Max HeyraudDave Smith is one of the founding fathers of the MIDI protocol, the most prominent method of connecting pieces of electronic musical equipment. Dave also created seminal synthesisers the Prophet-5, Pro-1, Evolver, Mopho and many more. Dave Smith is an integral part of electronic music’s history, and today we remember him.
Dave Smith is one of the most influential and authoritative names in electronic music. Without David’s key work in MIDI and at Sequential, electronic music would be a very different place. He is responsible for the creation of the synth Prophet 5 which is the first-ever commercial polyphonic and microprocessor-controlled synthesiser. Dave is also considered one of the founding fathers in MIDI, which has now become the industry standard way of connecting electronic music instruments and music creation.
Dave Smith’s the Prophet-5 synthesiser has shaped modern day music, appearing in countless seminal music pieces, and pushing the boundaries of sound design. The synth was used in pieces of music by Michael Jackson, Radiohead, Phil Collins, Dr. Dre, Madonna, and many more.
Sequential released a statement regarding Dave’s death;
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Dave Smith has died.
We’re heartbroken, but take some small solace in knowing he was on the road doing what he loved best in the company of family, friends, and artists.”