Editing Roland TB-303

{{Short description|Bass synthesizer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{Infobox synthesizer
| image = Roland_TB-303_Panel.jpg|right|thumb|150px.jpg
| image_caption = TB-303 front panel
| synthesis_type = [[Analog synthesizer|Analog]] [[Subtractive synthesis|subtractive]]
| synth_name = Roland TB-303 Bass Line
| polyphony = monophonic
| timbrality = [[monotimbral]]
| oscillator = Sawtooth and square wave
| filter = 24 dB/oct low-pass resonant filter, non-self-oscillating
| attenuator = 
| lfo = none
| ext control = CV/GATE Out
| memory = 64 patterns, 7&nbsp;songs, 1&nbsp;track
| fx = No internal effects.
| dates = 1981–1984
| price = UK £238 (£{{Inflation|UK|238|1981}} in {{Inflation/year|UK}}), US $395 (${{Inflation|US|395|1981}} in {{Inflation/year|US}})
| velocity = No
| aftertouch = No
| keyboard = 16 pattern keys
| split = No
| Power = Batteries (six C-sized batteries), AC adapter
| synth_manufacturer = [[Roland Corporation|Roland]]
}}

The '''Roland TB-303 Bass Line''' (also known as the '''303''') is a [[bass synthesizer]] released by [[Roland Corporation]] in 1981. Designed to simulate [[bass guitar]]s, it was a commercial failure and was discontinued in 1984. However, cheap second-hand units were adopted by electronic musicians, and its "squelching" or "chirping" sound became a foundation of [[electronic dance music]] genres such as [[acid house]], [[Chicago house]] and [[techno]]. It has inspired numerous [[Synthesiser clone|clones]].

==Design and features==

The TB-303 was manufactured by the Japanese company [[Roland Corporation|Roland]]. It was designed by [[Tadao Kikumoto]], who also designed the [[Roland TR-909]] drum machine.<ref name="emusician">{{Cite web |url=https://www.emusician.com/gear/tadao-kikumoto |title=Electronic Musician: Tadao Kikumoto |last=Hsieh |first=Christine |website=Emusician.com |access-date=2010-10-02}}</ref> It was marketed as a "computerised bass machine" to replace the [[bass guitar]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Gordon |date=December 2004 |title=The History Of Roland: Part 2 |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/people/history-roland-part-2 |access-date=2018-03-26 |website=[[Sound on Sound]] |language=en-gb}}</ref> However, according to ''[[Forbes]]'', it instead produces a "squelchy tone more reminiscent of a psychedelic [[Jew's harp|mouth harp]] than a stringed instrument".<ref name=":2" />

The TB-303 has a single [[Voltage-controlled oscillator|oscillator]], which produces either a "buzzy" [[sawtooth wave]] or a "hollow-sounding" [[Square wave (waveform)|square wave]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasperhamill/2014/03/25/one-synth-to-rule-them-all-roland-takes-on-clones-with-reissue-of-legendary-tb-303/#346a468359d5 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329023727/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasperhamill/2014/03/25/one-synth-to-rule-them-all-roland-takes-on-clones-with-reissue-of-legendary-tb-303/#346a468359d5 |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 March 2014 |title=The world's most famous electronic instrument is back. Will anyone buy the reissued TB-303? |last=Hamill |first=Jasper |work=Forbes |access-date=2018-03-26 |language=en}}{{Better source needed|reason=[[WP:FORBESCON]]|date=October 2022}}</ref> This is fed into a 24&nbsp;[[Decibel|dB]]/octave<ref name=":3" /> [[low-pass filter]], which is manipulated by an [[Synthesizer#ADSR envelope|envelope generator]].<ref name=":0" /> Users program notes and [[Portamento|slides]] using the internal [[Music sequencer|sequencer]].<ref name=":2" />

==Legacy==
The TB-303's unrealistic sound made it unpopular with its target audience, musicians who wanted to replace bass guitars. It was discontinued in 1984,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Vine |first=Richard |date=14 Jun 2011 |title=Tadao Kikumoto invents the Roland TB-303 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/15/tadao-kikumoto-roland |access-date=26 Mar 2018 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref> and Roland sold off remaining units cheaply. 10,000 units were manufactured.<ref name=":2" />

Indian musician [[Charanjit Singh (musician)|Charanjit Singh]]'s 1982 album ''Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat'' featured an early use of a TB-303, alongside the TR-808. The album remained obscure until the early 21st century, when it was reissued and recognized as a precursor to [[acid house]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/10/charanjit-singh-acid-house-ten-ragas |title=Charanjit Singh on how he invented acid house ... by mistake |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=Stuart Aitken |date=10 May 2011}}</ref> Singh had an influence on [[Bollywood music]] producer [[Bappi Lahiri]], who experimented with tweaked TB-303 basslines for several Indian [[disco]] [[Filmi|film songs]] released in 1983: "Koi Lutera" in ''[[Wanted: Dead or Alive (1984 film)|Wanted: Dead or Alive]]'', "Aah Ha Oonh Hun" in ''Do Gulaab'', and "Tum Tum Tumba" in ''[[Karate (film)|Karate]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pandey |first1=Himanshu |title=Bollywood synth pioneer Bappi Lahiri’s 303 experiments |url=https://www.redbull.com/in-en/tb-303-synthesizer-bollywood-bappi-lahiri |access-date=11 February 2025 |work=[[Red Bull Music Academy]] |date=22 May 2019 |language=en-in}}</ref> The first song using the TB-303 to enter the top ten of the [[UK Singles Chart]] was "[[Rip It Up (Orange Juice song)|Rip It Up]]" (1983) by Scottish band [[Orange Juice (band)|Orange Juice]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Jun 2015 |title=Buzzcocks: Boredom / Orange Juice: Rip It Up – Seconds |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/seconds/buzzcocks-boredom-orange-juice-rip-it-up.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=2018-03-26 |website=[[Stylus Magazine]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604010309/http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/seconds/buzzcocks-boredom-orange-juice-rip-it-up.htm |archivedate=2011-06-04}}</ref> The same year, Japanese musician [[Ryo Kawasaki]] used the TB-303 with a TR-808 and [[synth guitar]] in his [[electronic jazz]] album ''Lucky Lady'' (1983).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Andy |title=A Look Back at Fusion Legend Ryo Kawasaki, Who Pioneered the Synth Guitar |url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/ryo-kawasaki-critical-discography |website=[[Bandcamp Daily]] |access-date=14 February 2025 |date=22 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=8 Tracks: Of 80s Japanese Funky Synth Fusion W/ Kay Suzuki |url=https://www.theransomnote.com/music/playlists/8-tracks-of-80s-japanese-funky-synth-fusion-w-kay-suzuki/ |website=Ransom Note |access-date=14 February 2025 |date=20 August 2021}}</ref>

The Chicago group [[Phuture]] bought a cheap TB-303 and began experimenting. By manipulating the synthesizer as it played, they created a unique "squelching, resonant and liquid sound". This became the foundation of the single "[[Acid Tracks]]" (1987), often credited as the first acid house track. With the TB-303 as a staple sound, acid became popular worldwide, particularly as part of the UK's emerging [[rave]] culture known as the [[second summer of love]].<ref name=":2" />

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, as new acid styles emerged, the TB-303 was often [[overdriven]], producing a harsher sound, such as on [[Hardfloor]]'s 1992 EP "Acperience" and Interlect 3000's 1993 EP "Volcano".<ref name="bp">{{cite web |last=Church |first=Terry |title=Black History Month: Jesse Saunders and house music |url=http://www.beatportal.com/feed/item/black-history-jesse-saunders-and-house-music/ |website=Beatortal.com |date=9 Feb 2010 |access-date=16 October 2011 |archive-date=12 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212230432/https://www.beatportal.com/feed/item/black-history-jesse-saunders-and-house-music/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1995, the TB-303 was distorted and processed on [[Josh Wink]]'s hit "[[Higher State of Consciousness]]"<ref name=":3">{{cite web |title=The Fall and Rise of the TB-303 |url=http://www.rolandus.com/blog/2013/03/28/tb-303-acid-flashback/ |website=Roland US |date=28 March 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=30 Years of Acid |url=http://www.attackmagazine.com/features/you-just-have-move-your-feet-30-years-acid/2/ |url-status=dead |website=Attack Magazine |access-date=28 September 2015 |archive-date=17 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017044719/http://www.attackmagazine.com/features/you-just-have-move-your-feet-30-years-acid/2/ }}</ref> and on [[Daft Punk]]'s "[[Da Funk]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brewster |first=Will |date=3 Mar 2021 |title=The 13 most iconic TB-303 basslines of all time |url=https://mixdownmag.com.au/features/the-13-most-iconic-tb-303-basslines-of-all-time/ |access-date=2021-09-25 |website=Mixdown |language=en-AU}}</ref> The English producer [[Fatboy Slim]] admired the simplicity of the controls, and named his first single "[[Everybody Needs a 303]]" (1996).<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Doyle |first=Tom |date=January 2017 |title=Classic tracks: Fatboy Slim 'Praise You' |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-fatboy-slim-praise-you |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=[[Sound on Sound]]}}</ref> 

In 2011, the [[The Guardian|''Guardian'']] named the release of the TB-303 one of the 50 key events in the history of dance music.<ref name=":1" /> The popularity of acid caused a dramatic increase in the price of used 303 units.<ref name=":2" /> As of 2014, units sold for over £1,000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reidy |first=Tess |date=15 Feb 2014 |title=Retro electronics still popular{{snd}} but why not just use modern software? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/15/old-electronic-instruments-popular-software |access-date=26 Mar 2018 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

== Successors ==
The TB-303 has inspired numerous software emulations and [[Synthesiser clone|clones]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Warwick|first=Oli|date=8 April 2017|title=Attack of the clones: Is Behringer's Minimoog a synth replica too far?|language=en-US|work=[[Fact (UK magazine)|Fact]]|url=https://www.factmag.com/2017/04/08/behringer-minimoog-synth-clones/|access-date=30 November 2018}}</ref> such as the TD-3 by [[Behringer]], released in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 November 2019|title=Behringer unveils a Roland TB-303 clone|url=https://www.engadget.com/2019-11-08-behringer-roland-tb-303-clone.html|access-date=2022-01-03|website=Engadget|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2014, Roland released the TB-3 Touch Bassline, with a touchpad interface and [[MIDI]] and [[USB]]  connections.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nagle |first=Paul |date=April 2014 |title=Roland TB3 Touch Bassline |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/roland-tb3-touch-bassline |access-date=2022-01-03 |website=[[Sound on Sound]]}}</ref> In 2017, Roland released the TB-03, a miniaturized model featuring an [[LED]] display and [[Delay (audio effect)|delay]] and [[Distortion (music)|overdrive]] effects.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Bruce Aisher |date=2017-03-14 |title=Roland TB-03 Bass Line review |url=https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/roland-tb-03-bass-line |access-date=2022-01-03 |website=[[MusicRadar]] |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Portal|1980s}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{Commons category}}
* {{cite magazine |url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/roland-tb-303-bass-line/4250 |title=Roland TB-303 Bass Line |magazine=Electronics & Music Maker |date=April 1982 |page=20 |oclc=317187644}}
* {{cite magazine |title=Knowledge Base: The History of the Roland TB-303 |pages=52–53 |magazine=Future Music |issue=262 |date=February 2013 |issn=0967-0378 |oclc=1032779031}}
* {{cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nirWK2Btj40 |title=A Brief Story of the Roland TB-303 Bassline Synthesizer}}

{{Roland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roland Tb-303}}
[[Category:Roland synthesizers|T]]
[[Category:Acid house]]
[[Category:Grooveboxes]]
[[Category:Monophonic synthesizers]]
[[Category:Analog synthesizers]]
[[Category:Musical instruments invented in the 1980s]]