It’s 3 March, also known, to Roland at least, as 303 Day, and to celebrate the company is giving away free licenses for its official TB-303 plugin via Roland Cloud. You’ll need to be quick in claiming yours though, as the company is limiting the offer to a maximum of 3,030 downloads.
The original TB-303 hardware is one of the most iconic synthesizers of all time. Initially pitched as a replacement for a real bassist, the 303 was a commercial failure when it first launched, largely due to how little it sounded like an authentic bass guitarist.
However, cheap second hand units made their way into the hands of adventurous producers, most notably Chicago trio Phuture, who found its harsh filter resonance and unique sequencer could be pushed to create the distinctive basslines we now associate with acid house and techno.
Roland’s plugin version, TB-303 Software Bass Line, was released via the company’s Cloud subscription service on 303 Day 2019. It faithfully models the design of the original, with its single oscillator, resonant low pass filter and basic envelope, but adds a few additional flourishes, including a Condition parameter, which is able to artificially aged the sound of the virtual analogue circuitry, as well as delay and distortion effects, both of which are a big part of the signature acid sound.
The plugin also redesigns the notoriously awkward sequencer of the original units, which makes programming patterns considerably easier without losing the esoteric elements that contribute to the character of the 303.
When we reviewed it at launch, we concluded that Roland’s take “sounds as close to the real thing as we’ve heard in software.”
You can grab a copy of the software 303 by signing up at the Roland official site. The offer is open until 12pm PST on 10 March or when all 3,030 copies have been claimed, so if you’re tempted we’d suggest making your move now.
Alongside the giveaway, Roland is also celebrating 303 Day with a quartet of online tutorials: Mastering the TB-303 Sequencer in Roland Cloud, Beyond Acid: Pushing the TB-303 into New Sonic Territory, and deep dives on classic 303 cuts Song of Life by Leftfield and Praise You by Fatboy Slim.
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