Interview: Dave Rossum 2016

Dave Rossum, der Mann der einst E-MU gründete und mit dem E-MU Modular-Synthesizer einen Klassiker erschaffen hat, der nur eines von vielen seiner Produkte war, das die Musikbranche nachhaltig beeinflusst hat. Wer sich für Daves Geschichte interessiert, sollte unbedingt unseren mehrteiligen Report zum E-Mu Mann lesen, der HIER zu finden ist.

Nach längerer Pause ist Dave aber nun zurück mit einer neuen Firma und brandneuen Produkten. Unter dem Brand DAVE ROSSUM ELECTRO MUSIC hat er uns soeben 4 Eurorack Module präsentiert (siehe HIER), die ganz sicher auf der bevorstehenden NAMM Show in USA für großes Interesse sorgen werden.

Für uns hat er sich kurz vor der Messe die Zeit genommen und einige Fragen beantwortet. Das Interview wurde auf Englisch geführt. Eine Übersetzung folgt sobald wir hier nach der NAMM wieder mehr Luft haben.

Peter:
Hi Dave, we have seen the picture with you and your new synthesizer.
On the new pictures you are in front of the E-Mu Modular. Will you reanimate the E-Mu Modular?

Dave:
I don’t plan to remake the E-mu Modular.  Other people are doing that, and those challenges are more in finding components than inventing circuits, which is what I love to do.  Still, since I know the E-mu Modular so well and am very proud of it, I expect use it as the starting point for some of my new modules.

Peter:
Which Modules will come out first?

Dave:
Our first module, Evolution, is currently in production and will be available in limited quantities at NAMM.  It is based on the E-mu Modular 2100 lowpass filter, my favorite sounding filter, but has some wonderful new circuit enhancements that give it unique capabilities too. We will also be showing prototypes at NAMM of our next two modules, Control Forge and Morpheus. Control Forge is a Eurorack implementation and expansion of the Function Generator invented for E-mu’s Morpheus MIDI module, and carried forward into many of the subsequent E-mu products.  It is a complex generator for control voltages, envelopes, and even sequences. Morpheus is a Eurorack version of the Morpheus filter – with all three morphing dimensions voltage controlled in real time.  (In the original Morpheus, only one dimension was real-time.)

Peter:
Who is involved in this Project? Maybe somebody from the old E-Mu-Team?

Dave:
At present, Rossum Electro-Music employs just me and Marco Alpert, who was VP of Marketing at E-mu for many years.  We have engaged a few other ex-muons as contractors or consultants, and many more have offered to help as our business grows.

Peter:
Any Idea about pricing?

Dave:
As with the E-mu Modular, we are producing a very high quality product, and thus are not looking to be a low-cost leader, but we will be competitive in the Eurorack marketplace.  Evolution will retail in the US for $369.  The pricing for Control Forge and Morpheus is not yet fixed, but will be similarly appropriate for their capabilities and quality. I´m sure you will present it at the NAMM Show, but when will it be available – especially in Europe? We appreciate that Eurorack started and grew up in Europe, so we see it as a major market for our first products.  We expect to have dealers worldwide to carry our products, so location should not be a factor in availability.  We also plan to be at Superbooth16 in Berlin in March/April. Evolution should be available worldwide in February; our hope is to begin shipping Control Forge in March and Morpheus in April.

Peter:
Thank you Dave for this Interveiw an good luck for the NAMM!!!