Roland TB-3 Touch Bassline Performance Synthesizer

The sound of the original TB-303 and so much more!

Thanks to Roland's impressive new Analog Circuit Behavior technology, the TB-3 is capable of reproducing the full range of sounds and textures available on the original TB-303 - and a whole lot more! This component-to-component modeling approach gives you the genuine behavior of the TB-303 attack, slide, and tie behavior, in addition to a flawlessly reproduced -18dB/octave ladder filter. But that's only the tip of the iceberg.

With a total of four oscillators and a rack of effects onboard, the TB-3 offers up an amazing palette of tones. In all, you get 134 unique sounds broken up into four banks, including original TB-303 sounds, aggressive bass sounds, aggressive lead sounds, and sound effects. And we're just getting started!

• Analog Circuit Behavior technology faithfully reproduces the classic TB-303 sound and behavior
• Discover the full range of the original TB attack, slide, and tie functions plus a spot-on -18dB/octave ladder filter
• A total of 4 oscillators and onboard effects provide a fantastic array of 134 amazing bass, lead, and SFX sounds

It may look like a module but it plays like a synth

A major improvement that the AIRA TB-3 offers over the original TB-303 is its sheer playability. That's largely thanks to the TB-3's amazing, pressure-sensitive touchpads. Backlit with red and green LEDs, these multipurpose pads serve as an octave of keys, but they also act as individual X/Y pads that allow you to control pitch and volume plus envelope modulation by applying pressure.

A set of truly playable knobs for controlling effects give the TB3 awesome sound-shaping potential right at your fingertips. This thing is so playable, and it gets even better. This same touchpad interface lets you transpose and chain patterns with simple gestures. And to top it off, you can change step count on the fly while seamlessly switching between performance and sequencing to create awesome grooves that evolve in real time.

• Pressure-sensitive touch pads act as an octave of keys and X/Y controllers
• Record in real time or perform with pitch, volume, modulation, and effects all at your fingertips
• Touchpads also serve as gesture-based controllers for pattern transpose and chain functions

Simple step sequencing for awesome groove creation

A set of 16 indicator lights makes it so that you never have to wonder what step you're on, even when you take advantage of the TB-3's full 32-step programing capability. Since you never have to dig for parameter controls, the TB-3 lets you radically change your sound from step to step, allowing you to create extremely cool grooves with very little effort.

• Freakishly simple step programming gives you TB-303 sound without the frustration
• 16 step indicator lights keep you from losing your place as you tweak your sound
• Program up to 32 steps per pattern, each with radically different settings

Add the perfect dose of random to your groove

A unifying trend among Roland's AIRA instruments is the ability to easily shake things up to get fun and creative results. In the TB-3's case, you've got plenty of options to choose from. With a twist of a knob, you can go from straight timing to a funky groove, just by cranking up the Shuffle setting.

But that's nothing compared to the TB-3's random pattern generation and modification functions, which let you serendipitously stumble onto unique bass lines you'd never have programed on purpose. But the crowning glory of the TB-3's unpredictable nature is the Scatter function, whose eight modes and 10 layers of depth let you inject the perfect amount of chaos into your patterns.

• Shuffle control lets you add swing to your patterns to make them groove with the beat
• Create unique bass lines with random pattern generation and modification functions
• Scatter function with 8 modes and 10 layers of depth lets you shake up your sound on the fly

Old-school simplicity meets modern integration

By far, one of the coolest things about the Roland TB-3 (and the rest of the AIRA series) is its overall self-contained simplicity. But don't let its throwback style fool you - when it comes to integrating with the rest of your rig, this synth is every bit as sophisticated as any other modern Roland creation.

For starters, the TB-3 can run entirely off of USB bus power, allowing you to integrate it with your computer-based rig with a single cable. At the same time, Roland didn't forget about those of us who like to cut our computers out of the equation, so they also outfitted the TB-3 with traditional 5-pin MIDI I/O as well, plus rock-solid MIDI clock sync that lets it play well with other AIRA instruments and the rest of your MIDI hardware.

• USB provides 1-cable integration with your computer-based rig and bus power
• Traditional 5-pin MIDI I/O lets you connect to your other hardware synths and keyboards
• Rock-solid MIDI sync keeps your groove locked in time with the rest of your gear

Roland AIRA TB-3 Touch Bassline Synthesizer Features:

• The rebirth of the legendary TB-303 bass synth and so much more
• Analog Circuit Behavior technology provides component-to-component modeling for unrivaled authenticity
• Faithful re-creations of the original TB-303 saw and square oscillator waveforms are instantly recognizable
• Elements such as the TB-303 attack, slide, and tie functions as well as -18dB/octave ladder filter sound and feel right
• 134 captivating sounds include 4 banks: original TB-303 sounds, aggressive bass, aggressive leads, and sound effects
• Pressure-sensitive Touch Pad with red and green indicator lights lets you actually play the TB-3 as an instrument
• Smooth and responsive knobs let you tweak an excellent assortment of built-in effects
• Enter steps manually or record in real time
• 16-step indicator lights make pattern creation easy (supports up to 32-step patterns)
• Change Step Count during playback to create different-length phrases
• Seamless switch between pattern creation and performance
• Dedicated Tempo control with Tap Tempo and Shuffle control lets you create bass lines that pulse and groove naturally
• Random pattern generation and pattern modification let you discover new grooves
• Scatter function with 10 levels of intensity lets you inject chaos and excitement into your patterns
• Powered via USB, which also provides audio and MIDI connectivity to your computer
• Solid MIDI clock sync provides tight timing with external gear, such as the rest of the AIRA series

Tech Specs

• Internal Sound Engine: Yes
• Manufacturer Presets: 200
• Analog Outputs: 1 x 1/4" (TRS), 1 x Headphones (Stereo)
• MIDI I/O: In/Out
• USB: 1 x Type B
• Power Supply: AC Adaptor (Included), USB Bus Power
• Height: 2.25"
• Width: 6.8125"
• Depth: 9.5"