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The Boss DR-110 Dr Rhythm Graphic

I think this page is slowly being made irrelevant by Wikipedia, but nonetheless, it really needed a facelift. I'll probably have added some links after I've typed this bit out. The old design was a real pain (frames everywhere!), and while I really doubt anyone will benefit greatly from the XHTML/CSS implementation, it still felt like a nice alteration. I'm still on the lookout for other changes, updated samples (Everyone is using the sample set from Hyperreal, which is alright, but a higher quality recording is much easier to make nowadays).
A Boss DR-110 with all the accessories.

DR-110 Schematics

Click here to download the DR-110 Schematics

SCHEMATICS ARE GIF IMAGES in ZIP FORMAT. They have been photographed and scanned directly from the official Roland service manual.

Please, if you download these schematics and perform even a modest modification, least let me know. This zip includes the schematics, waveform diagrams, the parts list, disassembly instructions. Download, modify, spread the word.

Spec Sheet

Transcribed from the Boss DR-110 Manual

PREPARING TO WRITE A RHYTHM

(Pattern Programming)

  1. Connect an amplifier or headphones to the output of your DR-110.
  2. Turn the POWER on and set the VOLUME to a little under half.
  3. Turn TEMPO, BALANCE, and ACCENT to their mid-points. In the beginning, you may wish to set the TEMPO slower. The second line is a good place to start.
  4. Hold SHIFT button down and press button 4. STEP WRITE will appear in the lower right hand box of the LCD screen. This tells the DR-110 you are going to write a rhythm.
  5. Press BANK SELECTOR button (A|B|C|D) to A. A will appear under BANK (lower middle box of screen). If B appears, press button again for A.
  6. Press button 1. 1 will appear on the screen under RHYTHM. This tells the DR-110 you are going to store the beat in SELECTOR 1.
  7. Hold SHIFT button down and press 7 (under PATTERN CLEAR). This will erase anything previously stored in SELECTOR 1.
  8. Hold SHIFT button down and press 6 (12/16). You will see a little arrow at the top of the graph on your screen. The arrow will alternate between 12 and 16. Press 6 until the arrow is above 16. This tells the memory that you are writting a pattern with 4 beats in each measure and that each beat is divided in 4 parts for a total of 16. Since the procedure for preparing the DR. RHYTHM is always the same, the sooner you memorize this procedure, the more fun you'll have.

WRITING THE BEAT

Select the instrument that you are going to enter by pressing the corresponding button. For example, the Closed Hi-Hat. Press the C. HIHAT button and on the screen you will see a flashing black dot on the C. HIHAT line. (note: Dot flashes at tempo machine is set at)

When you press the Start Button, a solid dot will appear. When you press the STOP key, the flashing dot will move to the next position. Each dot entered will indicate a note.

WRITING A SONG

  1. Make sure that Rhythm is not playing.
  2. While holding the SHIFT Key down, press the button numbered 3. (Now the DR-110 is in the SONG WRITE mode.)
  3. Select either Song number I or II. (While holding the SHIFT Key down, press the BANK Selector Burron, and the number changes I and II alternately each time it is pressed)
  4. While holding the SHIFT Key down, press the button numbered 8. (Now the first measure of the Song is ready to start to play.)
  5. Press the START Key. (Rhythm will start playing)
  6. Select the Rhythm Pattern you wish to write into the first measure (The selected Rhythm Pattern is now shown in the Display and plays)
  7. Press the ENTER key (O HIHAT). (Now the selected Rhythm Pattern is written into the first measure, and it will move to the second measure)
  8. Select the Rhythm Pattern to be written into the second measure.
  9. Press the ENTER Key. (The selected Rhythm Pattern is written into the second measure and it moves to the third measure.)
    • Likewise, keep writing up to the measures just before the final one.
    • If you are to write the same Rhythm Pattern as the one before, just pressing the ENTER key will be sufficient.
  11. Select the Rhythm Pattern for the last measure.
  12. Press the D.C. (C. HIHAT) (Now D.C. [da capo] is set to the final measure.)
  13. Press the ENTER key. (The selected Rhythm Pattern is now written into the final measure, and it moves to the next measure.)
  14. Press the STOP Key. Now try playing the Rhythm.

Samples and Audio

This is where you should be able to download samples from the Boss DR-110, and samples of the DR-110 in action. Until I get those samples, however, this text is all that is on this page. The samples will likely be sourced from the same place everyone else gets them, the archives at Hyperreal.org.

Related Boss drum machines

Boss DR-55

The Boss DR-55 Dr Rhythm
The DR-55 was the first Dr. Rhythm, and the most simple. It looks really sharp next to a Roland SH-09, though. You could program the bass drum, snare drum, rim shot and accent. Hihats were either on or off.

Boss HC-2

The Boss HC-2 Handclap Device
Around the same time as the release of the DR-110, Boss put out the HC-2 "Hand Clapper." This used a similar analogue hand clap circuit as the Roland TR-808 and Boss DR-110, but had several different settings you could modify. You could trigger it with an external signal, or trigger it by whacking the blue pad.

Boss DR-220

The Boss DR-220 Dr Rhythm
The Boss DR-220 was the first Dr. Rhythm to stray entirely from the analogue realm and into the digital. There were two variations, one with samples of electro drums, one with samples of acoustic drums. Both sound pretty terrible.

Boss DR-550, DR-550mkII

Boss DR-550 Dr Rhythm
Skipping 330 and 440, the next Dr Rhythm to come out was the Boss DR-550. A major leap up from the DR-220, this beatbox featured 100(?) 44.1khz 16-bit samples, 12 velocity sensetive pads, and a lot more memory for patterns and songs. Later on, an upgraded version was made available as the DR-550mkII. The mkII simply had more sequencer memory, and did not include any more samples than the previous iteration.

Boss DR-5

Boss DR-5 Dr Rhythm Section
The Boss DR5 Dr Rhythm Section again was geared for the gigging solo musician. This time, along with a selection of drum kits and sounds, a set of bass samples was included with the machine. The buttons were layed out as if on a fret board, so that guitarists could better program bass melodies into the DR5.

Boss DR-660

Boss DR-660 Dr Rhythm
The Boss DR-660 was a major upgrade from the DR-550, and is aimed more for the studio than a gig, as evidenced by a lack of a battery compartment. The DR-660 has 255 16-bit sounds, 16 velocity sensetive pads, gobs of sequencer space, and more programmability than you probably will end up using.

Boss DR-770

The DR-770 has since been released, and looks similar to the DR-660. It also has 255 sounds. The major upgrade for the DR-770 was mostly in the amount of available pattern and song memory. There might be more on-board effects, but those usually suck anyway. In reality, the best thing about the release of the DR-770 is that it drives down the price of the equally useful DR-660.
VINTAGE BOSS DR-110 DR. RHYTHM GRAPHIC - NEEDS REPAIR
Auction ends February 15, 2010
NIN and Tool Shirts and MerchUS 9.99 with 1 bid
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VINTAGE BOSS DR-110 (TR 606 SOUND) SEE VIDEO!!
Auction ends February 11, 2010
NIN and Tool Shirts and MerchUS 120.00 with bids
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