Dave Smith, the father of MIDI and the creator of the Prophet 5, the Wavestation, the first soft synth, and the DSI Evolver, died on June 1, 2022.
David Smith, whose full name was David J. Smith, was an American engineer and musician who founded the synthesizer firm Sequential and was born in 1950 in San Francisco and died on June 1, 2022.
Smith created the Prophet-5, the first commercial polyphonic and microprocessor-controlled synthesizer, as well as the multitimbral synthesizer later on.
For his participation in the invention of MIDI, which is now a standard interface protocol for electronic instruments and recording/pro audio equipment, he is known as the “Father of MIDI.”
Dave Smith Musician Dead And Obituary
Anyone who enjoys synthesizers has suffered a significant loss. Dave Smith had gone to music’s afterlife. I’ve always wanted one of his synths, but they’re prohibitively pricey. One of these days, I’ll be the proud owner of one!
Therefore, Sequential is directed by Grammy winner and acclaimed instrument designer Dave Smith, who founded Sequential Circuits in 1974.
The Prophet-5, the world’s first fully programmable polyphonic synthesizer and the first musical instrument with an incorporated computer, was built by Dave in 1977.
Sequential released a slew of unique instruments and drum machines during the next ten years.
Dave is well recognized for being the main force behind the MIDI specification, published in 1981. He was the one who came up with the acronym.
Due to his continuous work in music synthesis, he was named a Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) in 1987.
Following Sequential, Dave was President of Yamaha’s Research and Development subsidiary, DSD, Inc, where he focused on physical modeling synthesis and software synthesizer technologies.
What Happened To Legendary Instrument Designer Dave Smith?
The news of the death of famed instrument designer Dave Smith has been confirmed and widely disseminated on the internet.
The cause of death, however, has yet to be determined. It appears to be the result of a health problem rather than murder.
Smith graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in computer science and electronic engineering. In 1972, he bought a Minimoog and created his analog sequencer.
In 1974, he founded Sequential Circuits and advertised his device for sale in Rolling Stone.
Dave Smith’s Wife And Children
Based on his age and attractiveness, David Smith was undoubtedly a decent spouse and devoted father to his children. However, he hasn’t revealed anything about his personal life to the public.
Smith reclaimed the Sequential name from Yamaha in 2015 and introduced the Prophet-6 under that moniker. In 2018, Dave Smith Instruments became Sequential.
Dave Smith died in 2022, according to reports. As a result, his supporters and well-wishers have been surprised by the news.