June 7, 2009
This story begins with three elements.
First, I live in quite a lively part of downtown Ottawa, the ByWard Market. Home to countless restaurants, bars, a strip-club and many homeless people.
Second, I also work late very frequently when events run late at the art gallery.
Finally, I have just recently got a DSI Mopho synth that I was jamming around with, this thing sure sounds bad-ass! It's like a single voice from a Prophet-08, sweet!
Last Friday I was walking home from work at 11 pm when I passed a group of about six people on both sides of me. Generally there are people waiting around here every night having a smoke outside the clubs, but this group was looking for something more. Just as I passed the group I saw one of them come up quickly from behind.
As I turned my head I saw him swing for my head. My first reaction was to duck and cover my head but I was holding both a pizza box and my synth. I freed one arm by dropping the pizza box, and with I swung my synth in self-defence.
Suddenly I felt another of the gang grab my laptop bag by the handle near my neck, but my reflexes led me to get out almost instantly as I dropped my weight to a crouching position. Obviously he wasn't able to hold on, and I quickly turned so nobody was attacking me from behind, but the group was already running away.
The Mopho is by no means a heavy instrument. It's compact, hand held and durably enclosed in a very sturdy case. It is however well enough made to do some serious damage in my angry hands. I guess I was swinging this "Killer Synth" around so much that I lost 4 knobs in the process, but on the upside the mob that attacked me backed away from my angry stance, preferring to keep their teeth that evening.
UPDATE: After emailing Dave Smith Instruments about my experience they were kind enough to mail me some replacement knobs for my synth. This is officially the best synth company ever!