Machine
HOUSE 909: a free 909-style drum machine in your browser
HOUSE 909 is DRUMS 1 in EASY RAVE, a free drum machine that runs in your browser. It is inspired by the 909 sound of house and techno: a punchy kick, snare, low tom, clap, closed and open hats, ride and crash, programmed on a 16-step grid. It has 6 factory beats, its own sound controls and a full effects rack.
What is HOUSE 909?
HOUSE 909 is the first drum machine in the EASY RAVE rack, labelled DRUMS 1. It is an original design inspired by the Roland TR-909, the drum machine released in 1983 that became the backbone of Chicago house and Detroit techno.
It is the machine that is open and playing when you first load EASY RAVE. If you want a four on the floor kick and crisp hats, start here.
What sounds does HOUSE 909 have?
Each sound has its own row on the grid, with a volume knob, M (mute) and S (solo):
| Sound | Where it usually goes |
|---|---|
| BASS DRUM | The kick. On every beat for house and techno (steps 1, 5, 9, 13) |
| SNARE | Beats 2 and 4, or fast rolls before a drop |
| LOW TOM | Fills at the end of a phrase |
| HAND CLAP | Beats 2 and 4, on its own or layered with the snare |
| CLOSED HAT | 8th or 16th notes: the timekeeper |
| OPEN HAT | The offbeat "tss" between kicks, the classic house hat |
| RIDE | A shimmer on top in breakdowns and peaks |
| CRASH | One hit on the first beat of a new section |
Under the grid there is an ACC row. A step marked there plays louder and snappier, which is how drum machines add groove without changing the pattern. You can also right-click any step to accent it.
What do the sound controls do?
Open SOUND MODIFIERS above the grid to shape the kit:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| HEAVY KICK | Squashes and dirties the kick, for when the track has to hit hard |
| KICK DECAY | How long the kick rings: short and punchy at the bottom, a long booming tail at the top |
| CLAP FLAM | The spacing of the slaps inside the clap: one dry crack, or a looser slapback |
| OPEN HAT | How long the open hat rings out |
| HAT TONE | Tunes both hats darker or brighter |
| CUTOFF | How bright the whole kit is |
| DRIVE | Saturates only the kick and snare, so the low end gets fatter while the cymbals stay clean |
| BIT CRUSHER | Lowers the resolution of the whole kit for a lo-fi, grainy sound |
The small ＋ in that panel adds an LFO, a slow automatic movement you can patch to any of these controls.
How do you program a beat on HOUSE 909?
- Press CLEAR on the sequencer bar to empty the bar you are viewing.
- Click steps to light them. Each row is one sound, each column is a 16th note, and the 16 columns make one bar.
- Press play (or Space). The playhead runs across the grid and loops the bar.
- Press ＋ to add a bar that starts as a copy of the current one, then change a few steps so the second bar answers the first. A machine can hold up to 64 bars.
This is the pattern most house tracks start from:
House beat on HOUSE 909
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KICK | ||||||||||||||||
| CLAP | ||||||||||||||||
| HAT | ||||||||||||||||
| OPEN |
Prefer to play it in? Press LIVE on the machine's header and the number keys play the drum sounds. Press ● REC for a one bar count-in and your take is written to the grid. Playing with your keyboard or a MIDI controller covers this in detail.
Which presets come with it?
The PRESETS menu holds 6 ready beats: Techno, House, Hip-hop, Breakbeat, Drum & bass and Electro. Picking one replaces the current pattern, so it is the fastest way to hear what the kit can do. When you make something you like, ＋ SET saves it as one of your own pattern sets.
What effects does HOUSE 909 have?
Every machine in EASY RAVE has the same SOUND EFFECTS rack: DRIVE, COMPRESSOR, REVERB, EQ, PAN, SIDECHAIN and DELAY. Two that suit this kit in particular:
- REVERB set to Gated gives the snare and clap the big 80s sound that stops dead. See gated reverb.
- COMPRESSOR glues the kit together so it hits as one instrument.
Audio effects explained walks through all 7.
Frequently asked questions
Is HOUSE 909 a real TR-909?
No. HOUSE 909 is an original drum machine built for EASY RAVE and inspired by the sound of the TR-909. It is not a copy or a recreation of the Roland hardware, and EASY RAVE is not affiliated with Roland.
What is the difference between HOUSE 909 and DEEP 808?
HOUSE 909 is punchier and brighter, with a ride and a crash, which suits house and techno. DEEP 808 has a deeper, rounder kick and a cowbell, which suits hip-hop, electro and slower grooves. You can run both at once. 808 vs 909 compares them in detail.
Can I use HOUSE 909 for free?
Yes. HOUSE 909 and the rest of EASY RAVE are free in your browser, with no download, no account and no time limit.