The name probably doesn’t ring a bell, but dave smith He is responsible for one of the most important inventions and technological innovations in the history of music, MIDI. He has sadly passed away at the age of 72. His contributions will continue to have a profound impact for decades, even centuries.
In addition, Dave Smith was responsible for the first microprocessor-controlled synthesizer, the legendary Prophet 5 of Sequential Circuits, the company he founded in 1974. Also multitimbral synthesizers. One of the historical moments of his life, and keys in the intersection of music and technology, was in the exhibition NAMM (better known as the NAMM Show) in 1983. There he successfully connected, live and in front of an audience, his Prophet-600 still Roland Jupiter-6 using a new communication standard between musical devices, the MIDI interface.
Sequential went bankrupt in 1987, according to Smith for entering the development of computer-based audio equipment very early, they did so in 1985. In an interview for Keyboard explained: We were very small, we didn’t have enough investment to work on innovations as the market matured, and we got to that market too early. It exhausted our resources and by the time we tried to get back to professional musical instruments, it was too late.” What was left of the company was sold to yamahawhich closed it completely in 1989. After the end of his venture, Dave Smith went to work at Korg, where he developed the well-known Wavestation synthesizer.
Later he was president of Seer Systems, the company that developed the first fully software-based synthesizer packaged as a PC application. The project was commissioned by Intel and was first shown in 1994 at the inaugural Comdex conference by Andy Grove, the company’s CEO at the time.
The second generation of the software-based synthesizer sold 10 million copies, thanks to a use license acquired in 1996 by Creative Labs —makers of the Sound Blaster sound cards, popular in the 90s—. The third generation, called Reality, was released in 1997 and won various awards due to the innovations brought by the software.
In 2002 Dave Smith started a new company, Dave Smith Instruments, from which he released the synthesizer evolve and later the Prophet ‘o8. Later in 2013 He won an award grammys for his contributions to the musical world thanks to the creation of MIDI.
In 2015 Yamaha handed over the trademark rights to Sequential Circuits as a goodwill gesture. That same year he released the Prophet-6. In 2018 they released the Prophet-X and in September 2020 they began manufacturing an updated version of the Prophet-5 for the synth’s 40th anniversary.
Dave Smith and the creation of MIDI
The greatest technological contribution that Dave Smith has made to music is the creation of the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard. It enables effortless interconnection and communication between musical instruments, computers, and other electronic equipment.
The MIDI system carries data that specifies musical notation, pitch, and velocity/intensity. Also control signals for musical parameters including dynamics, vibrato, 2D panning, cues, and clock signals that set and synchronize tempo between various devices.
These messages are sent through a MIDI cable to other devices that control the generation of sounds, tones, and other functions. Furthermore, this data can be recorded in hardware or software sequencers.
The MIDI system is a true before and after for the world of music. It remains fundamental today in practically any musical field. Standardized in 1983 by a group of representatives of the musical instrument manufacturers industry called MMA (MIDI Manufacturers Association).
The path to standardizing digital communications between musical instruments that led to MIDI began in 1981 when Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi proposed the idea to Oberheim Electronics founder Tom Oberheim, who in turn spoke with Dave Smith. Later the three made the proposal to Yamaha, KORG and Kawai.
But it was Dave Smith, along with his engineer Chet Wood at Sequential Circuits, who worked on the technical side of developing the communications standard. The first version was proposed in November 1981 to the World Association of Sound Engineers (AES). During a year, modifications were made through the contributions of engineers and representatives of different manufacturers of electronic musical instruments.
The MIDI It was first introduced in 1982 by Bob Moog—the creator of synthesizers—in the magazine Keyboard. Then, in 1983, there was the legendary moment when Smith connected his Prophet 600 with a Roland Jupiter-6 in front of an audience at NAMM.
The impact of MIDI on the music industry
The MIDI standard became popular after the industry understood that, if computers were introduced as work equipment, hundreds or thousands —and today millions— of pre-programmed sounds could be stored, which could later be used just by pressing a button. But in addition, they discovered the benefits that allow one device to be controlled from another.
That completely changed the recording rooms. Also to the sound resources that a band or a musician can access in a live concert. To the creation of pre-programmed sequences that can be launched at any time and at will. To reduce the cost of hiring musicians for a project, since they could be replaced with pre-recorded instruments.
It also radically reduced the production size of complex music projects. From year to year, a band could create a workstation and interconnect instruments with MIDI cables and work on different sounds that are saved in source files that reference sounds. This also allows you to replace an instrument but keep exactly how a sequence or a complete theme should be played. That is, the sound is not recorded, the way in which the instruments are played is recorded.
MIDI also allows you to sequence rhythm sections to be used on recordings and later live, without the need for musicians to be present. For concerts, it reduces the transport of equipment and interconnection material. It has also completely changed music education.
The loss of Dave Smith is a huge blow for both technology and music. But his legacy will continue to be felt for many, many decades.