INSIDE GUIDE 

http://www.bagse.com/technology/ROLAND_TB303_GUIDE_index.htm

User Roland TB303 BASS STATION M303+ CLONE3 TEEBEE3 DEEPBASS 9 FIVEG MS404 etc

 

Preface

The following information has been based on our own system e.g. TB303's so if you use any similar sounding equipment i.e. patches for analogues or digital synths let us know.

Patterns, written format if possible or in key as this makes them easy to sort out.

 

HOW TO TUNE

Every 303 is different in the respect that the single oscillator reacts differently when filtering harmonics. This gives the sound that has classic characteristic. The 303 has a range of 500 cents or about 5 semitones. By turning the tuning dial fully left the note should be C# or D

Middle C is slightly left of centre

Full right is roughly A

Tune A=440 Hz

Tuning via the keyboard is one octave higher than normal playing mode.

By using a digital tuner e.g. utility of Boss SE70 or tone on ART ALPHA you can tune exactly if note tune to a keyboard or to C roughly half way on tuning dial.

Some people tune by placing the potentiometer all the way round and then making the adjustment on the cv box the benefit here is that you will always know what position is in tune the drawback is you have to have your machine retrofitted.

For CV a digital tuner is a must as hot and cold temperature changes the tuning all the time those with the Pro2 CV converter will know what we mean.

‘Digital tuners’ like the Pro2000 are far better.

When tuning keep the resonance off. Tune from low to high 4 octaves in track play 3 in pattern and 5 octaves with the cv.

Heat causes thermal resistance e.g. noise so if playing live tune when hot. When recording keep every thing cool to limit noise. Then defeat the whole object and add loads of distortion.

Frequency range 32Hz + so your speaker system might not handle all the frequencies unless you have good active crossovers, isobaric subwoofer.

If you get a retrofit ask the people doing it to tune the oscillator over all octaves usually 400Hz linear. Tune CV initiate first then the scaling to cover all 5 octaves if one octave is out just make sure C60 to C72 is in tune as this is used most.  

C down = C48

C = C60

Ctop/up = C72

Ctop up = C84

Ctop up pitched = C96

= Midi hi C 108 see frequency chart for more info

Midi notes are transposed as cv only works from G before c48. CV being one volt per octave method. See cv charts for pullup voltages.