.:ABOUT THE TB-303:.

.:The History:.

The TB303 (Transistor Bass) was introduced in the early 1982's together with the TR606 Drumatix (Transistor Rythm) by Roland. It was invented by Tadao Kikumoto. At that time the 303 was not an expensive piece, only about £215. The two small plastic-pieces were intended to emulate a real bass player and a real drummer. Obviously only very few musicians used the TB303 and TR606 for that purpose because the machines just could not replace the real thing. Their sounds didn't anywhere come near a real bass or drumset, and the musicians didn't want to go through the time-consuming task of programming the machines. Since nobody wanted the TB303 anymore, Roland stopped producing them 18 months after releasing it. At that time they'd produced about 20.000 copies alltogether.
It was not until 1987 when a DJ (rumors has it that it was DJ Pierre) came up with the idea to turn the knobs while playing the TB303 that acid house was born. After that the machine suddently became more and more wanted and soaked for.
Today's acid music is very different from the acid house of the 80's/early 90's. Now acid music is typically produced using the TB303 and a TR909. The TR909 drum machine produces a much more hard, much more dancable beat. The bassdrum really kicks and it has got a very famous clap!
As if that wasn't enough, apply a guitar-distortion pedal and the sound is now much more harsher and emphasizes the resonance into agony screams. BIG fat sounds from small machines!!

If someone is selling his/hers, contact me..!! ;o)

SPECIFICATIONS:

Ram chips: Nec's µPD-444C CMOS RAM, 1024 x 4 Bit Static.
CPU type: Nec's µPD-650C-133, 4-bit microcomputer. (133=Roland's ID internal firmware Rom code).
Dimensions: 300 mm (width)x148 mm (Depth)x55 mm (Height).
Weight: 1 Kg
Sound range: 3 Octaves (4 octaves in a TRACK).
Tone control: Cutoff Frequency, Resonance, Envelope Modulation, Decay, Accent, Waveform (Saw/Square).
Tuning control: +- 500 overcents.
Tempo control: 40 to 300 BPM.
Memory: 64 measures x 7 TRACKS (256 measures maximum). Memory backup.
Output: Main (Regular Jack, Impedance 10Kohm) - Headphones (Stereo Jack, Impedance 8ohm-30ohm).
CV/GATE Out: Mini-Jacks (CV: [= +1V | - +5V], 1 volt/octave / GATE: [OFF 0V | ON +12V]).
Sync24: Din connector. Synchronizable with TR-606, CR-8000, NOVATION DRUMSTATION, ...
Mix in: Regular Jack, Impedance 100Kohm. Output level 1:1.
Power supply: Battery - 6V (1.5V x 4). AC adaptator 9V. Current drain : min 80mA, max 120mA.
Accessories: Soft Case.

Tadao Kikumoto
(creator of the TB-303 and the TR-909)