Roland CR-78 Software Rhythm Composer Brings The Sound Of ‘In The Air Tonight’ To Your DAW
Ahead of the 2026 NAMM Show, being held Jan 22–24 in Anaheim, California, Roland has introduced the CR-78 Software Rhythm Composer, a plugin emulation of their CR-78 drum machine.
Released in 1980, the CR-78 was what Roland calls “the world’s first computer-controlled programmable drum machine”. It was a transitional device, halfway between pre-programmed organ-top beatboxes and pioneering drum machines like the TR-808 and TR-909.
The machine itself may have had a relatively low profile, but its sound became well-known thanks to the CR-78’s use on hits such as I Can’t Go For That (Hall & Oates), Vienna (Ultravox) and, most notably, Phil Collins’ In The Air Tonight.
Now the CR-78 has become the latest instrument from the Roland archives to join the company’s plugin roster, which is available via the Roland Cloud. And not only is it designed to bring the sound of the original hardware to your DAW, but it’s also been enhanced with modern sequencing features, individual sound mixing and tuning, tempo sync, drag-and-drop audio/MIDI support and various other things.
As you’d expect, Roland has gone for an interface that closely resembles the original hardware – you can choose between the wood panel and black vinyl covering variations – and there are direct access controls for rhythm patterns, instrument sounds, shuffle, fills, volume balance, fade-in/fade-out, and more.
Roland CR-78 Software Rhythm Composer Audio Demos:
There’s also a detailed Pattern view where you can fine-tune your rhythms and sounds, and mixer controls can be found on the Kit screen.
If you have a Roland Cloud Ultimate membership, you’ll have access to the CR-78 already, and the Lifetime Key is currently on sale for $49 (regular price $199). It runs on PC and Mac in VST/AU/AAX formats.
Find out more on the Roland website.
