Ok, so i've got a 606, 707, 909, 303 and 101, so far ive been using them mostly as sound modules, controlling them via midi, using a kenton pro solo. The other day I got another midi to din sync box which ive been using to sync the 303 to the computer so I can use the 303's onboard sequencer (much better results, tho still not 100% in time)
Anyhow, what I'd like to do now is sync up all the drum machines and the 303 to my DAW (live). Whats the best way to do this? Or the various options available to me? Im just looking for different ways to work really, be nice to use the 909's shuffle on tracks too rather than just using it as a module.
Cheers
M
sync-ing old roland gear
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MarcAshken
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Re: sync-ing old roland gear
i use my 909 as a shuffled clock source, but i run it into an analogue sequnecer.
you can run the 101 directly from the 909, using the CLK out socket, into the CLK in on the 101.
the CLK out comes from the rimshot on the 909, so what ever pattern you put into the rimshot is the clock, so you have to put a full row of 16ths into the rimshot, which means you cant use it as a rimshot unfortunately, maybe not so bad as its one of the most overused sounds in techno and house.
edit; forgot to mention, you also have to write a pattern into the 101's sequencer for the EXt CLk to trigger.
i dont know the 707 too well, so i cant help you there, but i'm sure the Detroit guys used to use them to link up their gear to midi, however that wont help you using the 909 shuffle.
an analogue sequencer is the way forward bro. then you can run anything with CV and gate inputs along with the 909 shuffles. and you can sync everything up to your DAW via midi clock into the 909.
one other thing, the 303 can be converted easily to receive CV and gate instead of only outputting. one of my 303s had this mod, but i sold that one a few years ago, so i cant check to see how it was done, but you must be able to find info on the web. it was a really simple mod, but whoever did it on mine put a switch on the back so you could switch between input or output, which devalued the 303, but you could easily do something which wouldnt require drilling holes in it, maybe a little press switch loose inside the battery tray.
on the sync for the 303, the kenton Pro 2 has always been totally spot on for dynsync for me, but almost every other one ive had was sh!t, the worst being the Phillip Rees one.
one thing to remember the 303 has no shuffle, but it has its own totally amazing groove, however you cant run any shuffle higher than 2 on the 909 and a 303 together, as it will clatter horribly.
one other thing, you can program an external instrument pattern into the 909, which means you can use the 909 to play a midi pattern to another instrument using the same buttons you use to make the drum patterns, so that will have the 909 shuffle.
you can run the 101 directly from the 909, using the CLK out socket, into the CLK in on the 101.
the CLK out comes from the rimshot on the 909, so what ever pattern you put into the rimshot is the clock, so you have to put a full row of 16ths into the rimshot, which means you cant use it as a rimshot unfortunately, maybe not so bad as its one of the most overused sounds in techno and house.
edit; forgot to mention, you also have to write a pattern into the 101's sequencer for the EXt CLk to trigger.
i dont know the 707 too well, so i cant help you there, but i'm sure the Detroit guys used to use them to link up their gear to midi, however that wont help you using the 909 shuffle.
an analogue sequencer is the way forward bro. then you can run anything with CV and gate inputs along with the 909 shuffles. and you can sync everything up to your DAW via midi clock into the 909.
one other thing, the 303 can be converted easily to receive CV and gate instead of only outputting. one of my 303s had this mod, but i sold that one a few years ago, so i cant check to see how it was done, but you must be able to find info on the web. it was a really simple mod, but whoever did it on mine put a switch on the back so you could switch between input or output, which devalued the 303, but you could easily do something which wouldnt require drilling holes in it, maybe a little press switch loose inside the battery tray.
on the sync for the 303, the kenton Pro 2 has always been totally spot on for dynsync for me, but almost every other one ive had was sh!t, the worst being the Phillip Rees one.
one thing to remember the 303 has no shuffle, but it has its own totally amazing groove, however you cant run any shuffle higher than 2 on the 909 and a 303 together, as it will clatter horribly.
one other thing, you can program an external instrument pattern into the 909, which means you can use the 909 to play a midi pattern to another instrument using the same buttons you use to make the drum patterns, so that will have the 909 shuffle.
Last edited by steevio on Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MarcAshken
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Re: sync-ing old roland gear
Cheers for the reply mate, ok, the 909 to 101 is good news, gives me a new avenue to explore, it just uses a regular trs? I have an analogue seq (oberkorn mk3) which I use to control the 303 or 101 usually, it being sync'd to the DAW via midi, and its super tight, but I wanted to save the channels on that for automation rather than pitch control. My 303 is borg modded and accepts cv and gate inputs. The mod adds a few ports at the back to accept them, but i'd noticed that there are some original cv and gate ports too, are these outputs then? Always wondered why they'd add 2 more ports when they were already included, its starting to make a little more sense now. I know I can sync the 303 to the 606 via din, and Im assuming that if I connect the 606 to the midi/din converter then both the 303 an 606 will be sync'd to the DAW. I tried to connect the 909 to the 707 via midi and it kinda works in that both are on the same midi channel, when I hit C both kicks trigger so I used a patch bay to isolate which machine I wanted to sound. But whenever I press play on my DAW the 909 seq starts but at a much faster speed, and it also triggers a hit on every 1/16 note on the 707 on more than one drum. I think this is because the 909 is treating the 707 as an external instrument, something which im yet to get my head around.
Re: sync-ing old roland gear
i added a few more edits above just before you replied, which might help.
yes the 303 CV sockets are outputs,
yes regular trs jacks for the 909 - 101
yes the 303 CV sockets are outputs,
yes regular trs jacks for the 909 - 101
Re: sync-ing old roland gear
try using the 909 CLK out to trigger the clock in on the oberkorn, then the oberkorn will run the 909 shuffles and put the shuffles on everything. ( just need a 1/4" jack to 1/8th" jack convertor )
run the 909 from the midi clock from your DAW
run the 909 from the midi clock from your DAW
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MarcAshken
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Re: sync-ing old roland gear
sweet, cheers for that stevio, I like the idea of running the oberkorn from the 909. Got it hooked up now an its in time with the 909. The 909 is connected via midi to my daw, but its running alot faster than the daws tempo, so i in turn is triggering the seq at breakneck speed. i've set the sync mode on the 909 to midi, have you encountered this before?
Re: sync-ing old roland gear
no, that sounds weird.
i just set my midi receive channel to 1 and the midi-clock runs the 909 at the correct speed.
are you doing it through your sound card ?
thing is i havent used a computer to make music for a few years now, ive forgotten how i set it up.
its a total breath of fresh air to wave goodbye to the computer and go all analogue.
i just set my midi receive channel to 1 and the midi-clock runs the 909 at the correct speed.
are you doing it through your sound card ?
thing is i havent used a computer to make music for a few years now, ive forgotten how i set it up.
its a total breath of fresh air to wave goodbye to the computer and go all analogue.
Re: sync-ing old roland gear
i just remembered, once my 909 internal battery died and it went all weird on me, it started playing really fast and went mental.
maybe you need to replace your memory battery.
maybe you need to replace your memory battery.