DIY Bassline ml-303 User manual

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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ML-303 BassLine
DIY project
USER MANUAL
BETA 1.03

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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Load default settings
Hold down “TIME” while turning the unit on. The default configuration will be loader (Midi-
Channel, BPM, Clock-settings).
Soundmodule-Mode
Hold down “RUN” while turning the unit on. The ML will then enter a special Midi Mode
where the internal sequencer is turned off and the ML reacts on Midi-Data.

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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FUNC/NORMAL MODE
Press FUNC key to enter the FUNC/NORMAL MODE.
The white keyboard-keys represent the 8 patterns of the actual pattern bank. One of the eight
LED`s will blink to show you which pattern is actually selected.
With the A,B,C,Dkeys you can choose one of the 16 pattern-banks. Each bank contains 8
patterns. This makes a total of 8x16 = 128 patterns accessible via keys but also via Midi-
Program-Change and Bank-Change commands.
Pattern-Banks
While a pattern is playing you can switch to another pattern with the white keys and you can
also change the pattern-bank in realtime.
If you want to clear the whole pattern hold down CLR some seconds until all LED`s are
flashing up.
Press RUN to start/stop playing a pattern.

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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While playing is stopped you can access one of the 4 submenus using the black keyboard-
keys:
-EDIT
-BPM
-MIDI
-SYSTEM
Use the PITCH key to enter the PITCH-Mode and use the TIME key to enter the TIME-
Mode (both modes are only available when playing is stopped).
PITCH MODE
To enter the PITCH-Mode you have to choose a pattern to edit (and pattern-bank) from the
FUNC-MODE, then press the PITCH key.
Now you are on Step #1 of the choosen pattern. Enter note value with the keyboard-keys,
transpose them with the DOWN and UP keys, set ACCENT and SLIDE.
To edit the next step just press the TAP key. If you wan`t to go 1 step back press BACK.
If the end of the pattern is reached all LED`s will flash up to signalize that the pattern-position
is on position #1 again.
To return to FUNC/NORMAL-MODE press FUNC.

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USER MANUAL
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TIME-MODE
In TIME-Mode the keys have the same functions as in PITCH-Mode, except DOWN, UP,
ACCENT. In TIME-Mode this keys are used to set the note-length:
BLACK = 1/16 Note
WHITE = + 1/16
PAUSE = 1/16 Pause
To return to FUNC/NORMAL-MODE press FUNC.

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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SUBMENU: EDIT
While in FUNC-Mode press the EDIT key to enter the EDIT-Submenu.
SHR Shift the pattern 1 step right
SHL Shift the pattern 1 step left
TR1UP Transpose the pattern 1 note up
TR1DN Transpose the pattern 1 note down
TR6UP Transpose the pattern 6 notes up
TR6DN Transpose the pattern 6 notes down
RND Randomizes the pattern
REV Reverses the pattern
Please note that these functions affect all 16 steps of the pattern –even if the pattern-length is
set to a smaller amount of steps!
Steps Table
Examples:
A
B
C
D
ABCD
1000091000Length = 16 Steps Length = 4 Steps
2000110 100116
111140011
3001011 1010
4001112 1011?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
5010013 1100
6010114 1101
7011015 1110ABCDABCD
8011116 1111
To return to FUNC/NORMAL-MODE press FUNC.

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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SUBMENU: BPM
While in FUNC-Mode press the BPM key to enter the BPM-Submenu.
With the white keyboard keys you can program the internal clock in the range from 48 BPM
up to 255 BPM in 1 BPM steps.
In future firmware-versions the BPM resolution will be 0,1 BPM.
Tip: when you sync you ML V4 with an external midi-clock instead using the internal clock
you don`t have the limitations (48-255, 1 BPM resolution).
The format is binary (A = MSB, H = LSB).
TIP –How to calculate the binary BPM settings
Start the Microsoft Windows Calculator.
Go to the options menu and set scientific-mode. Enter the BPM and press BIN.
Example: 125 BPM
A “1”means that the LED must be set on. Start from the right, because the calculator does not
show the leading zeros.

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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SUBMENU: MIDI
While in FUNC-Mode press the MIDI key to enter the MIDI-Submenu.
PGM Send
Program and Bank-Changes will be send via Midi-Out.
PGM Receive
Program and Bank Changes will be received via Midi In.
SYNC Master
The ML-303 uses the internal BPM-Clock and sends Midi Start/Stop Commands.
SYNC Slave
The ML-303 turns of the internal BPM-Clock and syncs to incoming clock-data. It also reacts
on incoming Midi Start/Stop/Continue Commands.
MIDI Send
If MIDI-Send is enabled the internal sequencer will send note-values and ACCENT Trigger
over Midi to external gear.
DUMP Actual Pattern
This function sends the actual pattern as SYSEX to your sequencer.
DUMP All
This function sends all patterns as SYSEX to your sequencer

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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MIDI Channel
With the A,B,C,Dkeys you can choose one of the 16 Midi channels for sending and
receiving. Please note that the ML-303 send on the same channel where it receives.
Send/Receive-can`t be set to different channels.
MIDI CHANNEL TABLE
ABCD
ABCD
10000
91000
20001
10
1001
30010
11
1010
40011
12
1011
50100
13
1100
60101
14
1101
70110
15
1110
80111
16
1111
To save the changes and return to FUNC/NORMAL-MODE press FUNC.

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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SUBMENU: SYSTEM
While in FUNC-Mode press the SYS key to enter the SYSTEM-Submenu.
The A-F LED`s indicate the current Firmware-Version:
Software-Version Table
ABCDEF
ABCDEF
0.1 000000
1.7 010000
0.2 000001
1.8 010001
0.3 000010
1.9 010010
0.4 000011
2.0 010011
0.5 000100
2.1 010100
0.6 000101
2.2 010101
0.7 000110
2.3 010110
0.8 000111
2.4 010111
0.9 001000
2.5 011000
1.0 001001
2.6 011001
1.1 001010
2.7 011010
1.2 001011
2.8 011011
1.3 001100
2.9 011100
1.4 001101
3.0 011101
1.5 001110
3.1 011110
1.6 001111
3.2 011111
ABCDEFABCDEF
3.3
1000004.9
110000
3.4
1000015.0
110001
3.5
1000105.1
110010
3.6
1000115.2
110011
3.7
1001005.3
110100
3.8
1001015.4
110101
3.9
1001105.5
110110
4.0
1001115.6
110111
4.1
1010005.7
111000
4.2
1010015.8
111001
4.3
1010105.9
111010
4.4
1010116.0
111011
4.5
1011006.1
111100
4.6
1011016.2
111101
4.7
1011106.3
111110
4.8
1011116.4
111111

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USER MANUAL
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SOUNDOFF
If SOUNDOFF is enabled the internal sound-source will be disabled. This could be useful
when you use the internal sequencer in MIDI-Send-Mode to play external gear
REBOOT
Use the REBOOT key to reboot the ML-303.
To return to FUNC/NORMAL-MODE press FUNC.

ML-303 BassLine
USER MANUAL
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How to update the Firmware
PC / MAC
Download the update file from the homepage in .MID Format into your sequencer.
Set the BPM to 60.
Press Play on your sequencer and power on the ML-303 within 1 second.
PC (alternative method)
If you are a PC owner you could also use the firmware in .SYX Format. Load the .SYX File
into the freeware-tool MIDI-OX and set the F7-Delay to 750ms in the options menu.
Power on the ML-303 and start sending SYSEX within 1 second.