John Massari's Dark Waves and Beyond

Composer John Massari, the creative force behind the unique musical vibe of the original "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" movie, has been a strong supporter of Cherry Audio, utilizing many of our instruments and effects in his recent projects. You can learn more about John's work in our 2022 interview.

His latest EP, "Darkwave" (see the video above), was primarily created using Dreamsynth, GX-80, and PS-3300, and is available on YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal. His upcoming release, "The 13th Fall," relies heavily on Atomika, Octave Cat, Dreamsynth, and Miniverse. Additionally, his band JM will soon release a cover of The Dickies' iconic song "Killer Klowns from Outer Space," featuring support from Atomika. Later this year, they will release the album "The Missiles of October," which will prominently feature Yellowjacket.

John recently took some time to share his thoughts on what makes Cherry Audio instruments and effects so special.

Why Virtual Synths Matter (and Why Cherry Audio Rules)

A musing from John Massari

My synth purist cronies scoff at the idea of using virtual synths.

I disagree.

It all starts with music—if you gotta bust a nut, who cares if your instrument is hardwired or virtual? If it vibes you to create, you're there.

Cherry Audio is a godsend. Their spot-on modeled synths bring you iconic instruments from music history—and they do it with style and playability. 

Uncle John's Synth Hack:

1. Record a virtual synth track in your DAW. 

2. Route that signal OUT of the DAW into a guitar EQ pedal for some light tweaks. 

3. Send that into a mixing console to hit the preamp—maybe a touch of compression, a little EQ. 

4. Run it back into the DAW.

Just like that—instant "hardware synth." (Well... kinda!)

My Cherry Audio Favs:

Dreamsynth is my ride-or-die. I'll be first in line if they ever drop a hardware version—full keyboard or desktop. The layout, the playful oscillators, the built-in effects. It's just fun. I'll record Dreamsynth completely dry and in mono, then dial in the effects 100% wet. Maximum flexibility, baby!

Other Cherry Audio favs: Atomika, Octave Cat, GX-80, Mercury-4 and 6, PS-3300, and the beautiful Miniverse. I love twisting knobs and sculpting tones until something unexpected appears. Cherry Audio makes it happen.

Often, I set limits. When I start a track, I pick just two or three synths. This keeps me focused on the music instead of drowning in endless options.

My EP Darkwave was built mainly with Dreamsynth, GX-80, and the PS-3300. My upcoming release, The 13th Fall, heavily relies on Atomika, Octave Cat, Dreamsynth, and Miniverse.

At the end of May, my band, JM, will be dropping an alt-metal-punk cover of The Dickies’ iconic, "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" with some striking Atomika leads that bring on the raw synth energy. I've played the real Soviet Formanta Polivoks (Поливокс)—Cherry Audio nailed that vibe.

This October, JM releases their first album: The Missiles of October. One of the stars of that record will be Cherry Audio's new Yellowjacket—a beast that's a blast to play.

It's comforting to know that Cherry Audio's crew are true creatives. They don't just emulate classic synths—they revive their spirit.

Can't wait to see what they cook up next.

John Massari - Los Angeles, California