Dave Smith, Music Technology Pioneer, Dead at 72
June 2, 2022 3:12 AM Subscribe
Dave Smith, Music Technology Pioneer, Dead at 72 Known for his popular Prophet brand synthesizers and pioneering work on MIDI and music technology, Dave Smith has passed away at age 72.
What do Michael Jackson, Madonna, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Steely Dan, Kraftwerk, New Order, Yazoo, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Phil Collins, and many more have in common? They all used Dave Smith's famous Prophet 5 synthesizer to great effect on numerous hit songs. Dave Smith successfully made many other products under the Sequential brand name and later his own Dave Smith brand.
But, perhaps his greater accomplishment was the way he collaborated with others, which resulted in him being known as the "Father of MIDI'. In the early 1980s, Dave Smith and Ikutaro Kakehashi devised a system whereby electronic musical instruments from varying manufacturers could communicate with one another. The result was an explosion of gear that uses the MIDI standard to this day and isn't limited to just synthesizers, but also guitar pedals, lighting, computers, and more.
It is a testament to his ingenuity and ideals that you can control an old synthesizer keyboard from 1985 with your laptop today. It's also what led to Smith and Kakehashi receiving a Technical Grammy for their pioneering work.
Thanks for all of the musical enjoyment you provided, Dave Smith!
What do Michael Jackson, Madonna, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Steely Dan, Kraftwerk, New Order, Yazoo, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Phil Collins, and many more have in common? They all used Dave Smith's famous Prophet 5 synthesizer to great effect on numerous hit songs. Dave Smith successfully made many other products under the Sequential brand name and later his own Dave Smith brand.
But, perhaps his greater accomplishment was the way he collaborated with others, which resulted in him being known as the "Father of MIDI'. In the early 1980s, Dave Smith and Ikutaro Kakehashi devised a system whereby electronic musical instruments from varying manufacturers could communicate with one another. The result was an explosion of gear that uses the MIDI standard to this day and isn't limited to just synthesizers, but also guitar pedals, lighting, computers, and more.
It is a testament to his ingenuity and ideals that you can control an old synthesizer keyboard from 1985 with your laptop today. It's also what led to Smith and Kakehashi receiving a Technical Grammy for their pioneering work.
Thanks for all of the musical enjoyment you provided, Dave Smith!
very sad
posted by AlbertCalavicci at 3:42 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by AlbertCalavicci at 3:42 AM on June 2, 2022
Here's Alex Ball's History of the Prophet Synthesizer.
posted by Grangousier at 4:21 AM on June 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 4:21 AM on June 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 6:02 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by JoeXIII007 at 6:02 AM on June 2, 2022
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posted by Transmissions From Vrillon at 6:36 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by Transmissions From Vrillon at 6:36 AM on June 2, 2022
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posted by snuffleupagus at 6:41 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:41 AM on June 2, 2022
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posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 7:08 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 7:08 AM on June 2, 2022
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posted by The Bellman at 7:09 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by The Bellman at 7:09 AM on June 2, 2022
I've been using technology Dave developed for over 35 years now, although I have yet to afford one of his synthesizers...
Used Evolvers are quite cheap. I picked one up for $250 at a swap meet.
posted by 3.2.3 at 7:15 AM on June 2, 2022
Used Evolvers are quite cheap. I picked one up for $250 at a swap meet.
posted by 3.2.3 at 7:15 AM on June 2, 2022
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posted by May Kasahara at 8:41 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by May Kasahara at 8:41 AM on June 2, 2022
Prophet-60091: This is the flight number of our galactic sun
posted by stopgap at 8:51 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by stopgap at 8:51 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by SonInLawOfSam at 9:27 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by SonInLawOfSam at 9:27 AM on June 2, 2022
Someone pointed out we lost Klaus Schulz, Vangelis, Andy Fletcher and now Dave Smith.
Man the synth world is getting hit hard this year. Also my twitter was just a wall of Dave Smith tributes yesterday,
RIP
posted by symbioid at 9:59 AM on June 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Man the synth world is getting hit hard this year. Also my twitter was just a wall of Dave Smith tributes yesterday,
RIP
posted by symbioid at 9:59 AM on June 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
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posted by Philofacts at 12:07 PM on June 3, 2022
posted by Philofacts at 12:07 PM on June 3, 2022
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I've been using technology Dave developed for over 35 years now, although I have yet to afford one of his synthesizers...
By all accounts a brilliant and incredibly nice man. Just a week ago he was chatting with fans and posing for pictures at SuperBooth.
posted by mmoncur at 3:41 AM on June 2, 2022 [2 favorites]