Summary of DMX
Page 2
Dmx owner's manual by daniel sofer third edition june 1982 copyright 1982 oberheim electronics, inc. Oberheim electronics, inc. 2250 south barrington avenue los angeles, california 90064 usa.
Page 3
Caution: to prevent fire or shock hazard do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture. Do not remove cover. No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel. Warning: this equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, ...
Page 4
Table of contents --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction......................................................1 2. Hookup........................................................... 2 3. Operation.......................................................
Page 5
1 introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------- congratulations! You have just purchased a most powerful tool for synthesizer composition and performance. The oberheim dmx programmable digital drum machine represents a new concept in electronic sound. The d...
Page 8
2 hookup -------------------------------------------------------------------------- power the dmx comes from the factory set to operate on 115 volts. If the local power is 220-240 volts, you will need to change the power selection switch inside the dmx. Remove the two screws at the front of the chas...
Page 9
3 operation -------------------------------------------------------------------------- selecting a sequence the dmx can store up to 100 drum sequences, numbered 00 thru 99. Select one by pressing two numbers. The display will show you which sequence you have selected. Playing a sequence press play. ...
Page 10
4 overdubbing -------------------------------------------------------------------------- overdubbing overdubbing is the process of recording more parts in synchronization with parts already played. With the dmx, overdubbing is the same as normal recording. Whenever you press record and play, the dmx...
Page 11
5 tempo ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- tempo the dmx defaults to a tempo of 80 beats per minute, but can be varied within a range of 25 to 250 beats per minute. You can change the tempo at any time by entering the tempo mode. Press tempo. The display wil...
Page 12
6 metronome ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- metronome the metronome can be set to click in any note value between quarter notes and thirty-second notes. The metronome defaults to eighth notes and varies in speed according to the tempo. To change the value...
Page 13
7 signature (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- press signature. The current metronome click value will appear on the display. The click value can be set to any standard note value by pressing the arrow buttons. After you have set the desired click va...
Page 14
8 quantize ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- quantize quantizing automatically corrects your playing to the nearest beat. The quantizing value also establishes the smallest beat that can be recorded and is also used for establishing the value of a "beat" as...
Page 15
9 step ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- step step allows you to record one beat at a time. Normally the beat is set to a sixteenth note (this can be changed—see quantizing). From stop, pressing step places you at the beginning of the sequence. Every time a...
Page 16
10 swing (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- press swing. The display will show the current swing value which is normally set to 50% (the first half of the beat gets 50% of the time). To change the swing value, press the arrows to increase or decrease...
Page 17
11 appending sequences ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- appending sequences there are two ways to join sequences together. One is by playing one sequence after another in a song (see combining sequences into songs, below); the other is to append several ex...
Page 18
12 combining sequences into songs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- songs one prominent feature of music is that it is organized into sections that repeat and alternate with each other. A song allows you to record each section of a piece as a separate seque...
Page 19
13 recording a song ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- recording a song recording a song is different than recording a sequence, because you are not playing any notes, just making a list of sequences. Actually you don't "record" a song, you "edit" a song. To...
Page 20
14 recording a song (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- you can revise the listing in a song by repeating the steps in example 13. If there are already sequences contained in the song the display will display the sequence contained in the first part. ...
Page 21
15 recording a song (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- operation: press: display reads: ----------------------- ----------------------- ---------------- erase sequence 00 erase (hold) part 5= seq 00 edit part 5= seq ** ("beep") (you just removed the ...
Page 22
16 about the dmx voices ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- about the dmx voices the dmx contains eight sets of voices. Each voice has three variations, and some of the voices contain two completely different sounds. The sound of each voice is contained on on...
Page 23
17 cassette interface ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- the dmx is equipped with a cassette interface which allows programs contained in the program memory to be stored externally on an audio cassette. All that is required to use the cassette interface feat...
Page 24
18 cassette interface (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- to play programs from tape into the dmx: 1) connect the cassette recorder to the cassette interface jacks on the rear panel of the dmx as described in "cassette interface connections", above. 2...
Page 25
19 cassette interface (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- to check tapes; the check function of the cassette interface enables verification of the data on a tape without actually transferring the data into the dmx's memory. A tape should always be che...
Page 26
20 cassette interface (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- possible causes of tape transfer errors if errors are found during the play or check process, the display will read "error in data". If this happens, one of the following reasons might be respo...
Page 27
21 dmx software revisions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- the cassette interface (and other functions) in the dmx have undergone several revisions since the dmx was first introduced. These revisions are noted here. Dmx 1.00 - this is the original software...
Page 28
22 interfacing the dmx ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- synchronizing the dmx and the dsx digital polyphonic sequencer the dmx and the dsx have been designed to operate in sync with each other. When the dmx runs in tandem with a dsx or another dmx, one uni...
Page 29
23 sync to tape ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- sync to tape the dmx has been designed to sync to tape as well. Sync to tape is achieved by recording a sync tone from the sync out jack on the rear panel on to a track of a tape recorder, and then playing i...
Page 30
24 synchronizing both the dmx and the dsx to tape (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- there are several methods to synchronize both the dsx and the dmx to tape (after the tone is recorded on tape): 1) "y" the sync tone from the tape into the sync to t...
Page 31
25 footswitches and pedals ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- footswitches and pedals on the rear panel are two jacks for footswitches. These inputs are designed to be used with switches with a momentary closed configuration such as those available from ober...
Page 32
26 dmx - factory sequences ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- the oberheim dmx digital drum machine comes with a set of stock sequences recorded on cassette. These sequences may be used as-is so that you can start using your dmx right away, or they can be ed...
Page 33
27 list of programmed sequences ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Demonstration 1. Rock 1a 41. Disco a 2. Rock 1a fill 42. Disco a fill 3. Rock 1b 43. Disco b 4. Rock 1b fill 44. Disco b fill 5. Rock 2a 45. Funk a 6. Rock 2a fill 46. Funk a fill 7. Rock ...
Page 34
28 list of programmed songs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Directory 10. Country 1. Hard rock 1 11. Disco 2. Hard rock 2 12. Funk 3. Rock ballad 13. Polka 4. Old-time rock 14. Samba 5. Slow rock 15. Bossa nova 6. Shuffle 16. Mambo 7. Honky-tonk rock 1...
Page 35
29 a word about digital audio ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- a word about digital audio the dmx is not a synthesizer. It does not synthesize sound. What it does is play back sounds from its memory. These sounds are stored as numbers, inside special integ...
Page 36
30 glossary ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- this glossary contains definitions of terms as used in the dmx manual. Beat value the note value of the time signature. In a time signature of 3/4, the beat value is equal to a quarter note, and there are three ...
Page 37
31 glossary (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- microprocessor the microprocessor is the "brain" of the computer. It looks at the software instructions and then carries them out, reading data from the proper addresses, performing the instructed functi...
Page 38
32 specifications ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- number of sounds: 24 frequency response: 10-16,000 hz (varies among voices and is dependent upon tuning) dynamic range: 80 db maximum number of notes: 2000 events, each of which may contain as many as eigh...
Page 39
33 specifications (cont.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- inputs: trigger (one for each voice): level: 1 volt or greater impedance: >4.7 k control voltage (one for each voice): level: 0-+6 volts impedance: >500 ohms approx. -2.5 volts/octave external cloc...