The Wurlitzer Company released the Sideman in 1959. He were initially conceived as accompaniments for organists and pianists. After the Chamberlin Rhythmate (1949-1966), it was the second commercially distributed drum machine.
The Side Man is an “electro-mechanical” drum machine that offered a choice of 12 predefined rhythm patterns with variable tempos. The sound source is a series of vacuum tubes which creates 10 preset electronic drum sounds. The drum sounds is ‘sequenced’ by a rotating disc with metal contacts across its face, spaced in a certain pattern to generate rhythm including Beguine, 4/4 March, Western, Waltz, Shuffle, 4/4 Bolero, Rhumba, Cha Cha, Tango, Samba, Fox Trot either in two- or four-beat form, and a metronome. For adjust the speed of the preset rhythms, the user must handle a metal rod, who also acts as the instruments main on/iff switch. Speed control varies between 195 and 36 beats per minute. Since the Sideman does not employ tape loops, its presets are not limited to any particular time length. He employs a 12” speaker, however he positioned a tweeter directly above the 12” driver.
