Simmons (electronic drum company)
Encyclopedia
Simmons was a pioneering British manufacturer of electronic drum
s that supplied electronic kits from 1980 to 1994. The drums' distinctive, electronic sound can be found on countless albums from the 1980s.
The SDS5 as shown on the right was developed in conjunction with Richard James Burgess
of Landscape
and the first recordings of the instrument were made by Burgess: From the Tea-rooms of Mars ....
, Chant No,1 by Spandau Ballet
, and Angel Face by Shock
. After Burgess and Spandau Ballet appeared on Top of the Pops with the instrument many other musicians began to use the new technology, such as Howard Jones
, Jez Strode
of Kajagoogoo
, John Keeble
of Spandau Ballet
, Darren Costin
of Wang Chung
, Rick Allen
of Def Leppard
, Thomas Dolby
, Phil Collins
, Neil Peart
, and Bill Bruford
and the album The Party's Over
of Talk Talk
Other notable acts employing the Simmons sound include Cameo
, Jonzun Crew
and Depeche Mode
.
and the Synare
, were introduced in the 1970s, but their unrealistic sound made them generally more suitable for use as a percussion effect than as a replacement for traditional drums. They became a popular element in disco records, especially after the release of music from Star Wars
, and can be heard on songs by The Jacksons
and Rose Royce
.
Around 1978 while working for the company Musicaid in St. Albans, Dave Simmons developed a device with similar capabilities to the Syndrum and Synare, which he called the SDS3. The SDS3 featured four drum channels and a noise generator; the SDS4 was a functionally similar two channel version. At this juncture the drum pads were round, with wooden frames and real 8-inch drum heads. Musicaid was also the distributor for the Lyricon wind synthesizer as played by John L. Walters
of Landscape
. Walters introduced Richard James Burgess
to Simmons and Burgess began using the SDS3s and SDS4s live, onstage, with his band Landscape. Recognizing the potential for a fully electronic drum set that could replace the traditional acoustic set rather than supplement it Burgess began collaborating with Dave Simmons. They mocked up the sounds and flowchart using an ARP 2600 synthesizer. Since Burgess was using the instrument in a live setting they developed the four customizable preset buttons. The distinctive hexagonal shape came about after triangles and bat-wing mock ups had been tried. Rusty Egan drummer and DJ with VISAGE was a close friend of Richard and often went to see Landscape play ... Richard introduced Rusty to the prototype and rusty em composed it in his work with Bill Nelson produced SKIDS 2nd Album Days in Europa recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales. The Single featuring the mixed electronic and real drums sounds Working for the Yankee Dollar was a shape of things to come in electronic percussion. Rusty played it on the UK tour and took it to Martin Rushant's Genetic Studios for the recording of Visage début single TAR B/W Frequency 7 . Burgess was driving up to St. Albans to work with Simmons on the prototype when it struck him that a honeycomb shape would fit together ergonomically and be simple yet distinctive in appearance. A limited edition of what Simmons referred to as the Mount Rushmore Head sets were also built. Burgess has two of these sets. The basic descending tom-tom sound was modeled after the way Burgess tuned his Pearl single headed concert tom kit on which he would loosen one tension rod causing a wrinkle in the head and creating a descending pitch after the tom was hit.
Burgess had recorded extensively with the prototype of the SDS5 on the Landscape album, with Shock and Spandau Ballet before the SDS-V (5), was introduced commercially in 1981. The world's first fully electronic drum set, the SDS-V featured the famous hexagonal pads and distinctive "dzzshhh" sound heard in countless songs by 80s bands, including Duran Duran
and Rush
. The standard configuration consisted of an expandable rack-mountable "brain," containing the various drum sounds, and pad modules for bass drum, snare, and three toms. Two spare slots were available so that cymbal or extra tom modules could be added; many drummers, however, chose to use acoustic cymbals rather than the Simmons sounds, which were often compared to that of a trash can lid. Connections to the unit were by XLR plugs, and it could be interfaced with a drum sequencer. Its sturdiness and high sound quality have helped to keep the SDS-V a sought-after device even today.
The SDS-V's biggest disadvantage was the solid polycarbonate
heads on the pads. Simmons chose this material for its durability, but the heads' lack of "give" often resulted in wrist pain for users. Soon after, Simmons began shipping pads with soft rubber surfaces. The SDS-V became an instant hit, with Simmons endorsing several drummers, and the distinctive pad shape becoming an icon of the 1980s.
In the USA, Simmons rapid success was due largely to the work of UK session drummer, Glyn Thomas. With the agreement of Dave Simmons, Group Centre Inc. became the sole distributors of all Simmons Electronics products in the USA. After visiting and demoing the SDS5 to music stores in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and Chicago, he secured orders from them all. Manufacturing was ramped up quickly in time for the NAMM Music Expo in Chicago and after staging a series of demos featuring Bill Bruford, dozens more music store owners from all over the country signed up to this electronic revolution, and that expansion quickly established the Simmons name in the rest of the USA.
at the time.
Also available at the same time was the SDS-6 drum sequencer, used to great effect by artists such as Howard Jones
.
Following the success of the SDS-V, Simmons expanded their range in 1983, replacing the V with another modular rack-based brain called the SDS-7, which featured digital sounds on EPROM for the first time, expandable up to twelve modules, and redesigned pads, featuring a skin of rubber to make playing a little easier. The unit used 8-bit samples and a programmable memory, but was prone to malfunctioning and loss of memory, making it unpopular in a live context.
They also produced the cheaper analogue-only SDS-8, which featured a single, non-expandable desktop-style brain. The SDS-8 kit was supplied with four tom pads and a bass pad, using similar hardware to the earlier SDS-V, but in a more budget style, such as using jack leads instead of XLR connectors. The sounds were similar to the SDS-V, but, to the discerning ear, not up to the same quality.
Also available at the time were a number of smaller devices, such as an EPROM "blower" to write samples onto the chips, a "Digital ClapTrap" unit, which, as its name suggested, was a digital clap sound device, a sound very popular in 1980s music.
Simmons began to expand their product line with smaller kits and pads, including the SDS-1, which was a single pad with a built-in EPROM reader for playing a single drum sound sample, and the SDS-200 (2 tom system), SDS-400 (4 tom system), and SDS-800 (bass, snare, and 2 tom system). These products were aimed at acoustic drummers who wanted to add a couple of Simmons pads to their kit on a budget. Some of these products also featured the "run generator", which allowed drummers to play a descending drum roll with a single pad hit.
Following customer feedback, Simmons produced a new series of drum pads in 1985, using "floating" drum heads and changeable shells. The snare drum had an extra trigger for the rim. Again, this improved the playability of the kit. The new brain was called the SDS-9, and was, in effect a non-expandable version of the SDS-7, using that unit's EPROM features, but only on three channels. This kit was yet another well received product for Simmons, as it combined realistic sounds in an inexpensive, compact brain.
Another brain was introduced in 1986 called the SDS-1000, and was, in effect, the same sounds as the SDS-9 (without the ability to change the EPROMS) in a slim 1U, MIDI-enabled, rack mountable unit. The snare sounds, however, were more realistic and clear than the SDS-9. The SDS-1000 also included a "second skin" feature, which emulated the sound of dual-headed drums.
drive as its method of storage. The SDX also introduced a new way of modifying sounds. Rather than knobs and switches, it featured a 9" monochrome screen with a GUI controlled by a trackball, similar to the early Mac OS
. SDX OS allowed users to fully modify sounds with an easy-to-use interface. Sales of the SDX were limited due to its high price, costing around $10,154. The factory sounds included with the SDX did not match the quality expected for a system of such advanced technology, so many drummers chose to sample their own sounds. Only about 280 kits were made, of which fewer remain.
and Yamaha
were creating less expensive kits with better sounds. The music scene of the early '90s was different from the late '80s, and the Simmons' sounds, often associated with pop, synth-driven tunes, couldn't find a serious market response in the simplified, more acoustic drumming trends of the grunge and rock styles of the time. During the 90's, Simmons shifted their focus from drum synthesis to drum triggering and MIDI control, with products like the ADT and Trixter (triggered electronic drums from acoustic drum mics), Drum Huggers (small clip-on acoustic drum triggers/pads), and the Silicon Mallet (a xylophone-style MIDI controller). One of Simmons' last products, the Turtle Trap, was a MIDI controller made from the shell of a bass drum pad with the pads being the surfaces of Minihexes (most likely an attempt to sell off excess inventory). However, all of these products were considered failures, and Simmons was quickly losing momentum. In 1994, the company officially closed.
acquired the rights to the Simmons trademark and began marketing low-end electronic drums under the Simmons name and original logo. These kits have no relationship to the original company. However, some of the kits' designs feature traces of the familiar hexagon shape, along with built-in samples of the classic Simmons sounds.
Electronic drum
An electronic drum is an electronic synthesizer which mimics an acoustic drum kit.The electronic drum usually consists of a set of pads mounted on a stand in a disposition similar to an acoustic drum kit. The pads are discs with a rubber or cloth-like coating. Each pad has a sensor which generates...
s that supplied electronic kits from 1980 to 1994. The drums' distinctive, electronic sound can be found on countless albums from the 1980s.
The SDS5 as shown on the right was developed in conjunction with Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess is a studio drummer, music-computer programmer, recording artist, record producer, composer, author, manager, marketer and inventor. He was the producer for Spandau Ballet's first two albums.-Education:...
of Landscape
Landscape (band)
Landscape is a British band, best known for the 1981 hits, "Einstein A Go-Go" and "Norman Bates". Formed in 1974, they toured constantly during the mid- to late-1970s, playing rock, punk and jazz venues and releasing two instrumental EPs on their own Event Horizon label...
and the first recordings of the instrument were made by Burgess: From the Tea-rooms of Mars ....
From the Tea-rooms of Mars ....
From the Tea-rooms of Mars .... is the second album from Landscape and was released in 1981. The album contains the band's only UK chart hits: "Einstein A Go-Go" which reached No. 5 in February 1981 and "Norman Bates" which reached No...
, Chant No,1 by Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
, and Angel Face by Shock
Shock (troupe)
Shock is a music/mime/dance/pop group that was notable in the early 1980s for supporting English pop groups such as Gary Numan, Adam and the Ants, Depeche Mode and Famous Names, led by Steve Fairnie....
. After Burgess and Spandau Ballet appeared on Top of the Pops with the instrument many other musicians began to use the new technology, such as Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
, Jez Strode
Jez Strode
Jeremy "Jez" Strode is best known as the drummer for the British pop band, Kajagoogoo.Strode began his musical career in a band called Art Nouveau, with future Kajagoogoo bandmates Nick Beggs, Steve Askew and Stuart Croxford Neale....
of Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo are a British pop band, best known for their hit single, "Too Shy", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 on the U.S...
, John Keeble
John Keeble
John Keeble is a British pop musician, who is the drummer with the 1980s band, Spandau Ballet.Spandau Ballet disbanded in 1990, after their final studio album, Heart Like a Sky, failed to live up to the critical and commercial success of their earlier albums, such as True and Parade.In 1999, John...
of Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
, Darren Costin
Darren Costin
Darren Costin is the former drummer for the band Wang Chung. Costin first appeared on the group's debut album, Huang Chung. When drumming, Costin used a Simmons electronic drums. Costin then left the band in 1985 after Wang Chung's summer tour, in order to pursue a solo career.Costin founded the...
of Wang Chung
Wang Chung (band)
Wang Chung are an English New Wave musical group.The group found their greatest success in America, with five Top 40 hits in the US, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days" , "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and "Let's Go!" .-Pre-history: The Intellektuals and 57 Men :Jeremy...
, Rick Allen
Rick Allen (drummer)
Richard John Cyril "Rick" Allen is the drummer for the English hard rock band Def Leppard. He is famous for overcoming the complete amputation of his left arm and continuing to play with the band, which subsequently went on to its greatest popular success worldwide...
of Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
, Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip 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....
, Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
, and Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
and the album The Party's Over
The Party's Over
-Personnel:*Lee Harris - drums*Mark Hollis - vocals*Mike Robinson - mixing*Paul Webb - bass guitar*Simon Brenner - keyboards*James Marsh - cover art-Charts:Album...
of Talk Talk
Talk Talk
Talk Talk were an English musical group, active from 1981 to 1991. The group had a string of international hit singles including "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World"....
Other notable acts employing the Simmons sound include Cameo
Cameo (band)
Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
, Jonzun Crew
Jonzun Crew
Jonzun Crew was an electro and early funk/hip hop group that was active in the 1980s. The group was led by Michael Jonzun, his brothers Maurice Starr and Soni Jonzun, and Carl ....
and Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
.
History
Single-pad analogue drum synthesizers, including the Pollard SyndrumPollard Syndrum
The Pollard Syndrum was one of the first electronic drums. It was invented by Joe Pollard, a drummer for the Beach Boys and Grass Roots . In 1976, he met Mark Barton, who had designed and built some working prototypes which were previewed to some prominent drummers...
and the Synare
Synare
The Synare was a series of electronic drums made by Star Instruments in the mid 1970s through the 1980s. The Synare was a drum synthesizer, meaning it was essentially a synthesizer, but instead of being controlled by a keyboard, it was triggered by hitting rubber pads which were pressure...
, were introduced in the 1970s, but their unrealistic sound made them generally more suitable for use as a percussion effect than as a replacement for traditional drums. They became a popular element in disco records, especially after the release of music from Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, and can be heard on songs by The Jacksons
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
and Rose Royce
Rose Royce
Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B band. The group is best known for several hit singles including "Car Wash," "I Wanna Get Next to You," "Wishing on a Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" and "I'm Going Down".-Career:...
.
Around 1978 while working for the company Musicaid in St. Albans, Dave Simmons developed a device with similar capabilities to the Syndrum and Synare, which he called the SDS3. The SDS3 featured four drum channels and a noise generator; the SDS4 was a functionally similar two channel version. At this juncture the drum pads were round, with wooden frames and real 8-inch drum heads. Musicaid was also the distributor for the Lyricon wind synthesizer as played by John L. Walters
John L. Walters
John L. Walters is a British editor, critic and composer. He was a founding member of the band Landscape, best known for the 1981 hit ‘Einstein A Go-Go’ which reached no. 5 in the UK charts...
of Landscape
Landscape (band)
Landscape is a British band, best known for the 1981 hits, "Einstein A Go-Go" and "Norman Bates". Formed in 1974, they toured constantly during the mid- to late-1970s, playing rock, punk and jazz venues and releasing two instrumental EPs on their own Event Horizon label...
. Walters introduced Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess is a studio drummer, music-computer programmer, recording artist, record producer, composer, author, manager, marketer and inventor. He was the producer for Spandau Ballet's first two albums.-Education:...
to Simmons and Burgess began using the SDS3s and SDS4s live, onstage, with his band Landscape. Recognizing the potential for a fully electronic drum set that could replace the traditional acoustic set rather than supplement it Burgess began collaborating with Dave Simmons. They mocked up the sounds and flowchart using an ARP 2600 synthesizer. Since Burgess was using the instrument in a live setting they developed the four customizable preset buttons. The distinctive hexagonal shape came about after triangles and bat-wing mock ups had been tried. Rusty Egan drummer and DJ with VISAGE was a close friend of Richard and often went to see Landscape play ... Richard introduced Rusty to the prototype and rusty em composed it in his work with Bill Nelson produced SKIDS 2nd Album Days in Europa recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales. The Single featuring the mixed electronic and real drums sounds Working for the Yankee Dollar was a shape of things to come in electronic percussion. Rusty played it on the UK tour and took it to Martin Rushant's Genetic Studios for the recording of Visage début single TAR B/W Frequency 7 . Burgess was driving up to St. Albans to work with Simmons on the prototype when it struck him that a honeycomb shape would fit together ergonomically and be simple yet distinctive in appearance. A limited edition of what Simmons referred to as the Mount Rushmore Head sets were also built. Burgess has two of these sets. The basic descending tom-tom sound was modeled after the way Burgess tuned his Pearl single headed concert tom kit on which he would loosen one tension rod causing a wrinkle in the head and creating a descending pitch after the tom was hit.
Burgess had recorded extensively with the prototype of the SDS5 on the Landscape album, with Shock and Spandau Ballet before the SDS-V (5), was introduced commercially in 1981. The world's first fully electronic drum set, the SDS-V featured the famous hexagonal pads and distinctive "dzzshhh" sound heard in countless songs by 80s bands, including Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
and Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
. The standard configuration consisted of an expandable rack-mountable "brain," containing the various drum sounds, and pad modules for bass drum, snare, and three toms. Two spare slots were available so that cymbal or extra tom modules could be added; many drummers, however, chose to use acoustic cymbals rather than the Simmons sounds, which were often compared to that of a trash can lid. Connections to the unit were by XLR plugs, and it could be interfaced with a drum sequencer. Its sturdiness and high sound quality have helped to keep the SDS-V a sought-after device even today.
The SDS-V's biggest disadvantage was the solid polycarbonate
Polycarbonate
PolycarbonatePhysical PropertiesDensity 1.20–1.22 g/cm3Abbe number 34.0Refractive index 1.584–1.586FlammabilityV0-V2Limiting oxygen index25–27%Water absorption – Equilibrium0.16–0.35%Water absorption – over 24 hours0.1%...
heads on the pads. Simmons chose this material for its durability, but the heads' lack of "give" often resulted in wrist pain for users. Soon after, Simmons began shipping pads with soft rubber surfaces. The SDS-V became an instant hit, with Simmons endorsing several drummers, and the distinctive pad shape becoming an icon of the 1980s.
In the USA, Simmons rapid success was due largely to the work of UK session drummer, Glyn Thomas. With the agreement of Dave Simmons, Group Centre Inc. became the sole distributors of all Simmons Electronics products in the USA. After visiting and demoing the SDS5 to music stores in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and Chicago, he secured orders from them all. Manufacturing was ramped up quickly in time for the NAMM Music Expo in Chicago and after staging a series of demos featuring Bill Bruford, dozens more music store owners from all over the country signed up to this electronic revolution, and that expansion quickly established the Simmons name in the rest of the USA.
More models
During the lifetime of the SDS-V, Simmons also produced a compact trigger unit, about the size of a briefcase, containing seven small pads. Used in conjunction with the SDS-V brain, this allowed players to add Simmons sounds to an existing acoustic kit without incorporating a set of full-size pads. This unit was used extensively by New OrderNew Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
at the time.
Also available at the same time was the SDS-6 drum sequencer, used to great effect by artists such as Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
.
Following the success of the SDS-V, Simmons expanded their range in 1983, replacing the V with another modular rack-based brain called the SDS-7, which featured digital sounds on EPROM for the first time, expandable up to twelve modules, and redesigned pads, featuring a skin of rubber to make playing a little easier. The unit used 8-bit samples and a programmable memory, but was prone to malfunctioning and loss of memory, making it unpopular in a live context.
They also produced the cheaper analogue-only SDS-8, which featured a single, non-expandable desktop-style brain. The SDS-8 kit was supplied with four tom pads and a bass pad, using similar hardware to the earlier SDS-V, but in a more budget style, such as using jack leads instead of XLR connectors. The sounds were similar to the SDS-V, but, to the discerning ear, not up to the same quality.
Also available at the time were a number of smaller devices, such as an EPROM "blower" to write samples onto the chips, a "Digital ClapTrap" unit, which, as its name suggested, was a digital clap sound device, a sound very popular in 1980s music.
Simmons began to expand their product line with smaller kits and pads, including the SDS-1, which was a single pad with a built-in EPROM reader for playing a single drum sound sample, and the SDS-200 (2 tom system), SDS-400 (4 tom system), and SDS-800 (bass, snare, and 2 tom system). These products were aimed at acoustic drummers who wanted to add a couple of Simmons pads to their kit on a budget. Some of these products also featured the "run generator", which allowed drummers to play a descending drum roll with a single pad hit.
Following customer feedback, Simmons produced a new series of drum pads in 1985, using "floating" drum heads and changeable shells. The snare drum had an extra trigger for the rim. Again, this improved the playability of the kit. The new brain was called the SDS-9, and was, in effect a non-expandable version of the SDS-7, using that unit's EPROM features, but only on three channels. This kit was yet another well received product for Simmons, as it combined realistic sounds in an inexpensive, compact brain.
Another brain was introduced in 1986 called the SDS-1000, and was, in effect, the same sounds as the SDS-9 (without the ability to change the EPROMS) in a slim 1U, MIDI-enabled, rack mountable unit. The snare sounds, however, were more realistic and clear than the SDS-9. The SDS-1000 also included a "second skin" feature, which emulated the sound of dual-headed drums.
The SDX
In 1987, after the SDS-9, Simmons decided to enter into the high-end professional market, and created the revolutionary but unsuccessful SDX. It introduced new features that were unheard of in other electronic drums, such as zone intelligence and pad layering. Some of these ideas were not revisited until nearly 15 years after the SDX. Zone Intelligence allowed for up to three samples to be assigned to different locations on a pad for a more realistic sound. With pad layering, different sounds could be triggered via different strike velocities. The SDX was the first Simmons kit since the SDS-7 to support cymbal sounds, with pads called "Symbals" which simulated the swaying motion of real cymbals with a swivel rod. The SDX also included a built-in sampler with a floppy diskFloppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
drive as its method of storage. The SDX also introduced a new way of modifying sounds. Rather than knobs and switches, it featured a 9" monochrome screen with a GUI controlled by a trackball, similar to the early Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
. SDX OS allowed users to fully modify sounds with an easy-to-use interface. Sales of the SDX were limited due to its high price, costing around $10,154. The factory sounds included with the SDX did not match the quality expected for a system of such advanced technology, so many drummers chose to sample their own sounds. Only about 280 kits were made, of which fewer remain.
The Demise of Simmons
By the time of the launch of the SDX, the company had seen a dramatic fall in their sales as drummers abandoned electronics to return to their acoustic kits. Additionally, due to expensive R&D and manufacturing costs of the SDX, Simmons was losing money. Their final kit was released in 1990, called the SDS-2000, featuring sounds from the SDX library, digital effects, further refined pads, and a new last-ditch company logo. Along with the SDS-2000, Simmons manufactured pads with real drumheads called "Hexaheads", along with "Minihexes", smaller-sized pads sometimes used as cymbal pads. This system failed to catch on, as competitors such as RolandRoland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
and Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
were creating less expensive kits with better sounds. The music scene of the early '90s was different from the late '80s, and the Simmons' sounds, often associated with pop, synth-driven tunes, couldn't find a serious market response in the simplified, more acoustic drumming trends of the grunge and rock styles of the time. During the 90's, Simmons shifted their focus from drum synthesis to drum triggering and MIDI control, with products like the ADT and Trixter (triggered electronic drums from acoustic drum mics), Drum Huggers (small clip-on acoustic drum triggers/pads), and the Silicon Mallet (a xylophone-style MIDI controller). One of Simmons' last products, the Turtle Trap, was a MIDI controller made from the shell of a bass drum pad with the pads being the surfaces of Minihexes (most likely an attempt to sell off excess inventory). However, all of these products were considered failures, and Simmons was quickly losing momentum. In 1994, the company officially closed.
The New Simmons
In 2005, Guitar CenterGuitar Center
Guitar Center is the largest chain of musical instrument retailers in the world with 223 locations throughout the United States. Its headquarters is in Westlake Village, California....
acquired the rights to the Simmons trademark and began marketing low-end electronic drums under the Simmons name and original logo. These kits have no relationship to the original company. However, some of the kits' designs feature traces of the familiar hexagon shape, along with built-in samples of the classic Simmons sounds.
Notable Users
- Richard James BurgessRichard James BurgessRichard James Burgess is a studio drummer, music-computer programmer, recording artist, record producer, composer, author, manager, marketer and inventor. He was the producer for Spandau Ballet's first two albums.-Education:...
of LandscapeLandscape (band)Landscape is a British band, best known for the 1981 hits, "Einstein A Go-Go" and "Norman Bates". Formed in 1974, they toured constantly during the mid- to late-1970s, playing rock, punk and jazz venues and releasing two instrumental EPs on their own Event Horizon label... - Rusty Egan Visage / Skids/ Phill Lynott /Rich Kids ]]
- John KeebleJohn KeebleJohn Keeble is a British pop musician, who is the drummer with the 1980s band, Spandau Ballet.Spandau Ballet disbanded in 1990, after their final studio album, Heart Like a Sky, failed to live up to the critical and commercial success of their earlier albums, such as True and Parade.In 1999, John...
of Spandau BalletSpandau BalletSpandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles... - Alex Van HalenAlex Van HalenAlexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Originally, his brother Eddie had taken lessons for drums, while Alex practiced guitar...
of Van HalenVan HalenVan Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart... - Neil PeartNeil PeartNeil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
of RushRush (band)Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
from 1983-89 - Nick MasonNick MasonNicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...
with Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially... - Gary WallisGary WallisGary Wallis is a drummer/percussionist trained at the London Symphony School of Music. He is known for having a massive percussion kit featuring many electronic drums and percussion. He is best known as the secondary percussionist for Pink Floyd in the post-Waters era for live performances...
with Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
had a massive rig of Simmons - Jeff PhillipsJeff PhillipsJeff Phillips is an Australian TV show host/personality and pop singer of the 1960s to the early 1990s.Originally from Perth, Western Australia, he first came to public attention when he took over as compere of Perth TV show, Club 17 in 1966...
with Howard JonesHoward Jones (musician)Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
and Chris de BurghChris de BurghChris de Burgh is a British/Irish singer-songwriter. He is most famous for his 1986 love song "The Lady in Red".-Early life:... - Peter van HookePeter Van HookePeter Van Hooke was drummer in the English band Mike + The Mechanics as well as having drummed for Cliff Richard, Van Morrison's band, Headstone, and Ezio. During the 1980s he successfully co-produced many of Tanita Tikaram's hits.Van Hooke grew up in Stanmore, Middlesex and attended Mill Hill...
of Mike + The Mechanics - Terry WilliamsTerry Williams (drummer)Terrence "Terry" Williams is a Welsh rock drummer, whose resume includes work for Dire Straits, B. B. King, and Bob Dylan....
with Dire StraitsDire StraitsDire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest... - Bobby Rivkin with PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
- Danny CareyDanny CareyDaniel Edwin "Danny" Carey is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool...
with ToolTool (band)Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour... - Jon KingJon King (musician)Jon King, born 8 June 1955, London, is a singer, musician and founding member of the Leeds based UK rock band Gang of Four. He attended Sevenoaks School, where he was a member of the 'Art Room' that produced musicians Tom Greenhalgh and Mark White of The Mekons, along with Andy Gill of Gang of...
of Gang of FourGang of Four (band)Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill... - Bryn Burrows of FreurFreurFreur was a band featuring Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, who went on to found the successful electronic act Underworld. It was their second band, following their art school collaboration, The Screen Gemz.-History:...
- Herwig MittereggerHerwig MittereggerHerwig Rudolf Mitteregger is an Austrian musician. He became known with the Nina Hagen Band. He lives in Hamburg, Germany. He was also a member of German rock band Spliff. After two albums with Nina Hagen, he founded with his mates from the Nina Hagen Band Herwig Rudolf Mitteregger is an Austrian...
of SpliffSpliff (band)Spliff was a Neue Deutsche Welle rock band, active in the 1980s. The members were already playing together before they were 'adopted' by Nina Hagen when she came to West Germany in 1977. They recorded two albums with her as the Nina Hagen Band before continuing under the name Spliff when Hagen... - Ali Score of A Flock of SeagullsA Flock of SeagullsA Flock of Seagulls are an English New Wave band originally formed by brothers Michael "Mike" Score and Alister "Ali" James Score , with Frank Maudsley , Michael Kuby , H.J...
- Danny Simcic of Real LifeReal Life (band)Real Life are a Melbourne-based Australian New Wave/Synthpop band that had hits with their debut single, "Send Me an Angel" and with "Catch Me I'm Falling" , both of which were featured on the band's debut album Heartland .-Biography:...
- Darren CostinDarren CostinDarren Costin is the former drummer for the band Wang Chung. Costin first appeared on the group's debut album, Huang Chung. When drumming, Costin used a Simmons electronic drums. Costin then left the band in 1985 after Wang Chung's summer tour, in order to pursue a solo career.Costin founded the...
of Wang ChungWang Chung (band)Wang Chung are an English New Wave musical group.The group found their greatest success in America, with five Top 40 hits in the US, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days" , "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and "Let's Go!" .-Pre-history: The Intellektuals and 57 Men :Jeremy... - Josh FreeseJosh FreeseJosh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
was endorsed by Simmons at the age of 12 - Lee HarrisLee Harris (musician)Lee David Harris is an English drummer and musician. Harris attended secondary school with Paul Webb, and the two became good friends. They played in the reggae band Eskalator before being recruited to form Talk Talk in 1981. Harris played drums for Talk Talk until 1991. In the early 1990s he and...
of Talk TalkTalk TalkTalk Talk were an English musical group, active from 1981 to 1991. The group had a string of international hit singles including "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World".... - Steve NegusSteve NegusSteve Negus is a Canadian drummer and songwriter who was a member of the progressive rock band Saga for twenty-six years.-Biography:While playing at Larry's Hideaway, a club in Toronto, Steve Negus' drumming came to the attention of the Canadian rock band, Fludd. The band was searching for a new...
of SagaSaga (band)Saga is a progressive rock quintet, formed in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton is the band's guitarist; apart from his work with Saga, he has recorded several solo albums as well as sessions... - Alan WilderAlan WilderAlan Charles Wilder is a British musician, formerly of Depeche Mode. His current musical project is called Recoil, started as a side project to Depeche Mode. When he left the latter in 1995, it became Wilder's primary project...
of Depeche ModeDepeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke... - Bill BrufordBill BrufordWilliam Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
of YesYes (band)Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and King CrimsonKing CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
(one of the first and last users of Simmons, used them from 1981-1998) - Mike LeeMichael Lee (musician)Michael Lee was an English drummer who toured and recorded with former Led Zeppelin musicians Robert Plant and Jimmy Page....
of SKYY band and Grover Washington, Jr.Grover Washington, Jr.Grover Washington, Jr. was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with George Benson, John Klemmer, David Sanborn, Bob James, Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre.He wrote some of his material and... - John FellJohn Fell (drummer)-History:Born in New York City in 1961 to academic parents, John Fell came into prominence in the early 1980s playing with rock/reggae/Latin band from Miami named Watchdog. The band had a large following in south Florida fronted by Alonso Brito, then known as Dennis Britt and opened and headlined...
of Alonso BritoAlonso BritoAlonso Brito is a Latin, alternative, salsa singer, songwriter born in Havana, Cuba. The Los Angeles Times has compared him to “part Mick Jagger, part Caetano Veloso, and part Desi Arnaz on acid” and as a face for Los Angeles salsa music...
and Heroine SheiksHeroine SheiksThe Heroine Sheiks were originally a New York-based Noise Rock band until early 2006, when the band called it quits. In 2008 the band was reformed in Minneapolis, and then only lasting another year. It began in 1999 as a collaboration of Shannon Selberg, George Porfiris, Norman Westberg and John Fell... - Chris Vrenna with Nine Inch NailsNine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
- Josh FreeseJosh FreeseJosh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
with Nine Inch NailsNine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction... - Roger TaylorRoger Meddows-TaylorRoger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
of QueenQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor... - Roger Taylor (not to be confused with the above drummer of the same name) of Duran DuranDuran DuranDuran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
- 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....
of GenesisGenesis (band)Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years... - Chester ThompsonChester ThompsonChester Cortez Thompson is an American drummer and session musician.-Biography:Thompson made his name as a session drummer, going on to play in Frank Zappa's touring band and with Weather Report...
, drummer for Phil Collins and Genesis - Peter HookPeter HookPeter Hook is an English bass player, musician and author.He was a co-founder of the post-punk band Joy Division along with Bernard Sumner in the mid-1970s. Following the death of lead singer Ian Curtis, the band reformed as New Order, and Hook played bass with them throughout their career until...
of New OrderNew OrderNew Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
played a Simmons Briefcase which can be seen on the video for "The Perfect Kiss" - Warren CannWarren CannWarren Reginald Cann is a drummer and drum machine programmer, best known as a member of the British New Wave band Ultravox.-Early life:...
of UltravoxUltravoxUltravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements.... - Jon MossJon MossJon Moss is an English drummer best known as a member of the 1980s pop group Culture Club. He has also played with other bands, including London, The Nips and The Damned.-Early life:...
of Culture ClubCulture ClubCulture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss... - Colin Schofield of The TouchThe TouchThe Touch is a 1971 film directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring Max von Sydow, Bibi Andersson, Elliot Gould, and Sheila Reid.-Plot:...
and Koby Drums - Chris KavanaghChris KavanaghChris Kavanagh is an English drummer, best known for playing in Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Big Audio Dynamite II....
and Ray MayhewRay MayhewRay Mayhew in Southampton is an English drummer and singer/songwriter, best known for being a member of the group Sigue Sigue Sputnik.He left Sigue Sigue Sputnik around 1990 and formed the group Mayhem Deranged....
of Sigue Sigue SputnikSigue Sigue SputnikSigue Sigue Sputnik were a British new wave band created in 1982 by the former Generation X bassist Tony James. The band had three UK Top 40 hit singles, including the song "Love Missile F1-11".-Early years:... - David RobinsonDavid Robinson (musician)David Robinson is an American rock drummer. He has performed with many rock bands including The Modern Lovers, DMZ and The Cars.He attended Woburn Memorial High School....
of The CarsThe CarsThe Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson... - Mercury Caronia of IndustryIndustry (band)Industry was a New Wave band formed in 1978 in New York. On establishment, they were known as Industrial Complex, with their name later changing to Industry. In 1981 the band became commercial but disbanded three years later...
- Simmons made a special kit for Def LeppardDef LeppardDef Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
drummer Rick AllenRick Allen (drummer)Richard John Cyril "Rick" Allen is the drummer for the English hard rock band Def Leppard. He is famous for overcoming the complete amputation of his left arm and continuing to play with the band, which subsequently went on to its greatest popular success worldwide...
following Allen's loss of his left arm in a car accident. Allen and Simmons spent over a year developing a kit that used foot pedals to compensate for the missing arm.