Roland MC-303
The Roland MC-303 is a synthesizer , drum machine and hardware sequencer in one, opening the trend for groove boxes , which made it possible to compose and arrange certain types of music within a short time in a closed work environment.
history
The development of synthesizers and drum machines in the mid-1990s was so advanced that all components could be combined in one compact and inexpensive device. The MC-303, which came onto the market in 1996, followed this concept. The demand rose so quickly within a short time that Roland had delivery problems.
The MC-303 established itself within a very short time, especially in the techno scene, especially because of the drum sounds. It also quickly went out of style because of the excessive use of the device's sounds. In recent years, however, people have increasingly returned to their qualities.
Two years later, in 1998, the successor to the MC-303, the Roland MC-505, came onto the market.
description
synthesizer
The sound synthesis of the MC-303 is mainly based on sampled sounds from other Roland products such as the Roland TR-808 , Roland TR-909 , Roland TB-303 and the Juno series. It also includes a General MIDI sound bank. The filter and effects section made it possible to change the sounds and noises on a small scale.
Sequencer
Like its original models, the MC-303 works with a pattern-oriented eight-track step sequencer that can either be programmed manually or controlled via the MIDI interface. The keypad, arranged in the form of a keyboard octave, can control both the synthesizer and the sequencer.
Technical specifications
- 448 stored sounds, including 40 basses, 35 lead sounds, 33 synth pads, etc.
- 12 drum kits with different drum samples
- Eight-track sequencer with multiple quantization options like grid, shuffle and groove
- Resonance filter , LFO , envelope control and built-in DSP effects such as delay, reverb, flanger and chorus
- Real-time Phrase Sequencer (RPS), for quick access to patterns
- Separate function for boosting the bass