Roland TB-303 User manual

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MIDI INTERFACE
ROLAND TB-303 BASSLINE
Place the Bassline on top of the MIDI unit & plug the D - connector
into the TB303, set both toggle switches on the back of the Bassline
to the down position, set the MIDI switch & power switch on the MIDI
unit to the down position also, and ou are read to go.
USING THE MIDI INTERFACE - - -
When ou turn on the MIDI unit for the first time, ou will be in
omni-on mode for receive (all channels). When ou select a receive
channel or other set-up, this will be stored in non volatile memor
to be recalled when ou next turn on the s nth - all settings listed
on the next page are stored.
If ou want to put the machine back to the factor default settings
at an time, switch the unit on whilst holding the red push button
pressed - hold for a couple of seconds then release.
See next page for factor default settings.
RED PUSH BUTTON
Two modes are available b pushing the red push button.
The ke board notes required for set-up & transpose modes should be
sent via MIDI from an external ke board. (DX7/D50 etc. etc.)
1) SET-UP MODE - Setting MIDI channels and assignments.
Give the red push button a short press (half a second) - then release.
Follow this with a note or sequence of notes (on the remote ke board)
as detailed on page 2. After selecting a channel or other assignment
ou will need to press the ENTER ke (Top C) to return to pla ing
mode. (N.B. set-ups are stored in non volatile memor ).
2) TRANSPOSE MODE -
Press and hold the red push button for four seconds - then release.
Middle C will sound on the s nth and continue to sound until ou
press a ke (on the remote ke board). The note that ou press will
become the new middle C for MIDI IN. You can set an value up to two
octaves up or down. Settings outside this range will be ignored.
Note that transpose mode cannot be entered from set-up mode.
MIDI SWITCH (on when switch is down)
Connects filter/accent/slide/gate signals to the TB303
FILTER SWITCH (on when switch is down)
Filter can be controlled b velocit , an controller, or aftertouch
b selecting whilst in SET-UP mode. (see above & next page)
ACCENT SWITCH (on when switch is down)
Accent is controllable onl b velocit - a velocit of 80 and above
will cause the note to be accented.
PITCH BEND RANGE
Received pitch bend can be adjusted from zero to one octave using
this control.

C Receive channel 1 [Bottom C on DX-7] Midi note 36 (24h)
Db " " 2
D " " 3
Eb " " 4
E " " 5
F " " 6
Gb " " 7
G " " 8 Selecting a receive channel
Ab " " 9 will automaticall put the
A " " 10 MIDI into omni off mode.
Bb " " 11 That is, it will receive on
B " " 12 the selected channel onl .
C " " 13
Db " " 14
D " " 15
Eb " " 16
E Omni-on mode (default)
F Not used - -
Gb Not used - -
G Not used - -
Ab Not used - -
A Not used - -
Bb Not used - -
B Not used - -
C Not used - - [Middle C] MIDI note 60 (3Ch)
Db Not used - -
D Not used - -
Eb Not used - -
E Not used - -
F Not used - -
Gb Not used - -
G Not used - -
Ab Not used - -
A Not used - -
Bb Not used - -
B Not used - -
C Lowest note takes precedence
Db Newest note takes precedence (default)
D Highest note takes precedence
Eb Not used - -
E Not used - -
F p.bend wheel off
Gb p.bend ON (default)
G Not used - -
Ab Not used - -
A Not used - -
Bb Not used - -
B controller X - ignored (default) (see page 3 re controller X)
C " - VCF
Db " - ***
D aftertouch - ignored
Eb " - Not used (default)
E " - p.bend (up onl )
F " - vcf
Gb " - ***
G velocit - ignored
Ab " - vcf (default)
A " - ***
Bb Not used - -
B Not used - -
C ENTER ke - Press and release. [ Top C ] MIDI note no. 96

NOTES
1) Controller X can be an MIDI controller.
After pressing the red push button to enter SET-UP mode,
operate the required MIDI controller before pressing the Bb
ke that will assign it. If ou do not operate a controller
before pressing the Bb ke , then controller X will default
to MIDI controller 4 - (foot controller)
2) Controller X will take priorit over other control messages,
so if controller X is the mod wheel, mod wheel messages will
operate the filter.
3) Control change commands recognised - (numbers in decimal)
123 all notes off
124 omni mode off (alwa s pol ) 64 sustain pedal
125 omni mode on (alwa s pol ) 65 portamento (slide)
126 (mono mode) = all notes off 94 select transpose mode
127 (pol mode) = all notes off 95 select set-up mode
nnn Controller X (user defined where nnn = an controller)
4) Other commands recognised - (numbers in hexadecimal)
8nH notes off 9nH notes on & velocit
BnH control change (see above)
DnH channel pressure (aftertouch) EnH pitch-bend change
FEH active sensing
5) The left switch added to the TB303 - when this switch is
down, the TB303 will draw its power from the MIDI unit.
The right switch added to the TB303 - when this switch is
down, the TB303 will pla the incoming MIDI note. (CV switch)
6) The MIDI switch on the MIDI unit - when down the TB303 can be
controlled b MIDI - when up the TB303 is disconnected from
the MIDI unit except for CV and power (switches on TB303)
Thus if the MIDI switch is off & so are the switches on the
TB303, then the TB303 is completel detached (electricall )
from the MIDI unit.
7) If ou want to run the TB303 from MIDI s nc, ou will need to
connect a 5 pin din lead from the s nc socket of the MIDI unit
to the s nc socket on the TB303. The din socket provides normal
din s nc. N.B. A MIDI lead is not suitable for this purpose.
8) The slide facilit is turned on & off b MIDI controller 65,
(portamento control)

MIDI CONTROL OF RED PUSH BUTTON
The red push button can be "pressed" via MIDI as MIDI switch number
95 (5Fh) for SET-UP mode or 94 (5Eh) for TRANSPOSE mode.
The selection of the push button is enough, it doesn't matter if it
is being turned on or off.
In hexadecimal BX - 5F - 00 = SET-UP mode
In hexadecimal BX - 5E - 00 = TRANSPOSE mode
Where X is the current MIDI channel. ( n.b. for MIDI channel 1 - X=0 )
[n.b. whilst in set-up/transpose modes the MIDI is in omni on mode]
MIDI CONNECTORS - -
MIDI IN should be connected to a MIDI OUT or a MIDI THRU
similarl MIDI OUT should be connected onl to a MIDI IN
and a MIDI THRU should also be connected onl to a MIDI IN.
MIDI OUT is the signal from the s nthesiser (or drum machine etc.)
that is to be sent to another instrument. MIDI IN is a received
signal that contains MIDI information from another s nth, and MIDI
THRU is an exact cop of information arriving at the MIDI IN socket.
This allows several instruments to be connected together.
If ou want to wire our own MIDI cables the following information
ma be useful.
1) Although a 5 pin connector is used, onl two connections plus an
earth connection are required.
2) If ou look at the din plug from the wiring side ou will see
that the pins are numbered. From left to right (or clockwise) these
are 1 - 4 - 2 - 5 - 3.
3) The pins numbered 1 & 3 are not used.
4) The screen (earth) is connected to pin 2 (centre pin)
5) Pin 4 of one plug should be connected to pin 4 of the other
6) Pin 5 of one plug should be connected to pin 5 of the other
7) You should now have a working MIDI lead
8) It is preferable to label one end of the cable MIDI IN & the
other end MIDI OUT, to avoid confusion.
Cop right (c) KENTON ELECTRONICS & John Price 1986-1994
Kenton Electronics
12 Tolworth Rise South
Surbiton
Surre
KT5 9NN
TEL [phone]
FAX [phone]
TB334201/9310181022/JKP