Latin percussion is the most exciting and intricate in the world. Naturally it took a Roland rhythm machine to handle it.

Imagine the world's most successful digital rhythm machine kitted out Latin style with amazingly realistic south American percussion voices. In fact, you don't need to imagine it. It's here, it's called the Roland TR-727, and it sounds like no other drum machine has sounded before.

As far as functions are concerned, the 727 is an exact duplicate of the 707. It offers the same easy-to-follow programming procedures with real or step time input and a large liquid crystal screen giving a graphic display of the patterns and sounds. There are independent level controls for the voices and like the TR-707 independent outputs are provided to allow individual signal processing. Patterns can be saved on RAM cartridge and the unit is equipped with MIDI. For a more varied performance Shuffle, Flam and Accent can all be programmed.

The distinctive feature of the 727 is its PCM digital sounds. The fifteen voices are:— Low Bongo, High Bongo, High Conga Mute, High Conga Open, Low Conga, Low Timbales, High Timbales, Low Agogo, High Agogo, Cabasa, Moracas, Short Whistle, Long Whistle, Quijada, Star Chimes. Either for special passages synced with the conventional drum sounds of the TR-707, or as a complete Latin percussion orchestra in its own right, the TR-727 is unique. It is also an invaluable source of specialist sounds for other MIDI devices such as Roland's electronic drum kit. Studios will find them indispensable if they want to extent their programmable percussion beyond the conventional drum kit, and for anyone interested in producing a rhythm track resembling fifteen accomplished Latin percussionists giving it all they've got, then the TR-727 costs £525 and will be in the shops from July.