Introduction: Why ReBirth was “shocking”
Text: mmr｜Theme: Re-thinking ReBirth not only as innovation as a tool'' but also as an opportunity forchanges in culture/expression/industrial structure’’, from prehistory to development background, technical characteristics, spread to music culture, industrial meaning, turning point and end, and today’s legacy.
In the late 1990s, a bright change was coming to the frontier of electronic music production.While analog/equipment-based production using hardware synthesizers and drum machines was the norm, one piece of software shook up that normal''.That is ReBirthRB‑338 by Propellerhead Software, a software/music production tool manufacturer from Sweden.
What this software offered was the possibility ofmaking those legendary equipment (Roland TB‑303, Roland TR‑808, Roland TR‑909) usable on your personal computer.’’
ReBirth bypassed the hurdles of obtaining hardware, the cost of maintaining it, and the difficulty of transporting and operating it, and introduced a new wave of democratization through software,'' which is why it was an event that could be called ashock’’.
Prehistory: Context of the analog equipment/hardware synth era
Looking back at the electronic music/club music scene, from the 1980s to the mid-1990s, many famous instruments occupied important positions as “equipment.”Among them, the Roland TB-303 (bassline synth) and TR-808/TR-909 (drum machines) were the catalysts that changed the tone, performance style, and culture.
Birth of TB‑303 and “acid”
The TB‑303 was a bass line synthesizer released around 1981.Although it was originally designed as a ``equipment to imitate bass playing,’’ it failed to fulfill its purpose in the early years and was a failure in the market, and it began to be distributed second-hand at a low price. However, in the late 1980s, in the context of club house/acid house, the TB-303’s “distorted filter” and “grilling bassline” tones were rediscovered, and became the signature sound of acid house, as exemplified by Acid Tracks (Phuture).
However, handling the TB-303 required unique habits and skill in setting the number of notes, accents, slides, and operating the step sequencer.Furthermore, it was not a piece of equipment that anyone could easily use, as there were few in circulation and the price was soaring.
TR‑808/TR‑909 and standard rhythm equipment
Around the same time, the TR‑808 (early 1980s) and TR‑909 (mid 1980s) were gaining acclaim as rhythm machines.In particular, the 808’s “boom-bon” kick sound, snap, and sharp hi-hat, and the 909’s punchy kick and cymbal sound have become standard tones in house, techno, and hip-hop. However, these devices also had problems, and there were practical constraints such as maintenance, repair, sound stability, and transportation, which posed hurdles to their use.
Signs of changes in the production environment
In the 1990s, the performance of personal computers (PC/Mac) gradually improved, and MIDI/sequencer software/samplers began to become popular.As a result, an environment in which creating music on a computer'' was gradually becoming established.
However, the culture was still centered onowning equipment’’ and operating hardware,'' and a production environment that consisted solely of software was not yet common.
In this context, the bottleneck ofthe cost and effort of owning hardware and equipment’’ became a barrier to production for creators who did not own or could not afford the equipment.
Development background and appearance: Propellerhead Software’s challenge
Founded in Sweden in 1994, Propellerhead Software has focused on computer/software music production environments from the beginning.They published an alpha version of ReBirth for MacOS in October 1996 and released the official version in 1997. ReBirth rebuilt two TB‑303s, one TR‑808 in software, and later added TR‑909 in version 2.0.
The approach that Propellerhead chose was to reinterpret the sound, operability, and experience on a computer'' rather thancopying the hardware as is’’.
In other words, the “equipment” such as the TB-303 and TR-808/909 is transformed into a “software tool” in response to changes in the times and environment.It can be said that this idea itself shook up the traditional production style that centered on owning equipment.
Furthermore, ReBirth was not just a sound source software; it had the potential to be useful for the entire production workflow, such as sequencer/pattern switching functions, MIDI input/output, and synchronization with other software (later ReWire compatible).
In this way, the appearance of ReBirth became a model case for rebuilding equipment using software,'' and served as an opportunity to greatly expand theentrance’’ to electronic music production.
ReBirth as a technological innovation (functions, operability, user experience)
Let’s sort out some of the characteristics that ReBirth had.
Main features
- Featuring 2 x TB-303, 1 x TR-808 (first edition), and later 1 x TR-909.
- A “pattern selector” is included with each emulated device.This allows you to quickly switch between different patterns and avoids the trouble of reprogramming to play a different pattern, which was a hassle with the original hardware equipment.
- Integrated mixer, effects (delay, distortion, compressor) and pattern sequencer functions.Users were able to experience the flow of “construction → performance → output” within one software.
- Expandability with MIDI/sync function and cooperation with other software (later compatible with ReWire).
- Because the price and operating environment were relatively low, it was easily accessible to creators who could not own hardware equipment.
“Democratization” of user experience and operability
What these features meant was that even if you didn't own the equipment, you could obtain, program, and transmit sounds similar to the equipment,'' or in other words,the entrance to music production has expanded.’’
At the time, acquiring, maintaining, and operating the TB-303 and TR-808/909 was a major hurdle for many creators and producers.However, with ReBirth, you can generate sounds that sound like that with just a computer environment, and operability such as pattern switching and sequencer configuration has become much easier.
For example, one user said (via Reddit):
“The 303s are definitely software synths… The 808 and 909 were definitely samples and not synth emulations. I spent a ridiculous amount of time using Rebirth and many, many of its mods.”
It is also interesting that this kind of “mod (user modification) culture” was born.ReBirth also has functions such as skin change'' andsound change (user mod)’’, and a culture has developed where users can enjoy modifying and sharing the interface and sounds themselves.
Technological limitations and skillful avoidance
Furthermore, ReBirth was not a panacea either.PC processing power, sound card performance, latency (delay), and sonic reality (physical characteristics of analog circuits) were inferior in some respects to hardware equipment.For example, there are criticisms that it does not completely reproduce the “noise/habits/distortion” of the real TB-303.
However, ReBirth had achieved the best balance at that time in terms of providing a sufficiently usable'' quality and acheap, easy, and integrated software environment.’‘In fact, reviews say it’s “a considerable software success story of 1997.”
In this way, ReBirth was not only a technological innovation, but also a tool that changed the user experience.
Influence on music culture: from the perspective of techno/acid/PC music production
ReBirth’s impact goes beyond just being a software synthesizer.Rather, what is important is that it restructured the “possibilities of access and expression” in the cultural fields of electronic music, clubs, techno, and DIY production.
Acid techno again: popularizing the TB‑303 sound
The TB-303’s tone was a symbolic element of the acid house/acid techno genre, but by the mid-1990s, the equipment had become rarer and the sound had become more maniacal.Then, a software called ReBirth realized a TB-303-like bass line + TR-808/909-like drums'' on the software, opening the door foracid/techno music to be made without the need to own any equipment.’’
This challenged the preconceived notion that “hardware ownership = production style” and served as an opportunity to expand the creator base.
Expansion of “Bedroom Production”
ReBirth has become an “entrance” for creators/producers who don’t have the equipment.The concept of home/individual production'' has become more concrete as the environment has become a reality where anyone can start producing as long as they have a computer.This would later lead to the spread of DAWs (digital audio workstations) and production environments based on software plug-ins.
Furthermore, activities such as user modification (mods), pattern exchange, and community sharing have flourished, and a culture of not onlyusing tools’’ but also ``modifying and sharing tools/tones’’ has developed.This DIY spirit has enriched the creative ecosystem of electronic music.
Diversification of music genres/sound design
ReBirth has made it easier to access the standard sound of acid bass + techno drums,'' which has lowered theequipment barrier’’ not only in acid house techno, but in electronic music as a whole.As a result, TB-303/TR-808-like tones spread into genres such as trance, drum & bass, and breakbeat, contributing to the diversification of sound design.
In this way, ReBirth brought about changes in the production scene through the three keys of “tone, operability, and price.”
Changes in industry, software, and ecosystems (ReWire, VST, plug-ins)
The introduction of ReBirth was not just the success of a single software synthesizer, but also prompted a structural change in the music production environment itself.
“Modularization” and coordination of production tools
ReBirth was not only complete as a standalone software, but also had “linkage functions” such as MIDI compatibility, sequencer linkage, and synchronization with other software using the later ReWire protocol.For example, ReWire is a technology that allows audio/MIDI to be exchanged between multiple applications, and has been showing this type of extensibility since the days of ReBirth.
In this way, the direction of using a combination of software/modules'' rather thancomplete with a single software’’ naturally emerged during the ReBirth era.
Accelerating the spread of plug-ins/VST/software synths
From the late 1990s to the 2000s, plug-in formats such as VST (Virtual Studio Technology) and AU (AudioUnits) spread.ReBirth can be said to have “practicalized” the software synth genre and laid the foundation for the transition from a production environment centered on hardware equipment to one centered on software.The phrase “the first soft-synth emulation” is also used in the review.
These industrial changes were also a turning point where music production software was positioned as ``equal to, or even better than, equipment.’‘As a result, the software instrument/effects market has expanded and many companies have entered the market.
Restructuring of production process/workflow
More importantly, the production workflow itself has changed.In the past, the main flow was gathering the equipment, setting it up, and performing/recording,'' but after ReBirth, acompletely performed within the computer’’ flow has become a reality: ``Start up the software, create a pattern, synchronize MIDI and audio, and output.’’
This change was especially significant in the context of the “home/personal studio.”By creating an environment in which space, equipment, and effort can be saved to some extent, the range of creators has expanded.
Turning point and end: From desktop to mobile to the end of ReBirth development
While ReBirth became widely popular in the few years after its introduction, it reached a “turning point” over time and eventually ended its development.By tracing its trajectory, we can more objectively grasp the changes in the music production environment.
Main milestones
- October 1996: Alpha version released for MacOS.
- 1997: Official release.
- November 1998: Version 2.0 (TR‑909 added) released.
- September 1, 2005: Official support for the desktop version ended.
- April 2010: iOS (iPhone/iPad) version released.
- June 15, 2017: iOS version removed from AppStore.
Flow and meaning from desktop to mobile
After ReBirth’s support ended, its ideas and functionality were inherited by other software and mobile apps.The iOS version release is a symbol of this.The trend of ``softening the mechanical experience’’ using the smartphone/tablet platform has begun to gain momentum. On the other hand, several years after the mobile version was released, it was also removed from the App Store due to IP rights/trademark issues.This incident once again demonstrated that software-based equipment touches the “boundary of intellectual property.”
“The End” and its reading
Although the ReBirth software did not continue to expand in its current form, its “death” itself has multiple layers of meaning.
- One reason is that the trend from equipment to software has reached a certain level of maturity and has moved to the “next stage.”
- In addition, intellectual property, emulation, ownership and access issues have become more apparent than expected.
- And as personal production/software-centered environments have become commonplace, the theme of “reproducing hardware equipment with software” has begun to be reconsidered. Therefore, it is meaningful to view the “end” of ReBirth not as simply the end of the service, but as a “point of change” in the production environment.
Legacy and re-questioning: Today’s meaning, reprint, hard/soft reinterpretation
Although ReBirth is now a tool of the past, its influence and legacy remains strong in today’s music production and technology environment.Here, we will “reexamine” this question from several perspectives.
Redefining ease and access
What ReBirth demonstrated was the concept that you can express yourself without any equipment'' andyou can create sound with your own computer.’‘This truly means “democratization of production access,” and it also applies to the current cloud/mobile/plug-in environment.For example, apps that make it easy to use synths on smartphones and subscription-based software musical instruments are an extension of this context.
By looking back at ReBirth, we can once again remember the idea that “anyone can start/a path of expression for those who don’t have”.
From “ownership” to “access”, from hardware to software
Before ReBirth, it can be said that the model of production equipment = ownership was strong.Having the equipment was also a status, and it was also the first condition for the production environment.ReBirth has rewritten this into the form of “software purchase” and created a background where “ownership” itself becomes relativized. Today, subscription/cloud sharing/rental music tools have become commonplace.The door that ReBirth opened can be seen as a “starting point” in this flow.
Re-evaluating the “taste/habit” of hardware equipment
On the other hand, as software advances, things tend to be lost, such as the physical quirks, noise, distortion, and operational feel inherent in hardware equipment.In fact, ReBirth’s emulation has been criticized for not being able to fully reproduce the distortions and quirks of the real TB‑303.
From this perspective, it can be said that ReBirth has visualized the differences, appeals, and limitations of hard and soft equipment.And today, the current trend of hardware + software hybrid equipment (controller + soft sound source) and the revival of modular synths have inherited these questions.
Reinterpretation/Retro regression and modification culture
ReBirth had a “mod” culture that allowed users to modify skins and sounds.This fostered a creator-like attitude of not only using production tools, but also modifying, sharing, and rebuilding them.These trends have contributed in no small part to the spread of open source/custom sound source/sample exchange culture today. Furthermore, there are reports of a project to turn ReBirth into a hard controller/module around 2023.This can also be said to be an extension of the ``free possibility of modification’’ brought about by software.
Chronology: Major Milestones
Below is a summary of the major chronology of ReBirth and the technological/cultural trends surrounding it.When posting, you can insert the table as is in Markdown format.
| Year | Events |
|---|---|
| Around 1982 | Roland TR‑808 drum machine released.Influences house/hip hop. |
| Around 1983 | Roland TB‑303 bassline synth released.It later became the key to acid house. |
| 1994 | Established Propellerhead Software (Sweden) |
| 1996‑10 | ReBirth RB‑338 alpha version (for MacOS) released |
| 1997 | ReBirth official release |
| 1998‑11 | ReBirthv2.0.1 released (TR‑909 added) |
| 2005‑09‑01 | Support for desktop version of ReBirth ends, transition to free download |
| 2010‑04 | iOS version of ReBirth released (iPhone/iPad) |
| 2017‑06‑15 | ReBirth removed from AppStore (intellectual property rights issue) |
In conclusion: “Possibilities” shown by ReBirth and future trends in music/technology
Looking back, ReBirth was more than just a “software synthesizer”; it was an event that changed the very nature of music production.
It reconsidered the concept of equipment ownership, physical constraints, and high costs,'' and presented a new horizon ofsound creation that can be accessed through software + easy operability + a base for creators (PC).’’
Today, we accept the cloud/subscription plugin/mobile audio environment as ``just the way it is’‘.However, we must not forget the fact that behind this “normal” thing, there were “pioneers” like ReBirth.
At the same time, there are things to relearn from ReBirth.The problem is that while the ease and accessibility of analog equipment has increased, the unique value of analog equipment, such as its quirks, physical sensations, and operability, has become less important.ReBirth is a tool that embodies this gap. And from now on, the question of “how easy/how creative” will continue to be asked.The “door” presented by ReBirth has not yet closed.Rather, it can be said that it was the spark that opened up the next generation and the next production environment.
Finally, if you read this column and admire the sound of old equipment, but also feel like creating sounds using your PC/software, that in itself may be proof that you have inherited the spirit of ReBirth. Now might be a good time to look back on the era when the boundaries between retro and modern were wavering and take a fresh look at the possibilities of “software-based equipment.”
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