David Battino

David Battino majored in philosophy at Oberlin, but found his epiphany in the college’s electronic music studios. Suddenly it was possible to create both the instruments and the music, and he began writing to share that excitement with readers around the world. He joined Keyboard Magazine in 1994, was the founding editor of Music & Computers, and produced the popular “Adventures in DIY” column for Electronic Musician. Music Tech called his 2005 book The Art of Digital Music “truly entertaining and informative on both philosophical and technical levels.”

David keeps his ears peeled for new music technology, often turning it into novel instruments to share in his “Synth Hacks” column for Waveform magazine. A recent entry introduced SwineWAV, a MIDI-controlled sample player built into a pink plastic pig. Playful interfaces, David believes, give people “permission” to make music.