{"id":"cmq9ru2b100g8i1ixys0idb6a","slug":"roland-tb-303","title":"Roland TB-303","type":"equipment","summary":"A commercial failure as a guitar-bass accompaniment tool (built 1981-1984), the 303 was reborn when Chicago's Phuture twisted its cutoff and resonance knobs on a pawn-shop unit; the resulting squelch on 1987's 'Acid Trac","body":"## Roland TB-303 Bass Line\n\n*1981-1984* — the squelchy, resonant bass synthesizer that, when its filter and resonance are twisted, creates the unmistakable 'acid' sound.\n\nA commercial failure as a guitar-bass accompaniment tool (built 1981-1984), the 303 was reborn when Chicago's Phuture twisted its cutoff and resonance knobs on a pawn-shop unit; the resulting squelch on 1987's 'Acid Tracks' birthed acid house.\n\nBuilt to fake a bass guitar and quickly discontinued, the 303 was reborn when [Phuture](/artist/phuture) twisted its filter and resonance on a pawn-shop unit — the squelch on *\"Acid Tracks\"* by [Phuture](/artist/phuture) (1987) named and launched [acid house](/topic/acid-house).\n\n### Producers & records that made it iconic\n\n- **Phuture (DJ Pierre, Spanky, Herb J)** — *\"Acid Tracks\"*\n- [Josh Wink](/artist/josh-wink) — *\"Higher State of Consciousness\"*\n\nPart of the wider story of [House Music Equipment](/topic/house-music-equipment).","era":"1981-1984","city":null,"country":null,"question":null,"answer":null,"related_slugs":["house-music-equipment","history-of-house-music"],"sources":[{"name":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_TB-303"}],"confidence_score":80,"last_verified_date":"2026-06-10","canonical_url":"https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/roland-tb-303","markdown_url":"https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/roland-tb-303.md","json_url":"https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/api/topics/roland-tb-303.json","suggested_citation":"House Music Intelligence Database. \"Roland TB-303.\" Published by World Famous House Crew. Last verified June 10, 2026. URL: https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/roland-tb-303","relationships":[]}