[sdiy] MOTM over time

[Magnus Danielson]

From: "Paul Schreiber" <synth1 at airmail.net>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] MOTM over time
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 01:01:36 -0500

Paul,

This was a very interesting little view on things. It was exactly what
I was really eager to hear from you!

I do recall when you started it all, but after the initial stuff it
got a bit quiet and at one time I got somewhat annoyed (yes, I openly
admitt this, just to be honest to Paul and others) by the way you did
your advertisements for MOTM. Early out I recommended it, but then
dropped it after being somewhat annoyed. Well, after that it was just
quite again and the MOTM hints I've seen lately is more in line with
what I find acceptable. Anyway, in the same time, I can't blame you,
you where just trying to promote your stuff. It's not an issue
anymore, but it is part of the history.

I've never actually seen a MOTM in real life, and I haven't heard one
either (not much for playing demo MP3s all over the place) but I have
never had any reason to question the quality of them. I'd love to have
a system up on my bench and check them out.

I'm certainly happy to see that the MOTM is thriving, we need such
things. Analog still has its place IMHO. I am not a purist, just
saying that there is a place for everything (well allmost everything)
and analogue stuff can do very neat stuff where digital solutions is
way to over-rated. I can add that I bring this into practice at work
where I toss bad digital solutions out and drop sufficiently good
analogue solutions in.

What not everyone here knows is that way back in time Paul and I had
some discussions on having me design one or a few MOTM modules, among
those a sequencer. As it happend normal (real) life got in the way and
the whole thing died out.

> I NEVER deamed someone I greatly admire, Robert Rich, would use MOTM on a
> CD, much less devote an ENTIRE CD
> to MOTM. I've been on cloud nine (as we say) all week. I could quit today
> and have no regrets, but my customers would
> have other thoughts!

I know what you mean. Most of the times you don't really think of what
the stuff you develope is actually being used for. But when you do
think, it blows you off. It is actually a lovely feeling ;O)

For me, this can give a rush similar to when I have hit onto a really
*really* neat design solution to some (presumably messy) problem. I
sometimes get so high that I *really* need to cool down, just to be
efficient enought to write it down and work out the details. Not
everyone seems to recognice this kind of drug, but designing can be so
rewarding at times.

> In case you've forgotten: I do pay royalties for MOTM designs! Email me if
> you have a design you want to see produced
> as a MOTM module. I consider myself a "pretty good" analog designer, but
> there are people on this list I am not worthy
> to lick their solder iron tips clean. Lasy year I paid about $8,000 in
> royalties.

This is one of the things which I think is the right way to do it.

> I'll stop this diarreha of the keyboard now :) Thanks to everyone supporting
> MOTM. No SDIY, no MOTM. Simple
> as that.

Thanks Paul! Thanks for your work so far and thanks for this little
look back at times. Since I like to learn the history around
development of stuff, this puts MOTM into a better perspective IMHO.

I hope that you've enjoyed the comments, even if they have not all
been the showing of best sides at times.

Last but not least.... I admire you for daring taking on such a project!!!

Respectfully Yours,
Magnus - designer addict