E-mu Systems

E‑mu Systems’ products changed popular music, perhaps none more so than the SP‑1200 sampling drum machine.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the groundbreaking E-mu Systems Emulator II sampler, Dave Rossum, Kevin Monahan and Paul Wiffen share inside stories of the development and manufacture of the instrument.

Paul Hardcastle’s iconic ‘19’ owes more than a little to serendipity and the limitations of the Emulator II sampler...

In between tours with Ultravox and appearances on Live Aid, Midge Ure somehow found the time to discuss the writing and recording of his first ever solo LP 'The Gift' and his No.1 single with SOS Editor Ian Gilby.

Greater reliance on hi-tech instruments in the studio means there's more demand for people able to programme them. Paul Gilby spoke first to Karin Clayton about her recently formed agency that supplies programmers for studio sessions, and then to Fairlight programmer Simon Lloyd about his work.

Paul Wiffen continues to examine transitional synthesis, covering the Wave Sequencing facility, first introduced on the innovative Korg Wavestation, and concluding with Emu's Z-plane technique, which may be regarded as bridging the gap between S&S and today's physical modelling.

Mike Barnes rounds up a new wave of software and hardware support for the Emu EIIIX, which once again makes Emu samplers a serious alternative at the higher end of the sampler marketplace.

Imagine a synth which is a cross between the best of Emu's Proteus and Proformance modules, and also includes the Z-plane filters of the Morpheus. No further need to imagine; it's here, in the form of the new UltraProteus. Julian Colbeck checks out this impressive multitimbral module.

The Proteus series of sound modules have gained a reputation for being all things to all musicians — but they've never had on-board effects. The newest addition to the family takes care of that. Nigel Humberstone checks it out.

Given the size of the Spanish-speaking world, it makes good commercial sense to produce a Latin-style sound module — but only if it's sufficiently authentic to sell to those in the know and sufficiently versatile to be attractive to other musicians simply looking for a bit of spice in their rack. Chris Carter and Joe Ortiz play with fire...