Roland TR 909 Programming Tutorial - getting started

When you first turn the 909 on, it will go into track play mode.

You need it to be in pattern play for it to run a sequence.

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So before you can do anything with the 909, you will need to do these things:

1. Choose the sync/tempo mode.
2. Choose the pattern bank
3.  Select Pattern Write
4. Clear old patterns.
5. Enter the notes.

1. Sync Mode
    a. Shift + Tempo Mode (Din sync, Midi, or Internal)
        You need to tap the Tempo mode button till the display shows either
         a "0" in the left (Din), a "0" in the middle (MIDI) or the BPM on the right (eg 120)

 2. Choose the pattern bank
      Shift + Either Bank 1 or 2.

3.  Select Pattern Write
     Shift +  Pattern ( there are 3 patterns)

       The pattern write LED that you picked, should start to blink.
       You are now in EDIT MODE.

4. Clear old patterns.
     a. Pattern clear + any of the buttons (with the pattern you wish to clear)
         Hit buttons 1 - 16
        

        If you now press play (on the external sequencer or the internal 909's sequencer), you won't hear
        anything, though you will see the sequencer lights running across the 16 steps.

5. Enter the notes.
     Either use step or tap mode.

    I like step. While the sequencer is playing, enter the notes

    You accent the drums by hitting the buttons twice.

    To get to the Open High H:
    Hold instrument Select + both STEPS 13 & 14 at the same time.

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Shuffle/Flam
     To adjust the shuffle, you press  Shuffle/flam and one of the buttons 1 to 7.
     You can back it off a bit by going back to 4 or 5...

    Flam uses the buttons 9 to 16.
    Flam is like a ratchet double hit

You can change the time signatures, but hitting scale.

Scale changes the sub division of the pattern.

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MIDI
Use the following procedure to set the MIDI receive channel:
1) While holding SHUFFLE / FLAM, press the appropriate MAIN Key (1 – 16).



    That's basically all you need to get started.