E-mu Systems Inc. "Drumulator Systems Options" ad, Keyboard 1983

E-mu Systems Inc. "Drumulator Systems Options" 1-page advertisement from page 57 in Keyboard Magazine November 1983.

This ad brings me back to a simpler time. A time back in the 80s when I used an Apple IIe and Passport's Master Tracks. Even on stage! Just look at that joystick too. That, unfortunately, didn't work with Master Tracks. Quick aside: Check out Passport's Wikipedia page to see it's connection with Electronic Music Labs and Star Instruments!

The ad itself has a clear purpose - to let readers know that their drum machine would not become obsolete and that E-mu was giving readers three more great reasons to buy a Drumulator - a pad programmer, software that runs on an Apple II and Apple IIe, and the ability to add custom new sounds. Nice.

As was the case with all E-mu ads, the layout and design is top-notch from top to bottom. And, as was done with the introductory ad, the drum sticks are used to make another eye-catching pattern - this time found the background at the top of the ad.

The ad-copy is also well done. Although, as an Apple fan boy of the 80s, I'm a little sad that E-mu doesn't actually mention what computer the software runs on in the text. There is a clearly labeled Apple II computer in the photo, so I guess its not that big a deal. Especially when you have such limited room.

This advertisement began it's first short three month run only one month after the introductory Drumulator ad last ran, appearing from November 1983 to January 1984. Then, after four months of silence, it suddenly appeared again for the June and July issues.

Why the sudden re-appearance after a four month dry period? E-mu had partnered with Digidrums to provide alternate sound chips. In fact, E-mu wanted to make sure that Digidrums got its fair share of publicity, so they cut down some of the original ad-copy to make room for Digidrums mention in the June/July version of the ad.

The ad-copy that was removed was in the "Pad Programmer" section:

"Each of the Programmer's pads can be assigned to any Drumulator sound and each is touch sensitive, allowing you to choose the normal or accented version of a sound by how hard you hit its pad. Programming complex dynamics was never easier."

Andthe new Digidrum ad-copy was added under the "New Sounds" section:

"And, thanks to Digidrums alternate sound chip sets, your Drumulator can now take on completely new identities, from electronic drums and heavy metal rock drums to a Latin percussion set complete with congas, timbales, agogo bells and tambourine."

Some readers may have already been aware of the Digidrums partnership before reading about them in the June/July ad. That's because the Digidrum news was part of a rather long Drumulator Systems Options announcement that appeared in the April 1984 Spec Sheet section of Keyboard. It's so long that I've separated it out a bit:

"E-mu Drumulator Updates. The Drumulator Pad Programmer allows the Drumulator digital drum machine to be played and programmed with drumsticks on four dynamically responsive pads, simplifying the process of creating rhythms with natural-sounding accents and allowing the user to improvise rhythms using sticks. Sensitivity and accent level controls allow the response of each pad to be individually tailored to the user's playing style. In addition, the unit includes four trigger outputs for controlling synthesizers, sequencers, or other drum machines. The Drumulator Graphic Rhythm Composer (GRC) is a software system for the Apple II or IIe computer that allows non-real-time programming of measures and songs with total dynamic control on a note-by-note basis.

The GRC is composed of four linked program modules. With the measure writer module, a cursor is moved around a graphic representation of a measure of music, placing notes o the desired beats and setting their volume levels. Segment writer and song writer modules are used to link measures into complete songs. The song player module is then used to actually play the song on the Drumulator.

A selection of alternate sounds is also available for the Drumulator. A user-installable chip containing a crash cymbal is available as a replacement for the standard ride cymbal. Additionally, Digidrums (100 S. Ellsworth, 9th Floor, San Mateo, CA 94401) is offering E-mu-authorized alternate sound sets for the Drumulator. Current offerings include two different electronic drum sets, a Latin percussion set, an African percussion set, and a heavy metal rock drum set. Each set includes from 8 to 12 new sounds and completely replaces the standard Drumulator sounds. A demo tape is available from E-mu dealers or directly from Digidrums. E-mu, 2815 Chanticleer, Santa Cruz, CA 95062."

And Digidrums wasn't the only one providing more value to Drumulator users. Another Spec Sheet promo appeared in the February 1985 issue of Keyboard from SD Simpson:

"Drumulator Memory Expansion Mod. The x5 by SD Simpson is a memory expansion modification for the E-mu Drumulator. It is designed for in-board installation and has been tested and approved by E-mu as a system upgrade. The circuit board gives you five separate storage banks, each equal in capacity to the Drumulator's stock capacity. The banks are accessed with a single rotary switch. All operating procedures remain the same as before. The mod can be installed by the user. Price is $275.00. SD Simpson, 11907 Brookmont, Maryland Heights, MO 63043."

I can't believe I'm saying this, but... gotta love digital technology. Easy to upgrade! :D

E-mu Systems Inc. Introductory Drumulator ad, Keyboard 1983

E-mu Systems Inc. introductory Drumulator 1-page advertisement from page 37 in Keyboard Magazine February 1983.

Okay. Call me a geek. But whenever I look at this ad, my eyes always directly travel to the background. The graph paper design honestly brings me back to the days of playing Dungeons and Dragons late at night, with large sheets of graph paper laid out on a big table. Oh, and my Drumulator would be sitting in the corner on another table. Ignored. No... seriously.

This advertisement first appeared in Keyboard magazine in February 1983 to introduce users to a spectacular new drum machine that could be had for under a grand. It continued to run most of the year, finishing off in October, with breaks in April, May and September. A pretty good run for an intro ad.

The ad itself is really well laid out in my opinion. It includes great eye-catching design, especially with that photo of the Drumulator and drumstick pattern. And details like the shadow and graph paper design beneath the Drumulator help pull it off the page and toward the reader. No 3D glasses required.

The title text and ad-copy hit the nail on the head by first focusing on it's "amazing new feature" - Affordability. And the rest of the ad-copy is professional, with just the right amount of text for a product introduction.

I'll lay-off of the whole E-mu bauhaus-font-based logo stuff for now. I get kinda school-girl giggly whenever I start writing about it. But - fair warning - there is at least one more Drumulator post to come in the future. Psst - if you want, you can get a little giggly with me in this blog post.

Interestingly, a Spec Sheet announcement never appeared in Keyboard. But that might be because the magazine published a 2-page review of the Drumulator in their Keyboard Report's section in June 1983. The review, written by Jim Aikin, starts off with the obvious cost comparisons that were being made to other digital drum machines with "real drum sounds" at the time.

"The first programmable drum machine that had real drum sounds (the LM-1 from Linn Electronics) cost almost $5,000. A year or so later this was followed by the Linndrum from Linn and the DMX from Oberheim, both of which checked in under $3,000. And now E-mu Systems is offering the Drumulator, list-priced at a mouth-watering $995.00."

Jim does caution readers that E-mu had to "cut a few corners to get the price so low", although he adds that it did include two features not found on any other drum machine - programmable tempo and programmable accent levels.

He concludes with something I think everyone has experienced when they come across a piece of kit in a music store (or on eBay) with a price that seems too good to be true:

"If you have a suspicious nature, you might expect that a drum machine this affordable would be a bit on the cheesy side. But you'd be wrong... All in all, we were very impressed by the Drumulator, and we imagine a lot of other musicians will be too."

In fact, according to the September 2002 Sound on Sound article "30 Years of E-mu", musicians were so impressed with the Drumulator that "it sold by the bucket-load, achieving nearly 10,000 sales over two years".

Okay - I kind of lied earlier. No, not about playing Dungeons and Dragons (and for the record I was the best half-elf cleric around). I lied about the Spec Sheet promo.

Kind of.

Although nothing seems to have appeared in the Spec Sheet section of Keyboard, the August 1983 issue (Thomas Dolby on the cover!) did feature a Drumulator in the Keyboard Monthly Giveaway. And the paragraph describing the instrument was laid out in a column roughly the width of a Spec Sheet write up and curiously read suspiciously like a Spec Sheet write up. Hmmmmm:

"The E-mu Drumulator is a programmable drum machine that contains the digitally recorded sounds of real drums. The recorded sounds include bass drum, snare drum, sidestick snare, three tom-toms, claves, cowbell, handclaps, ride cymbal, and open and closed hi-hat. Thirty-six rhythm segments in any time signature can be programmed, and these can be linked into eight different song chains of up to 99 segments each. Tempo and accent levels are programmable for each song. In addition to a cassette interface for off-loading the information in memory, the Drumulator has an RS-232 computer interface for external control and programming. List price is $995.00."

One comment before I finish. As you might expect, I have bucket-loads of Contemporary Keyboard, Keyboard, Electronic Musician, International Musician, Synapse, Polyphony, and many other music mags. And one thing that always surprises me is the number of contest forms that are NOT FILLED OUT. I'd say maybe one in a hundred. Prolly less than that. What were all of you thinking?!?!

Seriously. When I was young, I ruined many a music mag by cutting out, filling in, and mailing off contest forms.

Yah, even those that said they were for US readers only - which was most of them. I figured if I ever won, they would call and my cute little excited kid-voice would convince them to send whatever I won to me.

And nope. Never won.