A Love Story - Roland Cloud CR-78 First Look

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The Roland CR-78 CompuRhythm is one of the most iconic drum machines ever made — and now it’s back as a stunningly accurate ACB emulation inside Roland Cloud. In this video I take a deep dive into the CR-78 plugin, exploring its legendary analog sound, programmable patterns, classic rhythms, and all the powerful new features that go far beyond the original 1978 hardware.

The original CR-78 was the world’s first programmable drum machine and became famous for its warm analog voices, signature presets and musical groove. It appeared on countless classic records — from Phil Collins and Blondie to early synth-pop, post-punk and electronic pioneers.

In this demo I explore:

Roland’s ACB (Analog Circuit Behaviour) modelling technology

How the CR-78 patterns, fills and variations work

Sound shaping with decay, tuning, gain and metallic tone

MIDI CC control and DAW automation

Live performance workflow and pattern programming

Why this is so much more than just a retro drum machine

If you love vintage drum machines, classic analog rhythms, synthwave, post-punk, electronic music production or hardware-accurate software instruments, this is one you don’t want to miss.

🎛 Classic analog warmth
🥁 Programmable rhythms & fills
🎚 Deep sound design
🎹 Full MIDI control
🔥 Perfect for synthwave, electro, indie, pop & film scoring

The CR-78 may look simple — but it’s a seriously powerful creative tool once you start digging in."