▁It ▁was ▁a ▁push - button ▁device ▁that ▁was ▁manually ▁hand - oper ated ▁in ▁a ▁manner ▁similar ▁to ▁modern ▁electronic ▁drum ▁p ads . ▁It ▁not ▁commercial ized ▁in ▁North ▁America , ▁however , ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁lack ▁of ▁autom ated ▁pres et ▁rh yth ms . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁him ▁beginning ▁work ▁on ▁a ▁fully ▁trans istor ized ▁electronic ▁rh ythm ▁machine . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁K ake hash i ▁pat ented ▁the ▁" Autom atic ▁Rh ythm ▁Performance ▁Device " ▁drum ▁machine , ▁a ▁pres et ▁rh ythm - pattern ▁generator ▁using ▁di ode ▁matrix ▁circuit , ▁a ▁drum ▁machine ▁where ▁a ▁" pl ur ality ▁of ▁in ver ting ▁circ uits ▁and / or ▁cli pper ▁circ uits ▁are ▁connected ▁to ▁a ▁counting ▁circuit ▁to ▁synth es ize ▁the ▁output ▁signal ▁of ▁the ▁counting ▁circuit " ▁and ▁the ▁" syn thes ized ▁output ▁signal ▁becomes ▁a ▁desired ▁rh ythm ". ▁A ce ▁T one ▁popular ized ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁drum ▁machines , ▁with ▁the ▁FR - 1 ▁Rh ythm ▁A ce ▁finding ▁its ▁way ▁into ▁popular ▁music ▁starting ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁Roland ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁K ake hash i ▁founded ▁the ▁Roland ▁Corporation , ▁and ▁led ▁it ▁for ▁four ▁dec ades . ▁While ▁rival ▁companies ▁Mo og ▁and ▁AR P ▁target ed ▁professional ▁mus icians ▁and ▁academ ics , ▁K ake hash i , ▁who ▁had ▁no ▁musical ▁training , ▁wanted ▁to