Ray Wilson: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Ray Wilson pro pic.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]'''Ray Wilson''' (1956–2016) became interested in analog synthesizers in 1968 when he first heard Switched On Bach.<ref name="book">[http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920028093.do Make: Analog Synthesizers] by Ray Wilson, Maker Media Inc, 2013, ISBN 1-4493-4522-0</ref> He has been influential in the synth DIY community and many people got a start in the world of synth DIY because of his sharing of his designs.<ref name="rip">[http://www.matrixsynth.com/2016/07/rip-ray-wilson.html RIP Ray Wilson], Matrixsynth, 23 July 2016</ref> |
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== Education and how MFOS got started == |
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First employed at a steel mill he bought sold and traded analog synthesizers, mainly Korgs, Mini-Moogs, and a variety of the patchable semi-modular Rolands. There he also went through an electronic repairman apprenticeship program. Supplementing the classroom training with [[breadboard]] experimentation, a Heathkit [[microprocessor]] trainer kit, and a great deal of reading and maths. Learning enough to spend the next fifteen years in the medical electronics industry.<ref name="book">[http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920028093.do Make: Analog Synthesizers] by Ray Wilson, Maker Media Inc, 2013, ISBN 1-4493-4522-0</ref> |
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Together with a friend in the 1970s through into the early 1980s he sold [[electronics kits]] under the name Waveform Processing, advertised in [[Radio-Electronics]] magazine. While keeping on researching, breadboarding and developing [[monophonic]] and [[polyphonic]] synths. Coming across the versatile [[Curtis Electromusic Specialties]] ICs designed by [[Doug Curtis]].<ref name="book" /> |
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[[File:MFOS Sound Lab.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Ray Wilson Sound Lab.]]Then doing electronic design at Intec Systems and Siemens Pacesetter, his focus shifted to designing electronic test equipment and writing software. Until in 1994, he moved from California to Aurora, Colorado where his work became solely software development. The desire to work with electronics brought him back to synth-DIY, starting a website called Ray-Land to publish the circuits and PCB layouts that he was coming up with.<ref name="book" /> |
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Developing and publishing a simple, battery-powered mini-synthesizer, called the [[Sound Lab Mini-Synth]] for which he started selling PCBs, led in 2008<ref>[https://www.linkedin.com/company/music-from-outer-space-llc Music From Outer Space LLC], LinkedIn</ref> to the birth of his brand [[Music From Outer Space]] (MFOS). The information available on the MFOS website is respected by synth-DIYers the world over.<ref name="book" /> |
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== Not open source == |
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Ray was happy to share his circuit designs and knowledge with hobbyists but did not give permission to mass or hand produce what he considered his intellectual property.<ref name="mfos">[http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/analogsynth_new/ELECTRONICS/MakingMoneyWithMFOS.php Making $Money$ With MFOS]</ref> |
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== Early death from cancer == |
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On the 21st July 2016 Ray died of cancer. His family will likely have medical bills and a GoFundMe page was setup to raise funds.<ref name="rip" /> |
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== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
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== External links == |
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* [http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/ MFOS: Imagine, Invent, Stay Ingenious!] |
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* Web page to raise funds for [https://www.gofundme.com/raywilson Ray Wilson's medical expenses], or just pay directly via PayPal to info@musicfromouterspace.com. |
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* [https://www.youtube.com/user/theraywilsonshow Ray Wilson] channel on YouTube |
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* [https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymond-wilson-3160387 Raymond Wilson] on LinkedIn |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Ray}} |
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[[Category:Designers]] |
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