Early Dance Night
Roland MC-303

The Early Dance Night is presented by GOING OUT:

  • Deejay's
  • History
  • Dates
  • Info




collective@chello.nl

Home Up Roland MC-303 Roland MC-505 Roland JX-305 Clavia Nordlead Clavia Nordlead 2 AKAI S 3000XL Denon Turntables

FaxBack Files


MC-303 Groovebox FaxBack


Let there be groove
Look at it, and you know immediately what it is: the MC-303 reminds you of those Roland beat boxes and other groovy devices impossible to come by but indispensable for the serious Dance musician. Yet its features are straight out o the late 1990s. It's got rhythms (Preset and User Patterns consisting of backings and cool grooves), it's got music (all those killer sounds the Dance scene is after), and it's as real-time as an electronic musical instrument can possibly get. Who could ask for anything more? Here's a device worth expensive setups consisting of turntables, a mixer, and various instruments.

The MC-303 is an exciting new product that presents new creative approaches to dance music. Dance music, especially techno music, can now be approached creatively by anyone using the MC-303. All that's required is just to combine any preset sounds and patterns from the huge selection offered, including sounds from vintage analog synthesizers. Realtime performance capability is emphasized, such as realtime Cutoff and Resonance controls to vary the sound as well as Arpeggio and Groove Quantize for adding a special feel or groove to the song. The self-contained MC-303 can offer a level of performance which has been only available with huge set-ups including turntable, mixer, and various instruments. The MC-303's integrated features provide advanced DJs with another innovative way of creating techno music.

With its 120 Preset Patterns and an awesome 448 Tones and 12 Drum Sets, the MC-303 has everything to get you up and grooving within seconds. The Preset Patterns and Tones cover various facets of modern dance music, from Techno, Jungle Trance to House, Acid Jazz and Hip-Hop.

The MC-303 comes loaded a selection of vintage analogue sounds that are so typical of dance music: TB-303 basses, SH-101 basses and solo sounds, Juno and Jupiter sounds, synth pianos, etc., and of course scratch noises, orchestra hits, white noise, TR-909 and TR-808. Techno and Jungle drum sets are also included.

The Preset Patterns can either be used 'as is' or customized by muting some parts (the chord backing, for example) and then stored to one of the 300 Variation memories. Original Patterns can be created either by modifying existing Preset Patterns or by programming them in real-time or step time. The MC-303 provides 50 User Pattern memories. Pattern sequences can either be programmed in real-time or as Songs for repeated use.

The MC-303 is essentially a real-time performance tool, providing four large knobs for recordable sound parameter editing (filter, LFO, envelope, resonance, etc.), Real-time Phrase Sequencing (RPS), an advanced arpeggiator with more than 30 styles, and sophisticated Quantize functions (Grid Quantize, Shuffle Quantize, and Groove Quantize). The MC-303 also features a Low Boost knob allowing you to dial in as much low-end as it takes to create powerful Kick or bass sounds so that anyone can 'feel' the groove. The BPM rate can be specified down to the first decimal place for precise synchronization with external sound sources or by using the Tap Tempo function.

The MC-303 also sports a MIDI IN and a MIDI OUT connector to interface with external MIDI compatible equipment.

Specifications
 

Parts 6 parts (main 8 + RPS 8)
Tones 448 Tones
Drum Sets 12 sets
Maximum Polyphony 28 voices
Effects Reverb/Delay, Chorus/Flanger
Sequencer
 
Tracks 8
Songs 10
Patterns Preset: 120, RPS: 200
Variation Patterns 300
User Patterns 50 (maximum)/ approx. 14,000 notes
RPS Sets 30
Pattern Sets 20
Tempo Quarter note = 20 to 250 bpm
Resolution 96 ticks per quarter note
Recording Method Realtime, Step 1, Step 2
Control Knobs
 
Realtime Modify Cutoff, Resonance, LFO(Modulation, Rate), Envelope Attack, Decay, Release, Panpot, Level, Portamento Time
Effects Time/Rate, EFX Level
Play Quantize Timing, Velocity (Grid,Groove,Shuffle)
Arpeggio Accent Rate, Octave Range (33 styles)
Others Low Boost, Master Volume
Keyboard pad 16 keys (also Octave Up/Down)
Display 7 segments, 6 characters (LED)
Connectors Output jacks (Umono, R), Headphone jack, MIDI connectors (In, Out), Foot control jack, AC adaptor jack
Power Supply AC adaptor (DC 9V)
Current Draw 5OOmA
Dimensions 378 (W) x 244 (D) x 91 (H) mm
14-14/16 x 9-10/1 6 x 3-9/1 6 inches
Weight 3.0 kg / 6 lbs 10 oz (excluding AC adaptor)
Accessories AC adaptor
Options DP-2 Pedal Switch
BOSS FS-5U Foot Switch

* Specifications and appearance subject to change without notice.