The wood effect cabinet and preset rhythms of the CR-78 such as Waltz, Bossa Nova and Rhumba suggest that it was seen by its designers as primarily an accompaniment for an electric organ, but the CR-78 became a popular instrument with new wave musicians in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The CR-78's key new feature at the time of its introduction was that in addition to offering 34 preset rhythms, it provided four programmable memory locations for storing patterns created by the user.
The analog percussion voices consist of bass drum, snare drum, rim shot, hi-hat, cymbal, maracas, claves, cowbell, high bongo, low bongo, low conga, tambourine, guiro, and "metallic beat" (an accent that could be overlaid on the hi-hat voice).
Other patterns are named "Waltz", "Shuffle", "Slow Rock", "Swing", "Foxtrot", "Tango", "Boogie", "Enka", "Bossa Nova", "Samba", "Mambo", "Chacha", "Beguine" and "Rhumba".
The CR-78 has been used in songs including "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins,[8] "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" by Daryl Hall & John Oates,[9] "Mad World" by Tears For Fears,[10] "Heart Of Glass" by "Blondie",[11] and in live performances by Radiohead.