Meet the Team – Dani: The Man Behind The Vision
November 28, 2024Dani Karanyi’s deep-rooted passion for synthesizers and his visionary approach to music production have been at the core of Karanyi Sounds since its inception in 2018. Drawing inspiration from his extensive musical background and personal experiences as a producer and collector of classic synths, Dani leads the company with a focus on creating intuitive, inspiring tools for musicians. His dedication to innovation and his ability to merge technical excellence with artistic sensibility shape the unique character of Karanyi Sounds’ products.
Questions and answers:
What was the first VST/instrument/musical experience you used, and how did it influence your musical journey?
As a teenager, Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of The Moon” and The Prodigy’s “Music for the Jilted Generation” were the most defining experiences for me when I decided I wanted to work with synthesizers and exciting new sounds. My first instrument was a piano inherited from my grandmother, which occupied nearly 50% of my room, so I used it daily from the age of 8-10. My first synthesizer was a Nord Micro Modular, then a Nord Lead 2, and my first purchased DAW was Cakewalk, which I bought around the age of 18 with my first student jobs. These instruments were so influential that I still have the Nord Lead 2 and consider it one of the most inspiring and characteristic instruments, which I’ve used on many of my released albums and later film score works.
What motivates you in your work when developing a new product or planning a campaign?
To pass on to others the feeling I first experienced when I touched synthesizers: the desire to create something exciting and new, but most importantly, to enjoy the journey, wherever it may lead.
What challenges do you encounter in your work, and how do you solve them?
Time is my biggest enemy because I have so many ideas I want to realize! It’s important that we not only design and manufacture products but also actively create: alongside the fantastic team at Karanyi Sounds, I have two young sons and an amazing wife, so it’s challenging to find time for music and creation alongside work and family. I personally experience how important and significant it is to use tools that can connect to music as quickly as possible and help with inspiration.
How do you see the future of music software and VSTs?
I see three things fundamentally changing in the next three years: a generational shift in users, AI integration as a fundamental technology, and usage-centered product development.
Regarding the generational shift in users, I think a sharp change in formats and platforms will soon become necessary. My generation and those older will primarily write music with traditional DAWs and audio plugins running on laptops because this is what they’re most comfortable with. However, the younger generation has clearly been socialized in a mobile or browser-based world, so I doubt that audio plugins will be widely adopted by them in the long term. Major breakthroughs are expected in these areas.
But perhaps even more importantly, AI solutions will be integrated as fundamental technologies in musicians’ tools: I believe that by 2025, every major audio production manufacturer will have some level of assistive AI integration, or at least a neural-based module in their products. Here, I see solutions that help or accelerate the creative workflow, or provide better sound quality than DSP, with lower processor and memory requirements.
Finally, by usage-based tools, I mean that technical aspects will become less important for musicians: authentic emulations of classic hardware will be replaced by hybrid tools, and quickly usable specialized tools will be more common than universally usable ones. The contrast between analog and digital becomes obsolete, everything becomes a hybrid tool.
What music genres do you listen to most often, and how does this influence your work?
I really love lo-fi music, liquid drum and bass, vaporwave, ambient, and jazz – I particularly enjoy listening to these while designing or planning. But I especially love Steve Reich, Tame Impala, Philip Glass, Ryuichi Sakamoto, ECM Records artists, Arcade Fire, and in electronic music, AndHim, among countless other artists. I usually listen to a particular genre or artist continuously for an entire day, so it accompanies whatever activity I’m focused on that day, giving me plenty of time to view and immerse myself in the work from all angles.
Favorite Products and Recommendations?
Lofi Keys and Cloudmax 2. These products are closest to my heart, as the piano is my instrument, and I love shimmer sounds. These two plugins can be used in any kind of music for me, perfectly reflecting my vision and musical taste. It’s always important to me to have something that adds depth to an instrument, something imperfectly human, making it characteristic and colorful. I feel we’ve managed to create this with these two plugins.
As Karanyi Sounds continues to redefine music software, Dani’s leadership and passion for both innovation and musicality ensure that the company remains a trusted name for musicians around the globe. With a clear vision for the future and a dedication to creating tools that spark creativity, Dani and the team are committed to making music production more exciting and accessible than ever. Stay tuned for more insights from our team and exciting updates on upcoming projects!
