Wiardgroup

> strengthened the illusion, and them Paul and Bruce
> and I were 
> sucked into the illusion, others followed.

I'm not sure what you mean by this, exactly. The
illusion of some 'huge' market? Not me: I started MOTM
only to get a "decent" stereo out of the deal. My goal
was to generate about $15K of profit over a *3 year*
period. This can be referred to as the 'business
side'.

The 'non-business' side was simple: modular synths
changed my life. I was a chemistry geek in high school
(had several awards, etc) and on my way to becoming a
PhD chemist when I heard S.O.B. and then ELP and the
final straw was the first "Synergy" LP. Goner :(

Contrary to popular perception, I am very fiscally
conservative: I didn't have the 'guts' to sink say
$30,000 in parts and software/PCs/website/etc to form
the (evil) business side of things. I had *no
intention* to go past the 'get me a Mark Levinson/B&W
system' phase. It sort of snowballed (shrug).

In the ideal world, I would be 'Moog-like' and have
other people run the business side while I get to play
in the lab. I actually ran a spreadsheet and this
requires like $256,000/yr in sales which is not
possible (well, for me at least).

> 
> But there was never a real marketplace. All we did
> was fracture a 
> tiny group of enthusiasts into even tinier groups
> squabbling over 
> plastic potentiometers and connector types.

This is the downside about the Internet: there is no
"lightning bolt from above" monitoring what is said.
There is no true way to convey irony, "just kidding",
or any other real emotion. Also, I *severly*
mis-judged the 'emotional content' of this tiny group.
For example, I was told once that they wouldn't buy
MOTM because "..you don't have the grace of musical
spirit." Hmmmmmm. OK.......

Also, it took me over 2 *years* to figure out that
Internet addicts like to "whack the hornet's nest", so
to speak. And trust me, no one has BEEN whacked more
than me (some deserved, mostly NOT). Then again, up to
a *point*, it's sort of fun to 'spar' a *bit* but some
folks seem to live for this sort of thing. Again, this
caought me by sursprise. Just a newbie, I guess.

There are always cross-opinions about electronics and
music. But look at the level of overall interest in
analog modulars over the last 5 years! This is a good
thing.

Look: it's not some sort of 'race; or 'contest'. Every
synth designer is quirky, proud, stubborn, protective,
and is basically a *parent* of their designs. No one
is going to ever catch Doepfer or PAiA in terms of
numbers. No one is going to have the mystique of Moog
or Buchla. Rather, each of us should be proud to "be
in the game", to rejoice in our creations. We are the
micro-brewers, selling the beer Budweiser spills in 1
hpour.



		
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