ACE TONE: RHYTHM ACE - FR-6 INFO PAGE:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date = 1974

Country = Japan

Type = Analogue

Drum Voices = 7

Rhythms = 22 (Preset)

Rhythm Combining = Yes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another laminated plywood box has arrived to join its brethren at the "Dubsounds Vintage Beatbox Museum". This little machine, the Ace Tone Rhythm Ace FR-6, is a UK import and was re-branded by Bentley Organs (hence the band name "Bentley Rhythm Ace"). Apart from their rather nice sticker, this is still an original Ace Tone unit.

For those of you that don't know already, Ace Tone was Ikutaro Kakehashi's original company name for what became the Roland corp. Kakehashi sold Ace Tone and formed Roland in 1972 but the Ace Tone brand continued to make drum machines for another four years. The Ace Tone units produced after 1972 were licensed copies of Roland units with minor changes.

The FR-6 is more or less a 1972 Roland Rhythm TR-55. It has the same sound and an identical set of 22 preset patterns, (the only exception being the TR-55's "Parade" rhythm which was substituted for "Haba-Nera" on the

Rhythm Ace). Sound-wise, we're in total cheese territory here. "Woolly & fizzy" come to mind when describing this machine. It has a fairly limited percussion set, (7 sounds) but the one thing you do get with this machine is bags of character and we love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We're definitely in grandpa's organ territory here but without the sounds being annoying - this beast is fat! The sound is completely unrealistic but in a fun way. This beatbox has gone right to the top of our "useful electro blips and twangs" list. Sampling this machine was a real joy and has inspired a huge selection of loops for you to play with. The balance control was employed to provide variations in the mix of the loops and many of the patterns were combined to perform the usual "live mash-up" which can be so much fun with these machines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample Pack Info:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recycle RX2 Loops:

Single drum hits (WAV):

This sample set contains 58 four bar loops of all the preset rhythms, plus breakdown mixes using the voice balance control providing variations without hi-hats or without the kick. There are also 21 loops made from combination patterns running together.

This set contains 88 individual drum hits:

16 Kicks, 24 Snares, 32 Hi-Hat/Cymbals and 16 percussion sounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What's so special about these sample packs? Quite simply, there isn't anywhere on the internet or in any commercial sample library where you can get this stuff. We made these samples because nobody else has.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Dubsounds sample packs are sampled directly from our own drum machines. They are definitely NOT ripped from sample CD's, unlike many you see on Ebay at the moment, (which is a bit sad). All the rhythms are recorded directly into Pro-Tools from the machine's audio output and are not equalised, compressed or effected in any way. We want you to have the closest thing to the real machine as possible but with the added benefits of seamless integration into your VST host. The only thing we have done is to CAREFULLY remove any unwanted electrical noise and hum present in the signal, (if required) and taking extreme care to avoid damaging the delicate percussive transients. These samples were made for our own use first and foremost!

 

 

 

 

 

 

FR-6 - Rhythm Ace - 58 loops - 88 hits - (29Mb download)

£ 14.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note:

Before buying; please make sure that you have read the information on the drum sounds intro page