Force56 Audio have released Rhyzor16 Drums, available for $39.00.
If you produced music in the late 1980s or early 1990s—or if you love the punchy, early digital aesthetic of synthwave, pop, and early hip-hop—you know the distinct impact of the Alesis HR-16 and HR-16B. Released in 1987 and 1989 respectively, these grey and black desktop boxes defined an era with their 16-bit drum samples, gated snares, and quirky pitch-shifting capabilities.
Fast forward to today: Force56 Audio has released Rhyzor16, a software instrument designed to bring the complete sound library and hands-on feel of both classic machines straight into modern digital audio workstations.
In the hardware days, picking up an HR-16 meant choosing between two sound profiles:
- HR-16 (ROM A): Standard, clean studio acoustic sounds, deep kick drums, crisp hi-hats, and bright cymbals.
- HR-16B (ROM B): A darker, grit-filled collection designed for rap, techno, and electronic genres, featuring gated side-sticks, electronic pops, ambient bongos, and industrial sounds (like glass breaks and torque wrenches).
Rhyzor16 consolidates both hardware units under one roof. You get all 96 original sounds—49 from ROM A and 47 from ROM B—without needing to swap expansion chips or manage disconnected sample folders.
One of the signature quirks of the original Alesis hardware was its coarse, highly musical pitch tuning. Producers loved pitching the snares down into heavy, low-fi thumps or cranking the perc sounds sky-high.
Rhyzor16 replicates this exact 32-step tuning mechanism per pad. Along with individual volume and panning controls, producers can apply vintage-style pitch shifts instantly on a per-pad basis.
Rhyzor16 Drums is available to PC and Mac users (VST3, AU and standalone).
For more information on Rhyzor16 Drums, click here:
NOTE: Some of the links you click on may be affiliated. Clicking and purchasing using these links helps support and fund The Beat Community. Thanks for your support.
