It certainly seems as if Oberheim is poised to make a big return to the world of MI. In a teaser clip posted to YouTube on April 12, the message was clear: “Oberheim is back. And a new chapter is about to begin.”
In addition to legendary electronic music pioneer and instrument designer Tom Oberheim, the video also features former Oberheim engineers Tony Karavidas and Marcus Ryle (co-creator of the ADAT and co-founder of Line 6) and Sequential’s Dave Smith. The group offers, “Get ready to party like it’s 2099.”
On Tom Oberheim’s site, the greeting at the top of the home page declares, “Hi and welcome to my site. I’ve been working on something new, but I can’t tell you all about it yet.”
Tom founded Oberheim Electronics in 1969 and, by the 1980s, the company was producing the DMX drum machine, DSX polyphonic sequencer, and the iconic OB-X synthesizer line – instruments embraced by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, and Prince, among many others.
In 2019 Gibson CEO James “JC” Curleigh returned the Oberheim trademark and IP (acquired by Gibson in 1988) to Tom Oberheim as, “a gesture of goodwill to the musical instrument industry.”
We’ll keep you posted as news develops.
