JC-303 Audio Plugin

Key Features​

Whether you’re a seasoned producer or an aspiring artist, this plugin is your gateway to the timeless sound of the TB-303.

Community Work​

JC-303 is a community-driven project open to contributions in coding, testing, bug reporting/fixing, design, and improvement ideas. JC-303 also makes use of other open-source projects, such as Open303 and GuitarML for DSP engine.

Open303​

Over the span of a decade, a KVRAudio community of TB-303 enthusiasts, led by Robin Schmidt, started the Open303 project with the intent to create an open-source digital emulation of the TB-303. They dove deep into their oscilloscopes, engaged in circuit reverse engineering analyses, and debated the inner workings of our beloved TB-303, striving to achieve the closest possible sound replica.

It all began in 2009 when Robin Schmidt called for collaborators for the TB-303 emulation project on the KVRAudio forum. Read the Forum Post here.

GuitarML​

By capturing the sound output of real overdrive pedals and cabinets, the GuitarML project uses machine learning to train models that can be used in real-time to recreate the sound of actual overdrives! It is a community-driven project with a large and growing library of trained pedal and cabinet models available for download and testing, offering unlimited tonal possibilities. Check GuitarML Website.

An Evolving Project​

On the roadmap, one of the main features is to add a cloned step sequencer of the real TB-303, giving you the authentic rave signature to create evolving acid lines.

Install​

Installing JC-303 is straightforward. Follow these steps for your operating system:

1. Download: Grab the correct zip package for your system (Windows, macOS, or Linux) from the download links at the top of this page.
2. Extract: Unzip the downloaded file. You will find folders inside corresponding to different plugin formats (e.g., VST3, AU for MacOS, LV2, CLAP, VST).
3. Copy: Identify the plugin format(s) you want to use and copy the actual plugin file (e.g., JC303.vst3, JC303.component, JC303.dll, JC303.lv2 folder, JC303.clap) from the extracted folder into your system's standard plugin directory for that format.

Default Plugin Locations:

• Windows:
  • VST2 (.dll): Often C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins, C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins, or a custom location set in your DAW.
  • VST3 (.vst3): C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3
  • CLAP (.clap): C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP
  • LV2 (.lv2): Often %APPDATA%\LV2 or C:\Program Files\Common Files\LV2
• macOS:
  • VST2 (.vst): /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST (system-wide) or ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST (user-specific)
  • VST3 (.vst3): /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 (system-wide) or ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 (user-specific)
  • Audio Unit (.component): /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components (system-wide) or ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components (user-specific)
  • CLAP (.clap): /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/CLAP (system-wide) or ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/CLAP (user-specific)
  • LV2 (.lv2): /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/LV2 (system-wide) or ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/LV2 (user-specific) (Note: ~ refers to your user home directory. System-wide installs are generally recommended unless you have specific reasons otherwise.)
• Linux:
  • VST2 (.so): ~/.vst, /usr/lib/vst, /usr/local/lib/vst
  • VST3 (.vst3): ~/.vst3, /usr/lib/vst3, /usr/local/lib/vst3
  • LV2 (.lv2): ~/.lv2, /usr/lib/lv2, /usr/local/lib/lv2 (The .lv2 item is usually a folder)
  • CLAP (.clap): ~/.clap, /usr/lib/clap, /usr/local/lib/clap(Note: Locations can vary depending on distribution and user configuration. Check your DAW's plugin path settings.)

macOS De-Quarantine (Important!)

Due to macOS security features (Gatekeeper), you must de-quarantine the plugin files after copying them, otherwise your DAW may not load them.

1. Open the Terminal application (you can find it in Applications > Utilities).
2. Run the following command for each plugin format you installed. You will need to enter your administrator password (it won't show characters as you type). Replace the path if you installed to your user library (~/Library/...).

For Audio Unit (AU):

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/JC303.component

For VST3:

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/JC303.vst3

For VST2:

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/JC303.vst

For CLAP:

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/CLAP/JC303.clap

For LV2:

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/LV2/JC303.lv2

(Note: Ensure the plugin filename (JC303.component, JC303.vst3 etc.) matches the actual file you copied.)

1. Rescan: After copying the files (and de-quarantining on macOS), open your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and perform a plugin rescan if it doesn't automatically detect the new JC-303 plugin.

Disclaimer: Roland and TB-303 are registered trademarks of Roland Corporation. This product is not affiliated with or endorsed by Roland Corporation.