EKO ComputeRhythm drum-machine from 1972 (demo 1)

YouTube via kovalmoog. via audible.

"This is a pretty rare drum machine manufactured by EKO in 1972 in Recanati, Italy. Model ComputeRhythm, maybe one of 15-20 ever made (curiously SN #0113).
This particular one is owned by a musician living in Madrid, Luis De La Cruz, and It was repaired and slightly modified by me on the past months (www.synthoma.net).
Before giving back to its owner I have the chance to made these demonstration videos to show its features and incredible programing methods.
Due to the price it was mainly used by famous electronic musicians like Jean-Michel Jarre and Manuel Göttsching (founder member of Ashra Tempel). J-M Jarre has used it extensively on his first albums: "Oxygene" and "Equinoxe".
It can be seen on his Equinoxe 5 videoclip from 1978 (at 0:36):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO5w30...

Please, enjoy this first demo, and sorry about the poor quality video. It was made by a webcam. However, the audio was taken directly from the mixer."

EKO ComputeRhythm drum-machine from 1972 (demo 2)


"2nd part of demonstration.
Three jacks was applied on this drum machine, Trigger IN, Trigger Out and Start / Stop Out. On this demo, the Trigger IN feature is shown.
When a 1/4" jack is connected on the Trigger input, the sequence stops, and remain in "waiting" mode for an external trigger.
On this case the trigger is provided from a gate out of a Roland MPU-101 midi converter, then a midi software running on a PC (not shown) controls the tempo of the drum machine, beyond its own internal clock capabilities.
On high speeds the refresh of the webcam can't permit to see the MPU-101 gate LED flashing synchronized with the EKO sequence, but in very low tempo is easily noticeable."

Update via Micke in the comments:
"I believe the EKO Computerhythm came out in 1973 because it's being announced as a brand-new model in an EKO catalog I have from that year. The model pictured looks a bit different from this one though so it might possibly be the prototype.

Chris Franke of Tangerine Dream also had one very early on. Afaik, he first used it on the Green Desert album which was originally recorded in Aug of 1973.

Later, Franke built trigger outputs and triggered other synths with the thing. If memory serves me right Manuel Göttsching got his Computerhythm from Franke."