1. Separate beats from steps
In this 4/4 exercise, one bar contains sixteen equal steps. The main beats land on steps 1, 5, 9 and 13. At 120 BPM each step is 125 ms and each bar is two seconds. 303box repeats the same sixteen steps; it does not automatically chain the sixteen-bar plan below.
The D minor example starts on step 2, one sixteenth after the first kick. For the comparison, move only that D to step 1. Leave all later notes, accents and slides in place.
2. Choose the bass entrance
Hear the difference
Moving the first D one step earlier puts it on the downbeat. Every later event stays fixed.
| Version | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | — * | D2 * | — | F2 A | — | A2 | — | C3 | — | D2 A | F2 | — | — | A2 S | C3 A | — |
| B | D2 * | — * | — | F2 A | — | A2 | — | C3 | — | D2 A | F2 | — | — | A2 S | C3 A | — |
120 BPM · 2 bars · Same synth settings. Software-generated teaching audio, not a TD-3 recording. The example-loading link opens the original pattern described in the article.
A separates the kick and bass entrance; B puts their first attacks together. Try the space in A with a dense kick, or B for a more unified entrance. These are arrangement choices, not a universal ranking. The recordings above contain bass only, without drums.
3. Enter a three-voice drum map
Save an important rhythm with DOWNLOAD first. Clear the rhythm section and activate only the steps below. Leave all other steps and drum voices off. Loading a bass example preserves the rhythm grid, so enter this part manually.
| Voice | Active steps | Role in this exercise |
|---|---|---|
| BD / Kick | 1, 5, 9, 13 | A reference on every main beat |
| CP / Clap | 5, 13 | Emphasis on beats two and four |
| CH / Closed hi-hat | 3, 7, 11, 15 | An answer between the main beats |
Listen to the rhythm alone before adding bass. Keep SD, TM and OH off initially so extra hits do not obscure the kick/bass relationship. Balance levels by ear; turn down the dominant part rather than pushing every part louder.
4. Rehearse four sections
| Bars | Audible layers | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | Kick + clap | Leave bass stopped and CH steps off. |
| 5–8 | Kick + clap + bass | Use 303 PLAY at the start of bar 5 to bring in your chosen bass. |
| 9–12 | Kick + clap + bass + CH | Enable the prepared CH hits; keep bass notes fixed. |
| 13–16 | Kick + clap + CH | Use 303 STOP at bar 13 to remove bass while rhythm continues. |
Rehearse each section separately with playback stopped first. Enabling multiple CH steps by hand may span a bar; 303box has no automatic scene transitions for this plan. For precisely recorded transitions, record separate sections or arrange them in a DAW.
5. Evaluate the arrangement with three questions
- Does the bass entrance at bar 5 establish a new section? If not, compare kick and bass levels before adding more notes.
- Does adding hi-hat at bar 9 increase motion? If it feels crowded, try steps 7 and 15 instead of all four hits.
- Is the bass removal at bar 13 noticeable? If little changes, the bass may already have been too quiet in the previous section.
Write down bass choice A or B, the drum steps and the transition bars. The result is a repeatable performance sketch, not a finished song. For note entry, use the pattern workshop. To play an external device, follow the live MIDI connection guide.