# Free TR-808 drum machine samples

> Free Roland TR-808 drum machine samples: the booming kick, snappy snare, clap, cowbell, rimshot and hats that shaped hip hop, electro and trap, with licences.

28 samples from 3 sources (Strudel sample banks 14, Openverse 8, Wikimedia Commons 6), updated 2026-10-23. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://sound.shep.bot/search?q=808&category=drums
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://sound.shep.bot/v1/search?q=808&category=drums"`
- Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://sound.shep.bot/v1/samples/{id}` with an id from the table below.
- Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for a release; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. See https://sound.shep.bot/docs/licences.md

## The machine behind a sound

Roland built the TR-808 Rhythm Composer from 1980 to 1983. It sold poorly at first because its drums sounded nothing like a real kit, then became cheap on the second-hand market, where hip hop, electro and Miami bass producers found it. Its deep, long kick, papery clap, clicky rimshot and two-tone cowbell are now part of the vocabulary of pop.

## How these samples are made

Because the 808 is analogue, every hit varies slightly, and the knobs change a lot: kick decay, snare snappiness, tone and tuning on the toms and congas. Sample sets are recorded from a real machine at several settings, which is why one 808 kit can sound quite different from another. Community banks, such as the drum machine sets loaded by Strudel and TidalCycles, include several 808 recordings. Licences vary between them, so read the verdict on each card.

For the long, tuned bass hits of trap and drill, see the 808 bass collection; for the machine's successor, see the TR-909.

## Samples

| Sample | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [808 Kick (wav format)](https://freesound.org/people/Elektronikz/sounds/190942) | `openverse:ef08af5b-a061-483e-8df8-f5f5aca0d463` | Kick, One-shot, 0.98 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [ZappBeats 808](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ZappBeats_808.wav) | `wikimediacommons:ZappBeats_808.wav` | Drums, 7.7 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD0000.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/0` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [808 Deep kick](https://freesound.org/people/EKVelika/sounds/208447) | `openverse:aa7539e9-6b0e-4975-9936-95701fc9b2a0` | Kick, One-shot, 1.3 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [A little 808 beat (Antti Luode)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_little_808_beat_(Antti_Luode).mp3) | `wikimediacommons:A_little_808_beat_(Antti_Luode).mp3` | Drums, 2:40 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 1](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD0010.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/1` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [808, cowbell](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:808,_cowbell.OGG) | `wikimediacommons:808,_cowbell.OGG` | Percussion, One-shot, 1.5 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Rock 808 beat.aiff](https://freesound.org/people/T_roy_920/sounds/324406) | `openverse:f0d47d06-777f-4ed1-9d78-f018cc88502b` | Drums, 9.0 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 2](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD0025.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/2` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Subby 808 Kicks, Beeps, Noise.wav](https://freesound.org/people/RutgerMuller/sounds/50694) | `openverse:8c050d15-a510-48d9-82e4-b9b6df189b1c` | Kick, One-shot, 4.0 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 3](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD0050.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/3` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [A43-808-cowbell.aif](https://freesound.org/people/A43/sounds/9780) | `openverse:e87f6005-898e-4ce3-a4b9-a4198a9b6653` | Percussion, One-shot, 0.49 s | Openverse | CC Sampling+ 1.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 4](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD0075.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/4` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [FX 808 Beat 120 BPM.wav](https://freesound.org/people/day_tripper13/sounds/117646) | `openverse:1972a98c-e27a-40e3-bae3-5ea60b29d5da` | Drums, Loop, 120 BPM, 16 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 5](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD1000.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/5` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [808acctrig 01](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:808acctrig_01.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:808acctrig_01.ogg` | Drums, 21 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [120bpm 808 Break Beat.wav](https://freesound.org/people/mkoenig/sounds/43531) | `openverse:6bebac0e-6bd3-4a81-896a-93df9eb4a2e8` | Breakbeat, Loop, 120 BPM, 16 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 6](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD1010.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/6` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [808patterns 01](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:808patterns_01.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:808patterns_01.ogg` | Drums, 54 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 7](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD1025.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/7` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [808cbtrig 01](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:808cbtrig_01.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:808cbtrig_01.ogg` | Drums, 19 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 8](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD1050.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/8` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 9](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD1075.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/9` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [A43-808-oHH.aif](https://freesound.org/people/A43/sounds/9878) | `openverse:35e252d7-91f0-4569-a3c9-d048e7dfae82` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 0.27 s | Openverse | CC Sampling+ 1.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 10](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD2500.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/10` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 11](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD2510.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/11` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 12](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD2525.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/12` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Roland TR-808 · bd · 13](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/RolandTR808/rolandtr808-bd/BD2550.WAV) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/RolandTR808_bd/13` | Kick, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |

## Questions

**Is the TR-808 a sampler?**

No. The Roland TR-808 (1980) makes every sound with analogue circuits, not recordings. The samples here are recordings of real machines, or of clones and emulations, made by the people who share them.

**Is an 808 drum sample the same as an 808 bass?**

They come from the same place. The '808' bass in trap is the machine's bass drum with a long decay, tuned to play notes. This collection covers the whole kit; the 808 bass collection focuses on long, tuned bass hits.

**Can I use TR-808 samples in a release?**

It depends on who made the recording and how they licensed it. Some free 808 sets are recorded and openly licensed by the people who share them; others are copied from old sample CDs or collections with no licence stated, which Sound Server marks as unclear. Follow each sample's verdict.

## Related collections

- [Free TR-909 drum machine samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-tr-909-drum-samples.md): Free Roland TR-909 drum machine samples: the punchy kick, clap, snare, open hat and ride behind house and techno, with previews and a licence verdict on each.
- [Free LinnDrum and Linn drum machine samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-linndrum-samples.md): Free LinnDrum and Linn LM-1 drum machine samples: the tight 1980s kicks, snares, claps, toms and percussion behind classic pop records, with licence verdicts.
- [Free 808 samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-808-samples.md): Free 808 bass samples for trap, drill and hip hop, from clean sub booms to distorted glides, with key, length and a commercial-use verdict for each.
- [Free kick samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-kick-samples.md): Free kick drum samples for any genre, from punchy acoustic kicks to drum machine thumps, each with a preview and a verdict on commercial use.
- [Free breakbeats and drum breaks](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-breakbeats.md): Free drum breaks and breakbeat loops for jungle, drum and bass, hip hop and breaks, with tempo where known and a licence verdict, including cleared breaks.
- [Free clap samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-clap-samples.md): Free hand clap and snap samples, from stacked crowd claps to tight drum machine claps, ready to layer with snares, each with a licence verdict and preview.

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Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-tr-808-drum-samples