E-mu Drumulator Tears For Fears ''Shout'' drums

In this video we install the Digidrums "Rock Drums" EPROM chipset in the E-mu Drumulator, and program the beat from Tears For Fears classic mega-hit from 1984 "Shout"

[@petergotcher2580]

Peter Gotcher here, co-founder of Digidesign (our initial name was Digidrums but I quickly realized we may want to do more than drum samples). A friend sent me this video, which I really enjoyed. Took me back in time. Those early drum chips were really challenging. I edited them on a home brew S-100 bus computer by looking at screens of hexidecimal code. No waveform displays. I had to edit based on converting base 16 numbers in my head to sample values. Had to end on a 00 or the D/A converter would output a loud click. The Drumulator allocated 8K bytes for most samples, with a whopping 64K for the ride cymbal (if my memory is right). The format was 8-bit mulaw compression with a low sample rate. I had to fit the snare sample into less than .25 seconds. I guess enough time has passed that I can admit that the kick and snare came from When the Levee Breaks. I then recorded the toms and the rest of the sounds in my studio and tried to match the vibe. I did not do a very good job. The short and low sample rate cymbals were really impossible. But we sold a couple of million $ worth of drum chips and that funded Sound Designer, Sound Tools, and eventually ProTools. So many great memories from that journey. Nice to see videos like this revisiting those very interesting times.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Hi, Peter, thank you very much for all the great insights, and for setting the record straight - much appreciated! It's amazing what you guys were able to do with such small amounts of memory and hex commands only.I think you did a great job, on the toms and hat too! The kit still stands out today and for sure is a classic set beloved by many. I talk to a lot of people through this channel / other social media, and while today we can have any sound we want on our personal computers / tablets / phones, many, many musicians (including me) often tell me that they are still very fond of the classic sound of early digital machines, and use them in modern day productions. Thanks again for the great comment!

[@RealAqua]

This has to be one of the coolest comments I’ve ever read on KZbin. Respect to you Peter!

[@johndoeiii6103]

Really cool to finally know for sure that it was from the levee breaks

[@woodytube]

Wow! Fantastic story!

[@bernyboss]

Peter + Paolo thank you for keeping alive this story that makes history! 🔝🔝🔝

[@mcdazz2011]

I recently rediscovered Tears for Fears, and they really are a great band. I'd heard Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World etc back in the 80s, but it was only recently that I started listening to some of their other stuff, like Pale Shelter, Change and Head Over Heels (which has a great video). Glad I'm not the only person who has rediscovered them or reignited their like of the band and their songs.

[@BassmeantProductions]

Dude...elemental

[@patrickmurphy5842]

Saw them live last year after following them for 35+ years

[@chriswareham]

Also used by Clan of Xymox and Cocteau Twins, both signed to 4AD at the time. The label had equipment that many of their bands shared, notably the Emulator II. I have the Rock Drum chips for my Drumulator, as well as a custom Linn LM1 set that are my favourite.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Yes! Classic sounds for sure

[@WrvrUgoThrUR]

Solid recreation. Simple pattern, but you have a great ear. I’m always miffed at people who get even the most basic pattern recreations so wrong. 0:53 lesson to all electronic music nerds and collectors...find, keep and even restore if you have to, old computers and drive/disc formats and don’t always just upgrade to the latest OS cause everyone else is jumping off the cliff and buying the Apple Kool-Aid. Also keep and take care of an old cassette deck and vhs deck. You’re welcome.

[@EREBVS999]

I was early teen when shout came out. It was all over the radio. Thanks again.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you

[@nobbystyles4807]

wow ive been searching for years for the snare drum used in Whodini's track "funky beat". this is it! incredible. il probably forget this link though in the morning so im gonna save it to a playlist. thanks!

[@bricemyles]

It's also the same snare on The System - Don't Disturb this Groove

[@theharshtruth8563]

I recognize that snare sound from so many mid 80's songs. Rick Rubin used it for Beastie Boys "Beastie's Groove", Run-DMC's remake of "Walk this Way", Whodini used it for "Funky Beat", Joeski Love used it for his hit single "Pee Wee's Dance", Public Enemy used it for "Miuzi Weighs a Ton" and of course, Tears for Fears "Shout". I always had a feeling it was originally taken from Led Zep and then I read in the comments that it was. I also used to think the drumkit was from the Fairlight & never knew the Drumulator was the culprit.

[@heathwellsNZ]

As a kid in early 80s and a teen in the later 80s I too recall first hearing about AIDS and it was really scary... prior to that we were scared of the threat of nuclear war! A crazy decade for sure... it with some memorable music!

[@shawnpa]

I wondered what they were doing, and didn't even know about drum synths. 1000 times more info than I thought I'd get. Mind blown. Excellent explanation.Thank you.

[@demonicsweaters]

That Emulator II + Mac SE setup is so rad. Love these videos.

[@muzik858]

Real Music...Real Musician... Real Instruments... Real History... Thank you Sir!!!

[@maxg70]

I was 14 years old on 1984 and first time I heard Shout from my favorite that days Radio Luxemburg because in USSR where I lived there wasn't stations like this.And of course nobody knows what this song was about but everybody likes the music and performance.

[@waugsqueke]

I think it's about primal scream therapy which Roland was into at the time.

[@golf-freq]

Excellent video as usual! You are truly a wizard at recreating these timeless classics -- bravo!

[@maxvincent6062]

Awesome as always, watching your videos always takes me back, it’s like taking a “MASTER CLASS” in the 80’s.

[@monsieursolitaire6214]

Your channel is inspiring, man, a pleasure to hear all history, technical, musical AND personal. Glad to be witnessing this right now.

[@DerekPower]

That sound-set was used extensively on Cocteau Twins's Treasure.

[@sydhamelin1265]

Holy schmackers I was going to say the same thing!! That snare immediately takes me to Lorelei.

[@markusdaxamouli5196]

Ditto

[@marcchapuis9399]

Great album!

[@lovecraftmusic8717]

And their drums sound sucked there. Much better without that added "Bonham" chipset.

[@deanrinehart]

@@lovecraftmusic8717 yeah…Robin evidently regrets using the Rock Drums chips. “Treasure is just an abortion.” His words.

[@suedehead23]

You absolute legend, you did so well to recreate the drums and patterns, you explained it so well, showed off the gear and made this video to perfection! Thank you so much for loving this gear and music and actually creating with it, sharing this for us and sharing your interest 😍 time to dig up my old Songs from the big chair cassette and rock out 🤘

[@gaznamestos5765]

I think that you should be awarded with a PhD or something like that for doing this stuff. This is just awesome. We get a nice glimpse of musical history here. Thank you for doing this!

[@dissident4117]

Another 80s' mystery solved. Thanks for that. You did a good job. I always wondered from which drum machine this powerful snaredrum was. Also used for Anne Clark's Our Darkness from 1984. I agree with you, "Shout" is a song which was great when it came out and still fascinates me.

[@Oan-yd7pi]

I found a few popular songs that use the digi-drums. The song "Beastie Groove" by The Beastie Boys and the theme from the show "Everybody Hates Chris" use it.

[@nofretzDW]

These are the things I CAN’T do without 😜

[@titovalasques]

Dadrian Wilson Come on!

[@andriealinsangao613]

Come on!

[@spiritualcramp8000]

you brought to my memory the best times of my life, DJ TV LoL the Talk Talk special recorded from television to cassette and the first time i listened to U2. never missed a episode. stay well.

[@chrishorsten7980]

Nicely done. The re-creation and the original idea. Who knew that this collection of sounds and clever patterns would become a monster hit?

[@MAZZI100]

Amazing!!! Awesome recreation. It always calls my atention the Drumulator's expansion capabilities. Shout is a very powerful song. Love to hear your anecdotes.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thanks!

[@svarthelikoptern]

Thank you for doing this video. I enjoyed your story at the end as well. I, too, remember when that song came out and I still love it as well.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@blastfromthepast999]

Bellissimo video! :D E' sempre un piacere guardarti! Thank you

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Grazie, Tom Sins!

[@TRFrench]

I honestly never thought to look at the rhythm to Shout on a drum machine/DAW but I always loved the song (brilliant song Brilliant rhythm). But the way you put this together with the triangle et al: It really made me smile. Thank you Paolo!

[@carlosnavarro3725]

The snare sound from Digi Drums is clearly in Shout and the Rimshot from LinnDrum it's the same of The boys of the summer by Don Henley (1984) as in Wikipedia says was used in that song. Many thanks Paolo!

[@Gezira]

Grazie Paolo, bella dimostrazione, come al tuo solito, ma anche una bella testimonianza personale di quegli anni.

[@kevincoffield1787]

I could spend all year without any sleep in your house with all the cool 80s gear. I really Enjoy your channel. Thank you. 🎹🎹🎹👍

[@skyko]

You are such a cool guy, so friendly and talented! Please keep on making these wonderful videos!!! : )

[@rockstarjazzcat]

In my driveway in Indianapolis I heard big synths and thought the adjoining neighbor's stereo was on too loud. Then I realized I was hearing a Tears for Fears soundcheck from a quarter of a mile away at Starlight Musicals. Fun memories. Thanks for sharing, Paolo. Best, Daniel

[@oldskoolhead0]

i used to play the triangle in a reggae band, but i had to leave coz it was just 1 ting after another

[@outtayardstudio]

Yea..you just get to stand at the back an ting!🤣

[@cph2004]

Don't be a square... oh, its a triangle 😂

[@reallife7235]

Tagalog - dumating - your joke as "arrived" (nice one OldSkool and nice use of that spelling)

[@Gencoil]

Maybe you should tri a different angle.

[@repo136]

Recently saw a documentary about TFF and two of the studio tech guys said that at one point during recording 'Shout' they were banging on mic stands with screwdrivers to get that particular sound ;-)

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Post link to it

[@repo136]

@@SynthManiaDotCom - Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big Chair Documentary that explores the creation of the seminal, second album by Tears for Fears. Songs from the Big Chair took the gothic synth-pop foundations of the band and combined them with arena-ready anthems, leading to critical acclaim and three international hit singles, Mothers Talk, Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World. This documentary, made with the full cooperation of the band, explores how the album was recorded and how the band left their indelible imprint on new wave music. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000f8xc

[@sunilsolanki]

What a great video! One of the best tracks of all time.

[@amulpatel]

Another great video! love shout. When you brought the digidrums in I could almost hear the vocal... Saw them in concert in a small venue several years ago I was almost in 3rd-4th row - Incredible live show

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you!

[@dosgos]

Few bands were able to merge bleeding-edge technology to make good-sounding music. Tears for Fears did. I recall hearing some of the individual tracks of that CD here on youtube along with some comments from the engineer about the tech challenges with the Fairlight and all the other gear (video might have been for a remix but can't remember).

[@spectralknights2]

Wow cool! That's one of my favorite beat and track of Tears for Fears👍

[@lotus30com]

I have a Drumulator with a JLCooper model so it has 3 chip sets in it. Theres a 3-way switch to change sounds. I alway figured the drum sounds were played by Ian Stanley's Fairlight, which they obviously had with the Sarrar/Arr1 sample playing the melody. And with one of Adam Ant's old drummers, Chris Hughes in Tears for Fears at that time, I always figured they just sampled Chris playing the drum sounds into the Fairlight.

[@lotus30com]

@HighHopesBass HI - Check out Failed Muso's youtube/blog. He restored Stanley's Series III Fairlight, which came out in 1985, the same time as Shout. For The Hurting (1982), I've read they borrowed Peter Gabriel's Series II Fairlight. I've not heard that Orzabal owned a Fairlight himself.

[@DJJohnnyTapia]

Good stuff, great song those drums were iconic

[@ubidefeo]

I was 10 at the time, and it's when I started watching DeeJay Television. I loved it, there was so much great music coming from abroad. It's where I first saw Duran Duran's Wild Boys' video and so much more. A couple years later more Rap made it into the program (possibly only good thing Jovanotti did in his career). Cecchetto was one of our greatest music industry tycoons, always his ears peeled for what was great coming from the rest of the world. Wasn't it for that I'd not be introduced early to Jimmy Sommerville, Spanday Ballet, Depeche Mode and many more. It formed my taste, and I'm grateful for that. Grazie per aver condiviso la storia, ricordo anche io la paura derivante dall'annuncio dell'AIDS 🙏🏼

[@jaymays8800]

One of my favorite beats and songs. Sounds really good through the right speakers especially the 8 minute long US remix version. Good job indeed sir. ... J

[@djdrwatson]

Great history lesson and tutorial. We want more like please - I'm talking to you, *COME ON!*

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you and will do!

[@RockDocNeal]

Paolo, thank you for doing this video. I have also loved this song since it was first released and it was interesting to see how they produced those classic rhythm parts.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@SuperWave86]

👏 Awesome lesson!!! Love the track! Great Drum explanation!! Thx for sharing the story of the AIDS Epidemic such a tragic time!

[@WARDISWARD]

I was 7 in 1984 , loved that song when it came out

[@SpeedySPCFan]

Someone I recently sold a synth to was talking about swapping and burning EEPROMs on these old drum machines. Very cool to see an example of it, and with one of my favorite songs!

[@LFOVCF]

I used to love playing the flutey vox riff that I believe was the same sample as Art of Noise used. I had no sampler so had to make do with combining a sine wave with white noise.

[@LFOVCF]

@@pinkle257 Possibly. I have since played that sample on a Fairlight, so its hard to say it's origin.

[@jjgems6732]

It was definitely a fairlight cmi used on the dooddoodoodoooo flutely vox haha

[@DavidGarcia-ob9dk]

Great Job! Thanks for sharing!.

[@marcelodiana82]

Quite a story related to Shout, Paolo!! Very touching, really.

[@electronic2427]

Another great video. Thank you!

[@sunloveone]

Awesome content as always... long time viewer, first time commenter :-)

[@DiscoR53]

Wow 1984! That brought back some memories, life was so exciting then, so much to do and see in West Wood and DTLA.

[@raze7x]

I didn't know you were Italian! I used to watch DJTV everyday when I was a kid, really loved it! I miss those days...

[@BaddaBigBoom]

Thanks for sharing your re creation of this classic and your memories, ciao for now. (thumbs up)

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Many thanks!

[@AshCode]

Grazie, potrei guardare i tuoi video per ore!!!

[@cesarcarreno_]

my favorite 80’s new wave guitar solo is from that song

[@anx1]

I've always wondered about this thanks so much for breaking this down 😀👌

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you, Andy!

[@Esperluet]

Merci beaucoup pour tous ces souvenirs.

[@gregoryamadeus2235]

Your post is awsome! Hello from Laguna Beach, California

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Hello there!

[@JakePalumbo]

I don't wanna sample snitch, but it's pretty obvious where the Shout snare drum came from, when you hear it solo'd :) Great video.

[@pjm8779]

Great video about a great band. Although I really like minimal synth music, especially early New Wave (first 2 Human League albums, the Normal, Fad Gadget) I always felt that bands like Tears for Fears and New Order had a unique way of weaving together traditional electric guitar and bass with electronics. Songs from the Big Chair may have been my introduction, but The Hurting is my favorite, such a powerful soulful album. I had the benefit of growing up in NY, within radio distance of WLIR on Long Island. WLIR had an arrangement with a UK distributor. All this new music was flown into JFK every Thursday. This music shaped my journey as a musician. Music I write today in my home studio has all of these influences.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

+1 on The Hurting, Peter! :-) Excellent songwriting in action there, and the sonic colors are incredible. Songs like "Mad World" are truly masterpieces of pop. Like you, I only discovered The Hurting after Songs From The Big Chair, but I like a lot a lot

[@pjm8779]

Also the opening track, The Hurting, nice contrast of piano, electric guitar and synths. Also Pale Shelter. If I could write a song the has a piano swell, Single strum acoustic guitar, drum machine beat and synths, I would die a happy man. It’s harder than it sounds. I think it is challenging to combine these instruments in a way that speaks to people, especially drum machines and guitar. Here, it doesn’t sound sterile (a feeling which also has its place). And I don’t think it has anything to do with creating a drummer like feel on the drum machine (which They do not do, and I am opposed to). It is a amalgamation of the sound. Prince was a master at this.

[@EstuaryMists]

@@pjm8779 I remember reading that it was the opening toms on The Hurting that were sampled and used as the intro to 'Do they know it's Christmas' by Band Aid.

[@Problembeing]

Shout - I remember when I first heard it too. It's one of the greatest pop songs ever.

[@matt_one]

Dj Television! Mi hai risvegliato un ricordo, era un appuntamento fisso, imperdibile! Avevo 18 anni, grande passione per synth, drum machines e UK music. Il drum pattern di Shout è sempre stato uno dei miei preferiti!

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Eh si'! :-) imperdibile dopo la scuola, se mi ricordo bene era all'ora della merenda

[@matt_one]

@@SynthManiaDotCom lavorando, mi dovevo accontentare della puntata domenicale.... Ciao!

[@ultramet]

Had one of these in the 1980s. Loved it...so did the Art of Noise obviously.

[@TonyLeva]

Dj television!!!! That’s some bit of nostalgia right there!!! 😍❤️

[@jonglass]

The thumb's down thought there wasn't enough cowbell

[@KortKramer]

Agreed, the cowbell could have more depth.

[@adamcrookedsmile]

unfair to thumb down because there is no way there can be enough cowbell. It is not possible.

[@AengusPaintingsandMusic]

Really good video. And honest. Thanks!!

[@grupopeligro5631]

Grandes videos !!!! Saludos desde Argentina

[@RodSledge]

Amazing as usual.

[@backmaskmetal]

Such cool sounds.

[@Frst2nxt]

I remember when I first heard this song and Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name", and thought how I'd never heard such music before.

[@metawaves]

Dio che ricordi! Grazie Paolo!

[@EHiggins]

That was cool. So glad you ..let it all out.

[@waugsqueke]

I almost bought that Digidrums chipset for the LinnDrum I had at the time. I remember the keyboard rep at the music store told me about them, he called it the John Bonham chipset, so I've always thought that they were sampled from the intro of "When The Levee Breaks".

[@von-fur-wegen-gegenolli9196]

The Rimshot gives the drums primarily the real groove!

[@oholm09]

Got to tune the rimshot

[@RobertoGinsburg]

Very informative and funny video! Is interesting the fact that *Oberheim DMX/DX had their own versions of the same sounds called "BEAT KICK /BEAT SNARE"* , The equivalent of Drumulator's "ROCK KICK/ROCK SNARE".

[@topspeed5546]

I heard that is what they used. DMX Extended.

[@robinmiller7958]

We played gigs with a Drumulator synced up with a Roland MC202 and later an MSQ 700...a true nightmare every night until we got a Yamaha QS 8 track sequencer with a 5.25 floppy disc drive. The 80s were fun but technology was challenging to control.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Very cool! How did you sync the Drumulator to the MC-202? They use different sync types, so you must have used some sync interface box back then?

[@citizencain454]

Sounds SOOOOOO Good!!

[@simoping]

Great vid thanks!!

[@dolcevita9531]

1984 I was 7 years old...Deejay Television, Discoring...bei tempi!

[@michiganmotorsports]

Not sure why this is in my recommended, but it was fun to watch!

[@MirkoMancini]

Bellissimo video grazie!

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Mirko, grazie a te!

[@this_connor_guy]

Those digi drums sounds remind me of my Kawai R-100 a bit. :) Quite a scary memory to associate with that.

[@brixio8917]

A proposito di "Random Stories" , questa canzone io la associo al servizio militare: insieme a Big in Japan era continuamente riprodotta nei Juke Box quando eravamo in libera uscita. Sentendole provo sempre un sentimento misto a nostalgia perchè erano anni spensierati ma anche di tristezza a proposito di un anno che avrei potuto vivere in modo più costruttivo. E' proprio vero che ci sono suoni, canzoni e perfino odori che sono indissolubilmete legati a certi momenti di vita. Bravo Paolo. Ciao

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Grazie, Fabrizio - eh si', certi ricordi ti restano tutta la vita - Che bella che era anche Big In Japan.

[@leftmono1016]

Recently watched a BBC 6 Music documentary with Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters drummer), he was reminiscing about learning drums by playing along with pop music on the Radio. At the time he didn’t know that drum machines existed and couldn’t work out how the drummer was managing to play the beat like that :)

[@shadowstate552]

I remember a few years back there was another KZbin guy looking for that sound chip set for his Drumulator, but he couldn't remember the name of it. It's highly sought after. I ganked those sounds like 20 years ago for my sampler using the sounds from "Never Let Me Down Again", by Depeche Mode. I figured they were from the Led Zeppelin song but that track seems to have a delay on it which isn't apparent in the Digidrums kit.

[@mimoochodom2684]

Fantastic Paolo. Cheers.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you

[@acidjack]

thanks for this video. i ordered this chips for my Oberheim DX at the same source than you :-) Thanks for the great work. now i need the other sounds from the Tears for fears video you posted too. great great..thanks so mutch

[@Synthfidel]

acidjack303 what is the source? My DX needs some chips.

[@TheAstroKid]

Thanks for your tip, I ordered the digidrums rock EPROMs set on eBay

[@rabidbigdog]

Great get finding that vision from the 1980s.

[@LB-pp7pu]

8:25 Madoooonnaa, che ricordi! Mi sono emozionato...

[@Wayne_Robinson]

VIntage Drumulator ROM chips and a Mac SE... so cool to see it all working!

[@renemunkthalund3581]

Great job, Paolo!

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you!

[@DynamicRockers]

Thanks for the nice explanation. I always thought the drums were coming from a Fairlight.

[@thezooportugalbanda]

Amazing. regards from Portugal.

[@mistaish]

Great video bro. I am a lucky owner of a Drumulator as well. I have it in storage with my Sp1200. Thanks for the video.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you, Mistaish! I'd love to get an SP-12 or 1200 soon

[@Latvian3Dman]

Great video! Now all we need (okay, not "all" :D) is 1:1 reproduced intro of New Order - True Faith ;-)

[@edwardbyard6540]

That was my high school song! Though I didnt grasp its meaning back then, I loved it (and still do!). I used to think that the day would never come....

[@mcdazz2011]

This. More New Order (especially True Faith).

[@therealmattmann]

This isn’t a “faithful” recreation, but it’s my tribute to one of my favorite New Order songs....True Faith. instagram.com/p/BRj4VwvhFJz/?igshid=1jrofs0ieb7u9

[@chrisjenkins8450]

Nice work!

[@Nac-R]

Very good job

[@napomania]

sei un grande! ad ascoltare questi pattern perfetti penso che il Pro Tools e Drumulator siano stati usati estensivamente anche dai grandi produttori inglesi dell'epoca, tipo Stock,Aiken and Waterman ecc..