Boss DR-01S Rhythm Partner

One of the great joys of acoustic music is that it’s simple and uncomplicated—you just grab your instrument and start playing. The DR-01S flows seamlessly with that relaxed unplugged vibe, offering a friendly panel interface, all-in-one design, and tasteful, understated grooves that enhance any acoustic music style without getting in the way. Via dedicated buttons, you can call up all sorts of beats and variations, layer up to seven instruments together to create your own unique rhythms, and save up to 50 favorites for later recall. Volume, tempo, and time signature can be adjusted with just a few touches, and it’s easy to add a count-in before the rhythm starts. You can even fade out grooves to create polished endings for your songs.

The DR-01S takes full advantage of the acclaimed rhythm machine and sound development history of BOSS and its parent company Roland. A large variety of authentic acoustic percussion sounds are on board, including shakers, maracas, tambourines, congas, bongos, bells, cajon, and many more. There’s even a full drum kit with acoustic and electronic sounds, perfect for when you want to rock up your acoustic jams. Every instrument category includes lots of expressive grooves created by acoustic percussionists, giving you a wide range of organic backing for any unplugged style.

With its integrated audio system, the DR-01S produces warm, full sound that blends right in with the natural tones of your acoustic instruments. BOSS’s advanced approach combines an innovative cabinet design, custom speaker, and a high-efficiency amplifier to deliver impressive sound in a highly portable package. And when you want to take your rhythm partner to the stage, just connect the line out into your acoustic amp or PA system.

While you can access all DR-01S functions from the front panel, it’s often handy to perform some operations while keeping both hands on your instrument. And by connecting one or two optional footswitches, you can. There are a variety of assignable functions to choose from, including start/stop, tempo up/down, tap tempo, pattern variation, and many more. It’s also possible to trigger nearly any DR-01S percussion sound by foot, great for manually tapping out beats as you play.