Purity, integrity and synthesizers

Unbridled passion drives Paula Maddox as she finds her sound through synth creations.

Captivated by the perplexing synth sounds of the 1980s and driven to recreate the beloved melodies of her favourite songs, Paula Maddox has had a fruitful career in music tech. As a synth afficionado turned designer, Paula has been at the helm of many groundbreaking synth creations, and has also founded her own synthesizer company, Dove Audio. We spoke with Paula to learn more about her career as a trans woman in music tech, and how she infuses purity, integrity and love into her work.

Like many of us, Paula’s teens were a key moment that sparked her love for music. “Music became a passion for me when I was around 13 or 14, back in the ‘80s,” says Paula. “By this time, I was already interested in electronics. I had built some kits and done some television repairs, back when you still could repair them. But a friend played ‘Tangram’ by Tangerine Dream for me one day and I was transfixed. The sounds I was hearing were unlike anything I had heard before. Sure, I'd hear pop music of the early ‘80s and synth bands like Depeche Mode, but this was something different. There was an ‘edge’, a ‘purity’ if you like, to the sound. I soon discovered that a major part of the ‘sound’ that I liked was the PPG Wave synthesizers. I quickly found other bands that used them and that was it ­– I was hooked on ‘that sound’. Something that went beyond regular sawtooths and squarewaves, something rich, intense, and dynamic.”

After becoming transfixed by the synth sounds of the early ‘80s, Paula soon fell into the world of tech and began making synthesizers of her own, looking to recreate that enticing sound that sparked her musical journey. “In the late ‘80s, I lost myself to the computer industry, all the while I was still tinkering with electronic circuits,” explains Paula. “In the early 2000s, I had some time off work following some emergency surgery and I built a modular synthesizer based on various bits I had found online and in various forums. I adapted them and shaped them to try and find that sound, the first was a VCO with digital waveforms that I christened the ‘PPG VCO’. I had finally found that sound I loved.”

With such strong conviction behind the importance of passion in her synth creations, Paula takes a similar approach to running her business.“I think the only way to run a business is to be open and honest. Not all businesses do that. I think that your customers really appreciate it, especially musicians."

"Music is about a passion, a connection, and a love for creation. You need to be able to be honest with people you work with. Fobbing people off with weak excuses won't cut it when the people you're working with are creative, passionate souls.”

Once Paula was able to be free with her trans identity, her work blossomed as she did. “I'm simply myself, my history is all over the internet and I'm not ashamed of it. There were people who wanted me to keep things under wraps for fear of losses to profits, but they forget that the music industry is a creative one, one where you can express yourself. After all, that's what music is – expression. Everyone I've met has been utterly fabulous and I've had very few problems. The majority of people online have been incredibly supportive. Those that have caused problems, or rather have tried to cause problems, I'm not bothered about. After all, you wouldn't stop making music because someone said your hi-hat was too low in a mix, would you?"

"You do you, be yourself because nobody else can do that better than you. Follow your passion and your dream.”

It might seem like there are very few areas in the music industry where there is support for women and trans women, however Paula has been fortunate to find a supportive community within the industry that allows her to continue creating spectacular synths and embraces her trans identity.“There are many areas of the industry that I feel supported by. Customers are great, some online synth groups and mail lists. Sadly, there are still a few places on the internet rife with misogynistic people and comments, even site names, so I avoid these. I try and keep myself to myself and focus on what I love doing, creating musical instruments for musicians. I have a few friends that I keep close, some are industry professionals, some are hobbyists and some are industry tech people.”
On the other hand, there still needs to be a lot more work done for the music and tech industries to be a welcoming creative environment for people from all walks of life. “I think it's a huge shame that we're in the 21st century, and we've got the incredible power of the internet, but there is still such a long way for humanity to go in terms of acceptance of peoples differences, be that their sex, gender, race, religion or anything else,” says Paula.

“We're all people, we all have feelings, we all want to feel loved and respected, so why is it still so hard in this modern age?"

"It's not all bad, though. The internet has brought many communities closer together and enabled support networks crossing borders and countries around the world.”

The young teenager whose life was set alight by the sound of synths in the early ‘80s has come a long way and experienced many changes both in career and in identity. As Paula looks back, her powerful belief in passion and existing as your authentic self still resonates strongly.

“If I were to give a younger me advice, it would be simple: ‘listen to your heart, you're stronger than you realize, believe in yourself and follow your passion’."

"I wasted so many years trying to be something I'm not, trying to ‘fit in’ and trying to be the levelheaded career-focused person that a large portion of society expected me to be. I'm not that person – I'm creative, I have passions, I have a soul, I have a purpose in life.”

Now, Paula herself is a visible example of the brilliant and unique different voices in the music tech world and inspires new young minds to take the step towards their own dreams despite their perceived differences. “I like to think that I help others realize that you can be yourself in the music industry by being unashamed of my past,” explains Paula. “Yes, I know my previous name was Paul. Yes, I know that I was once male, or at least I tried to be, and I know that I don't sound female. I don't hide any of that, and I would never pretend it didn't exist. I want people to realize that you can be your true self and still be a creative person, someone who is able to enjoy life and share their passion.”

Paula Maddox celebrates her identity as a trans woman by embracing all the parts of her past as part of her present self. “Life is for living, not for hiding yourself away. To quote Cyndi Lauper, ‘some boys take a beautiful girl and hide her away from the rest of the world, I wanna be the one to walk in the sun’."

"So don't be ashamed of what society may perceive as a difference, embrace it. Be yourself. Create your music in your way, because nobody else can make your music, your synths or your art. Only you can, and that is so very precious.”