IDM Mailing Archive

Rodney Perkins wrote:

quoted 3 lines Do even 90% of the people

> Do even 90% of the people > who would ever buy a CD/LP/MD of ANY sort of music even know what a TR-808 > or an RB-303 is?

And I'll fess up: for a while now I've been trying to figure out just how to differentiate the sound of the 303, 808, and whatever other similar machines are out there. Can anyone give a succinct rundown (and if possible, a history/"discography" of such machines? Or point me to a good web resource, if there is one... Thanks, Phil

By no means an expect on the issue, here's a basic picture: The 808 is a drum machine, created so bands could practice without a drummer. Gives that kind of hallow sound you here in old electro. I think "Planet Rock" is a good example of classic 808 beats. The 909 is a suped-up 808, with deeper bass, and is responsible for house music. The 303 was not a drum machine, instead, it was created so a band could practice without a bassist. This use never caught on, since the sound was more eery and synthetic. The 303 is responsible for Acid House...it's that very distinctive chirpy, whiny sound played to death in the early 90's. If you want to see how the 808 and 303 work/sound, check out the REbirth software, available for share at www.propellerheads.se. The software imitates 2 303s and 1 808. There is also a 909 patch available.

quoted 6 lines Can anyone give a succinct rundown (and if possible, a

> Can anyone give a succinct rundown (and if possible, a > history/"discography" of such machines? Or point me to a good web > resource, if there is one... > > Thanks, > Phil

-- ::::: Darren Keast ::::: Skinny Intertainment Network ::::: http://www.skinny.com/

philip: roland tb303 was manufactured to be a bassplayer for musicians who wanted bass accompaniment, but ended up in dance use instead. started out as a real bassline in classic work from people in chicago like larry heard; artists who realized that random stuff could happen when you took out the batteries and then put them back in (to put it simply) frigged with it and came up with "acid". phuture, etc. 606 was designed to go with the 303. hear early acid and the perc is the 606 you're hearing. it's very raw and doesn't have separate outputs for the sounds. 727 is the latin one. think jeff mills. 808 has classic sounds like the cowbell that everyone uses. 909 is the "harsher" older brother more in use today in house and techno. hope this helps and makes sense :) andrew Philip Sherburne wrote:

quoted 15 lines Rodney Perkins wrote:

> Rodney Perkins wrote: > > Do even 90% of the people > > who would ever buy a CD/LP/MD of ANY sort of music even know what a TR-808 > > or an RB-303 is? > > And I'll fess up: for a while now I've been trying to figure out just > how to differentiate the sound of the 303, 808, and whatever other > similar machines are out there. > > Can anyone give a succinct rundown (and if possible, a > history/"discography" of such machines? Or point me to a good web > resource, if there is one... > > Thanks, > Phil

-- Andrew Duke Cognition Audioworks/In The Mix 1096 Queen St #123 Halifax NS Canada B3H 2R9 TEL 902-422-7132 FAX 902-422-1262 http://www.globalserve.net/~cognition ONLINE now: Caipirinha comp/Common Factor/Speedranch^Jansky Noise world premieres In The Mix show 578:Juan Atkins/Low Res/Crank/Mark Wee

quoted 2 lines Date: Mon, 08 Mar 1999 00:11:56 -0400

>Date: Mon, 08 Mar 1999 00:11:56 -0400 >From: Andrew Duke Cognition Audioworks/In The Mix

<cognition@globalserve.net>

quoted 3 lines Subject: Re: (idm) X0X (drum machines, not kisses)

>Subject: Re: (idm) X0X (drum machines, not kisses) >philip: >roland tb303 was manufactured to be a bassplayer for musicians who wanted

bass

quoted 1 line accompaniment, but ended up in dance use instead. started out as a real

>accompaniment, but ended up in dance use instead. started out as a real

bassline

quoted 1 line in classic work from people in chicago like larry heard; artists who

>in classic work from people in chicago like larry heard; artists who

realized

quoted 1 line that random stuff could happen when you took out the batteries and then put

>that random stuff could happen when you took out the batteries and then put

them

quoted 1 line back in (to put it simply) frigged with it and came up with "acid".

>back in (to put it simply) frigged with it and came up with "acid".

phuture,

quoted 2 lines etc.

>etc. >606 was designed to go with the 303. hear early acid and the perc is the

606

quoted 1 line you're hearing. it's very raw and doesn't have separate outputs for the

>you're hearing. it's very raw and doesn't have separate outputs for the

sounds.

quoted 2 lines 727 is the latin one. think jeff mills.

>727 is the latin one. think jeff mills. >808 has classic sounds like the cowbell that everyone uses. 909 is the

"harsher"

quoted 1 line older brother more in use today in house and techno. hope this helps and

>older brother more in use today in house and techno. hope this helps and

makes

quoted 2 lines sense :)

>sense :) >andrew

Sigh. I don't know where this rumor about messing up a 303's batteries having something to do with the "acid sound" came from, but it's incorrect. The small truth behind it is nearly dead batteries can have some strange effects on the sound, but the acid sound was pretty much created by DJ Pierre, of Phuture, who turned the knobs WHILE the sequencer was running. A pretty basic idea now, but up until then the idea was to get the sound you wanted, program the notes and let it run. The 606 isn't actually that common in early acid. Although it is the companion to the 303, Roland's 707/727 are more popular. Some songs that come to mind are Phuture's "Acid Trax", "Your Only Friend", and "Phuture Jacks", and Adonis's "We Be Rocking Down the House". Hawtin has been known to use one now and then also. The 808 was the king of early hip-hop(Run DMC, early Beastie Boys), soul (Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston), and other 80s music. The 909 of course is the premier hardcore/dance/house machine. I think that's about it for this thread, let's lay it to rest. nick

At 11:39 PM -0500 3/7/99, Nick Rejack wrote:

quoted 7 lines Sigh. I don't know where this rumor about messing up a 303's batteries

> Sigh. I don't know where this rumor about messing up a 303's batteries > having something to do with the "acid sound" came from, but it's incorrect. > The small truth behind it is nearly dead batteries can have some strange > effects on the sound, but the acid sound was pretty much created by DJ > Pierre, of Phuture, who turned the knobs WHILE the sequencer was running. A > pretty basic idea now, but up until then the idea was to get the sound you > wanted, program the notes and let it run.

I've seen interviews with the early Phuture guys wherein they commented that removing the batteries and replacing them would fill the sequence memory with random sequences. Then again, who's to say the journalist didn't misunderstand... Joe

Not quite done with this thread: In several cities, "808" is the police code for a public disturbance of the peace. E.G.: people going crazy in clubs. Not related to the drum machine in origin, but isn't serendipity/coincidence great! Tom

quoted 5 lines I've seen interviews with the early Phuture guys wherein they

>I've seen interviews with the early Phuture guys wherein they >commented that removing the batteries and replacing them would fill >the sequence memory with random sequences. Then again, who's to say >the journalist didn't misunderstand... >

was toying with a friends tb303 about two years ago or something and just turning it off and then on again would generate a random pattern. maybe his was totally funked up but i don't know. i'm not all that much into 303s. bauri @ http://www.underjord.net

On Mon, 8 Mar 1999 12:13:39 +0100 "m. abrahamsson" <bauri@techno.org> writes:

quoted 3 lines was toying with a friends tb303 about two years ago or something and =

>was toying with a friends tb303 about two years ago or something and = >just turning it off and then on again would generate a random pattern. >maybe his was totally funked up but i don't know. i'm not all that much

=

quoted 1 line into 303s.

>into 303s.

the sound is ok. i like em cause they're pretty. ???Ы ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]