If you play acoustic music and want to jam along with acoustic grooves, then the BOSS DR-01S Rhythm Partner belongs in your toolbox. This is a rhythm machine specifically designed for acoustic musicians like you. In addition to acoustic drums, it comes loaded with amazing, organic percussion sounds, from congas and cowbells to tambourines and bongos. Acoustic musicians here at Music Experience are impressed with the DR-01S's patterns. Load up patterns for any style and tweak them on the fly. Handy I/O lets you connect your media player or send audio to a PA, and you can plug in pedals for on the fly control.
Unlike most drum and rhythm machines, which are geared toward electronic, BOSS designed the DR-01S Rhythm Partner entirely for acoustic musicians. For example, basic sounds include shaker, maracas, conga, and cajon, in addition to acoustic drums. And you can count on stellar sound quality, since these sounds come straight from BOSS and Roland's top-shelf products.
Most rhythm machines tend to be fairly inflexible — either you play the pattern or you don't. BOSS decided to provide you with a bit of extra customization room with the DR-01S. It's super easy to call up simple patterns, complete with cool variations that fit just about any acoustic style you want to play. What's more, you can take instruments out of the mix or add them in to change things up. Volume and tempo controls are just a button press away, and there are additional functions onboard for count-in and metronome modes.
Want to jam with your favorite tunes? No problem. Just plug into the DR-01S's aux in jack, and you can play your backing tracks from your media player. You can also connect to a larger PA via the line out jack. Another cool thing about the DR-01S Rhythm Partner is how easy it is to configure with external footswitches. With a set of footswitches, you can control start/stop, tap tempo, and sound triggering on the fly.
Introducing the DR-01S Rhythm Partner, the world’s first virtual percussionist designed specifically for acoustic musicians. Unlike the rhythm machines used by electronic musicians and DJs, the DR-01S is packed with organic percussion sounds and simple, versatile grooves that tastefully complement the unplugged experience. It’s an ideal companion for acoustic guitar and vocals, and just as powerful with ukulele, violin, piano, and other types of acoustic instruments. The friendly interface on the DR-01S makes it easy to cater beats and variations to suit any style, while the onboard speaker provides high-quality sound that blends perfectly with acoustic instruments. And with battery-powered operation, you can take your rhythm partner everywhere you go. Whether playing solo or with friends, the inspiring DR-01S brings a new level of enjoyment to all your acoustic music sessions.
One of the great joys of acoustic music is that it’s simple and uncomplicated—you just grab your instrument and start playing. The DR-01S flows seamlessly with that relaxed unplugged vibe, offering a friendly panel interface, all-in-one design, and tasteful, understated grooves that enhance any acoustic music style without getting in the way. Via dedicated buttons, you can call up all sorts of beats and variations, layer up to seven instruments together to create your own unique rhythms, and save up to 50 favorites for later recall. Volume, tempo, and time signature can be adjusted with just a few touches, and it’s easy to add a count-in before the rhythm starts. You can even fade out grooves to create polished endings for your songs.
With its integrated audio system, the DR-01S produces warm, full sound that blends right in with the natural tones of your acoustic instruments. BOSS’s advanced approach combines an innovative cabinet design, custom speaker, and a high-efficiency amplifier to deliver impressive sound in a highly portable package. And when you want to take your rhythm partner to the stage, just connect the line out into your acoustic amp or PA system.
The DR-01S takes full advantage of the acclaimed rhythm machine and sound development history of BOSS and its parent company Roland. A large variety of authentic acoustic percussion sounds are on board, including shakers, maracas, tambourines, congas, bongos, bells, cajon, and many more. There’s even a full drum kit with acoustic and electronic sounds, perfect for when you want to rock up your acoustic jams. Every instrument category includes lots of expressive grooves created by acoustic percussionists, giving you a wide range of organic backing for any unplugged style.
While you can access all DR-01S functions from the front panel, it’s often handy to perform some operations while keeping both hands on your instrument. And by connecting one or two optional footswitches, you can. There are a variety of assignable functions to choose from, including start/stop, tempo up/down, tap tempo, pattern variation, and many more. It’s also possible to trigger nearly any DR-01S percussion sound by foot, great for manually tapping out beats as you play.
| Sounds | Over 45 percussion sounds, metronome |
|---|---|
| Patterns | 3/4, 4/4, 6/8 time signatures, tempo 40-300 |
| Polyphony | 24 |
| Analog Inputs | 1 x 1/8" (aux in) |
| Analog Outputs | 1 x 1/8" (line out) |
| Other I/O | 1 x 1/4" (control 1/2) |
| Storage | 50 user presets |
| Power Source | AC adapter (included) / 6 x AA batteries |
| Height | 5" |
| Width | 8.31" |
| Depth | 5.68" |
| Weight | 2 lbs. |
| Manufacturer Part Number | DR01-S |
