Founder’s Bio

Welcome to SynthTweaks.com

My name is Danniielle O’Connor and I am the founder of SynthTweaks.com which is all about the synthesizers I use, the music created with them and the techniques used to write, record and mix that music. Much of the music featured here is instrumental but there are a few exceptions.

As of June, 2019, all new music I write and record as well as collaborations with friends will be released under the brand new band name, Pulse Eternal. The direct link to the music is PulseEternal.com

I have had a fascination with synthesizers since 1984. That was my first year of high school and was also the year I joined the school concert band playing trumpet. It was also the year that I discovered the Roland Juno 6 analog synthesizer sitting invitingly in the school music room. Being keenly interested in both electronics (I am now qualified and well experienced in that field) and music, that synth with all it’s knobs, switches and sliders was an irresistible curiosity! My music teacher soon spotted my interest and allowed me to take the synth home on the weekends and that delighted me no end!! However, at that stage, I was not a keyboard player by any stretch of the imagination so my beginnings with the Juno were spent making blips, bleeps, squelches, wind, helicopter noises and sci-fi type sounds.
It wasn’t long before my Dad suggested that I actually learn to play it and he and Mum agreed to get me piano lessons. I kept up the lessons for a few months (long enough to learn the basics) and then taught myself the rest.

That was the beginning of what has become a lifelong fascination with synthesizers and the musical and sound creation capabilities they provide. I have been slowly but steadily building my collection of synthesizers now for more than thirty years.

The first synth I actually owned was an original Mk1 Yamaha DX7 and it is still in my collection today and used frequently. Also in my collection, although not the actual synth that we had in our high school music room, is a Roland Juno 6 which I swapped with a friend for a set of stock Ford Cortina wheels and tyres! That was back when digital synths were the ‘in thing’ and analog synths had lost their resale value. Fast forward a couple of decades and vintage analog synths are now fetching premium prices! I got a very good deal on my Roland System 100 synth complete with the original boxes and manuals in mint condition in the mid 90s. One of those in similar condition to mine was listed in 2012 for nearly US$15,000 on ebay!! …..despite that, mine is NOT for sale!

My goal here is for you to be able to enjoy the music I present and to enjoy reading about how the music was created.

I hope you will enjoy SynthTweaks.com and visit frequently. I will be adding new music and new articles as I am inspired. Please feel free to comment on the articles but don’t be concerned if your comments do not appear straight away. In these days of uncontrolled and unhindered spammers, I have chosen to moderate comments manually to keep this place free of such clutter and nonsense.

Enjoy!