[sdiy] Discrete OTA

[David G Dixon]

> If you get into making synths for a living you'll start hating it.
> It's simple as that. Your fear of being copied/ripped off is 
> a fairly strong sign of things to come if you go down this 
> route for any sort of financial support, even if not primary. 
> Simply don't do it for money and all will be well. You will 
> have fun and you will be able to do when you want, at the 
> pace you want. If you start depending on it for money, very 
> negative aspects come into play: anxiety, fear, 
> disappointment, hatred, envy, ...
> 
> Do you really want to turn something you love doing into 
> something you will ultimately hate? It will only make you a 
> worse person. There isn't a lot of money to be made in 
> synthesizers. Find a mass market to make money on. Nothing 
> related to making music is a mass market.

I don't concur with any of this!  I have been working with Danjel van Tijn
of Intellijel since late 2010.  The company grew fairly quickly after that
time, to the point where Danjel was able to go full-time with module
manufacturing in late 2011.  Sales are now very robust -- enough to provide
decent livings for those involved.  And I believe everyone is still having
fun doing it.  Sure, there are anxieties, and growing pains, but probably no
more so than any other personal business venture, and I believe that the
freedom of doing what you want for a living on your own terms outweighs the
negatives.