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The E-mu SP-12 is a sampling drum machine.^[1] Designed in 1984, SP-12 was announced by E-mu Systems in 1985.^[2] Expanding on the features of E-mu’s affordable and commercially successful Drumulator, a programmable digital drum machine, SP-12 introduced user sampling, enabling musicians to sample their own drums and other sounds. In August 1987, E-mu replaced SP-12 with SP-1200.^[2]

History

Developed as a successor to the Drumulator, SP-12 was initially advertised as “Drumulator II” by E-mu Systems at the NAMM Winter Music & Sound Market and Musikmesse Frankfurt^[3] in February of 1985 before being launched officially at that summer’s NAMM International Music & Sound Expo.^[2]^[4] “SP” is an initialism for “Sampling Percussion,” and 12 is a reference to its 12-bit linear data format.^[5]

E-mu made a “Turbo” upgrade available which increased the total memory for user samples to 5 seconds. SP-1200, featuring an integrated disk drive for storage and more RAM allowing for more total user sampling time in place of the preset ROM drum sounds, replaced SP-12 in E-mu’s product line in August 1987. ^[2]^[6]

Features

In contrast to other early sampling instruments integrating piano-style keyboards, such as E-mu’s Emulator series of digital sampling synthesizers, Ensoniq Mirage, or Fairlight CMI,^[1] SP-12 instead used plastic buttons to play drum sounds on its top panel. Dynamics can be performed using a piezo sensor on the circuit board listening for the button’s impact, a technology invented by E-mu co-founder Scott Wedge.^[2]^[7]

SP-12 uses a 12-bit linear data format and the same 26.04kHz sample rate E-mu previously used in Drumulator and subsequently reused in SP-1200.^[2]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12] The sample rate was chosen early on in Drumulator’s development as a compromise between bandwidth and sampling time.^[2]^[8]^[13] A reconstruction filter was deliberately omitted, resulting in a brighter sound due to imaging (sounds above the sample rate).^[10]^[13]

SP-12 includes 24 12-bit^[2] preset ROM sounds consisting of two bass drum, two snare, two electronic snare, rimshot, cowbell, four toms, four electronic tom, three hi-hat, two clap, two ride cymbal, and crash cymbal sounds. Although the panel legend is marked with 8 positions for user samples, up to 32 user samples can be used. ^[14]

The original SP-12 had a maximum sampling time of 1.2 seconds while with the Turbo upgrade it has a maximum sampling time of 5 seconds. The SP-12 has a 5000-note memory allowing it to store 100 songs and 100 patterns; with the turbo upgrade, this is increased to 400 songs and 400 patterns.^[15]

SP-12 can synchronize to and generate MIDI, SMPTE, and analog click signals as well as send and receive MIDI note triggers.^[2]^[10]

Trivia

The SP-12 is almost identical in design to the E-mu Emulator II and many of the knobs and buttons are interchangeable.
Some of the original SP-12s have "Emulator SP12" written on them.
Original SP-12's were known to have "Paul is the Walrus" and "Paul is dead" written on the motherboard.
Later SP-12's Had "Loonie Tunes World Tour" written on the motherboards.
The Beastie Boys reference the SP-12 in their song "Putting Shame In Your Game" from their 1998 album Hello Nasty with the line, "Well I'm the Benihana chef on the SP12." Rappin 4 Tay in Players Club (1994) says "I got a ho named reel-to-reel, she got a buddy named SP-12, now you know the deal." Young MC raps in the song Album Filler (1991) "It's just me, a mic, and an SP-12." World Class Wreckin' Cru raps in Cabbage Patch (1987) "From the three kick drums out the SP-12."
Big Grams, the collaboration between Big Boi and Phantogram references the SP-12 alongside other famous drum machines and sequencers such as the Roland TR-808 and Roland TR-909 in their song "Drum Machine" featuring Skrillex.

Notable Users

Bizarre Inc^[16]
Claude Young
Theo Parrish
Def IV^[17]
Paul C^[18]
Prince Paul^[19]
Rick Rubin in Rhymin & Stealin on the Beastie Boys album Licensed to Ill^[20]

References

^ ^a ^b Vail, Mark (2014). The Synthesizer. Oxford University Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0195394894.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Keeble, Rob (September 2002). "30 Years of Emu". Sound on Sound. SOS Publications Group. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
^ Vincent, Biff (October 21, 2022). "E-mu Systems - Frankfurt Music Show 1985". youtube.com. Denise Gallant.
^ Wiffen, Paul (August 1985). "Way Down Yonder". Electronics & Music Maker. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
^ Mark Katz (2010). Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music (revised ed.). University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26105-1.
^ Mellor, David (Oct 1987). "E-Mu SP1200". Sound on Sound (Oct 1987): 22–28.
^ Hyland, Simon (2011). SP-1200: The Art and Science. 27Sens. p. 35. ISBN 2953541012.
^ ^a ^b Hyland, Simon (2011). SP-1200: The Art and Science. 27Sens. p. 60. ISBN 2953541012.
^ E-mu Systems Drumulator Service Manual. E-mu Systems. 1983. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Davies, Steve (1985). SP-12 Sampling Percussion System Service Manual (PDF). E-mu Systems. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
^ SP-1200 Sampling Percussion System Service Manual. E-mu Systems. 1987. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
^ "SP-1200". Rossum Electro-Music. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
^ ^a ^b Rossum, Dave. "Why do SP-1200 channel outputs feature different filters?". youtube.com. Rossum Electro-Music. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
^ Craig Anderton (1985). SP-12 Sampling Percussion System Owners Manual (PDF) (Version 2.3 ed.). E-mu Systems, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-10-08.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ "SP-12 Overview". Emulator Archive. Archived from the original on 2008-01-12.
^ Trask, Simon (Dec 1991). "Strange Changes". Music Technology. United Kingdom: Music Maker Publications (UK), Future Publishing. pp. 30–36. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
^ Robbie (Jun 2008). "DJ Vicious Lee (Def IV) -- The Unkut Interview".
^ Sorcinelli, Gino (2017-09-20). "Paul C. McKasty: the Legend, the Tragedy, the Story of an Era". Medium. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
^ "Exclusive: Prince Paul Breaks Down Gravediggaz "6 Feet Deep" Track-By-Track « HipHopSite.Com". 2017-09-02. Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
^ Fintoni, Laurent (15 September 2016). "15 samplers that shaped modern music – and the musicians who use them". FACT. VF Publishing. Retrieved 16 July 2019.