Oberheim DMX User manual

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

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, i.e., in strict accordance with
the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. It has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A computing device pursuant to Subpart J of
Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable
protection against such interference when operated in a
commercial environment.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to
cause interference in which case the user at his own expense will
be required to take whatever measures may be required to correct
the interference.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1. INTRODUCTION......................................................1
2. HOOKUP........................................................... 2
3. OPERATION........................................................ 3
Selecting A Sequence 3
Playing A Sequence 3
Recording A Sequence 3
Overdubbing 4
Erasing 4
Tempo 5
Metronome 6
Length 6
Signature 6
Quantize 8
Step 9
Swing 9
Copying Sequences 10
Appending Sequences 11
3. COMBINING SEQUENCES INTO SONGS...................................12
Playing A Song 12
Recording A Song 13
Erasing A Song 15
4. ABOUT THE DMX VOICES.............................................16
The Sounds 16
Tuning 16
5. CASSETTE INTERFACE ..............................................17
Connections 17
To Record Programs Onto Tape 17
To Play Programs From Tape 18
To Check Tapes 19
Possible Causes Of Data Transfer Errors 20
6. DMX SOFTWARE REVISIONS...........................................21
7. BATTERY BACKUP.................................................. 21
8. INTERFACING THE DMX..............................................22
Synchronizing The DMX and The DSX 22
Sync To Tape 23
Synchronizing The DMX And Other Sequencers 24
Controlling The DMX With External CVs And Gates 24
Footswitches and Pedals 25
9. THE DMX FACTORY SEQUENCES........................................26
List of Programmed Sequences 27
List of Programmed Songs 28
10. A WORD ABOUT DIGITAL AUDIO.......................................29
11. GLOSSARY........................................................ 30
12. SPECIFICATIONS...................................................31

1
INTRODUCTION
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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 DMX has been designed by the Oberheim staff with the
idea of giving you better sound, and more intimate control of it,
than has been previously available in a percussion synthesizer.
The DMX generates the sounds of real drums. Recordings of real
drums are digitized, stored in computer memory, and are made
available at the touch of a button. A drumbeat may be recorded
in realtime at any speed, remembered, and edited to make any beat
of any length, tempo, or style—in short, any drum beat that you
hear in your head, you can create on the DMX. After you have
created your drumbeats, you can save them on tape for future use.
The DMX even has a battery to keep the memory on when the power
is off.
The DMX operates like a tape recorder: press RECORD and Record
your rhythms; then press PLAY and hear it back. But there's more
to it than that. There are many more features that are
incorporated into the DMX to actually give you much more control
over your music than a tape recorder gives you.
And isn't more control what synthesizers are all about?

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 chassis and then lift up the front panel. You will
find the power selection switch on the right side, behind the
transformer.
For 100-120 Volt operation, switch it to "115". For 220-240 Volt
operation, set the switch to "230". Close the lid and replace the
screws.
SIGNAL Connect either the LEFT and RIGHT, or the MONO outputs to your
amplifier or mixer. The slide pots on the front panel control the
relative volumes of each drum voice in the mixed outputs. Each
voice has its own output as well; these are useful if you are
connecting the DMX to an external mixer. The volume controls have
no effect on the level of the individual outputs, so it is possible
to use the SNARE and BASS individual outputs, for example, and the
mixed outputs for the other voices (turning the SNARE and BASS
VOLUME controls to minimum to remove them from the mixed outputs).

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. The sequence will play over and over until you press
STOP. You may also select another sequence while playing and the
DMX will play it immediately after the first sequence has finished.
RECORDING A SEQUENCE
There are two ways to record on the DMX: REALTIME and SINGLE STEP.
In REALTIME, the sequence plays over and over and you simply press
the buttons where you want the drums to sound. In SINGLE STEP, the
sequence advances one beat each time you press a button for a note
or a rest, which allows you to record your drum beat very slowly.
The REALTIME mode of recording is explained below. The SINGLE STEP
mode of recording is explained in the section entitled STEP.
Press and hold RECORD and then press PLAY. The Metronome will click
in eighth notes and the DMX will record over and over on two
measures (you can change the length of the sequence—see "LENGTH").
In RECORD, the DMX does not ERASE, so you can build your drumbeat as
it loops over, playing the cymbal first, the bass drum, then the
snare, etc., until you are finished. Then press STOP.
** NOTE **
The DMX will not enter RECORD, ERASE, COPY, or
STEP modes if the MEMORY PROTECT switch on the
rear panel is ON. The display will read "MEM.
PROTECTED" and the unit will "beep". In
addition, the length or time signature of a
sequence may not be changed although they may
be examined.
Example 1: Recording on Sequence 00
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Select Sequence 00 00 SELECT SEQ 00
Start Recording RECORD (hold) SELECT SEQ 00
PLAY * RECORD SEQ 00
(the “*” flashes at the beginning of the sequence)
(play drums)
Stop Recording STOP SELECT SEQ 00
----------------------------------------------------------------

4
OVERDUBBING
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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 simply
adds whatever you play to what has already been recorded. In RECORD,
the DMX does not erase. ERASE is a separate process.
ERASING
If you have made a mistake, or would like to record over again,
press and hold ERASE and while holding ERASE press RECORD. Your
previous recording will be erased, and you may record again from
scratch. The DMX will "beep" when the erasure actually takes place.
The volume of the beep is controlled by the metronome volume
control.
Example 2: Erasing Sequence 00
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Erase Sequence 00 ERASE (hold) ERASE SEQ 00
RECORD ERASE SEQ 00
The DMX will "beep" and then display: SELECT SEQ 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------
There are several other Erase Modes:
You can erase any single drum (or cymbal) from the entire sequence.
Hold ERASE and then press the drum you wish to erase.
Example 3: Erasing Crash Cymbal from Sequence 00
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Erase Crash Cymbal ERASE (hold) ERASE SEQ 00
CRASH ERASE SEQ 00
The DMX will "Beep" and then display: SELECT SEQ 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------
You can erase individual notes "on-the-fly" while in RECORD:
pressing any drum button while holding ERASE will remove that drum
note from the sequence. The drum button must be played in time with
the note you wish to erase.
It is also possible to erase individual notes while in the STEP mode
(See "STEP").
If you want to erase all of the sequences and songs, press ERASE and
while holding ERASE, press both of the ARROW buttons simultaneously.

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 will show the tempo currently selected. You can change the
tempo by pressing the buttons with the arrows to increase or
decrease the tempo, or you can enter the desired Beats per Minute on
the keypad. To exit the tempo mode press TEMPO once again.
When recording a sequence, the DMX will store the tempo with the
sequence. Whenever that sequence is recalled, the DMX will recall
the tempo as well. You may change the tempo, but it will only
update the programmed tempo when the tempo is changed in record.
Example 4: Setting the Tempo to 105 Beats per Minute
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Enter Tempo Mode TEMPO TEMPO = 080
Set 105 Beats per Minute 105 TEMPO = 105
Exit Tempo Mode TEMPO SELECT SEQ 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------
** NOTE: **
Not every tempo marking between 25 and 250 Beats per Minute can be
played. Near the high end of this range the tempo steps are larger
than one Beat per Minute. If you enter a tempo which cannot be
played, the display will show an exclamation point ("!") to inform
you that the DMX is playing the nearest valid tempo to the one which
you entered. Also, if you try to RECORD an invalid tempo, the DMX
will actually record the nearest valid one.
If you enter a number that is out of the tempo range, a question
mark ("?") will appear on the display. You must set the tempo to be
in range before you can exit from the tempo mode.
The arrow buttons will always step between valid tempos.

6
METRONOME
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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 of the metronome clicks, see SIGNATURE.
The METRONOME is heard through the mixed outputs of the DMX while in
RECORD, and is accented on each downbeat. At the beginning of the
sequence, an asterisk "^" will flash on the left side of the
display, and on subsequent downbeats, the bar number will flash.
The METRONOME also appears at the CLICK OUT jack on the rear panel
while in RECORD or PLAY and may be routed through an external mixer.
The output of the CLICK OUT jack is not accented and has been
designed to be used to clock analog sequencers and other devices as
well. See SYNCHRONIZING THE DMX AND OTHER SEQUENCERS.
LENGTH A sequence can be any length from 1 to 99 measures. The DMX sets a
length of 2 measures for each sequence unless you set it differently
by accessing LENGTH. You can then set the desired number of
measures with the arrows or directly on the keypad. LENGTH also
displays the amount of memory space left.
Example 5: Setting the Sequence Length to 16 Bars
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Enter Length Mode LENGTH 2 BARS-85% LEFT
Set Length to 16 Bars 16 16 BARS-83% LEFT
Exit Length Mode LENGTH SELECT SEQ 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If you have recorded a sequence and then shorten the length, you
will lose the measures you have cut. If you lengthen a sequence you
have recorded, rests will appear at the end.
The length of a bar is set by SIGNATURE.
SIGNATURE
SIGNATURE has two functions. The first is to change the click value
of the metronome. The second is to change the time signature.
You can set the DMX to play in most any time signature. There can
be between 1 and 99 beats per measure, and between a quarter note
and a thirty-second note can receive one beat.

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
value, you may exit by pressing STOP or you may continue on to the
time signature.
Press SIGNATURE once more. Now the current time signature will
appear on the display. If you press SIGNATURE once more, the
display will show the current beats per measure. You can use the
arrows to increase or decrease either the beats per measure or the
beat value (as with the click value), or you can enter the desired
value with the keypad (beats per measure only).
When the time signature is changed, the length of the sequence is
affected, so before you can exit the time signature mode you must
pass through LENGTH to set the length of the sequence.
NOTE: You can only change the time signature if the selected
sequence is empty. If the sequence contains any drum beats you will
not be able to access beats per measure or beat value.
Example 6: Setting the Metronome to Quarter Notes and the Time
Signature to 3/4
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Access Signature Mode SIGNATURE CLICK VALUE=1/08
Change Metronome to 1/4 Notes < CLICK VALUE=1/06
< CLICK VALUE=1/04
Access Time Signature SIGNATURE TIME= 4/4
Access Beat per Bar SIGNATURE BEATS/BAR: 04
Choose 3 Beats per Bar 03 BEATS/BAR: 03
Access Beat Value SIGNATURE BEAT VALUE=1/04
Exit time signature SIGNATURE LENGTH= 2 BARS
Maintain length at 2 bars SIGNATURE SELECT SEQ 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------

8
QUANTIZE
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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
used in STEP and SWING.
The DMX is normally set to quantize to a sixteenth note. To change
the quantizing, press QUANTIZE. The display will show the value of
quantizing currently set. You can now enter the note value that the
DMX will round off to by using the arrows to increase or decrease
the number in the display. The quantize values are;
04 Quarter Note
06 Quarter Note Triplet
08 Eighth Note
12 Eighth Note Triplet
16 Sixteenth Note
24 Sixteenth Note Triplet
32 Thirty-Second Note
48 Thirty-Second Note Triplet
OFF Quantize Defeated (1/192 note resolution)
Example 8: Set Quantizing to Eighth Notes
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Access Quantize Mode QUANTIZE QUANTIZE 1/16
Set Eighth Notes < QUANTIZE 1/12
< QUANTIZE 1/08
Exit Quantize Mode QUANTIZE SELECT SEQ 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quantize is a record function. That is, it only corrects what you are
recording. This enables you to record over and over on the same
sequence in different quantize modes. Quantizing is also independent
of the metronome. It is possible to quantize to the nearest quarter
note, even though the metronome is clicking in sixteenth notes.

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 drum is pressed, the sequence advances one beat. To
program a rest, press the forward arrow. To stop, press STEP once
again. If you press STEP while in PLAY or RECORD, the sequence will
step from its present location and go back to play or record when
STEP is pressed again.
While in STEP, you can erase any of the drums one beat at a time.
Pressing ERASE and the desired DRUM erases only that drum on that
beat.
Example 7: Recording and Erasing in STEP
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Access Step Mode STEP BAR 1 + BEAT 00
Step to beat 4 > BAR 1 + BEAT 01
> BAR 1 + BEAT 02
> BAR 1 + BEAT 03
> BAR 1 + BEAT 04
Record Snare on beat 5 SNARE BAR 1 + BEAT 05
Step to beat 7 > BAR 1 + BEAT 06
> BAR 1 + BEAT 07
Erase Crash on beat 7 ERASE (hold) BAR 1 + BEAT 07
CRASH BAR 1 + BEAT 07
(the DMX will "beep")
Exit Step Mode STEP SELECT SEQ 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SWING SWING is similar to QUANTIZE in that it corrects the timing of your
recordings, however SWING will alter the time so that the first half
of the beat gets more than half of the time, creating a "shuffle"
feel.

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 the percentage (between 50% and 71% in six steps). SWING is
a RECORD function. That is, it will record your playing corrected
to the swing value you have selected.
Example 9: Setting Swing Value to 66%
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Access Swing Mode SWING SWING 50%
Increase Swing to 66% > SWING 54%
> SWING 58%
> SWING 62%
> SWING 66%
Exit Swing Mode SWING SELECT SEQ 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------
You can swing in either eighth or sixteenth notes by selecting
eighth or sixteenth note quantizing. If QUANTIZE is set to a value
other than eighths of sixteenths, the display will read;
"WRONG QUANT"
COPYING SEQUENCES
It is possible to copy one sequence to another. Press COPY. The
display will ask you to specify which sequence to copy to which
location:
Example 10: Copy Sequence 25 to Sequence 01
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Access Copy Mode COPY COPY FROM SEQ 00
Select Sequence 25 25 COPY FROM SEQ 25
COPY COPY TO SEQ 00
Select Sequence 01 01 COPY TO SEQ 01
Execute the copy COPY
(DMX "Beeps" and then exits Copy Mode) SELECT SEQ 01
-----------------------------------------------------------------

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 existing sequences
into one larger sequence. Appending sequences is useful when the
same set of rhythms is to be played over and over, for example in a
composition having 3 bars of 4/4 followed by 1 bar of 7/8 as a basic
phrase element. By making a sequence of 3 bars of 4/4, another of 1
bar of 7/8, and then appending the 7/8 onto the end of the 4/4, you
have quickly created your basic phase element, which can then be
repeated over and over, and combined with other sequences as part of
a song.
Appending sequences is similar to copying them except that while
COPY REPLACES the old sequence with the new one, APPEND ADDS the new
sequence to the end of the old one. The process is the same except
that you must press RECORD while pressing COPY to execute.
Example 11: Append Sequence 25 to Sequence 01
OPERATION PRESS DISPLAY READS
----------------------------- --------------- ----------------
Access Copy Mode COPY COPY FROM SEQ 00
Select Sequence 25 25 COPY FROM SEQ 25
COPY COPY TO SEQ 00
Select Sequence 01 01 COPY TO SEQ 01
Access Append Mode RECORD (hold) APPEND TO SEQ 01
Execute Appended Copy COPY APPEND TO SEQ 01
(DMX "Beeps" and then exits Copy Mode) SELECT SEQ 01
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It is possible to append a sequence to itself. This effectively
doubles the length of the sequence. It is also possible to append
several sequences, one after another, to one sequence. Appended
sequences may be of any time signature or length, however the tempo
of the first part of the sequence will be applied to the rest of the
sequence as well. If sequences of different time signatures are
appended together, the length may not equal an exact number of
measures and this will be reflected by a "+" in the length of the
sequence. For example, appending a 7/8 sequence to a 4/4 sequence
(each of 1 bar length) will cause the display to read:
"1+ BARS-85% LEFT"
because the length of the new sequence is not quite 2 bars of 4/4.

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 sequence and then
combine sequences into a complete composition, saving a lot of
memory space, not to mention time and effort.
A song then, is a combination of sequences. In addition to the 100
sequences, the DMX also contains 50 songs, numbered 00 thru 49.
Unlike a sequence (appended or otherwise), a song does not remember
the notes, only the order of sequences that you wish to play. There
can be as many as 255 sequences contained within a song, and each
sequence within a song can have its own tempo, length, or time
signature.
PLAYING A SONG
To enter the song mode, press SONG. The DMX will select the song
last selected.
Example 12: Play song 00
OPERATION: PRESS: DISPLAY READS:
----------------------- ----------------------- ----------------
Access song mode SONG SELECT SONG 00
Play song 00 PLAY PART 1= SEQ 01
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As the song plays through the different sequences in it, the
sequence number on the display will change to reflect the actual
sequence presently being played. Each sequence in the song is given
an ascending PART number that reflects its order in the song. When
the song reaches its conclusion the display will read:
"SONG 00 -END-"
To exit the song mode, press SONG again.

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 edit a song press SONG, then EDIT. Once you enter SONG EDIT
mode, the DMX will ask you to select the sequences that will make up
the song; the SONG LIST.
Example 13: Recording Song 00
OPERATION: PRESS: DISPLAY READS:
----------------------- ----------------------- ----------------
Access Song Mode SONG SELECT SONG 00
Access Edit Mode EDIT PART 1= SEQ **
(If there is a number rather than asterisks after
"SEQ", the song is not empty and should be erased
before recording; see ERASING A SONG)
Start Song with
Sequence 01 01 PART 1= SEQ 01
(The DMX will "beep" whenever you insert or delete a sequence)
Advance to Part 2 > PART 2== SEQ **
Continue with
Sequence 02 02 PART 2= SEQ 02
Advance to Part 3 > PART 5= SEQ **
Continue with
Sequence 01 01 PART 3= SEQ 01
Advance to Part 4 > PART 4= SEQ **
Continue with
Sequence 00 00 PART 4= SEQ 00
Advance to Part 5 > PART 5= SEQ **
Repeat Sequence 00 00 PART 5= SEQ 00
Finish EDIT SELECT SONG 00
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To play the song you have just created, press PLAY.

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.
You may move through the song list by using the forward and reverse
arrows to get to the part of the song that you wish to revise. You
have three editing options:
REPLACE
You can REPLACE any sequence currently displayed
with another simply by entering the new sequence
number.
INSERT
By pressing RECORD and EDIT, the DMX will insert
sequence 00 into the song list before the sequence
previously displayed. You can then REPLACE sequence
00 with the desired sequence by entering its number.
ERASE
By pressing ERASE and EDIT, the DMX will remove the
displayed sequence from the song list.
Example 14: Re-editing Song 00
OPERATION: PRESS: DISPLAY READS:
----------------------- ----------------------- ----------------
Access Song Mode SONG SELECT SONG 00
Access Edit Mode EDIT PART 1= SEQ 01
Advance to the next
Part > PART 2= SEQ 02
Advance to the next
Part > PART 3= SEQ 01
Replace Sequence 01
with Sequence 05 PART 3= SEQ 05
Advance to the next
Part > PART 4= SEQ 00
Advance to the next
Part > PART 5= SEQ 00
---------------------------continued-----------------------------