Dave Smith Interview At RBMA Tokyo

Synth designer Dave Smith (Sequential Circuits, Dave Smith Instruments) is featured in this new interview/lecture from Red Bull Music Academy Tokyo 2014. 

Interview Summary:

Dave Smith is a synthesizer designer and tech visionary of the highest order. He created the first polyphonic synth, the Prophet 5, which has become the obsession of everyone from Parliament to Arcade Fire to James Blake.

He’s also considered the Father of MIDI and created some of the first software synthesizers. The Bay-Area based engineer founded Sequential Circuits, and worked with Korg and Yamaha.

And, as if that weren’t enough, he currently heads up Dave Smith Instruments, who create popular synths like the Tempest, the Tetra, and of course the Prophet 08. In this lecture, expect a deep exploration into the instruments that have shaped electronic music with some oscillations, but no filters.

via Red Bull Music Academy

12 thoughts on “Dave Smith Interview At RBMA Tokyo

  1. I’m so glad more people feel the same way. I don’t like myself just hating, but that guy could and should really do a better job interviewing, or Red Bull a better job getting interviewers. Also the crowd look like they don’t have a clue, which probably led Dave to figure he had no need to go into great depth on any subject. Anyhow, it still is interesting, and I liked some of the stories.

  2. The interviewer is dreadful. Leading questions, obviously biased questions, almost a quasi-“gotcha” approach to try and generate some small spark of controversy.

    Dave Smith, however, behaves like a perfect gentleman.

  3. Wow, that entire interview was quite awkward but I suppose the interviewer managed to get Dave to open up and talk about a lot of things I had no idea of – such as his time in school and the foundation of his company. Perhaps, not the best way to engage, but Dave did open up.

  4. God, this guy is such a numb nut. Too much to ask to have a simple understanding of the subject matter and person you’ll be talking about? Could have been such a better interview rather than him asking Dave Smith to teach synthesis 101. As another poster said, Dave did behave like a gentleman though. I feel bad for DS for having to go through that cringe worthy interview.

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