Kenton TR-808 User 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 memor y. 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 c lock com mands ar e ignored. If the TR -808 is
stopped, then when a MIDI Star t comm and** is received, the T R-808 will take its tim ing information f rom the MIDI
clock sourc e. If the start button on the T R-808 is then pressed, it will be ignored until a MIDI stop comm and has
been received. ** (or SPP = zero + continue – see below)

Many sequencers do not send a MIDI start comm and and instead send a Song Position Pointer zero followed by
Continue message. T his is recognised by the TR-808 as a MIDI star t. 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 ignor e start/stop/continue/clock c ommands by selecting it from the programming mode
described in the next paragraph, when set to disable the T R-808 will not respond to start, stop, continue or clock
commands, this is to enable the TR-808 to f unction as a sound m odule in system s 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 tim e with MIDI clock, but ignore
any incoming notes.

Using the red push button to program the MIDI settings

Two modes ar e available by pushing the red push button. Before you do press the red button however, m ake 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 releas e. 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 af ter mak ing 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). W hen 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 number s
correspond to what drum sounds.

Note: When in setup and mapping modes the TR-808 will receive on ALL MIDI channels.

C Receive channel 1 MIDI note number 36 [ Bottom C ]
Db " " 2
D " " 3
Eb " " 4
E " " 5
F " " 6
Gb " " 7
G " " 8
Ab " " 9
A " " 10 (default)
Bb " " 11
B " " 12
C " " 13
Db " " 14
D " " 15
Eb " " 16
E Receive notes OFF This does not affect MIDI clock
F Transmit channel 1
Gb " " 2 The transmit channel can be
G " " 3 changed independently of the
Ab " " 4 of the receive channel, and
A " " 5 can be set even during omni
Bb " " 6 on mode.
B " " 7
C " " 8 MIDI note number 60 [ Middle C ]
Db " " 9
D " " 10 (default)
Eb " " 11
E " " 12
F " " 13
Gb " " 14
G " " 15
Ab " " 16
A Not Used - - ­Bb " "
B " "
C " "
Db " "
D " "
Eb " "
E " "
F " "
Gb " "
G " "
Ab " "
A " "
Bb " "
B " "
C " "
Db " "
D Continue message treated as start only if Song Position Pointer is zero (default)
Eb Continue always treated as Start
E Disable start/stop/continue/clock through MIDI (In only)
F Enable start/stop/continue/clock through MIDI (default)
Gb Set mode 1 velocity sensitive receive mode (default)
G Set mode 0 two level receive (normal/accent)
Ab " "
A " "
Bb " "
B " "
C ENTER key Press and release. [ Top C ] MIDI note no. 96