Remembering Paul Schreiber Of Synthesis Technology



Paul Schreiber – founder of Synthesis Technology, creator of the MOTM synthesizer, and designer of the Moog/Realistic MG-1 synthesizer – has died.

The news comes as a shock to his friends. Schreiber had been dealing with heart problems and was in the hospital waiting for surgery. But, as recently as yesterday, he shared an upbeat update via Facebook:

“Having one at least (perhaps 2) valves replaced in a few days. Probable pacemaker upgrade to new, better model with 64 cores, 128 threads, and Dolby ATMOS (whether I want it or not).

Will ping when back home, as snug as a bug in a rug, as Mom was fond of saying.

Thanks for all the attention, it’s comforting. I’m getting a LOT done, design-wise.”

Sharing the news of deaths in the synth community is one of the hardest parts of running Synthopia. Sometimes it’s a personal hero. Sometimes it’s someone that we’ve gotten to know through events like NAMM, Superbooth and Knobcon. And sometimes it’s someone who became a friend. Paul Schreiber was all of these things.

Schreiber’s MOTM modules got me back into synthesis, in the late ’90s, and indirectly led to the creation of Synthtopia.

Schreiber had created the MOTM (an abbreviation of the optimistic ‘Module Of The Month’) synthesizer. It was a line of synth modules, designed to the highest standard, that you could buy pre-assembled or as extremely well-documented kits.

I learned about MOTM from a magazine article written by ambient musician Robert Rich, purchased a few kits, and fell down a deep rabbit hold that ultimately changed my life in many interesting ways.

In those days, there were few options for modular synthesizers. There weren’t a lot of modular synths around, outside of Universities and the studios of a small number of musicians. And there weren’t a lot of options available to buy.

That started to change in the late ’90s, when Dieter Doepfer introduced his Eurorack modular synth line, Roger Arrick introduced the Moog format Synthesizers.com line, and Paul Schreiber introduced the Synthesis Technology MOTM line.

While some may think of MOTM as a Moog-style synth, because of visual similarities, it’s a distinct 5U format:



Schreiber wanted to improve on the Moog format, so everything in the MOTM line was engineered to the highest quality, built like a tank, and without many of the compromises and quirks of 60’s modular designs.

Synthesis Technology was also a side gig for Schreiber, though, so he introduced new modules slowly and methodically. This resulted in the MOTM modules having an almost legendary reputation for quality, but also led to many owners expanding their systems with compatible modules from other manufacturers or DIY designs. Ultimately, the premium cost of high-end designs and smaller range of modules were limiting factors on adoption of the MOTM format, resulting in Eurorack and Synthesizers.com becoming the dominant modern modular formats.

In the early 2000’s, we launched Synthtopia and started attending NAMM to report on new gear introductions relevant to electronic musicians. There, we met Schreiber, who initially displayed his latest MOTM modules, and then expanded his line to Eurorack modules:



Schreiber’s Eurorack modules found a much bigger audience, so he eventually phased out MOTM.

His Eurorack designs were designed to the same high standards as his MOTM modules, but arguably became more innovative. He introduced modules like the Cloud Generator, Morphing Terrarium, Cloud Terrarium, Quad Morphing VCO and Hyperion Processor, each of which expanded the possibilities of modular synthesis in the Euro format.



We got to know Schreiber well over the years. He was brilliant, creative and funny, but he didn’t suffer fools gladly, rubbing some people the wrong way, as a result. He had great stories to tell about his days at Radio Shack, and about the creation of the quirky and wonderful MG-1 synthesizer. And he was always passionate about whatever he was working on.

In 2023, Schreiber retired from his day job, and closed up shop at Synth Tech. But, while his retirement from his day job stuck, synthesizers kept pulling him back in.

At Knobcon 2024, a synth convention held in the Chicagoland area, he announced the return of Synthesis Technology. He told us that Analogue Haven basically gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse, so he planned to release a series of limited edition modules, with AH handling sales and distribution.

Schreiber was also the guest of honor at last year’s Knobcon. At the event’s Golden Knob Banquet, he gave the keynote speech and was recognized for his contributions to synthesis and electronic music making. And Suit and Tie Guy, right in the photo below, presented him with the Golden Knob award:

Schreiber had lots of ideas that he still wanted to explore, and was actively developing new designs up to his death.

Source: https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2025/03/24/remembering-paul-schreiber-of-synthesis-technology/