Dave Smith

John Bowen was an engineer at Sequential Circuits during the early days of the synthesizer boom of the late 1970s. John worked with founder Dave Smith, who later went on to develop the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) specifications. John helped write the MIDI code and went on to design electronic music products and to program music-related software. With longtime friend Brian Vincik on hand.

Barb Fairhurst was hired by Dave Smith to manage the business elements of his newly-formed company he called Sequential Circuits, back in 1977. The following year, the company released its first product, the Prophet-5 synthesizer, which helped revolutionize the electronic keyboard and synthesizer market. Barb worked her way to Vice President of the company in an era when few women in the music industry had such positions. She enjoyed her work and took pride in the products and programs the company provided its customers.

Kurt Kurasaki is an electronic music composer and synthesist based in Northern California. Although his preferred instruments are the Buchla Music Easel and Buchla 200/200e system, he is versed in wide array of synthesizers and electronic techniques.

Jaee Logan was introduced to a number of innovative synthesizers in the early days of development.  These include the Oberheim 2 Voice, the Arp 2600, and the Mini Moog. He beta tested software for Sequential Circuits, Robert Keller PC48 Track, and Passport Design and was hired by Jim Miller's Personal Composer System 2 to help demonstrate their notation software at the NAMM Show.  Jaee has been a regular attendee ever since!  He became well known for programming and sequencing sounds.  In the early days of MIDI, he was often in the studio working with artists such as Bobby Brown, 

Dana Massie is regarded as one of the chief audio architects of digital signal processing (DSP).

Chris Meyer is renowned for his groundbreaking work in designing electronic music devices, he has left an indelible mark on the industry. From his pioneering invention of Vector Synthesis to his current endeavors in teaching modular synthesis, Chris' journey is one of continuous exploration and creative evolution. Throughout his diverse career, Chris has worn many hats, from technical chairman of the MIDI Manufacturers Association to educator and author. His contributions to the world of synthesis are matched only by his dedication to sharing his knowledge with fellow musicians.

Jeff Rona played a critical role in the coming together of the minds and companies that would agree on the MIDI specs back in the 1980s. The meetings took place at NAMM shows over several years and included Dave Smith, members of Yamaha and Roland to name a few. Jeff was the founder and past president of MMA, the MIDI Manufacturers Association. He is also a film composer and musician known for his studio work in LA and New York. Among his many projects of note was the concert he composed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which toured throughout China. 

Dave Smith was the founder of Sequential Circuits and inventor of the polyphonic synthesizer, the Prophet 5. Dave was also the designer and pioneer of MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) technology. Dave became a part of an active group of innovators in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s who sought to create new electronic sounds and easier and more consistent methods to play them. The technology for MIDI was not very complicated according to Dave; the challenge was in getting so many companies from the United States and Japan to agree to the protocol. The arrangement

Tom Steuckert is a veteran of the music industry having served as store manager at Union Grove Music in Santa Cruz, a road rep and sales manager.  His career began when he helped assemble synthesizers for Dave Smith at Sequential Circuits in the early 1980s.  Tom later owned his own store in Half Moon Bay before going to work for Richard Gellis at Union Grove Music.

James Terris, originally from Humboldt County, relocated to San Francisco in 1993. Fascinated by synthesizers and music production from a very young age, he started experimenting with and recording electronic music at 13. Equipped with a small arsenal of synths powered by a Commodore 64 computer, he honed his skills. Over the years he has assisted many acts including Naked Eyes, Howard Jones and Dave Wakeling. His prime focus is sound design and synthesizer programming. James has helped develop and create sounds for many well-known companies, among these are: Dave Smith/ Sequentia

Brian Vincik was in the right place at the right time. As a synthesizer enthusiast and engineer, Brian graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1979 and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when many of the most innovative synthesizer companies were designing new musical products. Brian became friendly with many of the designers and engineers including John Bowen from Sequential Circuits and Dave Smith (who would write the MIDI Spec.) Brian formed the first MIDI user group called the International MIDI Association in 1983 and was the sole source for the MIDI specification 1.0 in