The E-mu SP-12 is a sampling drum machine. [1] Designed in 1984, SP-12 was announced by E-mu Systems in 1985. [2] Expanding on the features of E-mu’s affordable and commercially successful Drumulator, a programmable digital drum machine, SP-12 introduced user sampling, enabling musicians to sample their own drums and other sounds. In August 1987, E-mu replaced SP-12 with SP-1200. [2]
History
Developed as a successor to the Drumulator, SP-12 was initially advertised as “Drumulator II” by E-mu Systems at the NAMM Winter Music & Sound Market and Musikmesse Frankfurt [3] in February of 1985 before being launched officially at that summer’s NAMM International Music & Sound Expo. [2] [4] “SP” is an initialism for “Sampling Percussion,” and 12 is a reference to its 12-bit linear data format. [5]
E-mu made a “Turbo” upgrade available which increased the total memory for user samples to 5 seconds. SP-1200, featuring an integrated disk drive for storage and more RAM allowing for more total user sampling time in place of the preset ROM drum sounds, replaced SP-12 in E-mu’s product line in August 1987. [2] [6]
Features
In contrast to other early sampling instruments integrating piano-style keyboards, such as E-mu’s Emulator series of digital sampling synthesizers, Ensoniq Mirage, or Fairlight CMI, [1] SP-12 instead used plastic buttons to play drum sounds on its top panel. Dynamics can be performed using a piezo sensor on the circuit board listening for the button’s impact, a technology invented by E-mu co-founder Scott Wedge. [2] [7]
SP-12 uses a 12-bit linear data format and the same 26.04kHz sample rate E-mu previously used in Drumulator and subsequently reused in SP-1200. [2] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] The sample rate was chosen early on in Drumulator’s development as a compromise between bandwidth and sampling time. [2] [8] [13] A reconstruction filter was deliberately omitted, resulting in a brighter sound due to imaging (sounds above the sample rate). [10] [13]
SP-12 includes 24 12-bit [2] preset ROM sounds consisting of two bass drum, two snare, two electronic snare, rimshot, cowbell, four toms, four electronic tom, three hi-hat, two clap, two ride cymbal, and crash cymbal sounds. Although the panel legend is marked with 8 positions for user samples, up to 32 user samples can be used. [14]
The original SP-12 had a maximum sampling time of 1.2 seconds while with the Turbo upgrade it has a maximum sampling time of 5 seconds. The SP-12 has a 5000-note memory allowing it to store 100 songs and 100 patterns; with the turbo upgrade, this is increased to 400 songs and 400 patterns. [15]
SP-12 can synchronize to and generate MIDI, SMPTE, and analog click signals as well as send and receive MIDI note triggers. [2] [10]
Trivia
 |
- The SP-12 is almost identical in design to the E-mu Emulator II and many of the knobs and buttons are interchangeable.
- Some of the original SP-12s have "Emulator SP12" written on them.
- Original SP-12's were known to have " Paul is the Walrus" and " Paul is dead" written on the motherboard.
- Later SP-12's Had "Loonie Tunes World Tour" written on the motherboards.
- The Beastie Boys reference the SP-12 in their song "Putting Shame In Your Game" from their 1998 album Hello Nasty with the line, "Well I'm the Benihana chef on the SP12." Rappin 4 Tay in Players Club (1994) says "I got a ho named reel-to-reel, she got a buddy named SP-12, now you know the deal." Young MC raps in the song Album Filler (1991) "It's just me, a mic, and an SP-12."
- Big Grams, the collaboration between Big Boi and Phantogram references the SP-12 alongside other famous drum machines and sequencers such as the Roland TR-808 and Roland TR-909 in their song "Drum Machine" featuring Skrillex.
Notable Users
- Bizarre Inc [16]
- Def IV [17]
- Paul C [18]
- Prince Paul [19]
- Rick Rubin in Rhymin & Stealin on the Beastie Boys album Licensed to Ill [20]
See also
References
- ^ a b Vail, Mark (2014). The Synthesizer. Oxford University Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0195394894.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Keeble, Rob (September 2002). "30 Years of Emu". Sound on Sound. SOS Publications Group. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Vincent, Biff (October 21, 2022). "E-mu Systems - Frankfurt Music Show 1985". youtube.com. Denise Gallant.
- ^ Wiffen, Paul (August 1985). "Way Down Yonder". Electronics & Music Maker. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Mark Katz (2010). Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music (revised ed.). University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26105-1.
- ^ Mellor, David (Oct 1987). "E-Mu SP1200". Sound on Sound (Oct 1987): 22–28.
- ^ Hyland, Simon (2011). SP-1200: The Art and Science. 27Sens. p. 35. ISBN 2953541012.
- ^ a b Hyland, Simon (2011). SP-1200: The Art and Science. 27Sens. p. 60. ISBN 2953541012.
- ^ E-mu Systems Drumulator Service Manual. E-mu Systems. 1983. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Davies, Steve (1985). SP-12 Sampling Percussion System Service Manual (PDF). E-mu Systems. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ SP-1200 Sampling Percussion System Service Manual. E-mu Systems. 1987. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "SP-1200". Rossum Electro-Music. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b Rossum, Dave. "Why do SP-1200 channel outputs feature different filters?". youtube.com. Rossum Electro-Music. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
-
^
Craig Anderton (1985).
SP-12 Sampling Percussion System Owners Manual (PDF) (Version 2.3 ed.). E-mu Systems, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-10-08.
{{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ( link) - ^ "SP-12 Overview". Emulator Archive. Archived from the original on 2008-01-12.
- ^ Trask, Simon (Dec 1991). "Strange Changes". Music Technology. United Kingdom: Music Maker Publications (UK), Future Publishing. pp. 30–36. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
- ^ Robbie (Jun 2008). "DJ Vicious Lee (Def IV) -- The Unkut Interview".
- ^ Sorcinelli, Gino (2017-09-20). "Paul C. McKasty: the Legend, the Tragedy, the Story of an Era". Medium. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
- ^ "Exclusive: Prince Paul Breaks Down Gravediggaz "6 Feet Deep" Track-By-Track « HipHopSite.Com". 2017-09-02. Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
- ^ Fintoni, Laurent (15 September 2016). "15 samplers that shaped modern music – and the musicians who use them". FACT. VF Publishing. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
External links
- E-mu Systems SP-12 twelve bit sampling percussion system (PDF) (Brochure). E-mu Systems, Inc.
The E-mu SP-12 is a sampling drum machine. [1] Designed in 1984, SP-12 was announced by E-mu Systems in 1985. [2] Expanding on the features of E-mu’s affordable and commercially successful Drumulator, a programmable digital drum machine, SP-12 introduced user sampling, enabling musicians to sample their own drums and other sounds. In August 1987, E-mu replaced SP-12 with SP-1200. [2]
History
Developed as a successor to the Drumulator, SP-12 was initially advertised as “Drumulator II” by E-mu Systems at the NAMM Winter Music & Sound Market and Musikmesse Frankfurt [3] in February of 1985 before being launched officially at that summer’s NAMM International Music & Sound Expo. [2] [4] “SP” is an initialism for “Sampling Percussion,” and 12 is a reference to its 12-bit linear data format. [5]
E-mu made a “Turbo” upgrade available which increased the total memory for user samples to 5 seconds. SP-1200, featuring an integrated disk drive for storage and more RAM allowing for more total user sampling time in place of the preset ROM drum sounds, replaced SP-12 in E-mu’s product line in August 1987. [2] [6]
Features
In contrast to other early sampling instruments integrating piano-style keyboards, such as E-mu’s Emulator series of digital sampling synthesizers, Ensoniq Mirage, or Fairlight CMI, [1] SP-12 instead used plastic buttons to play drum sounds on its top panel. Dynamics can be performed using a piezo sensor on the circuit board listening for the button’s impact, a technology invented by E-mu co-founder Scott Wedge. [2] [7]
SP-12 uses a 12-bit linear data format and the same 26.04kHz sample rate E-mu previously used in Drumulator and subsequently reused in SP-1200. [2] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] The sample rate was chosen early on in Drumulator’s development as a compromise between bandwidth and sampling time. [2] [8] [13] A reconstruction filter was deliberately omitted, resulting in a brighter sound due to imaging (sounds above the sample rate). [10] [13]
SP-12 includes 24 12-bit [2] preset ROM sounds consisting of two bass drum, two snare, two electronic snare, rimshot, cowbell, four toms, four electronic tom, three hi-hat, two clap, two ride cymbal, and crash cymbal sounds. Although the panel legend is marked with 8 positions for user samples, up to 32 user samples can be used. [14]
The original SP-12 had a maximum sampling time of 1.2 seconds while with the Turbo upgrade it has a maximum sampling time of 5 seconds. The SP-12 has a 5000-note memory allowing it to store 100 songs and 100 patterns; with the turbo upgrade, this is increased to 400 songs and 400 patterns. [15]
SP-12 can synchronize to and generate MIDI, SMPTE, and analog click signals as well as send and receive MIDI note triggers. [2] [10]
Trivia
|
- The SP-12 is almost identical in design to the E-mu Emulator II and many of the knobs and buttons are interchangeable.
- Some of the original SP-12s have "Emulator SP12" written on them.
- Original SP-12's were known to have " Paul is the Walrus" and " Paul is dead" written on the motherboard.
- Later SP-12's Had "Loonie Tunes World Tour" written on the motherboards.
- The Beastie Boys reference the SP-12 in their song "Putting Shame In Your Game" from their 1998 album Hello Nasty with the line, "Well I'm the Benihana chef on the SP12." Rappin 4 Tay in Players Club (1994) says "I got a ho named reel-to-reel, she got a buddy named SP-12, now you know the deal." Young MC raps in the song Album Filler (1991) "It's just me, a mic, and an SP-12."
- Big Grams, the collaboration between Big Boi and Phantogram references the SP-12 alongside other famous drum machines and sequencers such as the Roland TR-808 and Roland TR-909 in their song "Drum Machine" featuring Skrillex.
Notable Users
- Bizarre Inc [16]
- Def IV [17]
- Paul C [18]
- Prince Paul [19]
- Rick Rubin in Rhymin & Stealin on the Beastie Boys album Licensed to Ill [20]
See also
References
- ^ a b Vail, Mark (2014). The Synthesizer. Oxford University Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0195394894.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Keeble, Rob (September 2002). "30 Years of Emu". Sound on Sound. SOS Publications Group. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Vincent, Biff (October 21, 2022). "E-mu Systems - Frankfurt Music Show 1985". youtube.com. Denise Gallant.
- ^ Wiffen, Paul (August 1985). "Way Down Yonder". Electronics & Music Maker. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Mark Katz (2010). Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music (revised ed.). University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26105-1.
- ^ Mellor, David (Oct 1987). "E-Mu SP1200". Sound on Sound (Oct 1987): 22–28.
- ^ Hyland, Simon (2011). SP-1200: The Art and Science. 27Sens. p. 35. ISBN 2953541012.
- ^ a b Hyland, Simon (2011). SP-1200: The Art and Science. 27Sens. p. 60. ISBN 2953541012.
- ^ E-mu Systems Drumulator Service Manual. E-mu Systems. 1983. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Davies, Steve (1985). SP-12 Sampling Percussion System Service Manual (PDF). E-mu Systems. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ SP-1200 Sampling Percussion System Service Manual. E-mu Systems. 1987. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "SP-1200". Rossum Electro-Music. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b Rossum, Dave. "Why do SP-1200 channel outputs feature different filters?". youtube.com. Rossum Electro-Music. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
-
^
Craig Anderton (1985).
SP-12 Sampling Percussion System Owners Manual (PDF) (Version 2.3 ed.). E-mu Systems, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-10-08.
{{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ( link) - ^ "SP-12 Overview". Emulator Archive. Archived from the original on 2008-01-12.
- ^ Trask, Simon (Dec 1991). "Strange Changes". Music Technology. United Kingdom: Music Maker Publications (UK), Future Publishing. pp. 30–36. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
- ^ Robbie (Jun 2008). "DJ Vicious Lee (Def IV) -- The Unkut Interview".
- ^ Sorcinelli, Gino (2017-09-20). "Paul C. McKasty: the Legend, the Tragedy, the Story of an Era". Medium. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
- ^ "Exclusive: Prince Paul Breaks Down Gravediggaz "6 Feet Deep" Track-By-Track « HipHopSite.Com". 2017-09-02. Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
- ^ Fintoni, Laurent (15 September 2016). "15 samplers that shaped modern music – and the musicians who use them". FACT. VF Publishing. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
External links
- E-mu Systems SP-12 twelve bit sampling percussion system (PDF) (Brochure). E-mu Systems, Inc.