Antique Drum Machine Tracks

[william_kent]

The Temptations - Ain't No Justice ( 1974 )

@DLaurent posted this one on the Choon of the Day thread

I think it may be another example of the Maestro Rhythm King in action

 

[pattycakes_]

Reverb Maestro Rhythm King Sample Pack

Maestro Rhythm King MRK-2 (1971-1974)With 18 preset rhythms, pitch control, and triggers to play specific sounds over top of the beat, this organ accompaniment device was famously used on Sly and the Family Stone’s 1971 album There’s a Riot Goin’ On. Laying much of the groundwork for larger popul...

reverb.com

grabbed this just the other day as it goes

free if you're registered

 

[woops]

this is meant to be yet oldest drum machine but no one mentions any tracks

 

[woops]

unfortunately for @thirdform it only goes up to 195bpm

 

[william_kent]

unfortunately for @thirdform it only goes up to 195bpm

however, he'll probably refute the claim that it is the first drum machine by asserting that they were invented in Turkey:

from this article:

In his The Book Of Knowledge Of Ingenious Mechanical Devices, written in 1206 in what is now modern Turkey, engineer Ismail al-Jazari described a device consisting of four automaton musicians, two of which were drummers whose rhythms and patterns could be programmed by moving pegs within the mechanism. This was eventually built and used for entertaining the Sultan’s guests at parties.

The Water Clock of The Drummers

The water-clock of the drummers, which differs from the Musical robot band in that it lacks a flute-playing doll and instead has two trumpeters, consists of seven wood-jointed male figures, including the aforementioned trumpeters as well as two dolls playing cymbals and the rest playing other percussive instruments.[50] The mechanism in this specific automaton serves as a clock by producing a musical output once every hour, illustrating Al-Jazari’s ability to create multi-faceted automata that functioned on a practical and entertainment level. The motion of the automaton is initiated at daybreak by another male doll, who stands at the edge of the frieze element of the design, moving across until he reaches a specific point at which a carved falcon leans forward dropping a ball from its beak onto a cymbal.[51] All mechanical aspects of the automaton are then driven by water and a series of pistons and cables. Each hour water drains out of the main cistern to cause another bucket to tip over driving a water wheel that is connected to the musicians. The automaton is described to ‘perform a with a clamorous sound which is heard from afar’ and could play several different tunes.[52] Like many other automatons by Al-Jazari, this was created to entertain guests at the royal palace.

 

[DLaurent]

The Temptations - Ain't No Justice ( 1974 )

@DLaurent posted this one on the Choon of the Day thread

I think it may be another example of the Maestro Rhythm King in action

I love drum machines but don't can't really think of many tracks from the 70s or earlier. There's the 'Mattei Affair' soundtrack but that isn't even a drum machine I don't think, just a modular synth pulse. The CR78 is probably my favourite machine, especially now you can just get the sounds and program beats with MIDI, otherwise I think it's just got a few set patterns that will always sound like Phil Collins. Thom Yorke did a couple of tracks I think for YouTube with it, for the halfpenny it's worth.

 

[bassbeyondreason]

 

[bassbeyondreason]

 

[Woebot]

however, he'll probably refute the claim that it is the first drum machine by asserting that they were invented in Turkey:

from this article:


View attachment 12368

The Water Clock of The Drummers

thanks @william_kent - some amazing stuff in this thread from you and @bassbeyondreason

 

[william_kent]

I'm going to post another Suicide tune on the basis that it is being used on an advert for Marc Jacobs Daisy "fragrance" ( I'm sure these used be known as "perfume" ) which first aired last year but is still being broadcast ( saw it this morning, which reminded me of it's existence )


Marc Jacobs Daisy advert

and the original:


Suicide - Cheree ( 1978 12" version )

 

[william_kent]

I think the drum machine featured on that Soft Cell tune may be the BOSS DR-55 Dr Rhythm


This is the first drum machine that I ever saw in real life - a friend had two, but he was precious about them so I never got to touch

It was the first "affordable" drum machine and ended up on a few records - I think New Order, Depeche Mode, Sisters of Mercy, Chris Carter / Chris & Cosey, and of course, Soft Cell used them on their early recordings

I'm not a fan, but this Thomas Dolby tune has the DR-55 really high in the mix allowing us to hear it in all it's glory ( whilst trying to ignore the orientalism of the melody )


Thomas Dolby - Therapy / Growth

 

[william_kent]

this is meant to be yet oldest drum machine but no one mentions any tracks

I've always joined the union wherever I've worked, but can't help feeling the "Musician's Union" fucked things up as far as drum machines go, even though the best drum machine programming has originated from people who "understand rhythm" (i.e., drummers )

which is why you can't find examples of recordings of the "side man" drum machine on records, only clips online from some youtube videos of archaic hardware demonstrated by some dickhead:


I had to to sit through literally seconds of dickheads with spikey hair and gel to even find this clip, you can't imagine the pain