How do I midi sync a roland tr 08 and a tb 03?

[pancake_lizard]

Hi, I have the roland boutiques the tr 08 and tb 03.

These are my first pieces of gear.

I know the theory of midi but I'm having difficulty actually getting the two devices to sync.

What I'm doing is connecting the midi out of the 08 to the midi in of the 03 to control the 03 with the 08 I have heard people say they sync automatically but that's not the case for me.

I guess I don't know what settings I need to program on the devices to get them to sync

when I change the tempo of the drum pattern on the 08 it doesn't sync the tempo with the 03.

Can somebody step by step help me on how to sync these devices?

Thank you.

[Eddy Deegan]

From your description you want the TB03 to respect the tempo set on the TR08. I'm also assuming you're using the MIDI DIN (round) connections, not the USB connections.

All MIDI timing is done using a clock of some kind. Both devices have their own internal clock, so what you need to do is get them both to use the clock in the TR-08.

In order to do this you need to configure the TB-03. After connecting the MIDI out from the TR-08 to the MIDI in of the TB-03 do the following on the TB-03:

• Hold down the function button and turn the value knob until you see 'SYnC' displayed on the LCD
• Release the function button
• Turn the value knob until you see "Mid" displayed on the LCD (note that the LCD cannot display an 'M' so it'll look like "Nid")
• Press the function button to confirm the setting and exit

At this point, the tempo of the TB-03 should be synchronised to that of the TR-08. Let us know if you have any problems

Relevant links in case you find them useful:

• Manual for the TB-03
• Manual for the TR-08

[pancake_lizard]

When I go to function on the tb 03 and select sync I only have 2 options. Auto and Int. I don't see a nidi option.

[Eddy Deegan]

You need to update the TB-03 firmware by the look of it.

Revision 2 of the manual does not show the extra sync options ...



... but Revision 3 does:



Check your firmware version:

• Turn off the TB-03
• Hold down button 1 (I think this is the lowest button on the 'piano keyboard' buttons on the device) and turn the TB-03 on
• The firmware version information should be displayed on the screen
• Power the unit off

If the firmware version displayed is less than 1.04 then you will need to update it, as described here: http://vn.roland.com/support/by_product ... ers/352301

After doing this, the additional sync options should be available.

[pancake_lizard]

I have version 1.05 I just checked.

[pancake_lizard]

yeah it says version 1.05, maybe it would be easier just to use the trigger in port on the 03 I have that cable too, can you explain the process of doing that?

[Eddy Deegan]

Ah, there is a version 1.06 here: https://www.roland.com/us/support/by_pr ... b968df1d0/

In the release notes it says:

[ Ver.1.06 ] JAN 2019
Additional Functions

• USB and MIDI have been added as MIDI clock sources.

So that's the one you want.

[nathanscribe]

"Auto" mode on the TB-03 should detect incoming clock on v1.05, that's what mine has and I've had it synced over MIDI before.

I do find it has problems with starting from the correct point in a sequence over external MIDI clock though, so perhaps that's something they've remedied. I've been using mine over the analogue trigger input instead, and that's been fine.

[pancake_lizard]

ok, I'm attempting to update it to version 1.06

I have the update file on my computer. I'm at the step where it says :
Open the "TB-03" drive folder in your personal computer.

I have the tb 03 connected I don't have that folder on my computer to copy the update to.

[pancake_lizard]

I can tempo sync them if I put them both at same bpm and they seem to stay the same tempo pretty well however I can't midi sync them and I don't know how to clock sync with the tr 08 trigger out. I've tried just about everything and can't figure it out.

[nathanscribe]

I don't know the TR-08, but regarding the TB-03, even on v1.05 it *will* pick up MIDI clock if you set it to "Auto" in the sync option as described above.

If this isn't working when you connect both devices using a 5-pin DIN MIDI cable, I would check the cable, because this should just work, providing your source device is outputting MIDI clock.

As for trigger sync, perhaps you have to assign a trigger on the TR-08, I don't know. But on the TB-03 side of things, when it receivs a trigger, it will advance one step in the sequence. You may have to push 'start' in order for it to pick up the triggers, I can't recall.

[Eddy Deegan]

I don't know the TR-08, but regarding the TB-03, even on v1.05 it *will* pick up MIDI clock if you set it to "Auto" in the sync option as described above.

If this isn't working when you connect both devices using a 5-pin DIN MIDI cable, I would check the cable, because this should just work, providing your source device is outputting MIDI clock.

I also note this in the TR-08 manual for the sync settings:

AUTO - If MIDI clock is being input to the MIDI IN connector or the USB port, the TR-08’s tempo will automatically synchronize to MIDI clock (Auto).

Try setting the "SYnC" option on the TR-08 to "Int", in case the default setting is "Auto" and that's causing a problem with sending clock out through the MIDI DIN (it shouldn't, but it's worth checking).

Also double-double check that you have the MIDI OUT on the TR-08 connected to the MIDI-IN on the TB-03 and haven't got one end in the wrong socket.

[pancake_lizard]

hey guys, the problem was the midi cable, it was defective, I used a different midi cable I found around the house and now it syncs automatically when I turn on the devices.

[Rich Hanson]

Good that you got it sorted - sometimes it's a simple solution

[Sam Spoons]

Always worth changing the cables, even if they are brand new.

Glad it's fixed.

[Eddy Deegan]

hey guys, the problem was the midi cable, it was defective, I used a different midi cable I found around the house and now it syncs automatically when I turn on the devices.

Thank goodness for that, I thought it was very odd. Thanks for letting us know