Bad Gear - Roland MC303 - Worst Groovebox Of All Time???
Рет қаралды 124,039
4 жыл бұрынIn this episode of Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools, we are going to rave with the Roland MC-303. Can the weird user interface and the presets from hell keep us from making music?
❤Thanks again to Alf for his MC-303❤
@MP-kr3mh 3 жыл бұрын
I hated my MC-303 so f*cking much 20 years ago that it even took me 6 months before i could watch this video.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for staying strong!💪
@edjwise 4 жыл бұрын
Arpeggiator midi out is the magic of that box.
@DoctorBlankenstein 4 жыл бұрын
edjwise yup
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Really liked the arpeggios, as well
@thomaskenneally219 4 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah - the only productive aspect of this thing was using it as an arp for mono synths.
@emdotambient 4 жыл бұрын
Yep. Highly unusual and interesting arpeggiator. And it works quite well as a sound module, too.
@mikehydropneumatic2583 4 жыл бұрын
So it doesn't sound that good?
@Kizunaut 4 жыл бұрын
Part of me really wants to get this and bang out a record full of utter 90s cheese with this. The sound is like a 90s videogame trying to sound like 90s music. I love it so much.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Total classic
@dr.papadopolis7171 2 жыл бұрын
Definitely time to go back to the 90's
@leonardfwuckle 2 жыл бұрын
303 was fun but near where near enough space, it would always gets errors part way thru making up an epic song for 5 hours then crash 💥
@MrBrandonLau 4 ай бұрын
No, house music and trance actually sounded like this until the early 2000s. Tb303 bass and tr808/909 drums.
@youtubeii434 4 жыл бұрын
your editing is hillarious
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you, KZfaq II ;)
@TC-fj2bk 3 жыл бұрын
People hate it because they don't know it's full capabilities.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
To their defense: it can be quite tedious to use it to its full capabilities
@TC-fj2bk 3 жыл бұрын
I do hate the fact there are not at least 8 pads to work with, like my Electribe EM-1.
@zackcolbourne6921 Жыл бұрын
Just like me!
@shamman303 Жыл бұрын
I have 2 of them
@wackerburg Жыл бұрын
No one really does I fear 😂
@jeremjerem Жыл бұрын
Everything started with that little box for me 🥰 And for that...she have a special place in my heart. I instantly remebered the preset when you played it.
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
😍😍😍
@uriyorlov3375 4 жыл бұрын
My MC-303 was given to me by my uncle who wanted to pursue a musician career back in the 90s. Now it found it's place in my setup as a good polyphonic synth and a great arpeggiator! Timeless machine...
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
That's the best way to use it
@stickyfox 3 жыл бұрын
What killed this machine for me was the fact that it can't stay on the beat. The more events you have in a pattern, the sloppier its timing gets. You can work around it because the lower number tracks get priority, so you can put the more percussive sounds on the first couple tracks, but if you listen carefully you can always tell something is off. The later models do not have this issue afaik. Oh and if you listened to the radio in the early/mid 2000s, you have heard lots of evidence that this box can make a hit song.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Midi timing is indeed a nightmare!
@t0x0n1x 3 жыл бұрын
The only way to solve that problem was to only use as few sounds on the same beat as possible. Nice limitation that. Once I was messing with one at some noobs house, and made a nice simple 909 acid track, and then he went and tried to add layers and layers of nonsense, trying to turn it into a Crystal Method track or something. Breakbeats and stuff. It rapidly decayed into sounding like MIDI had given up trying to play so many notes.
@stickyfox 3 жыл бұрын
@@t0x0n1x Yeah, it's worth noting that Crystal Method tend to perform live with more than one synthesizer. :) But you're right, it's fantastic as a drum machine with the occasional chromatic track or two. The "song mode" may as well have been left out, though.
@t0x0n1x 3 жыл бұрын
@@stickyfox crystal method also performed without some of their gear even plugged in..
@stickyfox 3 жыл бұрын
@@t0x0n1x I didn't notice at the time, but at a Thrill Kill Kult show in the 90s a friend of mine told me that the drummer stopped mid-song to take a drink, and the drums kept going. :D
@isaac_knife 4 жыл бұрын
Still use this groovebox. Dirty sound , amazing arp, many different sounds . Love this box ❤
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
The arp is truly great
@johncitizen8828 3 жыл бұрын
Rumour has it the guy from the original Roland promo commercial is still having flashbacks...
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Recently had a little chat with one of the JX-305 demo guys. Nice fellow!
@jeremyfox7599 4 жыл бұрын
These videos are epic, awesome on every level! Looking forward to more! Please keep producing them!
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks! I will!
@deathhzrd 4 жыл бұрын
How is this so hated, this thing is sick
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
It's really hard to wrap one's head around it and most of the presets totally suck
@lukealexanderrobertsthefir458 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz you mean you did not like it there first it's universally hated? These were on plenty of hit songs in the 90s and 00s
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
@@lukealexanderrobertsthefir458 there are quite some real 303 lovers but according to my research I would consider it universally hated
@lukealexanderrobertsthefir458 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz The prodigy pioneered the 90s UK dance and acid House scene using these boxes. They feature on more early dance tracks than you can shake a stick at your overall take on the machine was already pre determined based on the reviews you saw online.
@lardosian 4 жыл бұрын
@@lukealexanderrobertsthefir458 I bought one when it came out, in fairness the sound and presets are pretty rubbish.
@fiftywattplexi 4 жыл бұрын
Fun story: about 10 years ago a friend of mine came to visit and his truck broke down and he couldn't drive it home. It ended up being a total nightmare and took hours to fix but I helped him in my driveway and we got it done. He felt so bad about it all that he gave me his MC-303 as a consolation gift lol! I've love-hated it ever since!
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
It really keeps the truck going;)
@AlexBallMusic 4 жыл бұрын
I get regular stick on my Roland documentary for not having included the MC303 and now I'm glad I can direct those people to this video to satisfy their needs. 😂 Jokes aside, as a teenager of the 90s the MC303 sounds comforting and familiar to me.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you, man! The documentary is on top of my playlist!
@erikmccauley2088 4 жыл бұрын
Greatest doc on KZfaq
@LousyFacelift 4 жыл бұрын
Great documentaries on Roland and Arp! Should run on TV!
@tomblaze2 3 жыл бұрын
@@erikmccauley2088 It lulls me to sleep each night
@ropeburn6684 3 жыл бұрын
As a fellow 90s teenager, an MC303 sounds soft and mellow compared to the true beast of its time, teh 1997 Rave-O-Lution 309.
@hdslave 5 ай бұрын
This is certified bad gear if there ever was one
@LousyFacelift 4 жыл бұрын
The sequencer of the MC-303 is a lot more powerful than the ones in all Korg Electribes including the polyphonic Electribe 2. More polyphony, up to 32 bars per pattern, combinable scales that allow you to start out a four fourths pattern and throw in triplets at any given time. The sound is punchy as hell, listen to the example of the 808 played at 1:06, the 909 samples sound even better. It can sound really good if you know how to use it right but yes, there is a learning curve. I just recently bought one (again) used after ~20 years but had to send it back due to a defective output but still had lots of fun playing it and wish I could have kept it. Look at it like a great digital drum machine with good effects and great synth features. DO NOT EXPECT A TB-303 TYPE SOUND ! but that's Roland for you... The only thing that was driving me nuts was a missing hold function for the arpeggiator but maybe it's there somewhere and I just didn't find it. The MC-303 is highly underrated though, just like the MC-505 which is even (a lot) more value for money.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
I really like the MC-303 sounds but the sequencer is totally counterintuitive to me. I really wanted to like it but I just can't wrap my head around it. Each time I understand one feature I forget another one I already knew how to use ;)
@LousyFacelift 4 жыл бұрын
AudioPilz Really? Well, it took me some time but I really like it by now. There are things to look out for though. When you switch scales while recording in TR mode the sequencer always starts from the beginning, so you have to find the right place where you wanted to insert notes on this new scale which can throw you off. I've mostly used it for drums and basslines though, not so much for writing chords and melodic lines in step mode, I would rather use the realtime record mode for this. I'm using the MC-505 most of the time though. Their sequencers are much alike but not completely the same. It's a shame the MC-303 doesn't record knob movements for example. I made a bunch of videos on the MC-505, this one is about how to use the sequencer: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pJOAptCC3du8eGw.html
@RegebroRepairs 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz Interesting. I thought it was super-easy to use. I borrowed one from a friend a few months and made a bunch of songs with a 303 only.
@senhorlampada 4 жыл бұрын
I was reading your comments, really confused, thinking "But LousyFacelift has some epic MC-303 videos" but now I just realized it was the EMX ones lol :-P
@LousyFacelift 4 жыл бұрын
Matheus Barros Hey man, thanks for watching my EMX vids! I had an MC-303 back in '97 and traded it for an MC-505 in 2000 but back then I simply didn't know how to use them properly. I was just messing around hoping for "happy accidents" which was kind of fun but not completely satisfying. I bought the EMX in 2009 and through its completely different concept I learned to focus on other aspects in sound design and writing sequences. I reached a point when dealing with the limitations in the EMX really helped me understand and appreciate so many things the MC boxes have to offer. So in a way the EMX taught me how to use the Roland MCs. I bought so many other grooveboxes since then, ESX-1, MC-909, RM1X, AN-200 and more. I still love my EMX but the MC-505 has become my go to machine, it's such a great box! I made a series of tutorials on the 505 like I have for the EMX, in case anyone is interested...😉
@nonnufan 4 жыл бұрын
Great vid. I love the MC303, and still have the one I bought in 97. I made shitloads of techno on it, which meant going deep in the menus and fx to get it to sound as abstract as possible, putting perc on their own channels instead of using the rhythm one, chorusing the shit out of kicks, arpeggiating toms. Great fun for messing around and learning the form. It was also surprisingly good for making lofi hip hop beats to study to. The rhodes and organ samples were quite nice and not forgetting, of course, the glorious vinyl noise loop. These days I'm scared to turn it on as I've never changed the battery. 23 years of U01-U50 were still in there earlier this year, though!
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
The one you can see in the video hadn't been turned on for almost 20 years
@jonathanstel5394 3 жыл бұрын
U can replace the battery with the adapter connected so nothing will be erased. Tried it myself, even the on/off switch doesn't matter in this case.
@RichardHopkinsSmith 3 жыл бұрын
Love this machine, Its a glorified drum machine with 808 and 909 built in sequencer, Powerful apprigiator (with accent), LFO and filters all programmable......once you've sat down to learn it all haha, Complicated bit of kit and very underrated
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
...with a rather steep learning curve;)
@PedroAnastazi 3 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz Somewhat.. but when u look at it like a building with function an shift buttons each adding to the actual button tasks, you soon discover that each button has at least 2 functions up to about 4 functions per button or button shift function combo... Yes its wierd, but as theres no lcd screen like the MC505 or the RM1x, you soon learn that its actually really intuitive once u get your head around HOW it works... ie function butotn with X key does this.. function AND shift with X key does that... Shift button with X key does the other... triple layer shift function key compbos... BUT all the info u need is actually on the KB itself... LFO shape, speed, arp type, style, pattern etc... It really is an underated unit... and those having issues with it, havent really come away from it with a lightbulb moment as you do with most gear... but as it doesnt work like most people expect it to, they think theres something wrong... its actually the other way round.. Before fruity loops and before ableton or Orion, this is the only choice u had when it came to working with instant drop in/out looping... until Yamaha and Quasimi jumped into the throng but by then, ROland had already started work on the 505... Most gear lets u get your head in... but u come away scratching it wondering wtf your doing.. but once u get a flow of this does this and that does that and this is the mojo of HOW to get to those sounds to sound this way and compensate the dying voices and stupid slow processor, it gets REALLY easy.. Honeslty, its still a better scratch pad than most gear ive ever used.. and ive used ALOT of gear in my 30yrs of doing this LOLLL Now, if u want a REALLY tough learning curve, hit up the Yamaha RM1x or even worse, the RS7000... its literally using different languages and names for even the most basic of functions... hahahaha
@ShitStaindGod 3 жыл бұрын
That Dr. Slump shirt is awesome.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@davedagreat69 4 жыл бұрын
Your videos are excellent. Really well edited, and interesting. I can't believe you only have 697 subscribers, I suspect it will start to snowball soon.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much!
@ddr4ig 3 жыл бұрын
Late nineties owners (like me) will always remember the 'boxy' sounds with a sense of nostalgia and frustration... It became a badge of honour to get it to sound good!
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, you really have to tweak them
@PedroAnastazi 3 жыл бұрын
LOL Back in 2002, one of my tracks (hardcore/hardtrance before "hardtrance" with breakbeat drops were a thing) was done using an mc303 and a Roland/Boss SP202 phrase sampler (which didnt have or midi clock sync or stretch to clock), so you had to use the knob to adjust the pitch the match the BPM LOLLL... and it only had midi note on/off, so your samples could either trigger at a key press, or only play back when the note is held down ... Actually got to number 1 for a week or so on the old mp3 dot com charts hahahhaa ... I only noticed when it slipped to number 4.... I dno about badge of honour, but it was kinda funny to see coz at the time, those were the only pieces of kit i had connected to an ancient dj mixer with only a master eq without individual channel EQ... all the while entire studios were releasing muliple tracks per week and dominating the charts.. so there must have been something the MC303 did right.. somewhere.. somehow... I'll always vouch for it, even though some of the sounds make a blocked toilet sound like a symphony....hahahahaha
@synthlord2368 3 жыл бұрын
As a hardware synth guy, I actually really like using the 303 as a midi controller. Pressing shift 14 allows you to change the track from internal to an external. Each track corresponds to a specific midi channel. So track 2 controls midi channel 2, 3-3, ect. Set up your external gear to a midi channel to correspond and you have an excellent brain for your set up. Most people are completely unaware of this. I've created many songs using it this way. I agree the internal sounds are pretty crappy. My only REAL gripe is the lack of memory in the thing. I've since moved on to the MC-707. It lacks the Arpeggiator ( which was crazy good in the 303) so I still hang onto my 303 to program the 707.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
The 303 arp is great!
@scowlsmcjowls2626 3 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz but 505 is better!
@apislapis 3 жыл бұрын
Nearly 2 hours for a video guide, WOW. Fell off the sofa into a heap on the floor laughing when you said WHAT?!!!. Killer stuff Florian, 5 star.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much!
@osiris5315 4 жыл бұрын
Dope vid! The Groovebox always been a guilty pleasure of mine
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks! Never had one, now had an excuse to get one for the video ;)
@baxoutthebox5682 4 жыл бұрын
I bought one of these and would watch the video manual for 30 mins each night before bed. Problem was, I kept falling asleep and needed to rewatch the segment over and over. Eventually I gave in and began using it as a bedtime ritual to get me ready to fall asleep each night.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Damn, never slept that good in my entire life...
@duncanjones7310 4 жыл бұрын
i love this machine even though there's definitely lots of unusable sounds and a bit of a learning curve. the arpeggiator is siiick, some of the pads are heavenly, think ps2 start-up and the sequencer is surprisingly powerful, great for making polyrhythms and using over the barline phrasing
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
The arp is indeed great!
@myfaveyoutube Жыл бұрын
Always sounded so muffled to me I don't know what it wss
@duncanjones7310 Жыл бұрын
@@myfaveyoutube dunno might be that the filter was down
@myfaveyoutube Жыл бұрын
@@duncanjones7310 haha no I mean overall. Never found a punchy sound
@nickfbatombrew1436 2 жыл бұрын
Great news just got my own MC303 so my wife and neighbourhood are going to get a blast of from the past I must say your vids have certainly improved keep up the great work 👍☢️
@AudioPilz 2 жыл бұрын
Nice!!! Thanks!
@defaultoperation7986 4 жыл бұрын
This thing is really useful to make Goa Trance with it.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Total trance beast!
@droetkering 4 жыл бұрын
And fukin Jungle
@meangene408 4 жыл бұрын
I still own mine from 98. Taught me so much and I loved it but it really is the dearest toy I ever bought. Really showed Rolands road map for the next 20 years. Constantly reinvent bad versions of classic gear every 5 or 6 years.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
They messed up quite some stuff
@drumfaktry Жыл бұрын
Roland never really got how their early machines were misused to invent dance music! They fought it for ages, but even when they decided to cash in they did it like your grandad might trying to be cool. They never saw the value in their early analogue stuff, because they were obsessed with trying to emulate real instruments for “real” musicians. The dance “kids” still seem to annoy them, despite paying the bills and many of them pushing 50 or 60 yo now :D
@ascentialamalgorhythm2991 10 ай бұрын
I've got the whole collection of the MC series, with 2 909's, I've got the MC808 hooked into my SP808 just for fun. This is the second 303 I've had because the family would not be as big as it is if it weren't for this little gem. But really, to be honest the best one is the 307. Ive had mine for about 20 years. Bought it new for like 700.00 back in 2001
@MarshalArnold 4 жыл бұрын
2:44, that's some nice MC 303-ing!
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@g-d-b Жыл бұрын
I own one of these from the 90s. It was my first and only music instrument since then until now when I have finally gotten back into learning and playing with music. Never got to use it much or understand it (the learning curve was too steep especially for a music illiterate who aspired to produce some music one day). Now 25 years later (career took me in different direction) with modern tools I am finding being able to fiddle with music for fun much more accessible and understandable. So I pulled out the old MC-303 and it still works and sounds decent. I completely agree with you that as a separate sound module with a DAW it is not bad. Absolutely love your channel. I just bought the Korg NTS-1 two weeks ago and actually love it. Your review on that one was fantastic too. Opinions are so spot on and the content so entertaining and funny. Music in your videos sounds fantastic too. Keep it up - so inspirational and entertaining!
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
Thank you!!!
@ultramouse Жыл бұрын
used to tour with this thing and an SP-505. obviously that’s a more well-regarded machine (for a reason) but the construction of the 303 was so solid and the addition of a sampler made a really great setup with only two boxes.
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
Nice old school setup
@timpayne7676 4 жыл бұрын
The MC303 sold really well because of a sound it was incapable of making. Nearly 20 years later and I can still feel my blood start to boil at the utter disappointment of the MC303.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
I feel you. It was the first ever real groovebox, nevertheless.
@LousyFacelift 4 жыл бұрын
Yes... MC-303, Juno D, Jupiter 80... thanks a lot Roland!
@__teles__ 4 жыл бұрын
Ah, an actual original owner like myself. That plastic filter over a terrible sample is something to behold.
@lardosian 3 жыл бұрын
@@__teles__ That sums up this machine perfectly!! It was my first piece of gear, then I picked up a novation drum station and was blown away by the sounds, still have both.
@paulhardy9252 3 жыл бұрын
I had one & it was the most disappointing piece of music hardware I ever owned, I fell for the marketing showing a TB-303 / TR-909 alternative' which it definitely wasn't.
@THEREALDATALORD 4 жыл бұрын
Haters gonna hate but the MC-303 is lit.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
They will, anyway...
@MeneTekelUpharsin 4 жыл бұрын
I love playing with it. Has it's limitations but you can get creative with it.
@micknight8158 3 жыл бұрын
Traded my korg dw6000 4 it. To save room. Loved it!
@alexwestconsulting 3 жыл бұрын
@@weplaywax said someone who never had one
@marcoabyss 4 жыл бұрын
i still have my original mc303 from the 90s. i love that thing.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Cool retro sounds!
@amarug 6 ай бұрын
I got this for my 12th birthday when it was new in 1996. I spent weeks and months making all kinds of techno, trance and house songs with it. I still have all of them, as I recorded them on a mini-disk and later transferred to mp3. I never knew it was "controversial", I absolutely loved it, I thought it was the coolest "thing" I ever got my fingers on. It could literally do anything I wanted and the sounds were everything I could dream of. My only "criticism" was that when I made the songs too heavy with lots of tracks and fast pace, the processor would crap out and it started to slurr, which at times left me quite bummed out because I really wanted to go "all out" sometimes 😂😂 good times
@AudioPilz 6 ай бұрын
Nice!!!
@Its303AcidBass 6 ай бұрын
Writers have this phrase "kill your darlings" to chop away things they like, but may not be entirely essential to the story. That's what we have to do with groovebox limitations.
@wayneanderson2866 2 жыл бұрын
Excellent video! I bought my MC 303 in 98-99 & never did much with it. All I had was a demo video cassette tape from Roland as a quick start guide....but honestly I was so intimidated by the menu diving I did little besides play around with the factory preset loops. I traded it in for other gear around 2005. More recently in 2019 I bought a used one again with being determined to figure it out but haven’t really done anything yet. Still glad I have it bc one day I’m sure I’ll eventually do something cool with it 😜
@AudioPilz 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you!!!
@pauloakden3201 Жыл бұрын
Would you be willing to revisit the MC303 in the style of your modern videos? This is the ultimate piece of Bad Gear, it deserves a thorough review!
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
Great idea, thanks!!!
@brianlarsen6211 11 ай бұрын
@AudioPilz Please Florian 😢
@melona3727 3 жыл бұрын
I love the Style of your vids :)
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you !
@ollihigginbottom5884 Жыл бұрын
The 303 has been born and will never die
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
Immortal!!!
@deliveriders2592 4 жыл бұрын
i love the mc 303... you can dig the sounds
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah, really like the sound. Instant 90s flashback
@MeneTekelUpharsin 4 жыл бұрын
Same here. I didn't know so many people hate it.
@EmmanouelKatsoulakis 4 жыл бұрын
I actually just sold my 303 and bought the 909. It was very fun using it and yes there are loads of unusable sounds but do not forget that half the 90s house music was made with this little beast
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Even people who have no idea of electronic music production know most of the patterns
@captainwibbly Жыл бұрын
wow , your hype is so relaxed in the good olde days
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
😀
@plutones 4 жыл бұрын
As an owner of it I find this video truly hilarious...well done, Sir
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@zeneixi 4 жыл бұрын
Static-X’s Koichi Fukuda uses a mc-303 when they recorded the famous Push It for some electronic parts of the song. Any tool is useful as long as you know how to use it.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Cool. Had some other conversation about static-x today concerning this one kzfaq.info/get/bejne/sMBge7d3zrbJqZc.html
@paulbarton6659 3 жыл бұрын
I remember my bro buying one back in '97 - great intro to synths and dance music but don't take it too seriously though! We used the MC-303 in our live dnb band back in the 90's for synths and bass and 808 kick - too fiddly to program so just used preset sounds and played live!! Still gets used if I need something to keep a door open tho. I'd love to see an AudioPilz review of the MC-909. My MC-909 is pumped full of dnb samples and breaks just so I can make dnb without using a DAW (I'm pushing 50 now so get distracted too easily by adverts for slippers and cardigans) . Your videos are hilarious - keep up the good work mate!
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Yeah, those ads are quite a productivity killer;)
@samjones5885 7 ай бұрын
That machine just absolutely bangs!
@AudioPilz 7 ай бұрын
👍👍👍
@AynsleyGreen 3 жыл бұрын
The bit at 3:50 made me spit out my tea, now my keyboard isn't working, thanks
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Please don't sue!
@AynsleyGreen 3 жыл бұрын
Your editing is some of the best I've seen on KZfaq
@sjcongo 4 жыл бұрын
I loved my mc303 it was one of the best dance hardware
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
It's in its DNA
@Rompler_Rocco 4 жыл бұрын
It's time to start cloning the MC-303 filter! If a movie can be so bad it's good, then maybe so should filters?
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
It's not exactly a moog
@liam7854 3 жыл бұрын
I have an old MC808 that is quite literally hiding in the corner of my room, I feel bad that I don't use it - would be cool to see you do a video one of those! I always get inspired watching your jams and I just know after seeing you jam out on one, I will be all over it.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks! They're still pretty expensive in my area but searching for one
@mistylandschaft 4 жыл бұрын
krass gutes Video, liebe den Stil! Weiter so!
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Besten Dank!!!
@baddriddimworkshop 4 жыл бұрын
we used to luv tha gfunk style demosong though. a lot of people in my generation learned on these, and later used them for midi sequencing (used ones are still being sold very expensiv though, and people call em "vintage", you know what that means on ebay...)
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Still cheap in my area, they must have sold a ton of them here
@fisk0 4 жыл бұрын
Huh, the issues I and most people I've talked with about the MC-303 weren't covered here. I like the sequencer and the sounds of the machine, but you suggest using it as a sound module with a DAW - and that's where the problems come up. If you don't have a late revision of the unit it just doesn't work well with external gear. In Groovebox mode it can only listen on one channel at a time, so that's basically only for recording into the sequencer mode. As a sound module, it crashes a lot as it can't handle any significant amount of MIDI data at any time, and it uses a non-standard MIDI implementation requiring a lot of special messages to be sent to it. Aside from that, early versions suffer from other severe bugs - for example the internal clock consistently drops a 16th note every minute or so, slowly drifting it out of sync with other gear, and the memory available for user patterns is incredibly limited. They have like 200 factory presets on that thing, and even though they list 20 user patterns you can only use 2-3 of them before memory runs out. And, well if you have one of those early revisions you can't just upgrade the firmware easily. It can't be updated via MIDI, only by sending it to service to have the ROM chip replaced with a newer version. A service Roland hasn't offered in 20 years or so. I basically only use it as a sampling source nowadays.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately, there is no convenient solution. I woud go with the one-sound-at-a-time process
@jimneegs3887 4 жыл бұрын
Damn, how do you tell which version you have?
@fisk0 4 жыл бұрын
@@jimneegs3887 if you hold Shift+Scale+R(BD) at the same time, the revision number should appear on the display. 1.03 is the newest version which has most of the bugs fixed.
@baddriddimworkshop 4 жыл бұрын
i'm shure you can find better firmware, oh ok jim just solved that, so i guess i'm out...
@RutgerVos 3 жыл бұрын
You can find firmware chips on ebay and install them yourself
@judclark7376 4 жыл бұрын
I love the sound of cross feedback of the two effects when they crash. my biggest gripe about it is the limited user memory.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Crashing FX😍🥰😍🥰tell me more
@florude04 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz send reverb to chorus, and chorus to reverb, you will get a kind of digital distortion.
@laviejaguardia1900 4 жыл бұрын
In love with my 307 for more than 1 year, with a keyboard midi controller is just awesome. Now I´m trying to secunece his sounds through the KP2 but I don´t find the correct midi configurations, it is possible to do this forwarding through a Kaos pad KP2?
@StefanoPettinelli 2 жыл бұрын
The intro track made my day!
@Maico77 4 жыл бұрын
I had it back in the days...was my first machine ever... i loved it i have to say.... i sell it after 3/4 year but honestly... lot of fun for that period
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah, it's a fun machine
@86realitytv 4 жыл бұрын
i have a 303 and i love it
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
You either love it or...
@BrunoLuisGarcia 2 жыл бұрын
I have two and I love them!
@drewshka 2 жыл бұрын
You inspired me to buy one of these from eBay and I absolutely love it!
@AudioPilz 2 жыл бұрын
Cool!
@christophcooper2557 3 жыл бұрын
when I google the gear from your videos I then get ads for this gear for days on every webpage I visit lol
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Sorry for that. Damn algos!!!
@christophcooper2557 3 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz [autotune] I will survi-hi-hi-hi-ve
@Synthematix 3 жыл бұрын
The beloveds "the sun rising" was made one this so were a lot of the ace of base and 90s reggae songs.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Just pushed play on this one. It's so MC303!
@onefiverKern 4 жыл бұрын
My first Groovebox 1997. RIP
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
In everlasting memory
@EnviroDouglas 4 жыл бұрын
I just got one... my 2nd. Didn’t think twice to keep the 1st one over 20 years ago, tho I began missing it when I decided to go DAW-less. I use it for one of my performance sequencers. No, it’s not a Kilpatrick Carbon; not even close, but it’s great for what it does do. I don’t use it as a sound module because I remember back when I had my 1st MC-303 and overloading it. The sequences would drag with too much going on. Now, I have plenty of modules/synths for this to power. I’m even considering getting a midi/cv adaptor to incorporate some of my eurorack modular gear. Thank you for this fresh and entertaining take on what I found to be a somewhat limited powerhouse of a sequencer groovebox 🥰
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@cujocommander Жыл бұрын
You make the BEST videos mate
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much!!!
@MattGreerMusic 4 жыл бұрын
Hate it or love, it was a revolutionary product that still informs gear design today.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
So true! I agree!
@BrunoLuisGarcia 2 жыл бұрын
Love it!
@MilitiaDeiBroadcast 3 жыл бұрын
4:20 Crazy 'what we need' drum rolls! Very difficult to produce with the internal sequencer, though....
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
I had to use Ableton for this. Super tricky on the MC!!!
@Al-vj3rf 2 ай бұрын
I still have mine from 25 years ago. It's amazing. I don't even need to use my pc. It's real sound you can play with, turning knobs and dials like the good old days. If you like the retro sounds, a built in sequencer and drum machine, and you don't mind spending a few hours trying to figue it out, then this is the machine for you.
@AudioPilz 2 ай бұрын
Nice!!!
@chubbersz 4 жыл бұрын
I really enjoy your videos
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
THX!
@vincizara 4 жыл бұрын
Old school rocks 🤟🤖
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
There's only one school
@LittleRichard1988 3 жыл бұрын
I can't understand why anyone would hate the MC-303, it was the first ever Groovebox synth, even though I have an MC-505 the TR-808 drums are a little more crisp ( not that it justifies me getting a 303 ). Not to mention the TR-909 drums still sound convincing enough to fool many people into thinking they are hearing an actual 909. "Re-purposed Sound Canvas?" like that's really a "bad thing?" A Groovebox is a cheaper and more compact way of getting some classic Roland synth sounds and drum machines in one box. I think my Uncle possibly borrowed an MC-303 back in 1997, I remember him setting a Groovebox up at my Gran's house and letting us have a whirl on it ( under strict supervision ). Even though my Uncle said the MC-505 was the only Groovebox he owned and had no recollection of an MC-303 I think he must have owned a 303 as the MC-505 came out in 1998 even though the 505's manual was indeed printed in 1997.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Keep in mind that there is a whole generation of raver kids who got quite frustrated when they had to figure out the sequencer of the MC303. No pain, no gain, I suppose;)
@maciejlegowicz5834 3 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz yes - if "raver kids" had a problem with reading and understanding the manual - sorry - too many drugs. I had this back in 1997-8 and it was really piece of cake. And as @Jack and Jill Marly says - this was FIRST groovebox thing on the market. God knows if that actually opened the doors for new kind of instruments. Yamaha RM1x and so, Don't mention the Korg E series ... So the MC-303 was the Ford Model T Cheerio
@rars0n 4 жыл бұрын
Intro music was straight-up awesome!
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
MC303 PRESET POWER!!!
@vodkaonthelawn5154 15 күн бұрын
used one of these prior to publishing music online. remember being very happy using a footpedal (on and off) with the arpeggiator. with a pedal the arp can be set to play notes in order without holding the buttons down in order. that pedal then allows changing the order of the notes while playing. using that for straight quarter notes or other arpeggios really allows more time for tweaking and effecting sounds or using other instruments without recording and calling patterns on the 303.
@AudioPilz 14 күн бұрын
Nice technique!!!
@vodkaonthelawn5154 11 күн бұрын
@@AudioPilz :)
@latontolog 4 жыл бұрын
2:00 made me literally laugh out loud I wonder, however, if the Yamaha AN200 is not a worse groovebox though, as every time you change the pattern it drops the first note of the new pattern. (The synth side is pretty great though)
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks, happy to hear that. The AN200 came up a few times
@sheepkillindog 3 жыл бұрын
Bought one, repaired it, sold it, just bought another one. I just can’t shake it
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
It's a classic!
@myautobiographyafanfic1413 3 жыл бұрын
I had no idea anyone hated the 303.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
The animosity against it surprised even me
@chiphopper 3 жыл бұрын
That shirt, what a hero 😂👍
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@ascissors 4 жыл бұрын
However cruddy, this was my first bit of gear and 20 years later I still regret selling mine. The worst thing IMO was the very limited, almost non existent storage. I would use up all the memory for a track, record it to tape, and then delete the patterns and start over.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah, it's like 50 user patterns...
@fisk0 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz Have you actually been able to use more than a couple of patterns? Maybe it's just the battery in mine that needs replacement, but I run out of note memory within 2-3 patterns maximum, a moderately busy pattern can use it all up alone.
@ascissors 4 жыл бұрын
That's how it was for me; only a few patterns before the memory was used up. Ended up replacing it with an rm1x which had a floppy drive.
@rectalfission 4 жыл бұрын
I think that the 303 is great if you get to learn it's intricacies. I'm using a 505 which is built on the same base as the 303 with extra bells and whistles (and the greatest of the greats, the D-Beam...). I love this stuff once sent through an FX chain, sounds just as relevant as anything else !
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah, FX chains make a real difference!!!
@KingSkullie 4 жыл бұрын
Hahah I cracked up when I saw my video of the owners manual and you said WHHAAATTT because I said the same thing right then hahaha. BTW, this was a great video, even if the 303 wasn't great.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@mano123456 4 жыл бұрын
I loved mine so much. I got mine when I was 16, the day it arrived in France. Thank you for playing the patterns!! Memories... IMHO it's a great little box. I bet many haters today started with one back in 1996.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
...or didn't get one (like me;)
@LouisSerieusement 3 жыл бұрын
I made the mistake to buy one when I first begun electronic music ; it was so terrible I waited 3 years before selling it back, because I didn't want another newbie to experiment such a torture, which could lead him to stop making music forever ; Finally I found a 40yo guy who bought it for nostalgia, so he knew what it was
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
40yo guy with nostalgia? Did you sell to me? ;)
@body-horrorragdolls1826 4 жыл бұрын
I believe Devi Mccalion from the band black dresses uses one of these to get the groovey industrial sounds Edit: My bad MC-505
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Good to know!
@PolicemanPlanet 4 жыл бұрын
mc-505!
@PolicemanPlanet 4 жыл бұрын
unrelated, Xiu Xiu makes their first two albums on a MC-307 as well
@body-horrorragdolls1826 4 жыл бұрын
@@PolicemanPlanet Fuck yeah love Xiu Xiu. Looks like noisy bands sure make a lot of work out of these MC synths huh!
@PolicemanPlanet 4 жыл бұрын
@@body-horrorragdolls1826 yeah! its a killer tool. i think i copped my 307 for 250 in near mint condition. go get you one!
@burnTrobot 6 ай бұрын
This was on Tour with our Burnt Spacepop from 1998-2001 and we played hundreds of shows. It was totally dependable and amazing.
@AudioPilz 6 ай бұрын
Nice!!!
@MrBeatcreep 4 жыл бұрын
I love all the mc‘s❤️
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Classics!
@andrewstanworth529 3 жыл бұрын
I've had two, & anyone who says they can't get something good out of it, really has no imagination or sense of adventure! It has an incredible array of sounds, & even the awful ones (I'm looking at you, trumpet 🎺!) If pitched down sufficiently, sound Great. I now have a 505, along with a lot of other analogue synths, but this little guy saw me through a lot of lean times, when I had time, but no money. This & the Roland MC 101 sampler (with 128mgb memory card!) & A Yamaha DJX 1, formed the backbone of our home studio for about 15 years, & we got SOOOO much out of it. The manual, however, sucks donkey noodle! Now, I have said my bit, let the savaging begin! 😂(That'll teach me to have an opinion!!!)
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Quite a bunch of happy MC303 owners around here. Feel safe;)
@ogasi1798 3 жыл бұрын
SUPER ENTRY ! SUPER . LOVE THE HUMOUR
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@DJVHANproductions 3 жыл бұрын
I loved the "contemporary" jam
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@CaidicusProductions 4 жыл бұрын
I have an MC-808 and a lot of the "dated" criticisms could be leveled at it. That said, if you start a project from scratch, you can really make some unusual music from it. It really depends on the user.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Never tried the more advanced MCs
@CaidicusProductions 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz I hope you get the chance, one day. The 808 is such a pleasure to use. I bought that and a Korg EMX-1 at the same time, both fun machines.
@cromulentcorncommander 4 жыл бұрын
How have I never heard of this channel before? Dudes a right laugh. Oder auf deutsch, brudi ist sehr komisch? (i just realised I really need to go back to studying German again)
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Besten Dank!
@formlessuk 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz seconded :)
@pianokeyjoe 4 жыл бұрын
Oh, I forgot.. I subbed to your channel. Seems you have some gold in this here hill..
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@brunocpimenta 2 жыл бұрын
Bad gear comes a long way now. Its funny to see the "this is not even my final form" Florian voice over, but moments of pure joy as in 3:35 should *realy* make a comeback someday
@marvingarcia920 3 жыл бұрын
This box is great. The arpeggiator has style to me. kicks are great too. I love the low boost. Use this with a DAW?. If you use a DAW. There is no reason to use this box. I think.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
I would have to apply a lot of plugin magic to get that boxy 90s sound out of a DAW;)
@VincentsVideoVisions 4 жыл бұрын
Personally I've always loved the 303/505/909 Grooveboxes. The 505 is probably my favorite overall.
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Legendary for numerous reasons...
@VincentsVideoVisions 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz and sadly way overpriced these days. I'd love to get my hands on one again but theres no way I'm gonna pay current asking prices
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
True that! Maybe at some garage sale...
@LousyFacelift 4 жыл бұрын
The MC-505 is not overpriced in my opinion, even considering the prices have gone up a bit. Anything below €/$ 500,- is still an absolute steal bargain for what it can do. I wouldn't recommend it to beginners but when you've figured out how to use it it can become a true first choice desert island dream machine.
@VincentsVideoVisions 4 жыл бұрын
@@LousyFacelift The last time I bought a MC-505 I think I paid about $300 and that was with a brand new green LCD screen and the unit itself was mint. People these days are insane and ask way too much for a 505. No way I'd pay $500 for one. You have to really want that particular sort of 'dated' sound. The MC-303 in particular goes for insane asking prices these days. For years they were sitting at $150 used (or less)... and nowadays people are asking $250-300 for one in shitty condition lol. No thanks. There's so much awesome gear these days that I can't justify spending that much on a Groovebox.
@langilleshawn 3 жыл бұрын
Best Video Editing award to you! Really enjoyed it. Also probably wont buy the mc303 now and thanks for that too!
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you!!!
@moonboogien8908 3 жыл бұрын
I used a 303 AND a 505 with effects while my friend mixed some records... We used to for real blow speakers, but the jams were original and pretty good. I love my grooveboxes to this day.
@AudioPilz 3 жыл бұрын
Conepushing duo!
@kromanaut Жыл бұрын
Haha the MC 303 was the first piece of gear that I bought when I was 15 years old. Saved up my allowance and yard work money for many months to afford it. And man, buying, unboxing and turning it on for the first time, hitting play on pattern A01 and tweaking that sweet cutoff knob, was a transcendental experience for me as a kid wanting to get into electronic music production. This was the first hardware sequencer I learned on, and introduction to all the tr x0x drum sounds. So I guess I will always have a place for the MC 303 in my heart. I sold mine years ago, and part of me wishes I still had one to mess around on occasionally. But I have to admit, all these years later, it does sound pretty damn cheesy. I wonder if the MC303's particular brand of late 90s cheese could ever become back in style, and producers will be buying these for their "vintage" sound. LOL.
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
Hoping for the ultimate revival of late 90s trash boxes too;)
@IknowJones Жыл бұрын
I honestly bought it specifically for that vintage sound lol
@kromanaut Жыл бұрын
@@IknowJones That's awesome! Hope you enjoy making tunes with it.
@halcyondaystunes 4 жыл бұрын
how can it be the worst...It's what started alot of peoples careers...It's a great little 'scratchpad' for ideas even to this day...and those who hate on it obviously have no idea...Remember it's what you do with the gear, not how good or cool it is...
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
I have to admit that I might not have the cognitive skills to handle the MC303
@orbitalchiller 3 ай бұрын
Back in the 2000's, we were 3 friends to try to understand that machine using the manual and we couldn't ever really figure it out, especially how to get out of the cringe presets and program it. Soooo clunky to use.
@pepuletrz Жыл бұрын
sooo love this machine.still. take a dive into all the delay, reveb, chorus and flange settings.
@AudioPilz Жыл бұрын
Classic!!!
@dannydr 4 жыл бұрын
Enjoy those sounds you didn't have access to as a seventeen year old. Yep, that's me🤣👍🏻
@AudioPilz 4 жыл бұрын
Damn, I would have sold my soul for an MC303 back then
@dannydr 4 жыл бұрын
@@AudioPilz me too, man. Me too. I'm glad I didn't. In 1999 I went to the music store I thought I was going to buy a mc303. Once there I was 50 bucks short on my budget. So I've bought the Roland D20. A couple of years ago I've got my hands on a mc303 for a while and man, what a horrible thing 😅.