owner: William Blakeney

Also: Daniele Marziali's TB-303

"The Roland TB-303 Bassline synthesizer is one of the most collectible and controversial of Roland's early 1980's synthesizer line. Introduced as a "computer controlled" auto-accompaniment instrument with a simple calculator style keyboard, the 303 was rejected by musicians because of its hefty price tag and fiendishly difficult sequencer. Contrary to popular belief, the 303 does an excellent imitation of a bass guitar with the decay set short and the filters rolled off. The incomprehensible manual and difficult programmer made it too unfriendly for most working musicians, while its simplified envelope generator and filter controls made it too "basic" for most serious synthesists. Relegated to second-hand shops and obscurity, the Bassline gained a second life when it was adopted as an economical bass synth by dance music producers in the late 80's. The 303's distinctive thumping bass sound and rubbery sequencer have been used extensively on recent dance and techno singles, leading to near cult status. While the 303 is not easily used as a song sequencer, its quirks (including a slipperly step-entered glissando and hard accents) make it perfect for repetitive segment-based pieces. Synchronized with a TR series drum machine, the 303 is a fascinating and unconventional composition tool. For a simple, single vco synthesizer, the 303 has proven very difficult to emulate. While programmable mono synths such as the Novation BassStation are excellent imitators of the early 80's Roland sound, (particularly the SH-101), they do not have any of the distinctive character of the 303.