Podcast 183: Dave Rossum

07/09/17 • 58 min

Dave Rossum has quite a history. From helping to start up E-mu Systems, managing its acquisition by Creative Labs (and working with them through a 10-year run of amazing designs) and the creation of Rossum Electro-Music, Dave has been designing the heck out of music instruments. I was really excited when the Synthtopia folks we able to pull this interview together, since I've been a fan of E-mu devices for a long, long time, and have been mesmerized by the new modules he's been developing.

In our chat, we talk in detail about the development of the early E-mu modular system, the move into sampling technology, the effect of the Creative purchase and the technology developments behind the Proteus lineup. We also go into detail about Dave's design work with the new series of modules that he's working on, as well as the upcoming sampler module that has everyone humming.

This was a lot of fun, and super-educational; I learned an awful lot about the various technological advances behind samplers and sample-based systems. Given my renewed interest in sampling, that was very interesting to me. But his views on analog and digital modular designs, and his willingness to take on impossible projects and find a way to make 'em work - it was inspirational.

Enjoy!

Enjoy!

Previous Episode

Podcast 182: Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL)

NOTE: This podcast is presented as a collaboration with Synthtopia.com for the presentation of people designing and producing unique instruments. You can listen to the podcast here, on the Synthtopia website (in an embedded player) or on iTunes. But you can also read the article as well as search for detailed information by viewing the transcription at http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2017/07/03/junkie-xl-the-art-of-scoring-with-synthesizers/.

Tom Holkenborg - Junkie XL - is everywhere right now. If you've seen any blockbuster movies in the last couple of years, you probably have heard his soundtracks. His recent releases are also widely heard, as are some of his early works (especially his rework of Elvis' "A Little Less Conversation"). And if you are really dedicated to sound design, you've probably stumbled on his website (www.junkiexl.com) and especially his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/junkiexlofficial), where he has a series - Studio Time - that really gives you a close-up view of Tom's gear, techniques and passions.

When our friends at Synthtopia helped us connect with Tom, I was anxious to explore areas outside of his normal thing: I wanted to hear about his beginning story, but also how he approached composition, where he got his engineering chops and how he made music that has always jumped out of the speakers. We got to talk about all that and more, and I got a good overview of both his past work as a producer, electronica superstar and his current work doing soundtrack for major motion pictures. He's got great stories, but also great object lessons, and I think we all will learn something from his open discussion on his art.

An amazing interview - I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

Next Episode

Podcast 184: Phil Maguire

One of my weekly pleasures (introduced to me by Gregory Taylor) is the Vital Weekly newsletter. This is a weekly compendium of recent music releases (generally in the experimental/artsy area) with quick reviews, and it has a companion podcast that provides an ear on many of the works that it reviews. In a recent edition, they included a review of this week's guest - Phil Maguire - along with an excerpt from his 'Solo Computer Music' Verzimprint release, and I was quite taken.

So, as I often do, I started diving deeper. I ran across his site, and got to hear a variety of his work. I also enjoyed an ATTN magazine session that included an interview with Phil drew me into his work in a very personal way. Of course, this led me to reach out, and the next thing you know - we've got a chat going!

Phil is a super personable, interesting guy, and one that is willing to go from performance programming, to broken hardware, to detailed editing - and doesn't get bogged down with any orthodoxy on his way to expressing his voice. His description of his process points to his work finding the right way to produce his work.

All-in-all, a great interview (marred by some recording difficulties on my end...) by a great artist, and an inspiration for anyone trying to find their voice among the millions of ways to do the work. Enjoy!