As a teenager in a room full of analogue synths, Francis Preve often wondered where his fascination with electro-pop would take him. Little did he know that his passion for synthesizers would provide a journey that touches every aspect of the electronic music community. From his first real gig, as the composer/mastermind behind early 90s boy-band, Beat Goes Bang – whose tracks appeared in classic teen films like “Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead” and “Hangin’ With The Homeboys” – Preve was hooked. After the band dissolved, Preve’s unique production skills landed him a position as a contract producer for London/FFRR records, remixing seminal rave artists like Orbital and Utah Saints.

Within a few years, Preve found that producing tracks and making music simply wasn’t enough. He wanted to explore the technology behind the sound. Moving to Austin, Texas – one of the tech epicentres of the USA – Francis began applying his experience to a variety of related endeavours, critiquing music software for the legendary Keyboard Magazine and crafting college-level electronic music courses for the Texas educational system. His role as a leader in the Austin electronic music scene soon led to joining the team at Nemesys/Tascam, where he assisted in the development of their revolutionary software sampler, Gigastudio.

It was at this point that Francis’s journey intersected with Josh Gabriel, who at the time was deeply involved with the creation of his own groundbreaking software, Mixman. Immediately, these kindred spirits found themselves becoming fast friends, with common interests ranging from obscure 80s artists to vintage studio gear.

The pair kept in close contact as Josh’s career skyrocketed with Gabriel & Dresden, while Francis became one of the synthesizer industry’s most in-demand sound designers. Preve’s work with world-class manufacturers on projects ranging from Ableton Live (and its numerous softsynths) to Korg’s state-of-the-art OASYS workstation solidified his role at the forefront of synthesis itself.

Soon after, Francis’s attentions wandered back to his first love and he found himself working as an in-demand programmer/musician for US pop DJs like Joe Bermudez and Roland Belmares. Chalking up a string of Billboard Top 10s for his work on remixes ranging from Martijn Ten Velden to Hilary Duff – not to mention his own original remixes for Gabriel & Dresden’s chart-topping singles – Francis began the trek home.

With a taste of commercial success under his belt, Preve found himself drawn back to that same musical underground where he began his journey, making music for fans who genuinely care about the art of sound and rhythm. As if to mark the occasion, the executives at Beatport tapped Francis to become their Technology Editor, sharing his production wisdom via the Beatportal community website.

Joining the Different Pieces family and working side-by-side with one of his closest friends can only be described as another milestone in Francis Preve’s incredible trip.