History of the Drum Machine

1930 – Rhythmicon
– created by Leon Theremin for Henry Cowell (Composer)

- had a disk that produced the patterns

R1 Rhythm Ace
– 1964
– by Ace Tone (later known as Roland)]
– not widely successful (no drum patterns included)

FR1 – Rhythm Ace (1967)

– did include drum patterns
– adopted and incorporated by the Hammond Organ company
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=74&v=iTQjJVwtA7w&feature=emb_logo
Roland CR78
– launched in 1978
– programmable
– four memory locations for user patterns
– sound samples:
– https://splice.com/sounds/zenhiser/cr78-the-machine
– songs
– Blondie “Heart of Glass”
– https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-domaindev-st_emea&hsimp=yhs-
st_emea&hspart=domaindev&p=blondie
%27s+heart+of+glass#id=1&vid=108cd5c45120b8658762bb1e5f34fbe1&action=click
– OMD (Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark) “Enola Gay”
– https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-domaindev-st_emea&hsimp=yhs-
st_emea&hspart=domaindev&p=the+dark+enola+gay+song#id=5&vid=7a53b44297131
c5ef6d662e7d1a557ef&action=click
Roland TR808
– launched in 1980
– did not have digital samples
– later digitized into “Rebirth” a popular drum machine VST

– Phil Collins In the Air Tonight

– https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=25&v=YkADj0TPrJA&feature=emb_logo

Roland TR 909 successor to the 808– released in 1983

--low cost, analog sounds, enduring in the

SONGS: https://soundoracle.net/blogs/soundoracle-net-blog/classic-songs-created-with-the-iconic-
roland-tr-909
– Inner City: Good Life
– Madonna Vogue https://soundoracle.net/blogs/soundoracle-net-blog/classic-songs-created-with-
the-iconic-roland-tr-909
– Technotronic Pump up the Jam https://www.youtube.com/watch?
time_continue=22&v=9EcjWd-O4jI&feature=emb_logo

Sound module
Linn LM1 drum computer
– released in 1980
– one of the first to have used digital samples
– only 500 made
– expensive $4999

– Prince hundreds of hit records by Prince Kiss

– https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=214&v=H9tEvfIsDyo&feature=emb_logo
– watch some engineers recreate the Linn drum sounds from Prince's Kiss
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f_RYi64yKA
– Peter Gabriel Big Time
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=PBAl9cchQac&feature=emb_logo
Linn LM2
– cheaper version released in 1982 (only $3000)
Oberheim DMX
– digital sounds
– offered a “swing” feature, similar to the one found on the Linn machines
DRUM SETUP

GM - “General MIDI”
– setup in 1991
– standardized specification for music synthesizers
– MIDI – Musical instrument Digital Interface
– allows devices to “communicate”

Setup:

sequencer Send note Drum machine

Sen
dn
ote
Send note
Send note

Keyboard
(Lowest note A0 midi note 21 highest note C8 midi note 108)

General MIDI setup

– 24 note polyphony
– 16 channels (each could be loaded with a sound)
– channel 10 dedicated to drumset
– full set of percussion mapped to specific key numbers
– 128 programs

MIDI messages:
– note on/off
– velocity (usually determines dynamics)
– program change (for timbre)
– “aftertouch”
– control change (things like volume, sustain pedal)
GENERAL MIDI PROGRAM (INSTRUMENT) CHART