Kenton TR-808 - Manual

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MIDI INTERFACE
ROLAND TR-808 DRUM MACHINE
Your TR-808 drum machine is now equipped to send and receive MIDI information. When turned on the will
function normally but will also send and receive MIDI note & velocity information on the channels set in memory. It
will also send and receive MIDI clock information.
The factory default settings are:
Receive channel 10 omni off
Transmit channel 10
Stop/start receive enabled
MIDI receive in velocity mode
You can return to the factory default settings at any time by turning the TR-808 on while holding the red push button
pressed. Hold for a couple of seconds – then release.
If the TR-808 is already playing from its internal clock, then all MIDI clock commands are ignored. If the TR-808 is
stopped, then when a MIDI Start command** is received, the TR-808 will take its timing information from the MIDI
clock source. If the start button on the TR-808 is then pressed, it will be ignored until a MIDI stop command has
been received. ** (or SPP = zero + continue – see below)
Many sequencers do not send a MIDI start command and instead send a Song Position Pointer zero followed by
Continue message. This is recognised by the TR-808 as a MIDI start. Continue messages received at any other
time will be ignored. If however you want Continue messages to be always treated as Start, this can be selected.
You can make the TR-808 ignore start/stop/continue/clock commands by selecting it from the programming mode
described in the next paragraph, when set to disable the TR-808 will not respond to start, stop, continue or clock
commands, this is to enable the TR-808 to function as a sound module in systems where MIDI clock is being used
to drive other devices.
You can set the TR-808 to MIDI receive OFF, this will enable the TR-808 to run in time with MIDI clock, but ignore
any incoming notes.
Using the red push button to program the MIDI settings
Two modes are available by pushing the red push button. Before you do press the red button however, make sure
the TR-808 drum is not playing, otherwise the results may be unpredictable.
1) SETUP MODE - Setting MIDI channels and assignments (start-stop etc)
Give the red push button a short press (half a second) - then release. Follow this with a note or sequence of notes
(on the remote keyboard) as detailed on page 2. After selecting a MIDI channel (receive or transmit) you will be
automatically returned to playing mode, but after making any other assignments you will need to press the ENTER
key (Top C on a 61 note keyboard) to return to playing mode. (N.B. set-ups are stored in non volatile memory).
2) MAPPING MODE - assigning MIDI notes to sounds
Press the red button hold for about four seconds - then release. Follow this (on the remote keyboard) with a
program change number, then any MIDI note. The drum sound specified by that program change number will be
mapped to the key you pressed. You may keep assigning drum sounds to keys in the same fashion (program then
key). When you have assigned all the sounds that you want to, press any invalid program change number (12 and
above), you will then be automatically returned to normal play mode. On page 3 is a list of which program numbers
correspond to what drum sounds.
Note: When in setup and mapping modes the TR-808 will receive on ALL MIDI channels.