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Thomas Elroy Oberheim (born July 7, 1936), known as Tom Oberheim, is an American audio engineer and electronics engineer best known for designing effects processors, analog synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines. He has been the founder of four audio electronics companies, most notably Oberheim Electronics. He was also a key figure in the development and adoption of the MIDI standard. He is also a trained physicist.[1]

Key Information

Early life and education

[edit]
Tom Oberheim at his workbench, 2010

Oberheim was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas, also the home of Kansas State University. Beginning in junior high school, he put his interest in electronics into practice by building hi-fi components and amplifiers for friends. A fan of jazz music, Oberheim decided to move to Los Angeles after seeing an ad on the back of Downbeat Magazine about free jazz performances at a club there. He arrived in Los Angeles in July 1956 at the age of 20 with $10 in his pocket.[2] He worked as a draftsman trainee at NCR Corporation where he was inspired to become a computer engineer. Oberheim enrolled at UCLA, studying computer engineering and physics while also taking music courses. Over the next nine years he worked toward his physics degree, serving in the U.S. Army for a short period of time, harmonizing with the Gregg Smith Singers, and working jobs at computer companies (most notably Abacus, where he first began designing computers).[2]

Oberheim was attending a class during his last semester at UCLA when he met and became friends with trumpet player Don Ellis, and keyboardist Joseph Byrd of the band The United States of America, who were attending the same class. Oberheim stayed in touch with both Ellis and Byrd after leaving UCLA, and ended up building an amplifier for Ellis to use for his public address system. Oberheim also built guitar amplifiers for The United States of America, and their lead singer Dorothy Moskowitz asked him to build a ring modulator for the band (Joseph Byrd had used one while a band member, and Moskowitz wanted one for the band's new keyboardist, Richard Grayson). While ring modulator circuit information was readily available, it was a 1961 article by Harald Bode in Electronics Magazine that gave Oberheim the information he needed to design and hand-build one for musical application. Oberheim also built a ring modulator for Don Ellis. After hearing about Oberheim's device, film composer Leonard Rosenman contacted him for a ring modulator to use in the production of the Beneath the Planet of the Apes film soundtrack.[3] Oberheim, who had grown tired of designing computer equipment, found far greater personal satisfaction in designing equipment used by artists to create music and the positive feedback he received from musicians like Herbie Hancock and Jan Hammer.[4]

Career

[edit]

Maestro effects units

[edit]

In 1969, the Chicago Musical Instruments Company (CMI) approached Oberheim about his ring modulator, wanting him to become one of their manufacturing contractors. Oberheim raised approximately $6,000 from friends to start Oberheim Electronics. (One of the original investors was Tony Russo, but Oberheim later returned Russo's investment at Russo's request.) Oberheim produced his ring modulator, which CMI marketed as the Maestro RM-1A. At the time, Oberheim was also spending time with the band Bryndle, and had developed a fascination with the sound of instruments being played through a Leslie rotary speaker. This inspired Oberheim to design and build a phase shifter effects unit to imitate that sound. Maestro marketed the phase shifter as the PS-1. The PS-1 was a huge success, selling nearly 25,000 units over the next three years. Oberheim went on to design other products for Maestro, including the Universal Synthesizer for guitars.[2][3]

Oberheim

[edit]
SEM (2009 update of 1974 original)
4-Voice (1975)

Oberheim's forays into the design of equipment to be used by musicians continued to evolve. His associations with Richard Grayson and later Paul Beaver nurtured an interest in synthesizers, and at the 1971 NAMM Show, Oberheim approached Alan R. Pearlman, founder of ARP Instruments, asked to become the company's Los Angeles dealer, and subsequently became ARP's first dealer on the west coast, selling ARP 2600 synthesizers to musicians in the Los Angeles area, including Leon Russell, Robert Lamm, and Frank Zappa. Having access to ARP's schematics, Oberheim noticed that the ARP 2500 had a feature that allowed two notes to be played simultaneously (a capability of neither the 2600 nor other commercially available synthesizers at the time), and Oberheim designed a modification to the ARP 2600 that enabled it to do the same thing.[5] Using two of these modified ARP 2600s, Oberheim and Grayson performed concerts together.

Oberheim further expanded on the performance capabilities of 2-note polyphony in 1973, using his computer engineering experience to design the DS-2, one of the first digital-electronics-based music sequencers. The sequencer would completely control (i.e., "play from memory") the synthesizer; however, leaving the musician with no way to play along live on the instrument's keyboard, this also identified a problem that inspired Oberheim to design the Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM) with the design assistance of Dave Rossum (later of E-mu Systems fame), that facilitated simultaneously recorded + live playing (akin to the multi-track audio recording practice of "overdubbing"). Oberheim introduced the SEM, the first synthesizer bearing his company's name, at the Audio Engineering Society convention in Los Angeles in May 1974.[4]

OB-X (1979)
DMX (1980)

The following year, when Norlin (CMI's successor) cancelled several large orders for Oberheim's Maestro products, Oberheim shifted his design and manufacturing efforts to replace that lost business. He expanded the SEM concept, and again enlisting the expertise of Dave Rossum and Scott Wedge of E-mu Systems,[6] combining the SEM with a digital keyboard, created the Oberheim 2-Voice and 4-Voice synthesizers, the first commercially available polyphonic music synthesizers.[7][8][9] By combining more single-voice synthesizer modules together, Oberheim expanded the concept to the Oberheim 8-Voice synthesizer, introduced in 1976. Realizing that programming the 4-Voice on stage was impractical, he designed the Polyphonic Synthesizer Programmer, an integrated circuit memory for storing the synthesizer's sound settings, another industry first. Integrating this technology into a synthesizer, Oberheim introduced the OB1, the first programmable monophonic synthesizer, in 1977.[10]

By 1980, Oberheim's products, by then including synthesizers, a polyphonic digital sequencer (the DSX), and a sampled-sound drum machine (the DMX) were designed to be combined to form a complete system, and could be interconnected by a proprietary Oberheim parallel bus interface that pre-dated MIDI.[11]

With the company now gathering pace, from the turn of the 1980s Oberheim now streamlined his polyphonic synthesizers into a series of major integrated keyboard instruments which proved highly popular, coming to define many records of the era, to a similar extent to Sequential's Prophet 5. The Oberheim company first produced the OB-X in 1979, the OB-Xa in 1980-81, and the OB-8 in 1983, as well as the Matrix-12 and Matrix-6 from the mid-1980s.

MIDI proponent

[edit]

In June 1981, Roland's Ikutaro Kakehashi approached Oberheim with the idea of standardizing a communication protocol between electronic music instruments. Oberheim discussed the idea with Dave Smith of Sequential Circuits, and in November, Smith formally presented the idea to the Audio Engineering Society. Smith finalized the MIDI specification and together, Kakehashi, Oberheim, and Smith successfully coordinated the support of all major manufacturers to widely adopt the new MIDI standard.[12]

Marion Systems and SeaSound

[edit]

By May 1985, Oberheim Electronics was struggling and became ECC/Oberheim, owned by Oberheim's ex-lawyer. Later that same year, the Oberheim name was sold to Gibson Guitar Company. Tom Oberheim departed the company two years later and filed a lawsuit against his ex-lawyer for legal malpractice.[13][14][7][15]

In 1987, Oberheim formed Marion Systems (named after his daughter Emily Marion) in Santa Monica and later Lafayette in California. During this time, Oberheim performed consulting work for Roland and Akai, and produced a 12-bit to 16-bit option for Akai's S900 sampler. Oberheim also developed the Marion Systems MSR-2, a modular synthesizer concept.[16]

In the year 2000 after Marion Systems, Oberheim founded SeaSound, a manufacturer of audio interfaces.[17] Oberheim also served as an advisor to Muse Research.[18]

Return to synthesizer manufacturing

[edit]
TVS Pro Special Edition
MIDI to CV panel for SEM

In 2009, Oberheim began hand-building and selling an updated SEM synthesizer with upgraded features, but with a true analog design as faithful to the sound of his original SEM as possible.[19] In 2010, he announced plans to release the "Son of Four Voice," an updated version of his original Oberheim 4-Voice analog synthesizer.[20]

In 2015, Oberheim announced the Two-Voice Pro,[21] an upgraded and improved version of the instrument he described as his favorite of Oberheim's early years.

At the January 2016 NAMM Show, Oberheim announced the Dave Smith Instruments OB-6, a collaboration with Dave Smith which resulted in Oberheim's first voltage-controlled multi-voiced polyphonic synthesizer since the mid-1980s; Oberheim designed the VCO and VCF sections in the style of the company's SEM, while control features, arpeggiator/step sequencer and effects processing were designed by Smith based on the Prophet platform.[22]

In 2019, Gibson announced the Oberheim Electronics name and other intellectual properties had been returned to Tom Oberheim. In 2021, Oberheim announced a manufacturing run of a limited quantity of Special Edition TVS Pro which would resemble the original TVS Pro, but would be the first Oberheim product to wear the "Oberheim®" brand since 1985.[23][24] A limited number of buyers were chosen from a lottery, and the cost was announced as $4,995, plus tax and shipping.

In 2022, it was announced that Oberheim Electronics was re-opening and would be soon shipping a new Oberheim-branded synthesizer, called the Oberheim OB-X8, in May.[25] The instrument was also co-developed with Sequential's Dave Smith, and was one of the last instruments to have that distinction before his death in 2022. In 2024, the TEO-5, an Oberheim-branded version of Sequential's Take 5 synthesizer with Oberheim filters, was also released. The instrument took its name from Oberheim's initials.

Breakfast Club

[edit]

Oberheim was a core member of an informal discussion group which met weekly in a Berkeley coffeehouse. The group's initial name, "The Dead Presidents Society", originated from the fact that most members were formerly presidents of companies that had gone out of business. Other notable innovators in technology and music who made up the group were Don Buchla, John Chowning, John Lazzaro, Ingrid Linn, Roger Linn, Max Mathews, Keith McMillen, Dave Smith and David Wessel.[26] The group shed the "Dead Presidents" name when it opened up to other members including professors from Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley. Its new name is the Breakfast Club.[27] With the coming of the COVID-19 pandemic, Breakfast Club meetings shifted to Zoom teleconferencing. This allowed for the introduction of other music technology innovators who are geographically removed from Berkeley.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Tom Oberheim

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from Grokipedia
Tom Oberheim (born July 7, 1936) is an American inventor, audio engineer, and pioneer in electronic musical instruments, renowned for founding and developing the world's first commercially successful polyphonic synthesizers. Born in , he demonstrated early interest in electronics by building HiFi amplifiers during junior high school. Oberheim moved to Los Angeles in 1956, where he studied physics at UCLA while working part-time jobs and later entering the computer industry, designing electronic equipment for companies like and Aeronutronic until 1969. That year, he established in , initially producing guitar effects pedals such as the influential phase shifter and ring modulator, which became staples in and music during the . In 1971, as an ARP synthesizer dealer, he began modifying instruments for clients, leading to his creation of the Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM) in 1974—a versatile, semi-modular voice that formed the core of his later polyphonic designs. His breakthrough came in 1975 with the Oberheim Four Voice, the first commercially available polyphonic synthesizer, allowing musicians to play multiple notes simultaneously with expressive analog tones; this was followed by the Eight Voice in 1977 and the OB-X series starting in 1979, which featured improved portability and digital preset storage via the module. Oberheim also contributed to early digital drum machines like the in 1980 and played a key role in developing standards in the early 1980s, facilitating interoperability among electronic instruments. After selling in 1985, he founded Marion Systems in 1987 and SeaSound in 2000, continuing to innovate until retiring around 2009, though he later collaborated on modern revivals like the OB-6 (2016) with Dave Smith and the OB-X8 (2022). His instruments, prized for their rich, warm sound, have been used by artists including Prince, , and , cementing his legacy in electronic music production.

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Family Background

Thomas Elroy Oberheim was born on July 7, 1936, in , a town closely associated with Kansas State College (now ). Raised in this Midwestern setting, Oberheim developed an early fascination with , beginning in elementary school with simple projects like soldering wires to build crystal sets and one-tube radios. By junior high school, he had advanced to constructing hi-fi amplifiers and components for friends, often experimenting with radio as a that foreshadowed his future career. In 1956, at the age of 20, Oberheim left for , arriving in with limited resources and driven by a desire to explore opportunities beyond his hometown. This move marked a significant shift, exposing him to the vibrant music scene of the West Coast while he pursued various jobs in the burgeoning and computer industries. His early tinkering continued informally during this period, blending technical skills with an emerging interest in sound manipulation.

Academic and Early Professional Training

Tom Oberheim began his formal education at in , where he enrolled directly after high school and completed three semesters studying engineering before switching to physics and taking courses in drafting. Financial constraints prompted him to leave after this period, and in 1956, he relocated to with limited resources to pursue further opportunities in . In the fall of 1957, Oberheim enrolled at the (UCLA), balancing full-time work with studies to earn a degree in physics, which he completed in 1966. During his time at , he supplemented his technical coursework with extensive involvement in the music department, taking classes in music appreciation, musicianship, harmony, and , which sparked his interest in the intersection of and sound. His academic path emphasized practical skills in physics and , laying a foundation for later innovations in audio technology. Oberheim's early professional experience centered on the burgeoning fields of and . Upon arriving in Los Angeles in 1956, he secured an entry-level position in the photo lab at Lockheed Aircraft, where he assisted in fabricating printed circuit boards for electronic systems. Later that year, he joined National Cash Register (NCR) as a draftsman trainee in their computer division in , contributing to the development of the NCR 304, one of the first transistorized business computers. From 1959 to 1969, he held approximately six or seven roles at various computer firms, including contractors for entities like USE, Lockheed, and , focusing on hardware design, programming, and for early digital computers. These positions honed his expertise in and within high-stakes and environments. Parallel to his formal training and employment, Oberheim developed self-taught proficiency in audio engineering through personal projects starting in his youth. As early as junior high school in , he constructed HiFi amplifiers for friends, drawing from books and basic kits to experiment with vacuum tubes and circuits. This hands-on approach continued at UCLA, where he built custom audio devices informed by his music studies and research on modulation techniques. A notable early project was a ring modulator designed in the mid-1960s for experimental musicians, which served as an initial foray into applications.

Professional Career

Work at Maestro and Effects Design

In 1969, Tom Oberheim was hired by Norlin Music Inc., the parent company of Gibson, to work as for its division, where he began designing innovative effects processors for musicians. His first major contribution was the RM-1A Ring Modulator, released in 1970, which built upon an earlier prototype he had developed for the experimental rock band The United States of America to create metallic, bell-like tones during live performances. The RM-1A became a staple for guitarists and was notably used in film scores, such as the eerie sound effects in Beneath the . Oberheim's most impactful design at Maestro was the PS-1A Phase Shifter, introduced in 1972 as a compact, pedal-format successor to bulky studio phasers. Inspired by the swirling modulation of Leslie rotary speakers on Hammond organs—famously heard in tracks like ' "Something"—the PS-1A featured three fixed-speed settings for versatile phasing effects, making it accessible for stage use by guitarists and keyboardists. It achieved significant commercial success, selling nearly 25,000 units over the following years and influencing the proliferation of phaser pedals in and music. Beyond these, Oberheim contributed to other guitar-oriented effects at Maestro, including the FZ-1S Fuzz-Tone for aggressive tones and the FSH-1 Filter/Sample & Hold, which incorporated an envelope follower to dynamically sweep a in response to playing dynamics. These designs, often integrated into multi-effects units like the USS-1 Universal System, expanded Maestro's lineup with tools that bridged experimental sound manipulation and practical performance needs. By 1973, seeking greater autonomy to explore synthesizer development, Oberheim departed Maestro to focus on his independent ventures.

Founding Oberheim Electronics

In 1969, Tom Oberheim founded as a small consultancy operating from his garage in , marking his transition from corporate electronics work to independent design of musical instruments. Building on his prior experience developing effects processors at , he initially focused on custom modifications and components for emerging synthesizer users. From 1971 to 1973, the company gained traction by selling customized kits that expanded the capabilities of the synthesizer, addressing musicians' demand for more versatile and polyphonic setups in an era when monophonic instruments dominated. These kits allowed users to add voices and interfaces, reflecting Oberheim's early role as an ARP dealer in the area and his hands-on approach to meeting practical needs in electronic music production. A pivotal development came in 1974 with the introduction of the Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM), Oberheim's first original product—a compact, standalone voice module featuring a (VCO), (VCF), and voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA). Designed for integration into modular systems, the SEM emphasized high-quality analog circuitry and was shaped by direct input from performing musicians, establishing the company's reputation for innovative, user-driven . Oberheim Electronics operated on a small-scale , producing limited runs of hand-built analog modules to prioritize craftsmanship and responsiveness to the electronic over . This approach allowed for rapid iteration based on feedback from artists and studios, fostering a niche but influential presence in the burgeoning market.

Development of Key Synthesizers

The Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM), introduced in 1974, served as the foundational building block for Oberheim's early polyphonic synthesizers, providing a self-contained monosynth voice with two oscillators, a multimode filter, and envelope generators that could be stacked for multi-voice operation. Oberheim's breakthrough in polyphony came with the Four-Voice in 1975, the first commercially available polyphonic synthesizer, which integrated four SEM modules controlled by a single digital scanning keyboard to enable simultaneous note playback. This design allowed musicians to play chords and complex harmonies on an analog instrument, marking a significant advancement over monophonic synths of the era. Building on this success, the Eight-Voice, released in 1977, expanded the concept to eight SEM modules, delivering richer, fuller analog tones that quickly became a studio staple for its lush, versatile sound palette used in recordings across rock, funk, and . The instrument's polyphonic capabilities, combined with features like polyphonic and stereo panning, made it a benchmark for analog synthesis depth and expressiveness. In 1979, the OB-X introduced a more integrated and portable alternative, consolidating the SEM's circuitry into a single chassis with discrete voltage-controlled filters (VCFs) per voice, eliminating the modular stacking for easier setup and transport while retaining the characteristic warm analog . Equipped with a Z-80 for preset storage and options for four, six, or eight voices, the OB-X prioritized user-friendly programming and stability, appealing to touring musicians and producers. The OB-Xa, launched in , refined the OB-X lineage by incorporating Electromusic Specialties (CEM) integrated circuits for oscillators and filters, enhancing reliability and enabling selectable 12dB/octave or 24dB/octave filter modes alongside improved modulation routing. These updates, including bi-timbral operation and expanded LFO options, allowed for more nuanced sound design without sacrificing the series' signature analog character. Further evolution arrived with the OB-8 in 1983, which utilized CEM3320 filter chips for precise control and added advanced programming features like 120 patch memories, a polyphonic arpeggiator, and "Page 2" parameters for deep modulation, solidifying its role as a pinnacle of analog . The OB-8's seven LFO waveforms and voice-specific panning options provided unprecedented flexibility, influencing a generation of electronic music production. Complementing these keyboard synthesizers, Oberheim ventured into rhythm programming with the DMX drum machine in 1980, the first programmable digital drum synthesizer to emulate analog-like tones through sampled percussion voices, offering 24 sounds with tuning and mixing capabilities for realistic beats. Its step-time sequencing and dynamic velocity layers—three levels for key drums like bass and snare—revolutionized hip-hop and pop production, powering tracks by artists such as Run-D.M.C. and .

Company Growth and Transition

In the late 1970s, Oberheim Electronics experienced rapid expansion driven by the success of its polyphonic synthesizers, such as the OB-X, which became key revenue generators. The company hired additional engineers, including notable figures like and Marcus Ryle, to handle increasing design and production demands. To accommodate this growth, Oberheim relocated from a small storefront to larger facilities in , enabling higher output volumes. International sales also surged, with exports to contributing significantly to the company's market reach. By the early 1980s, however, financial pressures mounted due to the high costs of analog component and intensifying competition from digital synthesizers, exemplified by Yamaha's DX7 released in . While annual sales grew by approximately 35% between and 1986 amid the digital shift, the declining demand for analog instruments strained resources, leading to in 1985. After the , the company was managed by Oberheim's former lawyers until its acquisition by Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1988; Tom Oberheim remained involved briefly as a before departing in 1987 to pursue independent projects. Under Gibson's ownership, starting formally in 1988 after an interim period with Oberheim's former lawyers managing assets, the company continued producing the Matrix series, including models like the Matrix-12 and expansions such as the Xpander. Users reported a perceived decline in build quality and reliability during this era, attributed to shifts in manufacturing priorities away from 's original analog focus. The brand underwent further transitions, with Gibson licensing production to entities like Viscount International for products such as the OB-12 in 2000, before ceasing new developments in the late 2000s. Trademark disputes arose over the years, but in 2019, Gibson returned full rights to the name and to Tom Oberheim as a gesture of goodwill.

MIDI Standardization Efforts

In the early 1980s, the music synthesizer industry faced significant challenges due to incompatible proprietary interfaces, such as Roland's DCB serial protocol and the analog systems used by ARP and Buchla synthesizers, which hindered between devices from different manufacturers. Tom Oberheim, having developed his own parallel bus system in 1980 to connect , sequencers, and drum machines like the OB-X, , and DSX, recognized the need for a universal standard to enable seamless communication across brands. This frustration was widespread, as musicians and producers struggled with custom cabling and limited integration, prompting Oberheim to support efforts toward a shared protocol. Oberheim played a key role in initiating formal collaboration on what would become MIDI, starting in June 1981 when Roland president Ikutaro Kakehashi approached him at the Chicago NAMM show to discuss an international standard; Oberheim recommended involving Dave Smith of Sequential Circuits. In August 1981, Smith previewed his proposed Universal Synthesizer Interface (USI) paper at Oberheim's offices, and by October, Oberheim joined Smith and engineer Marcus Ryle in Tokyo at the Gakki Fair to refine the concept with Japanese manufacturers including Roland, Yamaha, Korg, and Kawai. Despite no consensus at the February 1982 Winter NAMM in Anaheim, Oberheim's participation in these secret meetings helped evolve USI into MIDI, with the group agreeing on core specifications by August 1983. Oberheim's technical contributions included advocating for a serial interface over parallel designs to simplify cabling and reduce complexity, drawing from the limitations of his own 37-pin parallel system. He also helped define essential message structures, such as note-on and note-off events for triggering sounds and velocity sensitivity to convey playing dynamics, ensuring the protocol supported expressive polyphonic performance. These elements addressed the polyphony needs of synthesizers like the OB-X series, which served as early testing platforms. MIDI 1.0 was officially released on January 21, 1983, with among the first to implement it through a retrofit kit for the OB-Xa , demonstrated at that year's alongside Sequential and products. This enabled existing analog instruments to receive data for note triggering and control, marking a practical step toward adoption. Over time, 's standardization revolutionized by facilitating polyphonic sequencing, multi-instrument setups, and integration with computers, leading to widespread industry use and transforming production workflows.

Later Ventures: Marion Systems and SeaSound

After leaving in 1987, Tom Oberheim founded Marion Systems, named after his daughter Emily Marion, to pursue independent design projects in electronic music instruments. The company focused on blending analog synthesis with modular concepts, drawing from Oberheim's earlier experiences in polyphonic designs and integration, which served as a foundation for MIDI-compatible control in new products. Motivated by a desire to explore sound layering—exemplified by his 1975 experiments combining Oberheim synthesizers with pianos—Oberheim aimed to create flexible, high-quality analog modules that could evolve beyond traditional fixed architectures. Marion Systems' flagship product was the MSR-2, a compact 1U rackmount system introduced in 1994, featuring a mainframe that supported up to two eight-voice (ASMs) for multitimbral operation. Each ASM utilized hybrid analog/digital oscillators with six waveforms for stability, filter chips, multiple envelope generators, LFOs, and an extensive modulation matrix, delivering the characteristic "Oberheim sound" in a programmable format with 200 patches per module and Super Patch storage for system-wide settings including a six-channel mixer and seven-band EQ. MIDI implementation allowed for precise sequencing and control, reflecting Oberheim's prior standardization efforts. Production was limited, constrained by high component costs—such as RAM prices that derailed an initial sampler prototype—and external disruptions like the , which delayed software development; the company ceased operations around 2000 after also providing consulting for and . In 2000, Oberheim established SeaSound to shift focus toward interfaces, motivated by the growing demand for accessible, low-latency solutions outside the domain, enabling musicians to integrate high-fidelity input directly into computer-based workflows. The company's core offering, the SeaSound Solo, was a standalone 2U paired with a PCI card for Mac or PC compatibility, incorporating two custom-designed mic preamps with 48V , instrument inputs, line-level options, direct outputs, a built-in mixer, dual headphone amps, 24-bit/96kHz converters, I/O, and connectivity for seamless DAW integration. An expanded version, the Solo EX, added enhanced monitoring with a separate stereo buss for near-zero latency (as low as 9ms at 44.1kHz), front-panel controls for real-time adjustments, and support for PowerPC Macs, emphasizing studio-grade clarity for solo artists and engineers. Oberheim's involvement ensured a hybrid-discrete preamp design prioritizing transparency and low noise, aligning with his legacy in audio innovation. SeaSound operated until 2009, producing interfaces that bridged analog warmth with digital efficiency during the early DAW era.

Return to Manufacturing and Recent Projects

In 2009, Tom Oberheim relaunched synthesizer production under his own name through Marion Systems, reissuing the classic Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM) as a hand-built desktop module that retained 98% of the original circuitry while adding modern enhancements. The updated SEM included In and Thru connectivity for note on/off, velocity, aftertouch, pitch bend, and a user-defined MIDI CC, along with outputs for integration with modular systems, though it lacked USB and . Variants followed, such as the 2010 SEM MIDI-to-CV model with an added audio preamp and the SEM Pro, which combined access with 21 patch points, , and improved filter tracking for enhanced playability. From 2009 to 2015, focused on limited-production analog instruments, hand-building updated SEM units and related modules to meet demand from collectors and musicians seeking authentic Oberheim tones without digital emulation. In 2015, he introduced the Two-Voice Pro, a compact synthesizer recreating the original 1978 Two Voice design with two linked SEM circuits, a 16-step sequencer supporting up to 100 storable patterns with and transposition, and a velocity- and aftertouch-sensitive three-octave Fatar keyboard. The instrument featured 56 patch points for extensive modulation, implementation for basic control, and multi-mode 12dB/octave filters, emphasizing hands-on analog sound shaping over preset storage. A limited black-panel edition followed, with around 100 units produced, and a 2021 Special Edition added the logo and Oberheim's signature, constrained by component shortages. In July 2019, Gibson returned the trademark and rights to Tom Oberheim after 36 years, following discussions initiated at the Winter , allowing him to fully reclaim and license the brand for new projects. This paved the way for deeper collaboration with Dave Smith of Sequential, beginning with the 2015 OB-6 polyphonic synthesizer that integrated six voices of SEM-based analog circuitry, and extending to subsequent releases under the banner. The partnership culminated in the 2022 launch of the OB-X8, an eight-voice polyphonic faithfully recreating the OB-X's voice architecture with discrete VCOs per voice, while incorporating filters from the OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 models for versatile tonal options. Modern additions included over 400 factory presets, bi-timbral operation, an arpeggiator, Poly Chain expandability to 16 voices, and a free OS 2.0 update adding MPE support and binaural effects, available in both keyboard and desktop formats. In 2024, Sequential and released the TEO-5, a five-voice compact polyphonic that adapted the and core design of Sequential's Take 5 but substituted 's signature 12dB/octave SEM filter per voice, SSI2130 oscillators, and digital VCAs for a distinct, warm character with built-in effects like overdrive, delay, chorus, and reverb. As of 2025, at age 89, Tom Oberheim has retired from active manufacturing but maintains oversight through licensing agreements with Sequential, ensuring the continued evolution of instruments while preserving their analog heritage.

Later Activities and Legacy

The Breakfast Club

In 2006, Tom Oberheim founded , an informal group of pioneers that held weekly breakfast meetings at a in the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically Berkeley. The initial core members included fellow innovators Dave Smith, , and , along with , David Wessel, Keith McMillen, , and . The purpose of these gatherings was to discuss innovations in electronic music technology, share ideas on design, and preserve knowledge of analog synthesis techniques among a tight-knit community of experts. served as the host and facilitator, fostering an environment that emphasized collaboration and camaraderie over competition, allowing the group to explore esoterica and advancements in the field freely. This shared forum built on their common ground in the history of standardization, where several members had played pivotal roles in its development during the . The group met regularly for approximately a , with meetings shifting to Zoom teleconferencing during the . These interactions contributed to the preservation of analog expertise, influencing modern projects such as modular systems by keeping foundational knowledge alive and inspiring contemporary innovations in design.

Influence on Music Technology

Tom Oberheim's innovations in polyphonic synthesis revolutionized analog by enabling musicians to play multiple notes simultaneously, creating lush, chordal textures that defined and electronic music. His Four-Voice and Eight-Voice synthesizers, the first commercially available polyphonic analog instruments, utilized SEM modules to produce rich, multitimbral sounds adopted by artists such as for their layered guitar-like tones, Prince in tracks like "Controversy," and Kraftwerk for expansive sonic landscapes in albums like Computer World. Oberheim's early work in effects pedals further shaped , with the PS-1A Phase Shifter influencing designs like the , which sold over 70,000 units and became a staple in and production for its swirling modulation effects. These pedals, developed in the late , bridged analog effects with emerging technology, paving the way for integrated audio processing in live and studio environments. His contributions to standardization in the early 1980s, including the Oberheim System's parallel interface that inspired the protocol, established a universal language for electronic instruments, forming the backbone of workstations (DAWs) and enabling seamless integration in modern electronic music production. In recent years, Oberheim's legacy has garnered formal recognition, including his receipt of the Bob Hapgood Award from the Kansas Music Hall of Fame on November 22, 2025, honoring his pioneering designs that continue to influence the analog revival. Interviews in 2025, such as those with Perfect Circuit and CDM, highlight how his instruments fuel renewed interest in warm analog tones amid digital dominance. Culturally, Oberheim sounds permeate film scores, notably Brad Fiedel's use of the OB-Xa in (1984) for its ominous pulses; hip-hop production, where the defined early beats in tracks by artists like Run-D.M.C.; and modern , evoking 1980s nostalgia through reissues like the OB-X8. Collaborations with Sequential Circuits on models such as the OB-6 and TEO-5 ensure Oberheim's remains relevant, sustaining its footprint across genres.

References

  1. https://midi.org/tom-oberheim-and-oberheim-electronics
  2. https://www.tomoberheim.com/about
  3. https://www.vintagesynth.com/oberheim/sem
  4. https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/tom-oberheim
  5. https://oberheim.com/news/tom-oberheim-and-dave-smith-unveil-ob-6-analog-synthesizer/
  6. https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2016/07/07/tom-oberheim-is-80/
  7. https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2015/08/102746583-05-01-acc.pdf
  8. https://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/tom-oberheim-polyphonic-one-love/
  9. https://www.kvraudio.com/interviews/an-interview-with-tom-oberheim---from-boom-to-bust-to-boom-part-1-34402
  10. https://www.perfectcircuit.com/signal/tom-oberheim-interview
  11. https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2017/06/11/tom-oberheim-on-the-art-of-synthesizer-design/
  12. https://brandbook.gibson.com/overview/maestro
  13. https://www.tomoberheim.com/products-old
  14. https://catalinbread.com/blogs/kulas-cabinet/maestro-ps-1a
  15. https://synth.market/en/catalogue/brands/oberheim/
  16. https://generalguitargadgets.com/effects-projects/fuzz-tones/maestro-fz-1s/
  17. https://catalinbread.com/blogs/kulas-cabinet/maestro-fsh-1-filter-sample-hold
  18. https://www.attackmagazine.com/features/interview/tom-oberheim-theres-a-very-specific-difference-between-engineering-and-music-creation/
  19. https://www.tomoberheim.com/historical-products
  20. https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/tom-oberheim-sem
  21. https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/oberheim-ob-x8
  22. https://www.perfectcircuit.com/signal/oberheim-ob-series
  23. https://www.vintagedigital.com.au/oberheim-dmx/
  24. https://www.gearnews.com/history-of-oberheim-electronics/
  25. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/idx/j/jcms/18261332.0063.518/--when-a-format-almost-becomes-an-instrument-eurorack?rgn=main%3Bview=fulltext
  26. https://oberheim.com/news/gibson-returns-oberheim-trademark-and-brand/
  27. https://midi.org/midi-history-chapter-6-midi-begins-1981-1983
  28. https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/midi-past-present-and-future/9420
  29. https://www.soundonsound.com/people/tom-oberheim-marion-systems
  30. https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/marion-systems-msr2
  31. https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/seasound-solo-ex
  32. https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/what-of-preamps-used-solo/
  33. https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/tom-oberheim-two-voice-pro
  34. https://oberheim.com/products/ob-x8/
  35. https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/oberheim-teo-5
  36. https://cdm.link/tom-oberheim-conversation/
  37. https://www.mixonline.com/technology/breakfast-club-365726
  38. https://gearspace.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-and-electronic-music-production/1377698-oberheim-back-ob-x8-synthesizer-126.html
  39. https://oberheim.com/about/
  40. https://www.ksnt.com/news/entertainment/manhattan-synth-wizard-to-be-awarded-by-kansas-music-hall-of-fame/
  41. https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/the-oberheim-synthesizer-a-playlist/
  42. https://alijamieson.co.uk/2021/12/01/8-important-synths-development-hip-hop/
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