There was a lot of work done on the RE_303 and the Pixie CPU (303/606) - I don't know much about it but it might give you another more recent vector to explore: https://github.com/sunflowr/recpu?tab=readme-ov-file

(I built one and as far as I know the Pixie CPU was the 303 code + MIDI)

In his defense, he built the entire language :-)

Thank you!

Challenging would be an understatement. Had to create an editor from scratch in canvas to support the inline visuals, then a DSL that generates the code for each permutation of audio and scalar parameters, then the language itself which is Turing complete and controls the whole thing in a VM, choosing the optimal permutation for each case, and all the edits/recompilation be done in few ms to not distrupt the experience, all across a thread (the WebAudio AudioWorklet). The audio engine is in WebAssembly as it was the only way to get the performance needed. You can check out the code[0], the project is open-source!

[0]: https://github.com/loopmaster-xyz

my high school had a cs-70 and it poisoned me for life. that being said, theres a pretty big leap in terms of accessibility vs a browser based synth and you dont need $10,000 to play it so that's nice

Well, Deckards Dream comes pretty close to attaining a modern analog manifestation of the CS80 ideal:

https://black-corporation.com/shop/

And, well, its a lot more feasible to gig with, by comparison.

Jeskola Buzz has a pretty interesting back story:

>The development of the core program, buzz.exe, was halted on October 5, 2000, when the developer lost the source code to the program. It was announced in June 2008 that development would begin again, eventually regaining much of the functionality.

This brings back memories. Buzz is how I got my start. And I've been producing electronic music as a hobbyist ever since.

I also expected hardware to be involved. But in the context of a list of tutorials on how to use this live coding tool the title makes sense though.

They miss out how not-square the "square wave" is for a start. Its pulsewidth varies wildly across the compass.

Owner of all (ALL!!) the classic Roland x0x boxes here, which are connected together using DIN Sync - the sync was not badly implemented at all - they sync together perfectly.

The sequencers in each of the machines have a bit of nuance, which is where that famous groove comes from!

You might be confusing this with the sometimes hilarious midi timing of the 909 and 707.

This I don't understand. DINsync is raw trigger outputs/inputs like you'd have in a modular synth, in contrast to MIDI that has to send serial messages over a 1k data bus.

Perhaps this take has something to do with calling a five-pin DIN plug '5-pole'? Something's wrong and backwards here.

Again, I guess this is where we are now? I remember reality, but here we are.

this is awesome, thank you for sharing!

What's your OS/browser? On Chrome/Linux it works fine. If you're focused on an editor it can capture the page keys so you have to click outside first.

Try tweaking the accent multiplier to .1 from .5 - you can get there but it requires a lot of value tweaking. There's no singular TB-303 sound, but the components are there.

The Windows version (a legal, non-cracked, copy, even) runs well in QEMU. Pretty sure I managed to get it working in WINE as well at some point, but I prefer to have software running in QEMU as that tend to be much more install-and-forget rather than having to fiddle with settings or/and reinstall stuff every time there is an upgrade or I move to new hardware.

OG iMac for the retro coolth of the project, or for ease of installation?

Because the Windows version works perfectly under Wine.

I don’t recall it ever falling out of fashion.

It’s easily the most used and copied sound. Like the Amen Break of synths.

I love seeing so many brilliant creatives throwing their talents at the 303 - hardware hackers, software writers, etc.

its been getting a renaissance since 2006 i think

Confirmed. I wondered if it was a hardware hacker, as I've built a couple x0xb0xes from kits, but it was not. I guess this is where we are? I mean, 'we' that doesn't include me, 'cos I have x0xes and can do stuff with them.

As a reference for what 303s are actually like, early Plastikman acid/minimal tracks often have really intense 303 elements. The filter's characteristic and can have enormous resonance and sonority, but the ability to combine that with accents and produce wild dynamic effects is something you don't find in other synths.

While I agree that I'd like to know the more esoteric concepts of the 303, you could have worded it differently.

The guy built the "shitty web app" (that's actually pretty cool, not shitty) from scratch.

Shitty? Why so harsh? That web app IMO is great, like supercollider running in a browser.

At least it isn't some ai slop