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Dear DJ Amethyst

I've just got myself a TB 303, but when I plug in my midi cable I can't get it to do anything? How do I set it's midi channels? This does not look right somehow!

Thanks
Doink

  


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Dear Doink,

I am amazed! This is exactly the same thing that I went through! There it was, the silver mean machine in person, sitting in my studio, and could I do anything with it? Could I smeg!
Although the input port on the back of machine looks like a midi in, and indeed, accepts a midi cable gratefully, this is not a midi in port! Well not in the sense you and I would understand anyway!
The thing about this machine is that it was created at a time before midi was the 'thing', and therefore this port is merely a synchronisation input, for starting and stopping the machine when being played with other devices such as a drum machine or whatever. What you can do is program the 303 and use this port to start up the programs you have created, but this is doing things the HARD way!
What you will need is a converter, which will sit between your midi set-up, and the 303, which acts as a sort of go-between, and these you can get from a company called 'Kenton Electronics' (not sure of the web address but you can look that up!).
These nice people will not only supply you with the converter, but also convert the machine for you for a small cost (something I would seriously recommend! - don't be a Frank Spencer with a 303. If you smeg it up you will be saying more than just 'oooh Betty' I can tell you!). In my opinion, when buying any retro gear, see if the machine has first been converted for midi (if that's what it is for), as buying the converter and getting the conversion done can slap an extra 100 quid onto the price.
With your new box you can then send controllers to the 303 (filter heaven!), and certain other midi messages which the box will 'translate' for the 303, like portamento, and of course note-on/note-off.
This should sort you out well and truly, and they even don't mind too much at Kenton if you call from time to time to ask the odd daft question (like I do!).
Hope this helps you out! oh and of course, Happy Squelching!
Peace to Viginia!

If anyone else has a tekky question (or anything in fact) for Amethyst please e-mail dj_amethyst@hinotori.co.uk, and he will do his best to help. Failing that, he will pretend he never got your e-mail! (like he did with 'Worried'! Worried, he has NO idea what is wrong with your DX7!)