The Real MC Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I pulled out my copy of "Prophet From Silicon Valley" tonight. I had forgotten how much Dave had contributed to the synth industry, and the book doesn't include the later DSI era! My one encounter with Dave was at NAMM. The analog synth renaissance was just starting, and I told Dave he should get back in the ring. He said That's not a bad idea. By the next NAMM show, he had introduced his first DSI product. DSI (later Sequential) brought us so much since then. Dave gave us so much... RIP to a great man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 oh wow very sorry to hear.. I never met Dave, but feel like I knew him from all of the discussion here about his contributions to keyboardists, musicians and artists everywhere. RIP Quote Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analogaddict Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Terrible news… RIP Dave! He changed the world to a better place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jverghese Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 That was completely unexpected, to me at least. I too meant to re-read the "Prophet From Silicon Valley" book, not least because of the great story, and the funny anecdotes. Now I'll be reading it with a different perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Just got back from the coast... OMG 😪 just total shock and devastation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Verelst Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 It seemed his empire would last forever but alas the teamleader exchanged the temporal for the eternal. I'm sure many feelings are involved. T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marczellm Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I always think about just how much genius and engineering excellence and forethought had to go into the creation of MIDI. It amazes me to no end that 2022 products are able to talk to each other via a technology designed in 1981 that is so carefully thought out and extensible that it didn't even need to be updated until very recently. 4 Quote Life is subtractive.Genres: Jazz, funk, pop, Christian worship, BebHop Wishlist: 80s-ish (synth)pop, symph pop, prog rock, fusion, musical theatre Gear: NS2 + JUNO-G. KingKORG. SP6 at church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoken6 Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 72 is too young. I'm not connected to him and the industry in the way that some of you are, but I will now think of Dave every time I plug in a MIDI cable... Cheers, Mike. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 In the late ‘70s when deciding on a college path, I was strong in math, sciences, and music. I chose electrical engineering because I wanted to be the next Bob Moog, Tom Oberheim, or Dave Smith. I said that to my guidance counselor (and explained who they were). Though engineering was too great a challenge & I changed majors after 2 years, thank you, Dave Smith, for inspiring teenage me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMcM Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 NO! Devastating news. RIP Mr. Smith. Quote Wm. David McMahan I Play, Therefore I Am Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brenner13 Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Not only inventing MIDI, but with assistance from Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi, they convinced all manufacturers to accept Musical Instrument Digital Interface as the industry standard. Quite an amazing person that is sorely missed. The world is a better place because Dave Smith was here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threadslayer Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 A legend. RIP and congratulations on a life well lived. Quote Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. -Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthizen2 Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I was absolutely shocked to log in here today and see this news item at the top of the page. Wow. Total loss for words. Yup, I sure do owe the guy a debt of gratitude for all he's done in synthworld, and especially with MIDI. What a great digital connectivity tool he created there. 1 Quote Kurzweil PC3, Yamaha MOX8, Alesis Ion, Kawai K3M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hipogrito Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Rest in peace. A legend for all of us working on this business. Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I had the privilege of meeting Dave at a NAMM show and was struck by his friendliness and how he made himself available to others. He seemed to be a genuinely nice man. Thank you Dave, for all the music your innovations inspired. Rest in peace. Quote "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan_evett Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 57 minutes ago, synthizen2 said: I was absolutely shocked to log in here today and see this news item at the top of the page. Wow. Total loss for words. Yup, I sure do owe the guy a debt of gratitude for all he's done in synthworld, and especially with MIDI. What a great digital connectivity tool he created there. Debt of gratitude, indeed! My first adventure in MIDI was with a Prophet-600. I got the news last night, right before starting a gig. Shocked, to say the least; truly a WTF moment . I met Dave at Sweetwater's Gearfest, 2016 I recall. Got a generous walk-through of the Pro-2. Guy was a kind, class act. Rest in Peace, Dave Smith! Quote 'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo. We need a barfing cat emoticon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keybass Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 This is a devastating loss for us all. I respected him so much and will cherish forever my Prophet 10. Thanks Mr. Smith, rest in everlasting peace. Quote Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephonic Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Only once did I get to play a the original Prophet 5. I came to a studio with my brand new Nord Lead 1, so confident. The P5 was there. I connected my Nord Lead and blasted some of my favorite patches over the mains (big speakers). The studio owner connected the Prophet 5 and told me ‘go ahead’. It made the NordLead sound like a postcard. R.I.P. Dave Smith. 1 Quote local: Korg Nautilus 61 AT | Yamaha MODX8 away: GigPerformer | 16" MBP M1 Max home: Kawai RX-2 | Korg D1 | Roland Fantom X7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunspot Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Awesome reflection from another synth legend/awesome dude, Roger Linn: https://www.rogerlinndesign.com/more/dave-smith 1 4 Quote The Players: OB-X8, Numa Compact 2X, Kawai K5000S, cheap Korean guitars/basses, Roland TD-1KV e-drums. Eurorack/Banana modular, Synth/FX DIY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksoper Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I never met Dave but one knows an inventor's heart through the invention. The Prophet 5 was not only a technical achievement but also a very fine musical instrument in every regard--sound, ergonomics, esthetics and build quality. Through these qualities we know what he thought a synthesizer should be. And it is beautiful. Godspeed, Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewImprov Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Such sad news. I got to spend several years working at an electronic music lab at Oregon State University in the 1980’s, and during my time there, we got a Prophet 5 rev3, with the sequencer, as our primary synth. I got paid minimum wage to spend a few hours a day at the studio, and many more hours off the clock, ostensibly to teach students and faculty how to use the lab, but really, since there was virtually no interest, I spent my time programming the P5 and recording stuff. Though I owned an ARP Odyssey at the time, the P5 was where I really learned to program synths. Over the years since, I always wanted to get a Prophet, but never had the chance. I did own a Six-Trak and a Pro One, and always regretted selling them. Last year, I was in the market for a good polyphonic analog for the studio, and picked up a Sequential Take 5, and am frankly blown away by it, it has become my favorite instrument recently, it just sounds amazing, has a very useable interface, and the price was surprisingly affordable. I was so pleased to see the Dave Smith got his company name back, and was still designing great instruments. and, of course, there is the whole thing of him developing MIDI, which I cannot imagine the last 40 years of my musical work without. Quote Turn up the speaker Hop, flop, squawk It's a keeper -Captain Beefheart, Ice Cream for Crow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightbg Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Between raising a family and sporadic gigs I never could afford the P5, and settled for a Korg Polysix. A bit later, the Pro One was introduced, and I jumped on it. It still gives me pleasure and there are no words to express the deep sadness this news brings. However, I don't need words to realize that the Pro One still inspires me on a daily basis. Thank you, Dave. Jake Quote 1967 B-3 w/(2) 122's, Nord C1w/Leslie 2101 top, Nord PedalKeys 27, Nord Electro 4D, IK B3X, QSC K12.2, Yamaha reface YC+CS+CP "It needs a Hammond" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Coda Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Big loss and very sad,- especially in the age of 72 ! On all the pics I´ve seen ´til today, he never looked ailing. Any info why he died suddenly ? R.I.P. Dave Smith A.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffk Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 RIP Dave. Quote YouTube music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewImprov Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 Just another small tribute to his designs: on a recent gig, one of the rotary encoders on my Take 5 got sheared off when a cymbal fell against it. I contacted Sequential, and they sent me a replacement encoder and knob, actually sent 2. I contacted a local tech to replace it. When he returned it, he said it was really great to work on, that stuff was laid out really well and easy to access. He said he generally hates working on new synths, but this was an exception. 2 Quote Turn up the speaker Hop, flop, squawk It's a keeper -Captain Beefheart, Ice Cream for Crow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnderGroundGr Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 R.I.P. 😢 Quote Kurzweil K2661 + full options,iMac 27",Mac book white,Apogee Element 24 + Duet,Genelec 8030A,Strymon Lex + Flint,Hohner Pianet T,Radial Key-Largo,Kawai K5000W,Moog Minitaur,Yamaha Reface YC + CP, iPad 9th Gen,Arturia Beatstep + V Collection 9,Osmose https://antonisadelfidis.bandcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 The San Francisco Chronicle finally published an obituary today, and it's pretty in-depth: https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/San-Francisco-synthesizer-designer-Dave-Smith-obit-17215048.php 1 Quote Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Dude Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 Washington Post has an obituary on Dave Smith in today's edition. https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/06/06/dave-smith-dies-keyboard/ 1 Quote Mills Dude -- Lefty Hack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Dude Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 And yesterday an obit in the NY times https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/arts/music/dave-smith-dead.html Quote Mills Dude -- Lefty Hack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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