When a pianist sits down and does a virtuoso performance he is in a technical sense transmitting more information to a machine than any other human activity involving machinery allows.
Everything has some consciousness, and we tap into that. It is about energy at its most basic level.
I was never worried that synthesizers would replace musicians. First of all, you have to be a musician in order to make music with a synthesizer.
Part of what I do is a craft, but part of what I do is a science. And I guess the craft comes in knowing what science to use and what science not to use.
One always has to remember these days where the garbage pail is, because it's so easy to make sounds, and to put sounds together into something that appears to be music, but it's just as hard as it always was to make good music.
What inspires me is not so much the music as the opportunity to interact with composers. I think that has driven everything I've done.
By the time I got to building synthesizers, I had perhaps 20 years experience building electronic musical instruments.
Other kids went out and beat each other up or played baseball, and I built electronics.
I had been building electronic musical instruments since I was a kid.
Back in the 40s and early 50s, building simple electronic projects was a popular hobby of many people. Back then, you could buy, you know, a few parts and - with tubes and build something on your kitchen table, and it would actually work.
I'm an engineer. I see myself as a toolmaker and the musicians are my customers... They use my tools.
To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off.
I happen to think that computers are the most important thing to happen to musicians since the invention of cat-gut which was a long time ago.
My training as an engineer has enabled me to design the stuff, but the reason I do it is not to make music but for the opportunity to work with musicians.
