The Electro-Harmonix Super Space Drum is an analog drum synthesizer in a pedal, a reissue of the cult-classic the company released in 1979. Electro-Harmonix says it creates sounds "ranging from deep kicks to high toms to sci-fi drums," and it is built to be played by hand or triggered from outside rather than stomped. It was brought back in 2016 alongside the Electro-Harmonix Crash Pad, in redesigned cases with a faithful recreation of the original circuits.1
What it is and where it came from
The Super Space Drum belongs to Electro-Harmonix's line of late-1970s analog pedal synthesizers. The 2016 reissue keeps the original circuit design in a new case, and it sits beside the Crash Pad, a reissue of the company's 1980 analog drum synthesizer pedal. Writing about both reissues, Paolo De Gregorio of Delicious Audio noted that they "have been recently reissued through redesigned cases that feature a faithful recreation of the original circuits."2
One thing to know before it reaches a pedalboard: this is not a stompbox in the usual sense. As De Gregorio put it, these are pedals "on which you actually don't want to stomp, since they have no footswitch."2 It is played with a finger on the pushbutton or triggered externally, which shapes how you place it on a board.
Controls
The panel is built around a frequency sweep, with a modulation section on top1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| START knob | Sets the starting point of the frequency sweep.1 |
| STOP knob | Sets the end point of the frequency sweep.1 |
| MOD switch | Set to ON to engage modulation.1 |
| RATE knob | Controls the rate of modulation.1 |
| DEPTH knob | Controls modulation depth or amount.1 |
The START and STOP knobs together define where each hit's sweep begins and ends, which is how the pedal moves from low kicks to high toms. The MOD section adds movement to that sweep, with the switch turning it on and the RATE and DEPTH knobs setting how fast and how strong it is1.
Power and connections
Power comes from the included EHX9.6DC-200mA adapter, and the pedal also accepts a 9V battery, though not one in the box. Current draw is listed at 25mA.1
The jacks and trigger options:
- OUTPUT jack: a 1/4-inch jack that provides the audio output.1
- EXT. TRIG jack: connect this jack to the output of an external trigger source.1
- AUX IN jack: a 1/4-inch jack that is the input for an external sound source.1
- Pushbutton trigger: push the white pushbutton at the center of the logo to trigger the Super Space Drum.1
The pedal has no footswitch, so it is not meant to be stomped. Trigger it with the on-board pushbutton, an external non-MIDI drum pad, or most clock generators.12
The AUX IN jack accepts an external sound source, which lets you run another signal into the pedal, while the EXT. TRIG jack is what you use to fire the drum sound from outside. For players comparing it with rhythm and drum-machine pedals such as the Singular Sound BeatBuddy or the DigiTech SDRUM, the difference is that the Super Space Drum generates a single analog drum voice you play or trigger, rather than playing back patterns or learned grooves. It sits among the analog side of drum pedals and synth pedals1.
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Questions
Is the Electro-Harmonix Super Space Drum analog?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix lists the circuit as analog, and the pedal is described as an Analog Drum Synthesizer. It is a reissue of the cult-classic drum synthesizer the company released in 1979, brought back in 2016 in redesigned cases with what the maker calls a faithful recreation of the original circuits.
How do you trigger the Super Space Drum?
Three ways. You can push the white pushbutton at the center of the logo to fire a hit by hand, connect an external trigger source to the EXT. TRIG jack, or drive it from most clock generators. Electro-Harmonix notes the external pad does not need to be MIDI.
Does the Super Space Drum run on a battery?
It can. The pedal includes an EHX9.6DC-200mA power adapter and also accepts a 9V battery, though the battery is not included. Current draw is listed at 25mA.
Is the Super Space Drum mono or stereo?
Mono. The pedal has a single 1/4-inch OUTPUT jack that provides the audio output, and Electro-Harmonix lists the audio as mono.
What does the MOD switch do on the Super Space Drum?
Set it to ON to engage modulation. The RATE knob controls the rate of the modulation and the DEPTH knob controls modulation depth or amount, so the switch works together with those two knobs to shape the effect.
Can I trigger the Super Space Drum from a drum pad?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix says the pedal triggers via the on-board pushbutton, an external non-MIDI drum pad and most clock generators. Connect the pad's output to the EXT. TRIG jack, which is the input for an external trigger source.
Sources (2)
- Super Space Drum, Electro-Harmonix
- Electro Harmonix Synth Pedals Super Space Drum And Crash Pad, Delicious Audio, 2016-01-12
