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ELindemann

Letter to the People from Synful CEO, Eric Lindemann

I have been using music synthesizers for more than 40 years beginning with a large analog MOOG in 1970. I have been designing electronic music machines since 1981. For most of this time I found electronic music to be boring and inexpressive. My experience with samplers goes back to around 1983 and my first large sampler design was for a company called Waveframe in 1986. At that time I was already frustrated with the limitations of samplers. In 1987-88 I experimented for a while with physical modeling (some might know this type of technology as waveguides) but I abandoned that approach in 1988. I came back to the problem of music synthesis around 1996-1997 with a determination to do something about what I saw as the limitations of samplers and sample libraries. Synful Orchestra is the result. After 40 years, I believe it is the first music synthesizer with real expressive power.

Synful Orchestra is not a sampler or a sample library. Synful Orchestra is not a physical modeling synthesizer. I call the Synful technology Reconstructive Phrase Modeling (RPM). This is not a hype marketing term. Synful Orchestra with RPM really is new and different in the way it generates sounds. I want to be able to play natural instrument sounds from a MIDI keyboard (or other controller or sequencer) using standard controls (Volume, Mod, Pitch-Wheel, Velocity) in a convincing expressive manner. I want this to be a musical experience without a lot of editing, pushing of special buttons, program changes, pushing special keys, applying special phrasing tools, etc (programming as we call it). When I play legato I want it to sound legato as it would on the instrument I am simulating. When I play staccato I want it to sound staccato.

I hope musicians and composers will enjoy using Synful Orchestra as much as I’ve enjoyed developing it.

Eric Lindemann

IEEE Signal Processing Paper on Synful RPM Technology

Get the technical paper Music Synthesis with Reconstructive Phrase Modeling published in IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, March 2007

Eric Lindemann, Synful CEO

  • 2002-present – CEO Synful, R+D on expressive music synthesis, Boulder, Colorado
  • 2010-present – Consultant for DSP projects including cell phone noise reduction, acoustic echo cancellation, feedback cancellation.
  • 1998-2002 – Designs advanced signal processing CPU for Cirrus Logic/Crystal, Boulder
  • 1995-1996 – Develops music synthesizer software and hardware for Euphonics, Boulder
  • 1992-1997 – Develops speech enhancement algorithms for the first fully-programmable digital hearing aid for GNResound, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • 1988-1992 – Designs Signal Processing Workstation for Pierre Boulez at IRCAM,Paris
  • 1986-1988 – Designs sampling and signal processing engines for Waveframe, Boulder
  • 1984-1985 – Designs sampling signal processor for Linn Drum, Los Angeles
  • 1982-1983 – Designs large mixing console automation for movie studios, Los Angeles
  • 1981-1982 – Receives National Endowment for the Arts grant for music composition. Designs interactive sound processor for grant. Los Angeles
  • 1978-1981 – Plays studio keyboards in Los Angeles for film and TV scores, Star Trek Movie, Dallas, etc.
  • 1974-1978 – Studies composition with Nadia Boulanger, Olivier Messiaen, Iannis Xenakis, Paris, France
  • 1971-1974 – Plays keyboards and tours with 5th Dimension, Osmond Brothers
  • 1967-1971 – Studies music composition and piano at USC, Los Angeles