Biography[edit]
In the 1970s while still at school he built an analog electronic music synthesizer and then a 16 bit computer from surplus IBM 1620 core memories to control it.[1][2]
He was awarded an MSc in Communication Engineering from NCSU in 1973. The subject of his thesis was the design of a digital music synthesizer utilising an organ keyboard and a Tektronix 453 oscilloscope for a graphics display.[2]
In November 1974 together with others began The Computer Hobbyist magazine.[3]
In 1977 he first published wavetable synthesis in Byte's September 1977 issue[4] and together with David B. Cox started Micro Technology Unlimited.[5] At Micro Technology Unlimited, in 1981, he designed the 6502-based MTU-130/140 microcomputer[6] and the Digisound-16 an early digital to analog converter.
His seminal book Musical Applications of Microprocessors was first published in 1979.[5][7][8]
In 1986 he left MTU to work for Kurzweil Music Systems where he remained in one engineering role or another until retirement in 2014.[5][8] While there amongst other projects he designed the Kurzweil K150[9]
In 1992 he moved to Boston.[10]