Oberheim Dx

Short Description : Programmable drummachine using eproms for it´s sound source.

Production period : 1982

Numbers made : ?

Used by : Apollo 440, Prince, Public Enemy, Daft Punk, and Jimi Tenor.

Description : This was the one drummachine that started me of on my drummachine journey so if I am overly positive please bear with me. It has 18 pads ( 18 sounds ) with individual outputs for every group of three sounds and tuning knobs on the back and a volume slider for the six groups of three sounds ( see picture ). It is extremely easy to programme and to use which has been crucial to me over the years. If I want a guide rythmic track, the Dx allows to get that up and running within minutes. The original sounds are very recognizable as it has been used in countless Hip hop productions in the early 80´s. It was the first programmable drummachine using samples for under 1000 US dollars when it arrived on the scene. This made it an instant success.

The first time I used this drummachine was on Watergarden ( the title track ) with Pineforest where I blended for the first time acoustic and programmed drumlines. What you can hear is a programmed Hihat line where I am altering the pitch using the knob on the back. Later on this became Gellers main Rythmic machine used on all the recordings and Live. It wasn´t the most reliable machine in the world. If you dropped it you might find that all your preprogrammed rythms had been erased.

One cool feature with it is that you can change the sounds by changing the eproms in it. About a year ago I found a simmons eprom burner so I hope to start making my own sounds for it soon.

I love this drummachine. Plain and simple. It feels kind of Plastic and has fake wood on the sides but it has become a cornerstone of the studio and my sound. Pull it through a distortion pedal and an envelope filter and it sounds amazing. I couldn´t recommend it any higher.