E-mu SP-1200

In this 2001 interview with Daft Punk about Discovery, they list some of their preferred samplers; the 1200 is listed.

"Then I borrowed an E-mu SP-1200 from System D-128, [an avant-garde multi-media artist] from Florida who helped me learn about producing."

They ask him what gear he couldn't live without and he replies: "These days it’s so different because really all you need is a MacBook and it’s all there. But back in the day it was Akai samplers S-3000 which is the thing I made my first two albums on. Also I used an old E-mu SP-1200 as well." There is also a picture of him with his SP-1200 here: http://music.newcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/bonobosamplerinwoodsfinal.jpg

In this old-school NWA interview in the studio, you can see a couple of SP-1200 (the O.G. version, the reissue wasn't out in 88) on the table in front of Dr. Dre

*Nodfactor* [re-publishes an article](http://www.nodfactor.com/2010/02/07/still-lives-through-j-dillas-last-interview/) from a February 2006 edition of *Scratch* magazine where Alvin “Aqua Boogie” Blanco interviews J-Dilla. Aqua Boogie asks what equipment did J-Dilla start with, to which he replies “I started with the [SP-12](https://equipboard.com/items/e-mu-sp-12-classic-drum-machine-and-sampler) then moved to the SP-1200 and then shortly after that the [MPC-60](https://equipboard.com/items/akai-mpc60), then the [MPC-62](https://equipboard.com/items/akai-mpc60ii), then the [MPC3000](https://equipboard.com/items/akai-mpc-3000) and I’ve been on the MPC 3000 ever since then. I’ve tried other samplers but the 3000 is best for me for what I like to do.”

Spotted on stage at 8:45 in this video of a live set. The SP1200 itself is clearly visible at the :55 mark of the same video. It was used extensively on the collaboration with MF DOOM "Madvillainy". Madlib can be seen holding one on the back cover of that album.

In this old video, we see Pete Rock playing on the signature drum pads and sliders of an SP-1200.

“I got a chance to get tutelage from DJ Premier, have him try to teach me how to use the SP-1200, and show me how he scratches records, so the scenes of me doing DJ stuff didn’t look corny,”

"A guy from our record company went to New York and got this for me for my birthday; it was a really good present. It's so nice, just for single drum hits."

At 1:30 in this beat-making rhythm roulette video of 9th wonder, you can see the sp-1200 with a record laying on top of it.

You can see it on the right side

At 3:29 in this video, RZA says, "...I was at Easy Mo Bee's house, we were on Gza's first album and he had a SP-1200, and I'd never seen that in my life never knew what it was. It was 1987 probably." "Took about a year and a half before i finally got ahold of one....so i was about 19 when i got my first SP-1200..."

The description of this video of Bibio says, "Capturing sounds with a vintage Sennheiser MD-21 microphone, then using the EMU SP1200 for its inimitable fidelity, then resampled and sequenced on an Akai MPC 5000."

1st paragraph and 24th line down this sampler is listed by robin.

"The original hip-hop drum machine. That is fat! I'm really into the hip-hop scene, and did a lot of research into the equipment they used to get that real heavy sound. A guy from our record company went to New York and got this for me for my birthday; it was a really good present. It's so nice, just for single drum hits." – Liam Howlett, from a [1996 interview](http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/sep96/prodigy.html) with Sound On Sound.

"Danger Mouse also loves his vintage E-mu SP-1200 Sampler/ Drum-Machine. The SP-1200 was THE drum machine & sampler combo of legendary status among old school rap and hip hop artists from the eighties and nineties," states [this article](https://digitaldj.wordpress.com/2008/07/08/the-sound-of-danger-mouse/).

In this Instagram photo, captioned, "Whatchall know bout this? #sp1200", DJ QBert's SP-1200 is visible.

"The SP(1200) for drums and for the loops the (AKAI S)950. That’s something that Large Professor put me onto (the AKAI S950). I just liked the snap of it. For me… I was always into the big drums with the tin like smack of it" ~ Q-tip

A rack inside cEvin's old studio, also called Subconscious Studios, before he moved to LA.

In [this Dj Quik interview](http://www.complex.com/music/2012/04/dj-quik-tells-all-the-stories-behind-his-classic-records/born-and-raised-in-compton) with Complex he tells his rise to modern day legend from his humble beginning on the SP and cassette “I got an SP1200 drum machine and a 4-track Tascam recorder, a little cassette recorder. I went from making mixtapes to getting a drum machine and producing my own songs. After about a year on the SP1200, going through different tape formulations. Just listening to the way frequencies in my voice respond to certain tapes, I figured I was in there."

In this Pic on Dan's Twitter, he shows off his many machines including an SP-12. Dan says “Yeah it all starts with the drums sometimes.”

DJ Krush uses his E-mu SP-1200 for his studio setup.

At 0:26 in this video DJ Muggs is seen using a SP-1200.

confirmation at 0:57 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY8EIoMelFc

Ad Rock uses an E-mu SP-1200 and this is a photo of his model. There is also proof of it on this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad-Rock

Used on *People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm*, as stated by recording engineer Bob Power in this November 8, 2016 *Wax Poetics* interview. > Also, back then, MIDI was in a very primitive state. MIDI is the language that computers, synthesizers, and samplers use to speak to each other. It was extremely primitive at that point. Q-Tip was sequencing on an SP-1200, and Ali had an Alesis eight-track MIDI sequencer and an Akai S950. Sampling technology was very primitive. The S950 had maybe a second and a half worth of memory. Putting together those complex, elaborate constructions was so difficult. It took a lot of time. We had to do things bit by bit because of the undeveloped memory for samplers at that point. We had to be creative in the way we approached things. People say we used twenty-four tracks, but we really had twenty-two tracks to deal with because you needed to print a synchronization code on one track and use another track as your guard band. Because samplers would only hold less than a second worth of sound at one time, we ended up putting little bits of things across different tracks and combining them later.

At 4:12 in this video we see a SP-12 in Dj Babu's spot.

In this video at 2:08, Para One of [L'Atelier](https://equipboard.com/band/l-atelier) and [TTC](https://equipboard.com/band/ttc) shows his studio, including a E-mu SP-1200, for the process of making his second album 'Passion'.

What about drum machines? You have a handful… "The EXS24 is my go to for drums but from time to time I'll bring out the EMU SP1200 to sample bass notes. I did actually use my Korg Minipops 7 on the breakdown of one of my tracks because it has pre-programmed patterns. I also love my Akai MPC3000, because it was my first ever drum machine."

At 0:28 in this video Alan Braxe introduces the SP 1200. He says, "I think it's a fantastic machine. Really easy to use."

Ya'll whana know how we make the music? We sample! Ya year that? That, we put some of that there, some of that....

Has 8 filtered outputs that you bypass.

Marley marl uses the E-mu SP-1200 in songs such as LL cool J's Mama said knock you out and many more!

spotted in the video

You can see Route 94 just opening it from his mail.

In this photo posted by Epworth on his Instagram profile, the E-mu SP1200 can be seen.

This picture shows Lord Finesse and his SP-1200. He also released an instrumental album named The SP1200 Project: A Re-Awakening.

in this photo we can see his sp-1200..

In this picture that Dj Evil Dee posted to his Instagram, he shows off some off his classic gear (including the SP-1200) and writes this, "#tbt #throwbackthursday WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SP1200, SP12 TURBO & THE AKAI 950 ???"

spotted in the video

"I've done so many tracks with this...back in the early 90s this is the box I did everything on," Brown says, at 4:36 in this video.

Pictured here, decked out in winter gear because of his icy beats.

Seen in the video at 3:03.

In this interview with Rap Pages from November 1995, DJ Screw mentions that for his (very few) original productions, he uses the classic E-Mu SP 1200.

At 01:01 in this video Del shows points at the corner of his studio: "I've got SP 1200 right here, sittin up here you know"

According to a list of equipment which is used in his studio, Crowdspacer, Joakim is also a user of E-Mu SP1200 drum machine.

No matter what companies make this is still KING !!!

Dj Lethal can be seen talking about this sampler in an interview with The Archivist.

It is used by Roni Size, Todd Terry, Freddy Fresh, Daft Punk, Phil Collins, and The Prodigy .

" I got the E-mu SP-1200 and the MPC3000, so yeah, now I'm sampling again. "

Grap Luva uses SP-1200 like his big brother (Pete Rock) used to.

Sneak creating beats on the E-mu SP-1200 in the studio

Loefah shows his E-mu SP-1200 in this Instagram photo.

Todd Terry from Masters At Work gave this to him.

It is with the utmost respect for the UZN, its visionary founder and subsequently each and everyone who positively contributed to the beautiful thing called Hip Hop that I humbly come to you today by means of this letter drafted by a trusted friend of mine according to my own wishes and stipulations due to the fact that lucent one to one communication especially in times of my personal distress never was nor will be my strong suit. Having said that I heavily hearted weighed in every aspect that ultimately culminated into my verbal outburst at last week's event in Almere (Netherlands) where Hip Hop at one point had become a one man's show and I as a witness inadequately called out my for my brothers and sisters to not only step forward on stage to jointly denounce such a disgraceful manifesto of the ego but to defend that what historically never was meant to be a celebration of just one. And regardless of the fact that my heart and love for the UZN and Hip Hop in general are undisputed and regardless of the fact that I still feel lost and abbandoned I have to offer all of you my sincererest appology for my act was untactful and in hindsight unworthy. Therefore I wish to annull my membership forthwith but in my own way will continue to vigorously support the culture in peace as I have done on day one pushing 30 years. Sincerely Martin Marsoeki jr. ( SOEKIakaDRC ) Private Explanation Summary Made By : DyaLogue

In this image, Odd Nosdam is seen with the SP-1200

Jel is seen with two SP1200's here.

"12 Finger Dan & B-Base aka Soulbrotha have carved a niche for themselves as a dope production and turntablist duo from Hamburg, Germany. As close protégés of producer icon DJ Premier, the veteran beatsmiths drop the boom bap filled EP "The Golden Era Isn't Finished", exclusively using the classic SP1200 beat machine." -Promotext

Included in equipment list

"It's the most recent addition to my studio, but its immediately become my favourite."

Included in equipment list