Celebrating the Life of Composer and Synthesizer Pioneer Patrick Gleeson
We received the sad news about about the passing of Patrick Gleeson. With respect to Pat's widow, and in conjunction with the Bob Moog Foundation, we are sharing their Press Release:
Legendary Master Synthesist Patrick Gleeson Dies at 91
On behalf of the estate of Patrick Gleeson, the Bob Moog Foundation shares the passing of the legendary electronic music pioneer. Patrick Gleeson passed away on July 19, 2026; he was 91 years old. Gleeson may be best remembered as the owner of Different Fur Studios, and for his subsequent work with Herbie Hancock. However, his career stretched well beyond those accomplishments, including producing and engineering for a multitude of musicians, recording solo albums, scoring soundtracks, and performing live.
Wendy Carlos once wrote of Patrick, "Our eight-year wait for someone else to explore electroinc music realisation with what we judge to be appropriate technical standards and musical taste has ended. In short, one hears the ears of a gifted musician at work, in a field where one must exercise unprecedented discipline and self-control."
You can read much more about Patrick's significant contributions to the world of synthesis and music HERE."
Amy Kelly, wife of Kevin Kelley, wrote in to let me know of her husband Kevin Kelley's passing in 2024. You might remember Kevin Kelley mentioned directly in numerous posts here on MATRIXSYNTH going all the way back to 2007. Kevin ran the Audio Playground aka keyboardmuseum.org which was created back in 2000. (Note keyboardmuseum.org is no longer active, the link takes you to posts referencing the site).
The Audio Playground was a synth museum in Winter Park, Florida. One of the great things I loved about the site was that Kevin hosted samples of the synths featured, including virtual sound sheets, so you could get an idea of what they sounded like. Back then that was actually quite rare.
Included below are some pics of Kevin with his daughters and his cats sent in by his wife Amy.
"He was a wonderful and brilliant man as well as a great dad and husband. His three daughters and I miss him tremendously." - Amy
Amy still has his Technos Acxel and is working on bringing it back to life. I've sent her a few leads, but if anyone out there can help with the following, please feel free to reach out (matrixsynth@gmail.com).
"The system successfully powers on and initializes the Grapher console, but it is currently hanging at the initial splash screen ('Forget Technology, think music'). I suspect the data sectors on the original 3.5" boot floppy have degraded over time. I am looking to write a fresh sector-by-sector image to a healthy 720KB DD disk to isolate the issue.
My hope is that someone out there might have a raw disk image (.img or .hfe format) compatible with this era of the hardware."
Long time reader Adam Abraham wrote in to let me know his little synth kitty PENELOPE has passed away. You might recognize these pics from prior posts, Odyssey Cat and KORG MS20 with KORG 35 Filter & Synth Cat.
According to Adam, she's been a synthhead by his side since day one. These little friends keep us company along our journey. She will be sorely missed.
"Greetings to the entire synth enthusiast community.
We have some bad news for you.
Vladimir Kuzmin, creator of the iconic POLIVOKS synthesizer, passed away on June 12th.
Rest and peace our dear friend. Our collaboration was wonderful. Condolences to the family. #polivoks #polyvox #synth #synthesizer #synths"
Vladimir Kuzmin's influence in the world of synths is legendary. You can find endless posts featuring his Polivoks synthesizr here. The Polivoks was often compared to the minimoog, however, it was also known for its agressive sounding filter which has been cloned and/or used by various synth makers, including the Harvestman aka Black Corporation, Analog Craftsman, SOMA's PULSAR-23 1984 edition, AJH Synths Matrix VCF module, and of course Elta Music's implementations of his designs.
The following is an interview with Vladimir Kuzmin from Soundmit 2020.
SOUNDMIT
"We interviewed Vladimir Kuzmin together with Giulio Curiel of New Musical Instruments. Inventor of the Polivoks and other Russian synthesizers in the 70s and 80s, we hear from his voice the story of those incredible years"
You can find posts on MATRIXSYNTH featuring Jack Hotop here for a look back on his influence in the synthesizer community. The first post was a simple pic back in 2006.
Press release from Korg follows:
Over a 40-Year Career, the Influential Synthesist and Accomplished Touring Keyboardist Shaped the Sonic Architecture of More Than 100 Landmark Instruments, Including the Historic M1 Workstation
MELVILLE, N.Y. - Korg USA announces with deep sadness the passing of longtime employee, celebrated sound designer, and musical instrument industry icon Jack Hotop. Joining Korg USA (then Unicord) in 1983, Hotop started as Senior Voicing Manager and spent over four decades driving the development, sound design, programming, voicing, and product demonstrations for more than 100 Korg products. As a pioneering engineer and exceptionally skilled performer, his extensive contributions helped guide the evolution of synthesizers and digital workstations from the early 1980s through the modern era, leaving an indelible imprint on instruments used by musicians around the world and for generations to come.
Hotop’s foundational expertise was anchored in a rigorous musical and technical background. Raised in a musical family, he began piano lessons at age seven, inspired by his father, a musician featured on several Broadway cast recordings, and numerous pianists on his mother’s side. By age 14, he was actively performing in local bands on a Gibson 101 organ. He pursued formal training at the Berklee College of Music, majoring in arranging, composition, and accompaniment, before expanding into emerging music technology at the Boston School of Electronic Music under Roger Powell. It was there that Hotop established his core synthesis fundamentals using early hardware including the ARP Odyssey, 2600, 2500, and EMS Synthi, building a deep understanding of waveforms, envelopes, low-frequency oscillators, and modulators.
"Raised in Oklahoma City, Scott attended Putnam City Schools K-11, and graduated from Sausalito High School in CA. Following service in the U.S. Army, he parlayed his interests in engineering, music, and electronics into a life-long career with PAiA eventually becoming owner of the Paia Corporation."
Scott Lee passed away with his family by his side on April 21, 2026. He loved PAiA and helping others follow their passion with music. He would appreciate if we all kept the PAiA legacy moving forward. Paia.com will temporarily remain offline as his son, Nathan Lee, works to get PAiA back to operation in any way he can.
We appreciate your understanding and stay tuned for more updates to come. We look forward to being in touch soon.
On a personal note, the PAiA Fatman was the first DIY synth I built. Like many, Scott Lee and PAiA were my first forray into the world of synth DIY. I am thankful for the help he gave me getting my soldering chops going. He will be missed by so many in the community.
Her life journey has been remarkable. At the end of the fifties, she studied in Paris with musique concrète pioneers Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry, whom she also assisted, notably for the premiere of L'Apocalypse de Jean. During the sixties she began composing with primitive electronics (feedback and asynchronous tape loops), but found little recognition for her research in France.
In New York in the early seventies, she found understanding and emulation, exploring emerging minimalism with James Tenney, Charlemagne Palestine, Phillip Glass, John Gibson, and Steve Reich. Her absolute allegiance to electronic sounds began during this period. Since then she has composed on the best synthesizers of the time: Buchla, Moog, Serge, and then ARP, which would become her fetish instrument. She collaborated with Robert Ashley, who sang on Les Chants de Milarepa. She has composed about two dozen works, which she has presented and continues to present at numerous prestigious venues and festivals in the United States and Europe.
In 2004, upon Kasper Toeplitz´s request, she started instrumental compositions for one or more performers, with whom she works in a close collaboration during the compositional process. This work gets quickly focused on pure acoustic sounds, in an incredibly delicate timbral way, which extends, without aesthetic rupture, her electronic work. Notably between 2004 and 2009, she completed a cycle in three parts 'Naldjorlak', for Charles Curtis on cello, Carol Robinson and Bruno Martinez on basset horns. She has now stopped her electronic work."
Emmanuel Holterbach (Translation Leslie Stuck)"
The following is a collection of some of her works:
"In Buddhism, the number 9 signifies spiritual completion, ultimate enlightenment, and the highest level of consciousness (the ninth consciousness, or Buddha nature). It represents the culmination of the path to Nirvana, the 9 virtues of the Buddha, and is often associated with auspiciousness, progress, and the 9 states of delusion (nine worlds)."
Some history on Eliane Radigue via Wikipidia:
"Radigue was born in a modest family of merchants and raised in Paris at Les Halles.[5] She later married the French-born American artist Arman with whom she lived in Nice while raising their three children, before returning to Paris in 1967. She had studied piano and was already composing before hearing a broadcast by the founder of musique concrète Pierre Schaeffer. She soon met him, and in the early '50s became his student, working periodically at the Studio d'Essai during visits to Paris. In the early 1960s, she was assistant to Pierre Henry, creating some of the sounds which appeared in his works.[6] As her own work matured, Schaeffer and Henry felt that her use of microphone feedback and long tape loops (as heard in Vice-Versa and Feedback Works 1969-1970) was moving away from their ideals, though her practice was still related to their methods.
Radigue's death was announced on February 24, 2026. Her cause of death was not stated.[7][8]
"(c)2007-25 by RetroSound
supported by UVI: http://bit.ly/retrosound-uvi
One of my favorite tracks from the late 70s.
Fool (If You Think It`s Over) by Chris Rea from the album Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (1978)
I’m saddened...😞
His music has been the soundtrack of my life. I loved his melodies, I loved his lyrics, and I loved his voice.
Driving Home for Christmas, On the Beach, and Josephine are timeless classics that I always turn up loud whenever I hear them on the radio.
I was fortunate enough to get an Amiga license record in 1988 after queuing for hours at the music shop. Holding one of the few records in my hands brought me so much joy, especially since Western music was only available under the counter in the GDR.
Rest in Peace, Chris. Your music will live on forever. Thank you.🌠
RetroSound synthesizer demo videos since january 2007.
Everything is free. If you like my work, you can also support me with the purchase of my merchandise stuff or my music.
Shop: https://retrosound.creator-spring.com/
Bandcamp: https://retrosound.bandcamp.com/"
Some sad news in. Felix Visser, the man behind Synton and such synth clasics as the Syrinx, Fenix, 3000 series modular, and more, has passed away. He recently worked with This Is Not Rocket Science on their Fenix synthesizer as well as the inspiration behind the AnalogFX SER-2020. We lost one of the greats, a synth pioneer.
"Synton was a manufacturer and distributor of high-end electronic music equipment in the Netherlands. They were one of the principal importers of music equipment from E-Mu, Ensoniq, and Fairlight in Europe. Felix Visser, the founder of Synton began the company in 1973 after purchasing an EMS Synthi AKS and setting out to produce similar equipment with more of the functionality that he was looking for in an analog synth. Eventually, the company developed Synton Syntovox vocoders as well as the System 2000 and System 3000 modular synthesizers that were sold to Karlheinz Stockhausen and distributed in the United States by Bob Moog's Big Briar Inc. In 1983, Felix Visser, product specialist Marc Paping, and designer Bert Vermeulen created the Synton Syrinx, a monophonic analog synthesizer that contained unique features such as a metal touchplate for manipulating sound as well as a formant filter."
The image on the left is a screenshot from an interview with him at the 2018 Soundmit synth event (embedded below and previously featured here).
See the Synton label for numerous posts featuring his creations.
This one is in via John L Rice who had the following to say:
"'Just me' on ModWiggler spotted this Facebook post of Jon Andersen’s family seeking help and information on selling his Synthesizers.com modular. They posted a link to a video of his from 5 years ago of a performance he did with his modular and a couple keyboards. He only had one other video where he plays guitar and a keyboard."
Both videos are featured above.
Click through the Facebook link if you'd like to help or just leave your condolensces.
“We are sad that we have lost you. We are grateful that we were able to live with you. Steffen Marienberg *September 30, 1961 +August 19, 2025 In silent mourning: his Sigrid, his brother Holger, and all relatives. Alterode, August 2025. The funeral service, followed by the urn burial, will take place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the Hoym cemetery.”
It has come to my attention that Paul Schreiber has passed away.
Pictured: Paul Schreiber at the 2006 NAMM show. Top from this previous post (pic by fr1zz), and bottom from this post (pic by Synthtopia) - this is the first image of Paul on the site. There is one comment in that post: "He's a good guy." Indeed.
Readers of the site should be familiar with his work. He was the man behind MOTM and Synthesis Technology.
To say Paul was one of the greats to influence the synth community would be an understatement. He was pivital to the rebirth of modular synthesizers. He started when modular as we know it today was in its infancy, as one of a very small group of large format DIY modular manufacturers along with Blacet, Modcan, Cynthia, Wiard, Oakley, STG, Catgirl/CGS, Tellun/Lower West Side StudioYuSynth, Jurgen Haible, and of course DIY staples like Thomas Henry/ MFOS, Ray Wilson and PAiA (see this post for some modular formats back in 2007). I focused mainly on those offering DIY. There were other manufacturers including Synthesizers.com, Club of the Knobs, MOS-LAB, Moon Modular, MacBeth, CMS, and more. Feel free to mention others in the comments. This post is about Paul, but I think it's important to reflect on some of the large format modular manufactures he was amongst at the time.
Paul created the MOTM format of 5U modules in 1998. MOTM stood for Module of the Month offering monthly DIY kits. From Wikipedia: "MOTM was created by Paul Schreiber in 1998. The system was created in part due to the renewed interest in large-format analog modular systems that occurred in the late 1990s. Between 1998 and 2021, over 8000 modules were sold. The company, Synthesis Technology, also offered a limited number of modules in Eurorack[2] and Frac[3] format."
He was also helped design the Moog/Realistic MG-1. From Wikipedia: "In 1980, Moog Music was seeking to contract manufacture a mass-marketable synthesizer which could be sold via a large retailer. Moog representatives secured an appointment at the Radio Shack corporate offices for a 5-minute demonstration. Radio Shack approved the concept, and Paul Schreiber (then employed by Tandy Systems Development) worked together with Moog on the synthesizer's design to achieve Radio Shack's price requirements.[2][3]"
He later joined the eurorack scene with Synthesis Technology branded modules. FYI, his site for MOTM was always http://www.synthtech.com/, short for Synthesis Technology. The first post to mention Paul and MOTM was posted just under twenty years ago here on MATRIXSYNTH back on August 26, 2005. If you click through you will see it was a post announcing the MOTM/synthtech.com site was going down for the weekend. He announced he was retiring from the synthesizer business in August of 2023.
It's worth repeating, Paul Schreiber was one of the key figures that brought modular back to the masses. He was both respected and loved by the synth community. It's impossible to overstate his influence. He will be missed.
The following are the first the last video interviews with Paul to be featured on the site:
The SynthSummitShow Episode 2: Paul Schreiber (Synthesis Technology) and A.Dapt (music producer) ...
SysEx Dumpster - Episode 44 - a conversation with Paul Schreiber
video upload by Sysex Dumpster on Jul 30, 2023. Details previously posted here.
The first videos to feature Paul presenting a module was back on January 3, 2010, and the first interview on SoundCloud in 2013, and he was of course featured in the modular documentary film I Dream of Wires.
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our President and Representative Director, Seiki Kato, who passed away peacefully at 8:00 PM on February 21, 2025, at the age of 67, following an illness.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for the kindness and support he received during his lifetime and respectfully share this news with you.
For many years, Mr. Kato dedicated himself to the growth and success of our company, guiding us with exceptional leadership and a warm, compassionate spirit.
Born in Tokyo on March 28, 1957, he was the eldest son of Tsutomu Kato, the founder of Korg. After graduating from Tokai University’s Department of Marine Science and Aquaculture, he joined Keio Giken Kogyo Co., Ltd. (now Korg Inc.) in 1980.
Early in his career, he worked in domestic sales, handling Korg products. By 1985, he became Head of Product Planning, playing a pivotal role in the development of innovative instruments such as the M1, a groundbreaking music workstation.
In 1988, he moved to KORG USA Inc., and in October 1989, he was appointed President of KORG USA, where he played a key role in expanding Korg’s presence in the U.S. market. In 1995, he became Executive Vice President of Korg Inc., and in October 2003, he assumed the position of President and CEO.
Throughout his career, Seiki Kato made significant contributions to the music industry.
For decades, he was a driving force behind Korg’s success, earning the deep respect and trust of colleagues and industry partners alike. The instruments he helped bring to life have empowered musicians around the world, shaping the future of music and artistic expression.
We remain committed to carrying forward his passion and spirit of innovation, striving to create products that inspire. We sincerely appreciate your continued support.
"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Keith McMillen.
Keith McMillen, a pioneering force in audio and music technology, passed away this week leaving behind a legacy of innovation and a profound impact on the music industry. Born July 10, 1957 in Bermuda, Keith dedicated his life to revolutionizing how live interactive music is played and experienced.
A passionate advocate for the intersection of technology and music, Keith’s academic foundation was laid at the University of Illinois, where he earned a BS in Acoustics under the mentorship of James Beauchamp. He further honed his skills in classical guitar and composition under the guidance of Herbert Brun, Scott Wyatt, and Sal Martirano. Over the years, Keith developed MAPPS, an integrated computer composition, notation, and performance system that became the bedrock of his group TrioMetrik.
Keith’s professional journey began in 1979 when he founded Zeta Music, a company that would become synonymous with the modern violin. His revolutionary electronic instrument designs set new standards in the music industry, creating a market that continues to influence musicians today.
In 1992, as Vice President at Gibson Guitars, Keith founded G-WIZ, an R&D lab where he developed ZIPI, a groundbreaking musical instrument control language that evolved into the Open Sound Control (OSC) protocol and lay the foundation for MPE and MIDI 2.0.
In 2005, Keith founded Keith McMillen Instruments, a company that quickly became known for its cutting-edge approach to musical technology using patented Smart Fabric sensors. Keith established the company to bring his innovative vision to life, and under his leadership KMI introduced groundbreaking products that combined Smart Fabric with musical artistry, including the K-Bow, QuNeo, QuNexus and K-Board Pro. These instruments, recognized for their versatility and advanced capabilities, reflected Keith’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of what was possible in music technology. His work through the company solidified his reputation as a pioneer in the field and left a lasting impact on the music industry.
In 2014, Keith founded BeBop Sensors with a mission to expand Smart Fabric applications into the fields of wearable sensors and haptics. This led to the development of several products and patents, including virtual reality gloves and insole sensors. This work inspired Keith to form Sensible Robotics, a new company where Keith focused his full attention on Making Robots Feel Better™ by using Smart Fabric to develop robotic skin.
Keith McMillen’s work exemplified a lifelong commitment to exploring how computer intelligence and user interface can enhance and expand musical performance. His passing is a great loss to the world of music and technology, but his innovations and achievements will continue to inspire and shape the future of both fields."
"Breaks my heart to bring you the news that our lovely Dan passed away on Sunday of cardiac arrest. Dan Clarke was a beloved member of my band, he brought energy and joy every night to the stage and was such great company on tour."
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dan Clarke, a truly wonderful person and a joy to collaborate with. His work on the Behringer synth videos was nothing short of amazing. Dan's musical talent and positive spirit will be greatly missed.
Some sad news sent my way via John L Rice who helped man the Moon Modular booth at NAMM every year. Gert Jalass, the man behind Moon Modular has passed away. I met Gert serveral times at NAMM and he was always a pleasure to talk to. He always welcomed me with a smile. He was genuinely passionate about synthesisers and the synth community. I haven't been able to make events lately and was looking forward to seeing him again. I'm so saddened that I won't be able to. I am sincerely going to miss him.
Mike Pinder was the keyboard player and a founding member of The Moody Blues. Prior to that he worked on the manufacturing of the first Mellotrons in the UK. According to mellotronics.com, "Streetly Electronics are the original UK manufacturer of mellotrons and world experts in the instrument."
"Between 1962-63 Pinder worked for 18 months as an engineer at Streetly Electronics, in Streetly, Birmingham, a factory manufacturing the first models of Mellotron in the UK.
In May 1964 Pinder left Streetly Electronics to co-found The Moody Blues with Ray Thomas, Denny Laine, Clint Warwick and Graeme Edge."
His impact becomes clear when you read the following from Music of the Daze:
"This from my friend Nicklas Barker, guitarist, singer and composer from Swedish proggers Anekdoten. He is also a connoisseur of the Mellotron:
'Very sad, imagine if he had not started working at the Mellotron factory and done something else before joining The Moody Blues and introducing the glorious Mellotron string sound to a wider audience through Nights in White Satin. What would have happened then? No King Crimson? He was also friends with John Lennon and introduced the Mellotron to him. No Strawberry Fields? Mike Pinder was the first, and the impact of his use of the Mellotron changed music history. He was also the greatest Mellotron player ever. Just listen to Out and In from To Our Children’s Children’s Children. He was the wizard of the astral orchestra.'"
"Mike Pinder describes how the mellotron works in the fabulous 'Live at Isle of Wight Festival (1970)' You really should buy this DVD, it's not only a great documentary but a wonderful concert film as well. The sound is surprisingly good, you will enjoy it."
"Here's the Moody's live on French TV. You can really see/hear what Mike Pinder contributed to the sound of that band. Without him and the MK 2, they would have just been another guitar band. It's startling how much they sounded like the records live!"
The Moody Blues - Full Concert - French TV Special 1968 (Remastered)
"Audio and Video Remastered by BrunoSamppa - Support me on KO-FI http://ko-fi.com/brunosamppa
CHAVE PIX: brunovideopix@gmail.com
1. Tuesday Afternoon 00:01
2. Nights in White Satin 04:54
3. Legend of a Mind (Part 3) 09:36
4. Bye Bye Bird 12:42
5. Fly Me High 17:33
6. I've Got a Dream 24:12
7. A Beautiful Dream 27:36
8. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 31:49
9. Peak Hour 35:18
10. Nights in White Satin (Reprise) 41:38"
