EMU Drumulator

Description : Programmable drummachine using sampled drumsounds
Production period : 1980´s
Sounds : 8 Rom samples.
Numbers made : ?
Used by : Howard Jones, Hardfloor.

Description : This is one of the least used pieces of equipment because I feel that it sounds really really dated. The only sound that I like is the cowbell otherwise I think it has more of a novelty value for me. If I want something to sound all 80´s cassette porta studio I hook up the Drumulator to the Midiverb and just go go go ! It is also a matter of the sounds almost sounding o.k which is in my opinion a lot worse than let´s say the cretone timetapper which sounds nothing like a real drum but like a Ms-10 with really bad batteries.

I bought mine from Fredrik Andersson, engineer at the EMI-studios in Stockholm and he told me that his brother and him discussed what kind of a drummachine the wanted to get and they chose between a roland 808 and the drumulator and went with the drumulator because it had sampled sounds. Hmm…

The last time I used it was this summer ( 2003 ) for handclaps on the latest Clockwork recording " Lovers Lie " where we were looking for a kind of 80´s Duran Duran-y feel. Guess what…the Drumulator fitted in perfectly. Prior to that I used it for a Geller B-side about two years ago…I think I have made clicktracks with it as well…

If you own a Drumulator and you´re interested in getting the maual you can download it here : http://www.emulatorarchive.com/Manuals/ManualsDrums/manualsdrums.html