John Chowning, Computer Music, DX7 & FM Discovery

[@ph80286]

John Chowning will turn 90 in two weeks. What a blessing to keep such a clear mind at such an advanced age. Best wishes for many more years to come. Thank you, mr. Marinelli, for this interview and for all you do.

[@eti313]

He ain’t no Trump, either.

[@AbarajameLabanyera]

PsyTrance fans appreciate your job❤

[@deastman2]

I’ve posted this a few times in various places, but I can’t resist sharing again. Dr. Chowning introduced me to computer music and launched my lifelong love of synthesis- literally, and in person. I grew up close to Stanford University, and one time my junior high school class took a field trip to CCRMA. This would have been around 1983-1984. John gave us a tour of the facilities and demonstrated the amazing capabilities of their music computer. I can recall hearing the sound of a trumpet which gradually morphed into a violin. And the sound of a train racing around the room, encircling us. I was utterly captivated, and have never ceased to be enthralled with the magic which synthesis brings.

[@l0riz624]

This guy changed the world of music forever. Without FM, the music we heard in the past, and we still get to hear today, would have been so different in my opinion. It's really a fantastic opportunity that you got to interview Mr Chowning!

[@tonystevenson26]

4 op mojo

[@kinetic-cybernetic]

I love how FM synthesis is applied these days. But we gotta admit this guy contributed largely to the 80s bad taste in fake instruments to avoid hiring trumpetists, violinists, recording bells, etc. Great times.

[@seanbradleyofficial]

😂😅.

[@positronalpha]

​@@kinetic-cybernetic That's exactly the point - the 80s would've sounded entirely different, which would've resulted in everything coming after it sounding different. I'm very glad it happened the way it did, because the 80s sounded absolutely amazing. Gated reverb on drums, FM synthesis, simple instrumentation, strong compositions, raw vocals - chef's kiss.

[@kinetic-cybernetic]

@@positronalpha yes, it was lovely. 80s bad taste as their haircuts was so dramatic, these people were from a weird planet

[@alphabeets]

It was beautiful to see Anthony almost break down into tears as he understands the profoundness of this discussion. ❤

[@terryeaster1]

Exactly this!

[@AreggerOrchestra]

Probably the best video about FM ever made! John Chowning is an absolute legend and a gentleman. More of this, Anthony!

[@gtmartini]

It was such a pleasure and privilege to meet John Chowning at CCRMA some years ago - one of my heroes! And he is such a kind person! When I was around 15 years old I somehow convinced my parents to offer me a DX7 - I got totally obsessed with understanding how FM synthesis worked and I remember making my father drop me a full afternoon at the the YAMAHA dealer shop, during my school summer vacations, where I basically drove the shop synth tech/demo guy mad with all my obnoxious questions about how the DX7 sound programming worked! I later pursued Electrotechnical and Computer Engineering (because at the time there was no sound engineering degrees in Portugal) - at all the signal processing courses I took, all signals were sound signals for me (even when studying radar and radio frequency modulations, where I finally understood what FM was all about - and also understood why the poor YAMAHA shop tech guy struggled so much to explain how all that worked! ;-)). So meeting John was full circle for me! I'll never forget that day! What an inspiration!

[@miguelfernandes2760]

Altamente 😂!

[@DasHemdchen]

That‘s one of the most intelligible interviews I‘ve heard in my whole life. My respect for Anthony Marinelli grew exponentially. He‘s so knowledgeable of history. Of course I‘m also amazed how John Chowning reveals his motivation and experiences to FM, which I adored in the incarnation of my first synthesizer, the Yamaha DX7.

[@petervandebeek5980]

This interview is probably more important then most will understand now. Thanks John, thanks Anthony, everybody else who is making this possible. This video may not be removed from KZbin/the internet for a long time.

[@iixorb]

As a lifelong DX fan, this is gold for someone like me. 🙏 Anthony for getting the legend back on camera again, and thank you Dr Chowing (and Gary Leuenberger, Dave Bristow and Yamaha) for the DX7 ❤️

[@Captivatebeats]

"Don't give up" sure hits harder coming from the 90 year old man who made it possible for me to make my favourite sounds. Incredible interview.

[@davidlincolnbrooks]

Men in their 80s are the most fascinating minds on the planet. If you're a musician or artist of any stripe, be sure to befriend people in their 80's.

[@vvvorlds]

I think this video will become historical! Thanks to everyone who was involved!

[@MAD1473]

This is content what the www was made for. So profound, so multilayered ranging from technical to nearly spiritual, it could not be done better. ❤

[@boxfishing]

Love the production values, sound, editing, inserts. Anthony is a great interviewer, summarizing, adding context. Love how this channel is evolving. Keep it coming!

[@top-ten.music_and_more]

anthony is a great listener too. he lets the person he is talking to a very big space and makes his guests very comfortable with this.

[@TruthSurge]

This guy (John) is from a time we will never see ever again. When people cared.

[@TheCALMInstitute]

More like: when you could make a living as somebody who gave a shit. It’s a liability in our world.

[@tonystevenson26]

Miley Cyrus cares about fm

[@TruthSurge]

@@tonystevenson26 fm radio, maybe

[@tonystevenson26]

@@TruthSurge I got your frequency

[@TruthSurge]

@@tonystevenson26 broadcasting on TAKE ME BACK TO THE 80s, MAN. hahah

[@VideoNOLA]

Chowning is to musical synthesis as Wozniak is to home computing. Both men are inspired geniuses with a talent for educating and an inner drive to push boundaries.

[@smguy7]

Mr Chowning is a lovely man. We are so lucky to have him. Thank you for this great interview.

[@SRDhain]

That was fantastic. I also felt emotional at the end at the humility of both of you. John's an exceptional human being, and his 'don't give up' mindset enabled the path to the DX series. Thank you for uploading & sharing 🌅

[@furiobisotti8150]

A huge thanks to Anthony. He is giving us culture and know-how. High value and completely free. Really incredible. And thanks to John too...

[@b00ts4ndc4ts]

A Huge thanks for recording this because it's so important to have these conversations for future generations. Thanks Dante for you hard work and also the rest of the team. ❤

[@DaraM73]

The finest of interviews. Beautiful.

[@brendanmcgonigleband]

The honesty and passion displayed in this film brought a tear to my eye...........wonderful !!!

[@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135]

it is wonderful tbh no cap

[@DaveMcGarry]

Can't believe I got to watch this for free! The Father of FM ❤

[@jacquesmertens3369]

It's not every day you get to see one legend interviewing another legend. You both know your stuff, that's what makes this interview so special. Thanks and greetings from Belgium.

[@monkeproggs]

Thank you Anthony (And team) for the chance to meet this awe-inspiring pioneer. Such a humble and brilliant person. Beeing a DX type FM afficionado I have always wondered about mr Chownings story and drive. And now I heard it straight from the source. Wonderful.

[@serhiymarchenko8361]

Original DX7 was marvel of design & engineering and has its place in music even today. Very expressive & capable instrument. Thank you Dr. Chowning for your music passion! Being a 7yo kid and hearing DX7 for the first time was unforgettable and “out of this world” that turned me into music and sound design…

[@tonystevenson26]

No knows = not much fun

[@MichalSada]

It was much more creative in past times, exploring, touching it with your Soul ❤. Now its almost everythnig computed with almost no creativity behind. Yes, sometimes You have some device which stands out like arturia microfreak or pockets ❤… i like to see many people turning back to instruments instead of laptops.

[@CuppaTea101]

Seeing his smile at 49:05 gave me tears of joy. Excellent video.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Wonderful stuff, Dr. Chowning is a gem. We briefly shared a beer at Knobcon the year he was the guest of honor, I asked his thoughts on the Digitone, and how it felt to see a modern instrument presenting FM sounds and concepts in such a different way to what he discovered and refined.... and he hadn't heard of it hahaha

[@sn1000k]

Awesome

[@swid_swid_swid]

Too funny. I wonder if he’s aware of the Opsix, and if he is what his thoughts are.

[@ChainsawCoffee]

Edwin Armstrong invented FM for broadcast in 1933, and then John Chowning invented it for music in 1967. 34 years is a while for an idea to percolate, and I'm so glad that Chowning did all of that great work. It's also so interesting that his concept of FM is small clusters of oscillators, instead of a large group. Great interview! Loved his advice at the end, "Do it!"

[@swid_swid_swid]

This is a really interesting point. Armstrong likely couldn’t have dreamed of it having such applications.

[@winddealer1]

Thank you Anthony and thank you John for the wonderful gift you discovered, concieved the perseverence needed for so many in the world to enjoy. Gratefully.

[@moogfooger]

I was at NAMM when the DX7 was introduced in 1983. What an incredible experience. I got to go behind the scenes with the Yamaha rep and get a lesson in FM synthesis. The whole place was absolutly buzzing with anticipation. You know the thing I remember the most was that everyone was saying that the Fender Rhodes was now dead! The DX7 did such a good job of emulating the "Dyna My Rhodes" sound that the DX7 was the only keyboard you would ever need. The dawn of a new musical age. Thank you so much for bringing this info to a whole new generation of synthesists Anthony! Cheers

[@Multi_ToBi]

Two legends in one video...! Can I just bow to the both of you and leave at that?

[@paulhart711]

I remember seeing John do the launch of the Dx7 in England in the 1980s, along with Dave Bristow. The DX7 changed my life and led to a long passion for electronic music. Thanks for this wonderful interview .

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

OMG ! First Manny , now John Chowning - - That Man is a REAL DEAL Magician ,- What a great story ! ..im tearing up here .... its palpable how much you look up to this old Giant ! 😚🙏 You have a knack for finding THE Pioneers, THE Biggest names in the industry - And i simply LOVE the way that you are being you , Maestro Marinelli .

[@DrSynth]

That seems a little weird being mentioned in the same sentence with THE Dr. John Chowning.

[@jmarvosa6x3]

This will be historic footage. Anthony’s interviewing / demonstration skills are out of this world!

[@marcelosiciliano9365]

YAMAHA DX7 7 DX7 II and DX7 FD were the best keyboards with the incredible sound of FM SYNTHESYS !!!! Incredible sounds !!! a new ERA for Keyboards and synthetizers !!!!! Thanks to JOHN !!!! Salutes from Buenos Aires, Argentina !!!

[@moliver_xxii]

i am 26... learning about this wonderful man's history, it's really inspiring to learn that his greatest contribution to mankind was only after he was 28... a life worth living. thanks for sharing this conversation

[@XeloX58]

Back in the days, I was the first owner of a DX7 in Holland. It was demonstrated in Utrecht and I knew right away that it was the synth for me! I orderd it the same day at Servaas music in The Hague, had to wait a long time for it to be shipped. I loved programming it and was able to put sounds on internet later with my Atari computer. It was a wonderfull time !

[@misruler9370]

Oh, you understand who John Chowning is and his "discovery/invention" as well. This, by far, is your best interview. I could say more, but there isn't much more I can really say. Bravo!

[@PC160]

John Chowning helped me when I was working on an EM piece in college. He was at the Stanford Computer Music facility, which I drove by every day, and I chanced it and walked in. He was the nicest man (although surprised!), and offered to provide some sound files for me. I've never forgotten that interaction with one of the inventors of FM. Thank you again! Live 100 years!

[@s1gnal_]

What a fantastic interview! It was really heartwarming when John responded "Me too! Talking to you, it's the same." at 51:38, and you can see just how much it means to Anthony. I'm so glad I discovered this absolute gem of a channel a while ago!

[@larcandier3029]

So beautiful ! What a moment ! The sound of DX7 is a part of my childhood. 🙏🏻

[@motoroverflow]

Great interview as always, Anthony. Well-picked subject and masterfully guided. There's so much to take away from this that is positive. During these times when young people are so (irrationally) down on higher education and university attendance, I'd like to underscore how so much of this happened specifically because of the way academic science operates openly and in pursuit of knowledge for the sake of understanding. These kinds of collaborative bridges that were built to produce this work, students from multiple different departments working together, professors and scientists from different universities helping those at other universities for the sake of the knowledge, are simply not possible solely within a business industry environment where money making is the top priority and all knowledge is guarded proprietary property. Our universities work on these kinds of things all day every day and are great engines of creativity, advancement, and human understanding. As a university professor and scientist, I see this kind of magic all the time (I'm in human cognitive neuroscience). Cheers and thanks for what you're doing! 🧠☀🎷

[@poldidak]

The term “university“ for most people has lost its original meaning as society or corporate assembly within which freedom of academic research and the exchange of ideas amongst disciplines was expected and highly valued. Thankfully that tradition continues at many major universities today.

[@InsidesAndOutsides]

One of the best interviews I've ever seen on KZbin. There was so much interesting background, and John is so inspiring - and the people he's hung out with too... wow! An incredible crowd of geniuses! Thank you so much for bringing us these insights into history. I was born at the right time for the DX range of synths to be appearing when I was in my teens and starting to take an interest in electronic music, so all of this made quite a big difference to my world.

[@thomaslaw8528]

What a joy to see and hear John Chowning a true Pioneer

[@LagoLhn]

John Chowning’s philosophy and work ethic is an important reminder and a lesson to us all.

[@fixed1t]

Fantastic video those early years were such amazing times what a great man

[@JornKnuttila]

I have to go take a long walk after this. My heart is full. My brain is bursting. I fell like I need to go find an old DX7 and get back to the joy of tinkering with it from all those years ago.

[@befajoses]

OMG, just amazed by his memory...the benefits of sound to the human soul. This interview is a gem to the human species. Period!!!

[@Station2Station-du2gh]

This channel is of utmost importance. Thank you

[@hristosL]

Anthony your interviews are totally to the point, full of curiosity, very well prepared and above all you are very respectful to your guests. John Chowning he is a legend and very humble which makes the whole interview one of a kind. Thank you

[@georgenewman5860]

Thank you for sharing Chowning's story and his ethos. It is a great thing to recognize the quest to understand this world that we have been given.

[@paulgb53]

What a chance to have been able to watch this incredible testimony. I will never be thankful enough dear Anthony for what you’ve been giving us since the beginning of this channel. Thank you ❤

[@patamuslo69]

through the end, you two nearly cryed, i cant help but i cryed, of happiness and joy, its incredible, the level of sensitivity, spirituality, conciousness toward sound design.. even over melody and harmony... timbre and evolving timbres over time, thats what i live for, my love for electric (digital, mathematic, or analog) produced soundscapes... thats why i teach sound design and synth programming to young producers. Thanks Anthony and thanks John for this magical hour of enlightment 🙏

[@jukeofearl]

3 minutes in and I have an urge to go listen to Van Halen’s Jump. I guess I owe part of my childhood to this guy. The Dr. has brought so much joy into everyone’s life. I’ll be back to finish the video in 4 minutes.

[@juno6]

One of the most fascinating interviews I´ve ever seen. Even emotional at times. This man´s work literally changed the world. Thank you Tony!

[@mraduanemc]

It's quite a lovely coincidence that one of my favorite things about Mr Chowning- a man eternally intrigued by the character of sounds- is the timbre of his voice. I always find it absolutely soothing to hear him talk. This is another spot on document, Anthony. We're all so thankful you've decided to do what you've done here on KZbin.

[@richardsomerville5725]

Very exciting story having lived through this period and remembering how everyone wanted to jettison their analogue equipment for the DX and Sampling tech 🙂

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

I can’t say it enough…. This channel and Anthony as a person are the most amazing thing I’ve discovered on KZbin in the last 10 years.

[@汗をかいたアヒル]

What a fantastic cerebral interview! It is such a shame that we don't have intelligent people interviewed by enquiring minds to share wisdom very often.. Thanks Anthony and John! I am still chuckling that a ~drummer~ found FM! Yamaha is an incredible company- they potted a GX1 using "Pulse Analog Synthesis System" with no microprocessors with bespoke LSI chips to discard it all for FM chips 6 years later. And 6 years after that memory became cheap to move to AWM initially as a hybrid. And now they are back to FM! The original HX1 system was expandable using MIDI to add tone generators (FM and AWM). 2^8 th like!

[@aquanodemusic]

Thank you very much for recording your conversation. Pretty much everyone knows FM sounds either for the classic sounds or more "aggressive" sound effects, but also some of the most beautiful, slowly evolving ambient pads I know of can come out of a DX7. I'm really grateful for Mr. Chownings discovery and that FM synths are so accessible and much easier to program today with the dexed VST for example.

[@AudioAtmos]

This is an essential piece of music and sonic history. What a privilege this is for us mere mortals. Thanks Anthony!

[@sn1000k]

What an unexpected and welcome surprise thank you Anthony! And John!

[@jimmumford4733]

This is a beautiful, uplifting, and inspiring story that leaves me feeling optimistic and excited about where we're headed. It's conveyed with reminders about the importance of diverse influences, happy accidents, imperfections, and human emotions in what is ultimately achieved. Thank you Anthony, John, and the team, for making this wonderful video!

[@francoisbasquin6974]

A very touching interview, full of emotion. I'm a big fan of FM. I was about to start writing a podcast for a radio about the birth of FM synthesis (I did one last month about the Fairlight). Of course I knew the big picture of John Chowning as the inventor of FM, but this interview gives me a lot of details and what led him to discover FM. The ARP2600 also gives the opportunity to easily experiment FM synthesis.

[@adam872]

What an incredible interview. John is a legend and a very humble man. That was an absolute pleasure to listen to.

[@slother93]

This interaction is a profound demonstration of how creativity, inspiration, and curiosity form feedback loops that make us greater when we work together. Brilliant interview!!

[@spencerscott2044]

I wrote a paper on John and the discover of FM for one of my math classes in undergrad. Its great to learn more about him!

[@rochefsky]

Huge thanks to Dante and the editing team too for making this so easy to watch and so educational with all the captions… such a pro job !!❤❤❤

[@danbad6875]

i sat down and made a patch on my yamaha tx81z in the middle of this video,, watching your conversation, i felt inspired to make some sounds of my own after not touching the instrument for months,, thanks for sharing your wonderful exchange with us

[@RudyAdrian]

Fantastic interview. Check out John Chowning's 1972 FM piece "Turenas" ("natures" re-arranged) elsewhere on KZbin - remarkable considering it was created on computer and not just noodling away on a DX7 or Syncalvier :)

[@entropybentwhistle]

The track and 3 others are available in lossless format on Apple Music, if you’re not into listening to U-Toob’s compression as part of your music.

[@fedorsynthman]

One of the best videos on FM and with John Chowning, thank you so much for making it and sharing with all. My colleague just got back from Seul where John was giving a speech.

[@freudeamunsinn]

Anthony! "People who are inspired, inspire others..." THX 🙏

[@jthirty5229]

Outstanding! God bless the pioneers of synthesis and also you Anthony for bringing these stories forward for the rest of us to know about. Great work by you and John.

[@MusicoElectronico]

So influential and a truly genius person!!! 🎶 🎵 ❤️

[@off_key88]

Wow. Absolutely blown away by this video. Thank you Anthony for sharing this, John's story. I was always aware that he was the 'Father of FM', just never knew the details. I was moved to tears at the end, just like the both of you. My first ever synth was a Yamaha V50 workstation. Only 4 operator FM, but still the heart of it. During the late 90's when they release the FS1R, it took the FM even further into "formant shaping" and up to 8 operators. This meant you could use DX7 sounds with the 6 operators and add "resonant filters" with the other 2! Really cool! Years later, I finally acquired a TG-77. FM is such an amazing discovery. Now I can see how it came to be, due to the passion of John Chowning!! Such a great interview and exchange of ideas. Thank you again, Anthony.

[@noventasmusic]

❤Great interview!! John CHowning is an example of work, dedication and love for his work. That is the cornerstone as far as fm synthesis is concerned.,.!! greetings

[@anatomicallymodernhuman5175]

In 1984, in the midst of pursuing a B.Mus., I decided to rent a synthesizer for a week spice up the classical world I was immersed in. Somehow, the guy at the rental facility knew that FM would be right for me. He sent me home with a DX7. I barely got any sleep that week. I’ve been hooked on FM ever since. There’s still a functional DX7 in my music room, though it doesn’t get used anymore because it’s so much easier to do it with plugins.

[@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135]

well not going to lie about it, i make bass music aka Dubstep or DnB or Drumstep or RnB or Hip pop or Bass house or house music and more to be honest no cap so i'm very grateful of this man that made FM 😎 38:15

[@neovxr]

This is so nice to remember! Thanks for that. I made me an Atari program acc that could store 8 banks in memory, push the sounds around and rename them, push a sound or a whole bank to/from the DX-7, and print out the full parameter list of any sound that was loaded, which looked quite orderly for these times with crude fonts. It could run in the background of Notator. So I needed no cartridge, but anyway, I built a cartridge but it had glitches and could not store the sounds reliably. But it was very cheap, with its RAM and battery. Today, this is anecdotal, and will catch nobody's interest. But have a nice time and much success, you FM owners and users!!

[@hawk194]

This is absolutely mind blowing. I agree with Anthony when he says there is there is still so much more to discover with FM. John is very humble but has had such a huge impact. This was not only interesting from a music/technical viewpoint but also emotional and connecting thanks to John. Anthony, thank you so much for this. Your passion and insight are inspiring.

[@kerzwhile]

This is absolutely Fantastic. This documentation will last forever!! ❤ I also must add that this channel is one of the best hidden gems on the internet! Be patient Anthony, look how Rick Beato took off! Your right there with him content wise. That's meant as a compliment! ❤😊

[@fuzz7boy]

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this interview! John is both intelligent and easy to understand, while being humble and inspirational. I didn't know about his time in a Navy Fleet Band, which paid for his college education.

[@russell_szabados]

Same as my dad who served in Korea then went to NYU on the GI Bill.

[@sauce_aux]

I really love how in depth this FM series is. Seriously. This is so awesome.

[@jayburd1875]

Thanks for this. What a great story. Learning about Synthesizers gives me goosebumps. Darpa again for the win.

[@oscarvanderburgh9915]

In was thinking… what fortunate, this young man gets the chance to interview mr FM. Them I learned that Anthony is a legend himself. I’m so glad I found this channel.

[@mosai_music]

FM was key in development of my sound. Infinite thank you John! "Julian Haart" is one of my favorite examples of FM heavy production.

[@imlxh7126]

When I was in music school, I once made an offhand remark that "the two men who shaped the sound of the 80s are John Chowning and Phil Collins". My professor said something to the extent of "those are two names you don't often hear in the same sentence, but you're not wrong"

[@SerpaTCB]

I’m so dang happy this popped up on my feed 😢😢 I wanna cry tears of joy. This guy is amazing. This video is amazing.

[@Clovis5119]

I love these interviews, Anthony. The reverence you have not just for your guests but also for music, history, and synthesis itself is so palpable and brings out the best in your guests and yourself. Cheers.

[@peteragoston-petrosthemusi8260]

This fantastic conversation stirred up my memories when I was able to work in the Budapest "ircam" decades ago with the 1st mac and the 1st MAX... Beautiful times and we couldn't imagine possibilities. Today we have limitless possibilities - without inventional folks... because of the lack of classical & analogue culture for the roots.

[@kittavares4334]

Great interview, released at the right time for me, I’m deep into FM these days. It’s possible the most heard FM synthesizer of all time was that Yamaha chip they used in the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive. It’s rudimentary, but some of these soundtracks are awesome.

[@Listento360]

Great interview with an important man in the history of synths!

[@matthewbucknall8350]

Such a fantastic interview. Thank-you.

[@MartinHughesmidimarty]

Thank you Anthony and John for the memories and history! FM synthesis changed my life. The DX7. Was my first synth keyboard. Loved the Synclavier history.

[@andreievkalupniek5717]

Great conversation! I first heard about John Chowning at Berklee when studying under Dr. Richard Boulanger in 1999. I was always amazed on how musical he was with the resulting music that was programmed line by line using computer code.

[@riangarianga]

Such a fascinating process, it also seems «stars» aligned to make it happen at the right time through the right vessel, what a great person.

[@coolint]

@Anthony Marinelli Music great Video and Information. This video is going to inspire and help us creators to become more dedicated and start creating the music that we only can hear and imagine in our own minds, without fear. And that's going to start the next new music revolution. And we'll create the World's next big STARS, instead of personalities. Thank you guys so much for this video.

[@rekindle]

Fantastic interview, what a legend Mr Chowning is!

[@TuppenceHapeny]

My 1986 Yamaha FM electronic piano still works, though never knew it was FM at the time. Great keyboard, that stays brilliant white, unlike most old plastic keyboards. It even does half pedal effect, 10 sounds and even MIDI.