The original Midi Bass as it was first released by 360 Systems in the mid 1980s. The Midi Bass is perhaps best known for that distinctive bass sound heard as musical intros and outros on the television show 'Seinfeld.' The 'Midi Bass' logo on this original version was absolutely detested by music and pro audio dealers and was quickly replaced with a blockier, more conventional logo. Only about 50 were made and sold with this early logo. https://www.ericwrobbel.com/art/360product.htm

People actually hated this one

I’m still proud of it. But some people hated the logo I designed for this product.

This is the original Midi Bass as it was first released. Note particularly the “Midi Bass” logo. Though my client liked this logo very much (he good-naturedly referred to it as having “cat-scratch quotes” and “a line running through it for no good reason”), it seems that dealers absolutely detested it. We quickly replaced it with a blockier, more conventional logo. You can see that version elsewhere in these pages. As I understand it, only about 50 Midi Basses were actually made and sold with this early logo. Attentive wags may notice this hand-drawn typestyle of my own design elsewhere in these pages as well.


The original Midi Bass as it was first released by 360 Systems in the mid 1980s. The Midi Bass is perhaps best known for that distinctive bass sound heard as musical intros and outros on the television show 'Seinfeld.' The 'Midi Bass' logo on this original version was absolutely detested by music and pro audio dealers and was quickly replaced with a blockier, more conventional logo. Only about 50 were made and sold with this early logo. https://www.ericwrobbel.com/art/360product.htm

What: Ad concept, copy assistance, design, art

For: “Real Bass in a Box” half-page color magazine ad

Client: 360 Systems

When: mid 1980s


At left is the original ad for the Midi Bass. This half-page vertical “Real Bass in a Box” ad in color commanded every page on which it appeared. Like 360 Systems’ pioneering digital keyboard, this device played real (not synthesized) sounds stored on computer chips. Hence the headline. The Midi Bass is perhaps best known for that distinctive bass sound heard as musical intros and outros on the television show “Seinfeld.”

Below left are product logo/panel designs from the front panels of two “rack-mounted” products—the Midi Patcher and the professional version of the Midi Bass. No one hated these, so far as I know!

These pioneering Midi devices were released in the mid-1980s. Shown are product logo/panel designs from the 'rack-mounted' Midi Patcher and the professional version of the Midi Bass. The Midi Bass is perhaps best known for that distinctive bass sound heard as musical intros and outros on the television show 'Seinfeld.' Other Midi Bass and more vintage gear: https://www.ericwrobbel.com/art/360product.htm

What: Product panel layouts, logo design, art

For: Midi Bass, Professional Midi Bass, Midi Patcher products

Client: 360 Systems

When: mid 1980s



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