devices/boss/dr-880.vendor.fw-unknown.jsonEdit on GitHubJSONBOSS DR-880 MIDI CC chart, NRPN and OSC map
The BOSS DR-880 MIDI implementation: 2 CC, 1 RPN, 13 SysEx commands, 60 drum sounds, each named, for Claude (MCP), SuperCollider or any OSC app.
- sourcemaker's documentation
- real unitnot yet checked
Not checked on a real BOSS DR-880 yet. Own one? Load a sound or send a control, and tell us whether it worked.
- Maker
- BOSS
- Version
- MIDI Implementation Version 1.00 (Feb 1, 2005); OS version not stated
- Source
- maker's documentation
- OSC prefix
/dr_880
Use it
Find the MIDI ports, then start the bridge with this driver:
osc-bridge detect # prints the ready-to-run line for what is plugged in
osc-bridge run --device devices/boss/dr-880.vendor.fw-unknown.json --out-port <N> --in-port <M>
Then send OSC to 127.0.0.1:7777, for example:
From Claude or any MCP client, the osc-bridge mcp server exposes this driver as dr_880: ask “what can the BOSS DR-880 do?” and it reads this map with list_routes. See the MCP guide.
MIDI controls
76 controls, each with its number, its range and the name to send
Kit
| Control | CC | Range | Name to send |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank select msb | 0 | discrete | /dr_880/kit/bank_select_msb |
Mixer
| Control | CC | Range | Name to send |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part volume | 7 | 0–127 | /dr_880/part/volume |
Registered parameters
| Control | CC | RPN (MSB/LSB) | Range | Name to send |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass rpn pitch bend sensitivity | RPN 0 / 0 | discrete | /dr_880/bass/rpn/pitch_bend_sensitivity |
SysEx commands
| Command | Arguments | Name to send |
|---|---|---|
| Kit select | kit: u7 | /dr_880/kit/select |
| Transport clock | /dr_880/transport/clock |
|
| Transport start | /dr_880/transport/start |
|
| Transport continue | /dr_880/transport/continue |
|
| Transport stop | /dr_880/transport/stop |
|
| Song position | beats: u14 | /dr_880/song/position |
| Song select | song: u7 | /dr_880/song/select |
| Identity request | /dr_880/identity/request |
|
| Request user songs patterns | /dr_880/request/user_songs_patterns |
|
| Request user kits | /dr_880/request/user_kits |
|
| Request user tsc | /dr_880/request/user_tsc |
|
| Request user guitar effects | /dr_880/request/user_guitar_effects |
|
| Request system | /dr_880/request/system |
Drum sounds
Send <name> [velocity] [note] [channel] to fire the sound (Note On).
| Sound | Note(s) | Channel | Velocity | Name to send |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 1 | 36 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad1 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 2 | 35 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad2 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 3 | 38 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad3 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 4 | 40 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad4 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 5 | 42 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad5 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 6 | 37 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad6 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 7 | 39 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad7 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 8 | 56 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad8 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 9 | 44 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad9 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 10 | 46 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad10 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 11 | 50 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad11 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 12 | 48 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad12 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 13 | 45 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad13 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 14 | 41 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad14 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 15 | 52 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad15 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 16 | 49 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad16 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 17 | 57 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad17 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 18 | 55 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad18 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 19 | 53 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad19 |
|
| DRUM 1 bank, pad 20 | 51 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank1/pad20 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 1 | 60 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad1 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 2 | 61 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad2 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 3 | 62 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad3 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 4 | 63 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad4 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 5 | 64 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad5 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 6 | 54 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad6 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 7 | 91 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad7 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 8 | 95 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad8 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 9 | 96 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad9 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 10 | 97 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad10 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 11 | 69 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad11 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 12 | 94 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad12 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 13 | 70 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad13 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 14 | 82 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad14 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 15 | 92 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad15 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 16 | 89 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad16 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 17 | 90 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad17 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 18 | 93 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad18 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 19 | 84 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad19 |
|
| DRUM 2 bank, pad 20 | 59 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank2/pad20 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 1 | 86 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad1 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 2 | 87 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad2 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 3 | 78 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad3 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 4 | 79 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad4 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 5 | 83 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad5 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 6 | 76 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad6 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 7 | 77 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad7 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 8 | 85 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad8 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 9 | 66 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad9 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 10 | 65 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad10 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 11 | 71 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad11 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 12 | 72 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad12 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 13 | 75 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad13 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 14 | 67 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad14 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 15 | 68 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad15 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 16 | 73 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad16 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 17 | 74 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad17 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 18 | 58 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad18 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 19 | 80 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad19 |
|
| DRUM 3 bank, pad 20 | 81 | basic | /dr_880/drum/bank3/pad20 |
Performance MIDI
Notes, pitch bend and any CC are also available: /dr_880/note/on <note> <velocity>, /dr_880/cc/<number> <value>, /dr_880/pitchbend <0-16383>, /dr_880/program_change <n>.
Limitations
Source: DR-880 MIDI Implementation 1.00 (2005). The document maps no single parameters: the address map has only whole-area bulk blocks (user songs/patterns, kits, TSC, guitar effects, system), requested here; their contents are not decoded, and DT1 (Data Set) is recognized only on the BULK LOAD screen, so bulk data is sent back as raw SysEx. Notes on the bass part play the bass on its own channel; pitch bend and RPN pitch bend sensitivity act on the bass part. Bulk start/end markers (70 00 00 00 00/01) are listed by the document without data and are not exposed. The kit/song routes use channel 1; another channel goes through the performance routes. Untested on hardware.
Frequently asked questions
How many parameters of the BOSS DR-880 can be controlled over MIDI?
SynthHub's map of the BOSS DR-880 lists 2 MIDI CC and 1 RPN parameters, each with its number, range and a readable name; the full chart is on this page.
Can an AI agent like Claude control the BOSS DR-880?
Yes: SynthHub's hosted MCP server knows the BOSS DR-880's MIDI map, and its browser relay lets the agent send it parameter changes or load a sound, each sound change confirmed by you.