The Roland TR-606 drum machine doesn’t have MIDI or CV/Gate to enable external control of its voices. It does have a DIN Sync port that allows it to be synchronised with other equipment. Kenton offers a variety of options to get your TR-606 connected to MIDI, depending on whether you want to control the voices, or just sync with other MIDI equipment.
This page covers the options you have to control the TR-606’s notes with MIDI. If you just want to sync your TR-606 using the MIDI Clock, see our Converting between MIDI and DIN Sync page.
For current products:
- Control your TR-606’s voices by fitting a KADI port to the TR-606 and using a Kenton Pro KADI MkII MIDI to Digital drum machine interface
- Process sounds individually using the Kenton 5 Audio Out Socket Kit
For previous products:
- Control your TR-606’s voices by fitting a KADI port to the TR-606 and using a Pro 2000 MkI or MkII (discontinued)
- Control your TR-606’s voices by fitting a KADI port to the TR-606 and using a Pro 4 (discontinued)
See below for further details on each of these options.
Fitting a KADI port to your TR-606 is a skilled job which should be undertaken only by a competent synth service engineer or fitted by us at our premises in Tadworth, near London (UK customers only).
1 – Control the TR-606’s voices by fitting a KADI port to the TR-606 and using a Kenton Pro KADI MKII MIDI to Digital drum machine interface
You can fit a KADI port to the Roland TR-606, which will allow it to be controlled by the Kenton Pro KADI MkII. This will allow you to play all 7 of the TR-606’s sounds, with or without accent, from a keyboard, DAW or MIDI sequencer. Accent is controlled by setting note velocity to over 70.
The Kenton Pro KADI MkII can also sync your TR-606 – see section 3 below.
Which products do I need?
You will need the following products:
Pro KADI MkII MIDI to Digital drum machine interface (can be purchased with KADI cable).
KADI Port for the Roland TR-606 – this should be fitted by a competent synth service engineer.
If you already have a Pro KADI, but purchased it with a WASP cable, you also will need a KADI cable for your Pro KADI.
Connecting the Pro KADI MkII to the TR-606
The KADI port fitted to a Roland TR-606 provides a 15 pin D plug. Connect it to your Pro KADI with a 15 pin-15 pin KADI cable.
Configuring the Pro KADI MkII
Use the following settings on your Pro KADI:
| Parameter | Setting |
| 0 – MIDI receive channel | set to the required MIDI channel (default: 1) |
| G – Mode Select | [Ka] Kadi (default) |
| E – Accent Threshold | set to desired threshold (default: 70) |
Note that by default the Pro KADI MkII assigns the TR-606’s voices MIDI notes per the table below. This can be changed using parameters 1-7 on the Pro KADI:
| Parameter | MIDI Note | TR-606 sound |
| 1 – Voice 1 | 36 (C1 – 2 Octaves below Middle C) | Bass Drum |
| 2 – Voice 2 | 37 (C#1) | Snare Drum |
| 3 – Voice 3 | 38 (D1) | Low Tom |
| 4 – Voice 4 | 39 (D#1) | High Tom |
| 5 – Voice 5 | 40 (E1) | CYmbol |
| 6 – Voice 6 | 41 (F1) | Open Hat |
| 7 – Voice 7 | 42 (F#1) | Closed Hat |
2 – Process sounds individually using the Kenton 5 Audio Out Socket Kit
The 5 Audio Out Socket Kit gives you access to the TR-606’s sounds on individual 3.5mm jacks so you can process them individually.
3 – Control your TR-606’s voices by fitting a KADI port to the TR-606 and using a Pro 2000 MkI or MkII (discontinued)
Which products do I need?
You will need the following products:
KADI Port for the Roland TR-606 – this should be fitted by a competent synth service engineer.
KADI Port for the Pro 2000 (includes KADI cable) – this is can be fitted by the user.
Connecting the Pro 2000 to the TR-606
Connect the KADI lead from the KADI Port on the Pro 2000 to the KADI port on the TR-606.
Configuring the Pro 2000
Use the following settings on your Pro 2000:
| Parameter | Setting |
| ChD EXPANSION PORT MIDI Receive Channel | set to the required MIDI channel (default: 4) |
| ChD EXPANSION PORT status | KADI |
The TR-606’s sounds can be accessed by playing notes as follows:
| MIDI Note | TR-606 sound |
| 36 (C1 – 2 Octaves below Middle C) | Bass Drum |
| 37 (C#1) | Snare Drum |
| 38 (D1) | Low Tom |
| 39 (D#1) | High Tom |
| 40 (E1) | CYmbol |
| 41 (F1) | Open Hat |
| 42 (F#1) | Closed Hat |
A Note Velocity of over 85 will play an accented note.
4 – Control your TR-606’s voices by fitting a KADI port to the TR-606 and using a Pro 4 (discontinued)
Which products do I need?
You will need a KADI cable for your Pro KADI.
Connecting the Pro 4 to the TR-606
Connect the KADI lead rom the KADI socket on the Pro 4 to the KADI port on the TR-606.
Configuring the Pro 4
Configure the Pro 4 as follows:
| Parameter | Setting |
| KADI>H MIDI Receive Channel | set to the required MIDI channel (default: 8) |
The TR-606’s sounds can be accessed by playing notes as follows:
| MIDI Note | TR-606 sound |
| 36 (C1 – 2 Octaves below Middle C) | Bass Drum |
| 37 (C#1) | Snare Drum |
| 38 (D1) | Low Tom |
| 39 (D#1) | High Tom |
| 40 (E1) | CYmbol |
| 41 (F1) | Open Hat |
| 42 (F#1) | Closed Hat |
A Note Velocity of over 70 will play an accented note.
