99% Invisible: "All About That Bass"

Episode Overview

Theme:
This episode explores the revolutionary impact of the Roland TR-808 drum machine (the "808") on the sound and culture of contemporary music. Through a collaboration with the podcast 20,000 Hz (host Dallas Taylor), Roman Mars and guests trace the history of recorded bass, the emergence and design of the 808, and its seismic influence on hip hop, pop, and electronic music.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Forgotten Origins of Bass in Recorded Music

• Early Limitations:
  • Vintage recordings (1910s-1950s) lacked audible bass, not due to lack of interest, but because of the technical limitations of microphones and speakers.
    • [02:28] Dallas Taylor: “Whenever I listen to vintage music, one of the first things that I notice is a lack of bass...”
• Mid-Century Changes:
  • Improvements in studio microphones and stereos in the 1960s and ’70s made bass more prominent in popular music like Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused” and disco.

2. The Birth and Evolution of Drum Machines

• Early Drum Machines:
  • Placed on home organs, designed to mimic simple drum kits for at-home musicianship.
  • [07:50] Paul McCabe: "If you see photos of some of the earliest drum machines... you’ll even see drum machines that are designed to sit on top of an organ..."
• Professional Adoption:
  • By the 1970s, musicians began experimenting creatively with drum machines (e.g., Sly & The Family Stone's “Family Affair”; Kraftwerk’s “The Robots”).

3. Designing the Roland TR-808

• Vision & Construction:
  • Roland's TR-808 was designed to be portable, robust, and flexible, almost “military” in its ruggedness.
    • [10:17] Paul McCabe: “When one sees a TR-808, it almost looks military in its design. It's kind of a drab olive color... Because you could drive a truck over them, and probably... they would still work.”
• Initial Market Reception:
  • The 808 did not sell well at first—priced at $1,200 (≈$4,600 today) and quickly overshadowed by drum machines that used real drum samples.
  • [18:39] Dallas Taylor: “At first it wasn’t a big hit. For one thing, it cost $1,200...”

4. The Sound That Changed Everything

• Unique, Artificial Tones:
  • Unlike sample-based drum machines, the 808 had fully adjustable synthesized sounds, leading to unique creative opportunities.
  • [21:05] Dallas Taylor: “The 808 may have sounded artificial, but those video gamey tones were highly adjustable. And that ended up being the key to its success.”
• The Iconic 808 Bass Drum:
  • The pivotal feature was the "decay" knob, allowing extended, booming bass notes. This sound became foundational to hip hop, Miami bass, and modern pop.
    • [13:45] Dallas Taylor: “A huge factor in that magic had to do with the 808’s bass drum sound and a little knob for controlling it labeled Decay...”
  • [22:55] Dallas Taylor: “Here’s DJ Jazzy Jeff himself opening up that decay and letting the kick drum drive the song.”

5. The 808's Role in Hip Hop and Bass Music

• Game-changer in Production:

  • Affordable secondhand 808s fell into the hands of early hip hop producers who favored their aggressive, customizable kicks and snare sounds.
    • [19:50] DJ Jazzy Jeff: “I ended up getting mine from a pawn shop because you couldn’t really walk into a store and see an 808.”
  • [21:39] DJ Jazzy Jeff: “...the clav and the cowbell. Those were two very distinctive sounds that if you put them on anything, you knew they came from an 808.”

• Pushing the Envelope:

  • Producers like DJ Jazzy Jeff had to fight with engineers to allow the “boomy” 808 kicks, insisting on it being the focal point of the track.
    • [25:31] DJ Jazzy Jeff: “When we did He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper…I remember fighting with the engineer because I wanted to push the envelope on how loud and how deep I wanted the 808...”
    • [26:13] DJ Jazzy Jeff: “I had to fight with the engineer to turn it up, and he would turn it down and turn it up...”

• Invention of a Cultural Phenomenon:

  • The 808 kick became synonymous with the sound of cars “booming” down the street; its sustained bass was used as a musical statement.
    • [23:44] Dallas Taylor: “20 years later, Felix da Housecat released the song ‘Kick Drum’ which pushes that decay to its absolute limit. Today, artists often shift the pitch of these 808 kick sounds to create full-on bass lines.”

6. The 808’s Enduring Legacy

• Cultural Impact:
  • The 808 defined genres including pop, R&B, Techno, House, EDM, and world music.
    • [28:37] Paul McCabe: “Today, the 808 is just everywhere through pop music... it’s not an understatement to say that the 808 is an instrument that has actually defined culture.”
• Musical Empowerment:
  • Its distinct possibilities allow producers to break technical “rules” and create emotionally impactful, memorable songs.
    • [29:06] DJ Jazzy Jeff: “This is why I love music so much... At the end of the day, you realize that someone who had a crappy week at work, depending on how you present this music, you can change their day.”

Notable Quotes

• On the lack of bass in early recordings:
  • Dallas Taylor [02:28]: “Whenever I listen to vintage music, one of the first things I notice is a lack of bass...”
• On the magic of the 808’s rise:
  • Paul McCabe [13:20]: “There were all these moments...if this guy did this on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday, we probably wouldn’t be talking about the 808 in this context today. It was literally that kind of magical.”
• On shattering recording rules:
  • DJ Jazzy Jeff [24:49]: “There’s no right and wrong in it. I really feel like the 808 kick drum was one of the first things that started shattering the rules of what you should or shouldn’t do when it came to recording music.”
• On cultural impact:
  • Paul McCabe [28:37]: “It’s not an understatement to say that the 808 is an instrument that has actually defined culture.”

Memorable Moments by Timestamp

• Vintage bass comparison with song examples (02:28–05:04)
• DJ Jazzy Jeff on the ubiquity of the 808 (06:04–06:11)
• Historical drum machine demonstrations (07:50–09:08)
• Exploration of the 808’s sound palette (21:14–21:53)
• The breakthrough of the long, decaying bass drum (22:44–23:44)
• Highlighting 808-driven tracks from past to present (23:44–24:49)
• Personal anecdote: DJ Jazzy Jeff vs. studio engineers (25:31–27:18)
• Comparison between final album sound and Jeff’s original vision (27:23–27:52)

Conclusion

The episode masterfully traces the 808's journey from misunderstood digital oddity to cultural mainstay. Listeners learn how technological quirks, creative persistence, and a hunger for new bass sounds collided to shape the music we love today. The voices of innovators like DJ Jazzy Jeff and Roland’s Paul McCabe capture the spirit of experimentation and boldness that made the 808 not just a tool, but a defining voice in modern music.

For more episodes and show details, visit 99percentinvisible.org.