16 studio quality wave file samples.
The story of the Acetone Rhythm Ace begins not in a high-tech laboratory, but in the mind of a Japanese watchmaker with a deep passion for music. Ikutaro Kakehashi, born in Osaka in 1930, was a man who saw the future in circuits and transistors. After surviving a battle with tuberculosis and running a small radio and watch repair shop, he founded Ace Electronic Industries in 1960, a company that would eventually be known as Ace Tone . His vision was simple yet revolutionary: to create a tireless, electronic musician that could provide steady rhythm for organists who couldn't afford or accommodate a live drummer . His first attempt, the R1 Rhythm Ace from 1964, was a hybrid electromechanical device that was ultimately a commercial failure, but it laid the crucial groundwork for what was to come .
The true breakthrough arrived in 1967 with the release of the FR-1 Rhythm Ace. This was the machine that would change the landscape of music forever. Unlike its predecessor, the FR-1 was fully transistorized, abandoning moving parts for a solid-state heart. Kakehashi's key innovation was the use of a diode matrix circuit to generate preset rhythm patterns . Inside its modest wooden case, a series of transistors, resistors, and capacitors were arranged to create simple, analog sounds: a "thump" for the bass drum generated by a dampened oscillator, and a "pssh" for the snare or a "tssss" for the cymbal, crafted by shaping white noise . These sounds were not meant to be perfect imitations of an acoustic kit; they were charming, synthetic approximations that possessed a warm and uniquely musical character all their own.
The FR-1 was an immediate success. It offered 16 preset patterns, from Waltz to Swing to Bossa Nova, and even allowed users to manually trigger individual drum sounds with buttons . Its reliability, small size, and affordability made it an ideal companion for the home organ market. The Hammond Organ Company quickly took notice and struck a partnership with Kakehashi, incorporating Rhythm Ace units into their latest organs and distributing the standalone units under the Hammond brand . In the United States, they were also sold under the Multivox name, and in the United Kingdom, they were distributed by Bentley's Pianos, leading to the "Bentley Rhythm Ace" branding that would later inspire the name of a 1990s British big-beat band .
Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ace Tone expanded the Rhythm Ace line with numerous models, each offering variations in sounds, patterns, and controls. Models like the FR-2L, FR-3, FR-6, and FR-8L became staples in the homes of hobbyist musicians and in the practice spaces of working professionals . They could be heard on countless recordings of the era, providing a simple, uncluttered rhythmic foundation. A prime example of its influence is on JJ Cale's 1972 album Naturally, where the gentle, ticking pulse of a Rhythm Ace can be heard driving tracks like "After Midnight" and "Call Me the Breeze," proving the machine's ability to inspire great songwriting .
The technology behind these machines was surprisingly sophisticated for its time. Opening up a Rhythm Ace reveals a hand-wired marvel of electronic engineering, with circuit boards populated by discrete components and Germanium transistors, known for their warm, slightly fuzzy tonal quality . The kick drum was often a simple sine wave, the hi-hat and cymbal sounds were noise-based, and the snare was a mix of both. Each sound had its own simple synthesizer, and later models even included small knobs or faders to adjust the volume of individual instruments . This analog sound generation is precisely why these machines are still cherished today; they produce a sound that is alive and organic in a way that cold, perfect digital samples often are not.
In 1972, after his company was sold and resold to conglomerates, Kakehashi made the difficult decision to leave Ace Tone and founded the Roland Corporation . The "R" in Roland was chosen to make a memorable impression, and the company's first product was the TR-77 Rhythm Box, a direct descendant of the Rhythm Ace lineage . The spirit of the Rhythm Ace lived on in Roland's subsequent drum machines. The TR-33, TR-55, and the beloved CR-78 all carried the torch of preset rhythm patterns and analog sound. This evolutionary line culminated in 1980 with the release of the TR-808, a machine that, while initially a commercial failure, would go on to define the sound of hip-hop, electronic, and pop music for decades . The "boom" of the 808's kick drum and the "snap" of its snare can be traced directly back to the simple, innovative circuits of the Rhythm Ace.
Today, the original Acetone Rhythm Ace machines are highly sought-after collector's items. They are prized not only for their historical significance as the precursors to the Roland dynasty, but also for their unique, irreplaceable sound . In an age of limitless digital plugins, producers and musicians are drawn back to the tactile experience and the warm, imperfect tones of these vintage boxes . Their sounds have been sampled extensively and modeled in software, allowing a new generation to access that classic vibe . The Rhythm Ace was more than just a product; it was the first successful heartbeat of electronic rhythm, a testament to the vision of a man who believed that technology could put the gift of a perfect beat into everyone's hands.
