The Story of SMOMID

Nick Demopoulos started out as a jazz musician and played with legends like Chico Hamilton.  But then he began exploring the possibilities of using MIDI and that led him to a new path as a DIY maker and creator of some fascinating and unique MIDI devices. 

HIs website (Smomid.com)  is named after the first instrument he ever built. Smomid is an acronym for String Modeling Midi Device.

Nick also created software that works with his instruments and allows him to approach music in a totally unique way, from the samples and sounds used, to the way beats are played, to the way loops are recorded and manipulated.

by Snomid.com

Here is an example of the music Nick makes with his DIY instruments.  All of the sounds are made by instruments of his own design.  He has released several recordings with Exegesis, a group that mixes jazz and electronic music. In 2008, the band toured Bahrain, Yemen, Oman, U.A.E and Kuwait on behalf of the State Department.  You can hear the influence of that trip on this piece, Smoment in Time.