A Tea with Dan Stesco

Some people build instruments. Others build worlds.
Talking to Dan Stesco feels like stepping into a landscape carved from oscillators, harmonics, and intention — a place where every sound tells a story.
This interview, curated by Alex Di Donna, Team Leader at Synthonia / Synthcloud, is an invitation to explore that world from the inside.

Top right: Adam Holzman and Chris Petti, immersed in their creative flow. Center stage: Dan Stesco, surrounded by fellow sound designers and programmers including Francis Prève, John Bowen, John Lehmkuhl, Jordan Rudess, Jack Hotop, Michael W. Geisel, Michele Paciulli, Robby Kilgore, Toni Diaz, William Busch, and Zon Vern Pyles. Together, they form the Korg sound design and programming team—visionaries shaping the future of synthesis.

Here is the interview — a brief glimpse into the mind and craft of Dan Stesco.

Q1. Dan, what really happens behind the scenes of sound design?

When I create a sound, I start with a simple principle: nothing should be random. Every sample, loop, and articulation is handcrafted. I don’t rely on shortcuts or excessive automation.

My goal is always to give the sound a sense of life and movement. Sometimes I spend entire days fine-tuning tiny details that the user will never see… but will definitely hear.

Q2. What was your artistic vision behind your latest sound pack, and what challenges did you face?

I wanted to recover the natural behavior of analog synthesizers, especially VCO-based ones. Their slight imperfections and harmonic movement are what make them alive.

I recorded 24-bit / 48 kHz samples from real analog gear, preserving that organic instability. The biggest challenge was integrating that analog richness into the digital architecture of Korg workstations while keeping everything coherent.

I also mapped all controls, Drum Track and Karma scenes following the official Korg standard.

Q3. How do you keep sonic coherence across diverse sounds?

It mostly depends on the source material. Many of my packs are based on Oberheim OB-X samples, a synth with a very strong character and a bright, harmonically rich filter.

On instruments like Kronos or Nautilus, I can simulate an 8-VCO-style unison, giving my patches a huge but consistent tone. This helps different sounds still feel like part of the same universe.

Q4. How do you handle highly complex projects without losing your artistic identity?

I always look for balance. Some of my personal projects are very niche — for example, Jarre or Vangelis-inspired libraries — and require a very specific aesthetic.

Other works need more flexibility, because they’re meant for a wide variety of musical genres. And then there are the Combi setups that work properly only in certain keys due to splits or sequences that must align perfectly.

The key is staying faithful to the original artistic idea, even when the technical side gets demanding.

Q5. How has live performance influenced your approach to sound design?

A lot. I grew up as a live musician — rock, pop, fusion, even TV productions. On stage you learn how much a well-designed patch can change the whole performance.

I always create expressive lead sounds, so even beginner players can achieve great results with just a few notes and some joystick control.

When designing rigs for other musicians, I think practically: pads, transitions, loops, wave-sequencing… everything must be playable with two hands and feel natural.

Q6. How did your passion for sound design begin?

As a child I recorded everything I could: a detuned piano used as natural reverb, a sewing machine as a rhythmic pattern, a shortwave radio for weird effects… I slowed down tapes to create early “sampling” experiments. Then I discovered Jean-Michel Jarre — and everything changed.

In high school I started real sound programming with my first Korg Poly-800. That’s when I knew sound design would become my path.

Q7. What’s your ultimate goal as a sound designer?

I want my sounds to inspire musicians. I want them to feel alive, organic, expressive — and flexible enough to become something personal in the hands of each artist.

If someone told me: “I wrote this track because one of your sounds sparked an idea”… that would be the highest reward.

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As we bring this rich and captivating conversation to a close, I want to leave you with a sentence that perfectly captures Dan’s spirit: “A great sound designer doesn’t just create sounds… he creates possibilities.”

My heartfelt thanks go to Dan Stesco for his generosity, the depth of his insights, and his constant ability to inspire anyone who ventures into the world of sound synthesis. And to those following along: this is only the first in a series of interviews dedicated to the leading voices in sound design. The journey has just begun — and it promises to be filled with new visions, fresh ideas, and stories waiting to be discovered.