Enjoy the sound of the Deep Bass Nine TB303 clone
Just an example of the sound of the Deep Bass Nine TB303 clone which didn’t really make it as a 303 clone but did make it as an excelent bass synth, it hasn’t got much in the way of sound sculpting possibilities but just has a great sound and presence in the mix.
Background info:
“So does it sound like a TB303? The short answer is yes. The longer answer is yes, yes, yes! I tried to emulate some DB9 patches on a few of my old analogue synths. The closest I could get was with my Minimoog, which gives you some idea of how gutsy the DB9 is! If you love the sound of the old silver-clad Bassline, then you’re sure to find the DB9 right up your street and sitting on your Mum’s doorstep. It bleeps, farts and squelches in a most appealing manner (er, if you know what I mean). And it certainly behaves like a 303 too, especially when accents and glides are brought into the proceedings. By setting a foot pedal to control the glide function and moving a modulation wheel back and forth to modulate the filter cut-off, I found myself in full control of the DB9 in a way that I could only have dreamed of when trying to program my Bassline through its inscrutable silver buttons. Here’s progress at its best! Feeding my trusty K1R through the DB9’s filter, I really began to covet this little machine. Though my desire to re-live the days of the TB303 is perhaps not as keen as some people’s, my love of a good old analogue filter is second to none. If I owned a DB9, it would probably live with a K1R permanently plumbed into its audio input
The DB9 is very firmly aimed at producing good analogue bass sounds and does the job with vigour. The preset amplitude envelope and the lack of modulation options mean that lead sounds and elaborate sound effects are really out of the question, although the synth was quite happy to respond over a generous 8-octave range, making high ‘blippy’ sequenced parts possible.
The DB9’s MIDI/CV function worked with a minimum of fuss and happily drove both my Sequential Pro One and Roland SH09 (although no S-Trig option is available for old Moog equipment and the old Hz/Volt system, as used by the likes of Korg and Yamaha, is not supported). Similarly, I had no trouble running the DB9 via its gate and CV inputs from my Pro One’s sequencer or a Roland MPU101 MIDI/CV converter.
In a way, it’s the DB9’s solid stand on TB303 authenticity that defines both its strengths and its weaknesses. It’s all too tempting to carp and pick at it for not having a brace of oscillators, or for lacking velocity sensitivity, pitch bend or patch memories. But that is really to miss the point of what this unassuming black box is all about. As a dedicated TB303 soundalike bass synth, the DB9 is a triumph. If you are looking for a Minimoog in a 1U rack, then you are likely to be disappointed. This is not to say that the DB9 isn’t capable of thundering basslines and chunky sequences, and that, after all, is what the market currently wants. But if you’re looking for a lead synth or a spacey sound effects generator, you’d best look elsewhere.
Control Synthesis have, indeed, brought us a TB303 for the ’90s. But there are a few imprtant details in which the DB9 is markedly different from its older cousin — it’s controllable, rackable, available and affordable. If you’re ever in the market for a TB303 then the best thing you can do is let everyone else keep fighting over those little silver boxes and have a listen to this black one. Then start practising your smug expression — in the very near future I think you’re going to have need of it…”
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