As you will see from what Jim has written, I’ve been following their apps from the very beginning, and I still have a very special place for miniSynth (1) which I remember being a bit of a revelation in terms of making music on an iOS device (before iOS was iOS of course).
It makes this is message from Jim a very special message indeed …
Just the Beer Light to Guide Us
“Our first exchange, in my mind, was a funny one. I remember receiving an email from Ashley about Thereminator (it was our first sound-maker app). He was asking if I knew whether it worked on an iPod Touch. One glance at it, and I must have sprung beads of cold sweat: “Who would ever be interested in something like this? Who is this person, anyway? What does one say?” I was young, less jaded, only mildly cynical, and naturally…I didn’t have an iPod Touch.
Not knowing a blessed thing about Palm Sounds, I replied to the tune of “it probably should…er, if you’d prefer, I can forward you the cost and could you please try it?”
He didn’t write back except a couple hours later telling me that it works perfectly fine, and here’s the place where I could find a video he’d just shot. Not having paid a penny for the privilege, and with utmost curiosity of seeing something I made in someone else’s hand, I landed on this very site for the first time. Purely and unabashedly with selfish reasons. Yep, there was my Thereminator, in all its sprightly glory. I hope in the excitement I didn’t forget to write a prompt “Thank You” back.
This is not just a reminisce. To me, it illustrates how passionate Palm Sounds is about “this thing of ours.” One among a handful who thought of the mobile, the small, and the micro as a serious music making platform, it actively sought us out before we even knew what we were up to. To boot, it was already doing this for over two years by that happy afternoon of Summer 2008 –just to remind you that the idea lived before our fancy devices of today. To us, the eternal music nerds of the third kind, it provided a coalescing point. And it helped us meet many others like us, whose input and camaraderie helped pass a rosy decade, turning us into the incorrigible creatures we are.
I’m sure I’m not the only sad bottom code-monkey who feels appreciated and legitimized, thanks to Ashley’s tireless effort and foresight. For Palm Sound’s 10th, I’ll put on Power, Corruption & Lies, dim the lights (on my monitor) and raise a pint to another glorious decade. After all, it’ll be another generation of bright young things, and you’ll probably hear it here for the first time.”
I think that I might have to do just the same as Jim, especially as Power Corruption and Lies is a personal favourite too.
Thanks Jim, it means a lot! I’m raising that pint!
PalmSounds 