Behringer TD-3 Analog Bass Line Synthesizer

[VitaminD]

im wondering if someone recently bought an original second hand?

there is a youtube video of the td-3, an original tb-303, a xoxbox, and another clone side by side by side by side if you're interested.

He did mention in the video there is supposedly a ~10% variance between original copies. But, to my ears, the original tb-303 was a bit mellower on the lower end of the frequency range when sweeping the filter. As if the envelope was tracking lower maybe. Might be the variance he was mentioning..

[BONES]

Interestingly, I saw Gang Of Four on Friday night and it sparked an interesting conversation in a similar vein. GoF only have one original member, guitarist Andy Gill, and I know a few people who didn't want to go because of that. We reached a consensus that in every band there are one or two members whose presence is non-negotiable but, beyond that, as long as it sounds like the band you like, it really doesn't matter. With GoF it is definitely the guitarist who matters. His style and sound is utterly unique and completely mesmerising. Anything he does is GoF as far as I'm concerned, just as anything John Watts does is Fischer Z.

It's the same here, you don't need a 303 (or a clone) to get that acid bassline sound and, in fact, it might be more noteworthy if you are clever enough to get it some other way.

WORST. SYNTH. EVER.

that has produced the
BEST MUSIC EVER

Nothing I've heard from you, pal, that's for sure. Let's not forget, too, that you can achieve the same result with pretty much any synth, it was just pure chance that it originated with a 303. And for Dog's sake, hasn't it been done to death by now?

This is the cost of just the filter in Eurorack

It's Au$50 more than an IK Multimedia Uno here, although I see on Thomann that it's actually Au$30 cheaper. Still, for your extra Au$30 you get a second oscillator, two full ADSR envelopes, a multi-mode filter with drive, an arpeggiator as well as a step/realtime sequencer with up to 20 automation lanes, and many other features not found on the TD-3. (Is "TD" short for "Tedious?) You also get patch memory and a standalone/VSTi editor/librarian. So I don't see it as a bargain price entry into anything but sadness.

I’m not going to be buying a 303 myself, but I did buy their Odyssey, Neutron, Model D and DM12 and I have nothing but praise for these instruments.

I'd have been all over the Odyssey if they had bothered to include patch memory but, as it stands, I see it as a big waste of money and space, like my Mono/Poly was back in the day.

[Stefken]

im wondering if someone recently bought an original second hand?

there is a youtube video of the td-3, an original tb-303, a xoxbox, and another clone side by side by side by side if you're interested.

He did mention in the video there is supposedly a ~10% variance between original copies. But, to my ears, the original tb-303 was a bit mellower on the lower end of the frequency range when sweeping the filter. As if the envelope was tracking lower maybe. Might be the variance he was mentioning..

Yes, to me too, that particular td-3 was the clone that matched the sound the least of the 3 clones.

But as somebody other said, it's probably more important to have the same modjo than exactely the same sound as the tb-303.

[c1c2]

Yes, to me too, that particular td-3 was the clone that matched the sound the least of the 3 clones.

Exactly.

[Jim Y]

Digital memories are all very well, but if you working on something then have to go away and switch it off (without having to save it first and work out where to save it into and what to call it) - if it doesn't switch back on EXACTLY as you left it - its going in the bin. I've had enough of digital systems like that. Non-volatile memory is cheap and there's simply no excuse for forgetful behaviour!

[jacqueslacouth]

I think patch memory seems to be REALLY important to senior citizens who play synths as it gets harder to remember knob positions as you get older.

[Jim Y]

If you can't remember knob patching, you won't remember saved preset names/numbers either. It takes me longer to think of a name that will mean something to me in the future and find a location I can save it into than repatching ever does. Then even if you did save the settings and write it down so you can find it again, there is the tedium of recalling it next time because the bloody things don't even autoload that preset but always the same default preset and now you have to scroll through the patches. This is a huge buzzkill for me.

I feel I get misunderstood every time I mention this. The instrument can certainly have a user preset system. What it must never do is start up with different settings than when it was shut down!

When I switch on my Juno-6, it works right away just the way I left it. That's how a proper instrument behaves.
...and I am a senior citizen! And so is the Juno.

[vurt]

I think patch memory seems to be REALLY important to senior citizens who play synths as it gets harder to remember knob positions as you get older.

gets harder to achieve some knob positions too without assistance...

[cleverr1]

Has anyone seen details of the MIDI spec for this?
I'm wondering if it works like the clones produced in the 90s where portamento was produced when playing legato, and velocity controlled accent. If not it would have to be controlled via patterns. I guess that to many that's the whole point of a 303 but I much preferred programming tracks in a DAW.
A striking omission for me is the lack of any CV inputs which would enable automation with something like a CV OCD - Hopefully that'll get fixed by someone enterprising offering after market mods.

Having said all of that for £130 it looks like a steal.

[acid alex]

Has anyone seen details of the MIDI spec for this?
I'm wondering if it works like the clones produced in the 90s where portamento was produced when playing legato, and velocity controlled accent. If not it would have to be controlled via patterns. I guess that to many that's the whole point of a 303 but I much preferred programming tracks in a DAW.
A striking omission for me is the lack of any CV inputs which would enable automation with something like a CV OCD - Hopefully that'll get fixed by someone enterprising offering after market mods.

Having said all of that for £130 it looks like a steal.

You can set the velocity value which triggers an accent in the software. Slides are triggered by overlapping notes. This was shown in one of the videos. I think he also change patterns on the TD-3 by sending a program change or midi note from his launchpad.

[cleverr1]

You can set the velocity value which triggers an accent in the software. Slides are triggered by overlapping notes. This was shown in one of the videos. I think he also change patterns on the TD-3 by sending a program change or midi note from his launchpad.

Cool!! Thanks I missed that video.
Definitely getting one of these then. I wonder if the Kenton TB-303 kit would work or could be adapted:
https://kentonuk.com/product/roland-tb-303/

[Stefken]

I think patch memory seems to be REALLY important to senior citizens who play synths as it gets harder to remember knob positions as you get older.

The younger citizens also prefer some efficiency like e.g. a system that can remember settings instead of taking pictures of it.

Note: i've also stopped hanging postit notes on the fridge for quite some time.

[SLiC]

Words like efficiency and productivity remind me of work , If music is how you make a living I guess its important, but for me its about what I 'enjoy' the most. I like chaos and being forced to start with a blank page, probably why I love my modular, am I 'productive' on it...probably not, do I have a lot of fun and occasionally make something (I think) is cool...yup, , record as loop, start from blank page again

I have a lot of hardware stuff that has preset memories...they also have there place but I end up interacting differently with things with presets than I do things that don't.

[AnX]

presets on a 303?

it's a live tweak machine ffs

[vurt]

presets on a 303?

it's a live tweak machine ffs

preset 1 : acid squelch
preset 2 : acid squelch
preset 3 : acid squelch
...