is easily tunable to different pitches. The original TR-808 comprised programmable kick, snare, low tom, mid tom, hi tom, clap, cowbell, open hi-hat, closed hi-hat, low conga, mid conga, hi conga, clave, rimshot, maracas, and cymbal sounds. The 808 is one of the most iconic sounds in modern music and is probably as important as the Fender Stratocaster is to rock and roll. Despite being a commercial failure when it was first released, the 808 eventually gained a cult following and became a defining feature of hip-hop, pop, EDM, and modern electronic production. Today, the influence of the TR-808 drum machine on hip-hop and electronic music cannot be understated.