Oberheim DMX
Encyclopedia
The DMX is a programmable digital
drum machine
introduced in 1981 by Oberheim Electronics.
The Oberheim DMX was the second digital drum computer ever to be sold to the public as a product, following the Linn LM-1
in 1980. Its popularity among musicians of the era contributed to the sound and evolution of 1980's New Wave
, synthpop
and hip hop
music.
, featured sampled sounds of real drums, as well as individual tuning control and a swing function. In addition, it boasted several humanizing elements such as rolls, flams, and timing variations that were meant to mimic those of real drummers.
The DMX featured 24 individual drum sounds and allowed eight sound polyphony (up to eight sounds could be played at once). It also featured eight separate outputs for individual processing, and allowed up to 100 sequences and 50 songs. One of the more unique features of the DMX is that it allowed integration with Oberheim's proprietary interfacing system (the Oberheim Parallel Buss) that pre-dated MIDI and allowed Oberheim equipment to be synchronized with the machine. Third party companies also manufactured MIDI interfaces for the DX..
The sounds samples were stored on easily removable voice cards in in UV eraseable EPROM
2732/2764 chips. These could be reprogrammed by the user of the device with raw PCM
encoded sound files.
The DMX's punchy and very realistic drum sound made it attractive towards many artists and producers involved in the fledging hip-hop scene and it is featured on many of the genre's early landmark recordings. It is in continuous use in dancehall reggae music.
Like the DMX, the DX was popular among early hip-hop artists.
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
introduced in 1981 by Oberheim Electronics.
The Oberheim DMX was the second digital drum computer ever to be sold to the public as a product, following the Linn LM-1
Linn LM-1
The LM-1 Drum Computer, manufactured by Linn Electronics Inc., was the first drum machine to use digital samples of acoustic drums. Conceived and designed by Roger Linn, it was also one of the first programmable drum machines...
in 1980. Its popularity among musicians of the era contributed to the sound and evolution of 1980's New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
music.
Background
Following the success of the LM-1, other manufacturers were quick to jump into the drum computer market. The DMX, like the Linn LM-1Linn LM-1
The LM-1 Drum Computer, manufactured by Linn Electronics Inc., was the first drum machine to use digital samples of acoustic drums. Conceived and designed by Roger Linn, it was also one of the first programmable drum machines...
, featured sampled sounds of real drums, as well as individual tuning control and a swing function. In addition, it boasted several humanizing elements such as rolls, flams, and timing variations that were meant to mimic those of real drummers.
The DMX featured 24 individual drum sounds and allowed eight sound polyphony (up to eight sounds could be played at once). It also featured eight separate outputs for individual processing, and allowed up to 100 sequences and 50 songs. One of the more unique features of the DMX is that it allowed integration with Oberheim's proprietary interfacing system (the Oberheim Parallel Buss) that pre-dated MIDI and allowed Oberheim equipment to be synchronized with the machine. Third party companies also manufactured MIDI interfaces for the DX..
The sounds samples were stored on easily removable voice cards in in UV eraseable EPROM
EPROM
An EPROM , or erasable programmable read only memory, is a type of memory chip that retains its data when its power supply is switched off. In other words, it is non-volatile. It is an array of floating-gate transistors individually programmed by an electronic device that supplies higher voltages...
2732/2764 chips. These could be reprogrammed by the user of the device with raw PCM
Pulse-code modulation
Pulse-code modulation is a method used to digitally represent sampled analog signals. It is the standard form for digital audio in computers and various Blu-ray, Compact Disc and DVD formats, as well as other uses such as digital telephone systems...
encoded sound files.
The DMX's punchy and very realistic drum sound made it attractive towards many artists and producers involved in the fledging hip-hop scene and it is featured on many of the genre's early landmark recordings. It is in continuous use in dancehall reggae music.
Notable artists and songs that feature an Oberheim DMX
- New OrderNew OrderNew Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
- "Blue MondayBlue Monday (New Order song)"Blue Monday" is a single released in 1983 by British band New Order, and later remixed in 1988 and 1995. The song has been widely remixed and covered since its original release, and became a popular anthem in the dance club scene.-Background:...
" (1982) - Herbie HancockHerbie HancockHerbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
and Bill LaswellBill LaswellBill Laswell is an American bassist, producer and record label owner....
- "RockitRockit"Rockit" is a song recorded by Herbie Hancock. It was released as a single from his 1983 album Future Shock. The song was written by Hancock, bass guitarist Bill Laswell, and synthesizer/drum machine programmer Michael Beinhorn.-History:...
" (1983) - The PoliceThe PoliceThe Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
- "Every Breath You Take" (kick drum only; Stewart CopelandStewart CopelandStewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
overdubbed snare, toms and cymbals - The CureThe CureThe Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
- "The Walk" - Davy DMXDavy DMXDavy DMX is the stage name of David Reeves, a figure in hip-hop music. His career began in his hometown of Queens, New York as a DJ in the late 1970s. He is mostly known for his popular single "One for the Treble" released in 1984...
- "One for the treble" - MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
- "Holiday", "Into The Groove", "Lucky Star" (clap) - Kim CarnesKim CarnesKim Carnes is an American singer-songwriter. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner noted for her distinctive raspy vocal style. Some people have called her "The Female Rod Stewart" due to her raspy voice....
- "Voyeur" - Ryan ParisRyan ParisRyan Paris is an artist who gained international popularity in 1983 for the worldwide hit single, "Dolce Vita". It was written and produced by Pierluigi Giombini...
- "Dolce Vita" - Run-D.M.C.Run-D.M.C.Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
- "Sucker MC's" - Midnight StarMidnight StarMidnight Star is an R&B and electro-funk group that had a string of R&B hits in the 1980s.-Band history:The group was formed in 1976 at Kentucky State University by trumpeter Reggie Calloway, vocalist Belinda Lipscomb, guitarist/vocalist Melvin Gentry, bassist Kenneth Gant, multi-instrumentalist...
- "Midas Touch" and others - Mike OldfieldMike OldfieldMichael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
- AmericaAmerica (band)America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
- "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby" - GazeboGazeboA gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest...
- "Lunatic"\ - Stevie NicksStevie NicksStephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
- "Stand Back" (with live drums added) - Roni Size Roni SizeRoni Size is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent, a drum and bass collective...
- Thompson TwinsThompson TwinsThe Thompson Twins were a British pop group that were formed in April 1977 and disbanded in May 1993. They achieved considerable popularity in the mid 1980s, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States and around the globe. The band was named after the two bumbling detectives...
- David "Hawk" Wollinski
- Phillipe Saisse
- David Frank of the SystemThe System (band)The System was an American synth pop duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Mic Murphy and seasoned session keyboardist David Frank. The band was founded in 1982 in New York and backed up by Paul Pesco on electric guitar and Kris Khellow - keyboards, synthesizers.Sometimes the group is referred to...
- Alexander O'NealAlexander O'NealAlexander O'Neal is an American R&B singer. He is best-known for the songs "If You Were Here Tonight" and "Fake", and the duets with Cherrelle, "Saturday Love" and "Never Knew Love Like This".-Biography:...
- "Innocent" (as well as his entire debut album) - EurythmicsEurythmicsEurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
- "Right by your side", "I Could Give You (A Mirror)", "Wrap It Up", "Somebody Told Me", "Regrets", "Julia", "I Love You Like A Ball And Chain" - Slick RickSlick RickRichard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
- Entire first LP - HiroshimaHiroshima (band)Hiroshima is an American jazz fusion/smooth jazz band formed in 1974 by Sansei Japanese American Dan Kuramoto , Peter Hata , June Kuramoto , Johnny Mori , Dave Iwataki and Danny Yamamoto...
- "One Wish" - Lee Malley - The Alien Undead
- Steely & ClevieSteely & ClevieSteely & Clevie, aka Wycliffe Johnson and Cleveland Browne, was a Jamaican dancehall reggae production duo. It worked with artists such as the Specials, Gregory Peck , Bounty Killer, Elephant Man and No Doubt....
- Eddie MurphyEddie MurphyEdward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
- "Party All the Time" - Mary Jane GirlsMary Jane GirlsThe Mary Jane Girls were an American R&B, soul, funk and disco group in the 1980s. They were protégées of singer Rick James. They are known for their hit songs "All Night Long", "Candyman" and "In My House".-Formation:...
- "All Night Long" - The Sisters of MercyThe Sisters of MercyThe Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output in protest against their record company...
- First and Last and AlwaysFirst and Last and AlwaysFirst and Last and Always is the debut album by the British gothic rock band The Sisters of Mercy, which was released in 1985 and proved to be style-shaping in the musical category of gothic rock.- Background :... - Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
- Who Said I WouldWho Said I Would"Who Said I Would" is a song performed by Phil Collins that was originally recorded for his 1985 album No Jacket Required. A new live version was released in 1991 as a single from his live album Serious Hits... Live! in the United States.-History:... - Ivan LinsIvan LinsIvan Guimarães Lins is a Latin Grammy winning Brazilian musician. He has been an active performer and songwriter of Brazilian popular music and jazz for over 30 years. His first hit, Madalena, was recorded by Elis Regina in 1970. Beyond his own performance of his compositions, Simone is his most...
- Juntos
Oberheim DX
Introduced in 1983, the Oberheim DX was a slightly stripped down version of the DMX, available at a lower cost. The look and feel of the machine is similar to that of the DMX, but it only featured 18 sounds instead of 24, allowed for 6-sound polyphony instead of 8, has a 4-digit 7 segment display instead of a 16 character alphanumeric display and has fake plastic wood instead of walnut. Additionally, the voices are stored on EPROMs directly on the circuit board, instead of removable voice cards. The DXa model added MIDI support from the factory.Like the DMX, the DX was popular among early hip-hop artists.
External links
- http://www.vintagesynth.com/oberheim/dmx.shtml
- http://www.vintagesynth.com/oberheim/dx.shtml
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GflqqvEZ9Ag Demonstration of classic DMX hip hop beats, programmed by Harlem Nights Music
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8P1a-795NI Demonstration of classic DMX disco beats, programmed by Harlem Nights Music
- http://www.electrongate.com/dmxfiles/index.html Technical information
- http://www.electrongate.com/dmxfiles/eproms.html Samples