EKO ComputeRhythm drum-machine from 1972 (demo 2)

2nd part of demonstration.
Three jacks was applied on this drum machine, Trigger IN, Trigger Out and Start / Stop Out. On this demo, the Trigger IN feature is shown.
When a 1/4" jack is connected on the Trigger input, the sequence stops, and remain in "waiting" mode for an external trigger.
On this case the trigger is provided from a gate out of a Roland MPU-101 midi converter, then a midi software running on a PC (not shown) controls the tempo of the drum machine, beyond its own internal clock capabilities.
On high speeds the refresh of the webcam can't permit to see the MPU-101 gate LED flashing synchronized with the EKO sequence, but in very low tempo is easily noticeable.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• eko
• computerhythm
• drum
• machine
• jean
• michel
• jarre
• oxygene
• equinoxe
• analog
• manuel
• göttsching
• analogue
• synths
• synthesizers
• 1972
• recanati
• synthoma

[BigLesbowski]

in '77 JMJ already had his big Matrisequencer. there was no need to use the EKO drum machine as a master clock.

[kovalmoog]

Well, maybe yes or maybe not. It is possible that Michel Geiss had customized his EKO adding some Trigger IN or OUT (or Both) like I did in the unit of this video.

[MarkJenkinsMusic]

The best known user of this instrument is Manuel Gottsching (Ashra) and it's on most of his albums notably "E2-E4". The visual display is of course nicer than the sounds. It was also used in Italian sci-fi films as a prop (for spaceship control panels). It might be mentioned in my book "Analog Synthesizers", available worldwide through Amazon. Or not :-)

[kovalmoog]

Thanks for the info, Mark. Yes, I saw the video of "War of the Robots" with the EKO C.R. applied in the ship control panel (and the missil launched with a RECORD button of a tape recorder remote control). Very funny, indeed :) At least, Gerry Anderson was more original on his his moon-bases and space ship control panel constructions.

[kovalmoog]

I have been told that Michel Geiss possibly modified his EKO CR, but I don't know in what way. Nevertheless, I think it sounds was used on Equinoxe, specially in part IV and VII.

[kittenpurse1]

Interesting how much it sounds like a Roland CR-68/78. I wonder if the voice generation circuitry has anything in common? Much though I'd like an EKO, the CR-78 is about a quarter the size, and much more advanced in some ways...!

[countwolfram]

it sounded very good through Roland 301 echo + chorus, attacks were very sharps. Pinching holes in cardboards for memory programing was fun but also dicieving somehow because you had to put the card in a wood slit... less space age

[Desmaad]

First programmable drum machine? I'm in love.

[atticthoughts]

My thoughts also. Especially Equinoxe IV sounds very much like the sounds from the EKO. But then I've heard that its could have been the Geiss Rhythmi Computer as well. Anyway, thanks again for uploading this! :)

[atticthoughts]

I bet JMJ had his modified this way as well even though he never uses it now. AFAIK Jarre only used his EKO as a start/stop sync for his old sequencers. He never used the actual sounds.