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E-mu Systems was a
software synthesizer,
audio interface,
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (; MIDI) is an American-Japanese technical standard that describes a communication protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, ...
interface, and
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (; MIDI) is an American-Japanese technical standard that describes a communication protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, ...
keyboard manufacturer. Founded in 1971 as a
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
maker, E-mu was a pioneer in
samplers, sample-based
drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...
s and low-cost digital
sampling music workstations.
After its acquisition in 1993, E-mu Systems was a wholly owned subsidiary of
Creative Technology, Ltd.
In 1998, E-mu was combined with
Ensoniq, another synthesizer and sampler manufacturer previously acquired by Creative Technology.
[ E-mu was last based in Scotts Valley, California, on the outskirts of ]Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that is a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical area of the Santa Clara Valley ...
.[
]
History
E-mu Systems was founded in Santa Cruz, California">Curtis Electromusic Specialties (CEM)
E-mu Systems was founded in Santa Cruz, California by
Dave Rossum, a University of California, Santa Cruz, UCSC student and two of his friends from Caltech, Steve Gabriel and Jim Ketcham, with the goal to build their own modular synthesizers.
Scott Wedge, who would ultimately become president, joined later that summer. In 1972, E-mu became a company, developing and patenting a digitally scanned polyphonic keyboard (1973), licensed for use by
Oberheim Electronics in the
Oberheim Four Voice and Eight Voice synthesizers and by
Dave Smith in the
Sequential Circuits Prophet-5.
E-mu, along with Solid State Micro Technology (SSM), also developed several synthesizer module
IC chips, that were used by both E-mu and many other synthesizer companies.
With the financial benefit of the royalties that came from working with these other synthesizer manufacturers, E-mu designed the
Audity, their first non-modular synthesizer, showing it at the 1980
AES Convention. With a price of $69,200 (over $200,000 in 2009 terms when adjusted for
inflation
In economics, inflation is an increase in the average price of goods and services in terms of money. This increase is measured using a price index, typically a consumer price index (CPI). When the general price level rises, each unit of curre ...
), only one machine was ever produced. At that same convention, Wedge and Rossum saw the
Fairlight CMI and the
Linn LM-1. Recognizing the trend of
digital samplers, they realized that E-mu had the technology to bring a lower-priced sampler to market. The
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is Computer hardware, hardware or software that enables one computer system (called the ''host'') to behave like another computer system (called the ''guest''). An emulator typically enables the host system to run sof ...
debuted in 1981 at a list price of $7,900, significantly less than the $30,000 Fairlight.
Following the Emulator, E-mu released the first programmable
drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...
with samples built-in priced below $1,000, the E-mu Drumulator. The Drumulator's success was followed by the
Emulator II and
III, the
SP-12 drum sampler, and the
Emax series of samplers.
[
In 1990, E-mu introduced the Proteus, a rackmount sound module, containing pre-recorded samples in ROM. At its introduction, the Proteus had a relatively large library of high-quality samples priced much lower than the competition. The success of the Proteus spurred the development of several additional versions, including the Proteus XR, an orchestral version, and a world music version.][ In 1987, E-mu's SP-1200 drum sampler offered an "all-in-one" box for sequencing not only drum sounds, but looping samples, and it quickly became the instrument of choice for hip hop producers.
In 1993, E-mu was acquired by Creative Technology (the Singaporean parent company of Creative Labs) and began working on PC sound card synthesis. Creative Wave Blaster II and Sound Blaster AWE32 used EMU8000 effect processor.
In 1996, E-mu attempted to break into the digital multi-track market with the Darwin 8-track hard disk recording system.]trip hop
Trip hop is a musical genre that has been described as a psychedelic music, psychedelic fusion of hip hop music, hip hop and electronica with slow tempos and an atmospheric sound. The style emerged as a more experimental music, experimental var ...
-oriented Planet Phatt and the latin music
Latin music (Portuguese language, Portuguese and ) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America, which encompasses Music of Latin America, Latin America, Music of Spain, Spain, Mu ...
-oriented Carnaval were introduced.algorithms
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of mathematically rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specifications for per ...
no longer run on dedicated hardware but in software
Software consists of computer programs that instruct the Execution (computing), execution of a computer. Software also includes design documents and specifications.
The history of software is closely tied to the development of digital comput ...
on the PC. Proteus X, a software-based sample player, was released in 2005.
Non-Creative sound cards
During 2003-2007, E-mu designed and published a series of high-fidelity "Digital Audio Systems" (computer sound cards), intended for professional, semi-professional and computer audio enthusiast use. They were released under the name E-MU, however bearing a "Creative Professional" label. The card names are number-coded for the number of physical inputs and outputs: 0404, 1212m, 1616, 1616m, 1820 and 1820m, where 1616 is a CardBus version and the rest for PCI, while "m" denotes extra high-quality analogue outputs and inputs. The 1820m was touted as the series' flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
product until the 1616 and 1616M were released (A PCI version of the 1616/M later followed). All of the cards had drivers for Microsoft Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
and later versions that were current at time of the respective products' release. (32- and 64-bit). Only a beta version driver was released for Windows 7. Apple Macintosh support appeared to be pending, but may have been affected by Apple's migration towards Intel
Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and Delaware General Corporation Law, incorporated in Delaware. Intel designs, manufactures, and sells computer compo ...
.
While the core DSP chip (EMU10K2) of the cards is the same one designed by E-MU and used in Creative's Sound Blaster Audigy2 cards (and hence capable of 24-bit 192 kHz PCM sound), official press releases for the E-MU sound cards have emphasized Creative's lack of input on the design, and the in-house development of the cards and drivers — that is, they wanted to distinguish their "own" series from Creative's signature Sound Blasters. Notably, the cards and drivers entirely omit internal ' wavetable' sample-based MIDI synthesis, Creative's proprietary EAX sound routines and basically anything commonly associated with the parent company. Although the cards were rushed into market and originally came bundled with fairly raw drivers (which have subsequently received periodical major improvements and even additions beyond the advertised specifications), they have generally met with rather favourable reviews.
Timeline of major products
* 1973 - E-mu Modular System
* 1980 - Audity
* 1981 - Emulator
In computing, an emulator is Computer hardware, hardware or software that enables one computer system (called the ''host'') to behave like another computer system (called the ''guest''). An emulator typically enables the host system to run sof ...
* 1983 - Drumulator
* 1984 - Emulator II
* 1985 - E-mu SP-12
* 1986 - Emax
* 1987 - Emulator III
* 1987 - E-mu SP-1200
* 1990 - Proteus 1 Pop/Rock
* 1990 - Proteus 2 Orchestral
* 1991 - Proteus 3 World
* 1991 - Pro/Cussion
* 1993 - Morpheus
See also
* Dave Rossum
* Digital Sound Factory (company)
* Oberheim Electronics
* Polyphony (instrument)
* Sampler
* Sequential Circuits
References
External links
{{Commons category, E-mu Systems
E-mu SystemsDigital Sound FactoryScott Wedge Interview
at NAMM Oral History Library (2007)
David Rossum Interview
at NAMM Oral History Library (2007)
Emulator II 40th Anniversary - SOS Podcast
Synthesizer manufacturing companies of the United States
Sound cards
Manufacturing companies established in 1971
Creative Technology acquisitions
American companies established in 1971
1971 establishments in California
Defunct computer companies of the United States
Defunct computer hardware companies