Comments on: Allen Strange, 1942-2008 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/ Electronic music news, synthesizers, reviews and more! Sat, 17 May 2008 05:23:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: synthhead http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/#comment-124538 synthhead Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:09:55 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/#comment-124538 Rick - thanks for your thoughts, too. The more I hear about Allen Strange, the more I wish I'd had a chance to meet him. Rick - thanks for your thoughts, too.

The more I hear about Allen Strange, the more I wish I’d had a chance to meet him.

]]> By: Rick Guido http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/#comment-124524 Rick Guido Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:04:50 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/#comment-124524 In 1976 I went back to San Jose State to work on my masters. Walking to a class on the upper level, I notice this small room filled with all this electronic equipment! I asked around and discovered that it was the electronic music lab run by Allen Strange. The very next semester I was enrolled in the class. Needless to say it was one of most enjoyable classes I have ever taken at San Jose State. After taking the class I really wanted my own synthesizer to work on, however I didn’t have the funds to buy one so I decided to build my own. At the time, two guys, Scott and Dave were building synthesizer components in their apartment in Santa Clara – e-mu. So, every month or so, I would go to their place and buy a new component for my home brewed synth. My system came together very well with Scott and Dave’s help. Of course the rest is history for e-mu. I sold the original home brew synth in the late 80’s. More recently, I’ve re-entered the electronic music arena with a German made synthesizer called Doepfer. I have Allen to thank for getting me interested in electronic music and will miss him. In 1976 I went back to San Jose State to work on my masters. Walking to a class on the upper level, I notice this small room filled with all this electronic equipment! I asked around and discovered that it was the electronic music lab run by Allen Strange. The very next semester I was enrolled in the class. Needless to say it was one of most enjoyable classes I have ever taken at San Jose State.

After taking the class I really wanted my own synthesizer to work on, however I didn’t have the funds to buy one so I decided to build my own. At the time, two guys, Scott and Dave were building synthesizer components in their apartment in Santa Clara – e-mu. So, every month or so, I would go to their place and buy a new component for my home brewed synth. My system came together very well with Scott and Dave’s help. Of course the rest is history for e-mu.

I sold the original home brew synth in the late 80’s. More recently, I’ve re-entered the electronic music arena with a German made synthesizer called Doepfer.

I have Allen to thank for getting me interested in electronic music and will miss him.

]]> By: synthhead http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/#comment-124479 synthhead Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:19:26 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/#comment-124479 Tim That's a great reminiscence. Thanks for sharing it! I didn't get to meet Allen Strange, but remember reading his Electronic Music book in the 80's when I was in school. I may have to dig that out and read through it again. I'm sure I'd learn something. Sounds like you had great experiences with him and learned a lot, too. Tim

That’s a great reminiscence. Thanks for sharing it!

I didn’t get to meet Allen Strange, but remember reading his Electronic Music book in the 80’s when I was in school. I may have to dig that out and read through it again. I’m sure I’d learn something.

Sounds like you had great experiences with him and learned a lot, too.

]]> By: Tim Conrardy http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/#comment-124477 Tim Conrardy Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:47:05 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/02/26/allen-strange/#comment-124477 In college,( DeAnza in Cupertino) I took the electronic music course which was then tuaght by Allen. I came into the class not knowing a filter from an envelope. After a year, he recommended me as tutor for the class. I also took private lessons from him. One of his methods was to bring me in his room full of Buchla synths, unplug all the patch cables, hand them to me, then leave the room! Much later on, when I was totally into my Atari algorithmic applications, he invited me to give a lecture/demo for his class at San Jose state. It turned out well, as we were able to project the Atari screen to 4 feet tall! Another neat fact was although he is well known for his advant-gard compositions and techniques, he also taught a class in country music. I also found it interesting that he played bass in a jazz ensemble with David Bristol, who was one of the main programmers for the DX7 when it came out. I still have my DX7 books with his patches in it. I think he was the one who did the EPiano preset we have all come to cherish thru the years. When I got to visit him last summer (2007), he told me all sorts of stories about Don Buchla and how he came up with his designs for his synths and got to spend some time with him. He gave me one on one lessons in Max MSP, and got to party with him, listen to music and enjoy good mexican food. He was a great guy, and I will dearly miss him. He has been a big influence on my own work as well as countless others as he was a pioneer for electronic music education. Our next AlgoMusic product will be dedicated to him. -Tim Conrardy (March 08) In college,( DeAnza in Cupertino) I took the electronic music course which was then tuaght by Allen. I came into the class not knowing a filter from an envelope. After a year, he recommended me as tutor for the class. I also took private lessons from him. One of his methods was to bring me in his room full of Buchla synths, unplug all the patch cables, hand them to me, then leave the room!

Much later on, when I was totally into my Atari algorithmic applications, he invited me to give a lecture/demo for his class at San Jose state. It turned out well, as we were able to project the Atari screen to 4 feet tall!

Another neat fact was although he is well known for his advant-gard compositions and techniques, he also taught a class in country music.

I also found it interesting that he played bass in a jazz ensemble with David Bristol, who was one of the main programmers for the DX7 when it came out. I still have my DX7 books with his patches in it. I think he was the one who did the EPiano preset we have all come to cherish thru the years.

When I got to visit him last summer (2007), he told me all sorts of stories about Don Buchla and how he came up with his designs for his synths and got to spend some time with him. He gave me one on one lessons in Max MSP, and got to party with him, listen to music and enjoy good mexican food. He was a great guy, and I will dearly miss him. He has been a big influence on my own work as well as countless others as he was a pioneer for electronic music education.
Our next AlgoMusic product will be dedicated to him.
-Tim Conrardy (March 08)

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