The
Blinky Room
Tim Curtis
Studio Engineer, Producer, Musician
Thirty years in the recording industry
Tim has filled many roles in the music business: producer, engineer, songwriter, artist, programmer, tech guru, instructor, V.P. of a synth manufacturer. This varied career path has also taken him through some of the most recognized studios in the U.S. — Paisley Park, Smart Studios, the Village Recorder, Cherokee Studios, and East West Studios.
From a $50 no-name guitar to Paisley Park
Tim started playing music in his early teens, and was soon both playing and teaching music. It was the heyday of the New Romanticism, so of course Tim bought his first synthesizer and drum machine, both of which he still owns. At 16, he walked into a local studio with a Trident console and a 2” MCI. Inspired by the energy and atmosphere of the studio, The Blinky Room was born to foster Tim’s creative work.
Tim’s trajectory as a musician shifted when he acquired a Fairlight CMI. In addition to refining his songwriting, he rapidly became the go-to-guy for Fairlight users, including many of the biggest artists of the 80s. Tim remained on the forefront of recording technology, establishing a reputation as an expert in emerging digital tech such as Emagic’s (then brand new) Logic Audio Hard Disk recorder.
When Prince made the decision to dust off his Fairlight, Tim got a call. Two days later, he was in Minneapolis sharing his abilities and creativity at Paisley Park.
The path to L.A. started at Smart Studios.
In the early 2000s Tim became the VP of Sound Transform Systems, manufacturer of the Serge Modular Synthesizer. His experience here led him back to the recording world as the chief technician for the Smart Studios in Madison WI.
After Smart Studios closed, he relocated to Los Angeles to become the CTO at the Village Recorder. Two years later, Tim helped reopen the renowned Cherokee Studios. Today, he is a multi-instrumental musician, studio engineer, and music producer. His expertise lies in Modular Synthesizers and Fairlight systems. He is currently working as a freelance musical artist and studio engineer in Los Angeles, CA. His most recent work includes synth programming on Miley Cyrus’ record Something Beautiful in 2025.