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Re: [OM] Paul's Excellent Adventure - a few more up

Subject: Re: [OM] Paul's Excellent Adventure - a few more up
From: Ken Norton <ken@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:18:19 -0700
> Nice stuff there Paul. You can count me as a Trident fan, the college I 
> attended had one of his MTA desks that was essentially an 80C. If I have one 
> audio equipment that I should have bought but didn't it would be the 80B I 
> could have scored for 10 grand back in 99. My kit is almost all in the box 
> now but I've got some key pieces in storage.

At this point, I wouldn't bother with a Trident. The TOFT is certainly
in a much more usable form-factor and relatively maintenance-free.
Something the original certainly wasn't. Like a classic NEVE, those
things can be finicky. I would love to have a project studio based
around a TOFT.


> Ken, as ever I revel in your work history tales.

For over a five year period of time, I was right in the heart of
digital audio development. In fact, I believe that I implemented the
first use of digital multitrack non-linear editors in live theatre
productions. I also helped develop many of the computer-based editor
working methods which became industry standard. We won't even get into
developing methods for Foley. Crazy days. It was neat working with
some of the biggest names the industry has ever known. Going out to
dinner was "listen and learn" from the movers and shakers. (Never
speak unless spoken to and use the correct fork). NDAs prevent me from
revealing even who I was working with in most cases. All I can imply
is that I likely worked with some of the top audio engineering
companies on at least three continents. Most of what we developed is
native to pretty much everything now. You can buy a colorful 1RU box
from a company that has an algorithm that I personally invented. In
fact, as it is part of a pack of very popular plug-ins, chances are if
you have a certain brand of editor, you probably use my program. I've
got one variant of it installed in my Yamaha AW4416 that also includes
at least two other algorithms I co-developed.*

I keep in contact with several of the people I worked with back in
those days. Everybody says the same thing that those days were very
unique. We did more in three specific years than has been done before
or since. Whether that was because I left, or a couple people retired
and/or died is open to opinion. (one person's death was very much a
game-changer and it affected me personally as I was supposed to be his
protege). Many times, I've thought about returning to that industry,
but the glory days are past. It's all pretty incremental now. The
industry went through a consolidation, which was great for patent
license reasons, but turned out to be a disaster for development. Way
back then, each of us had small engineering operations, so we would
partner up on just about everything. If I had a wild idea on
something, I could pick up the phone, dial somebody 14 time zones away
and have a prototype on my desk in a week.

What is super cool, though, is that one of my two personal pet
projects that I started in 1986 (seriously) is now on the market. It
literally took 25 years for technology to catch up. Three companies
have introduced competing products, but all three are based on the
concept and design work I did. Again, I missed out on the actual
bringing to market (although, we got VERY close in 1998 and had
several working prototypes in the field). They killed the project when
I left. (an argument could be made that I was terminated because they
killed my project, but they refused to release my work for development
elsewhere--they eventually gave the rights to the other partners about
five years later). My other personal project became industry standard
for the broadcast industry and was instrumental in how large group
ownerships work. (Yes, I'm guilty for something that turned out to be
a bad thing, but we'll not go there). Again, NDAs suck. My resume is
unfortunately a little unspecific in regard to these things.

Like I said, five intense years, but about 12 altogether, with another
five running my own consulting business. An amazing time. In the world
of audio, digital was the logical progression of technology. We made
digital superior in nearly every way (except for tape compression,
which still has yet to be perfectly achieved--not that we didn't
try...). I came along at exactly the right time and was in the right
place. The sad thing is that while you are in the midst of the
tornado, you don't know the significance of the moment.

* My personal brain skill is spacial and wave visualization and
comprehension. I'll let you use your imagination as to how that would
pertain to audio and what technologies would make use of it.

AG (tarnished with time) Ears
-- 
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