PAiA Programmable Drum Set

The pAiA Programmable Drum Set was a drum machine. It was one of the first fully programmable drum machines, a precursor to the Linn drum machine in terms of programmability, and came as a DIY electronic assembly kit. Unlike future drum machines with full programmability, the Programmable Drum Set generated drum sounds via ringing oscillators.

Peter Gabriel had a pAiA Programmable Drum Set, which Larry Fast introduced to him and he bought one for around $50-$150 in the late 1970s. It was one of his main compositional tools for his self-titled third album (known as Melt), allowed him to take a rhythm-oriented approach to writing songs. He later had a Roland CR-78 as an alternative during the recording sessions.

As Larry Fast remembers, the pAiA Programmable Drum Set appears on tracks "Biko" and "Games Without Frontiers". However, his memory of the latter song isn't entirely accurate, as on "Games Without Frontiers" the drum machine sounds sound closer to the Roland CR-78. Peter felt that sound-wise the CR-78 was better, but not as easy to program rhythms on.

Peter is quoted saying the following about the pAiA Programmable drum set: "'[The pAiA Programmable Drum Set] preceded Linn and so on, and that was a wonderful thing because for the first time I found I could start putting in my own rhythms and the frustrated drummer in me was able to come out. I could get back to rhythm, which was where I started really. Then I started using those sounds. I think 'Biko' was the first thing written with that technique and then 'Lead A Normal Life' and 'No Self Control' on the third album. Then I think there was a growing African influence with the Eno records and with Can. I think that, too, showed me another way of integrating things and I was influenced by their work. My interest hasn't faded because I find that a lot of rock rhythms don't make me want to dance any more.'"

Further information

 * Synth Museum