BIOGRAPHY / ARTIST PROFILE
((( ~ sound animator ~ ))) Daniel Todd Carter is a purveyor of multi-directional rhythms and polytonal percussion and is an explorer of multifaceted rhythms and a deep intellectual sound-world creator. A consummate multi-instrumentalist, he transcends traditional musical boundaries, constantly pushing the envelope of innovation and self-expression. Never content with stagnation, he navigates the fringes of musical evolution, relentlessly exploring new sonic landscapes. With over 35 years of artistic exploration, his journey began at the very young age of 14 in Stamford, CT, performing directly on the snare drum in his high school band under the expert instruction of Charles Murphy. By the time he reached 20, he embraced analog synthesis and attained certification in recording technology from the Recording Workshop, marking his dedication to continuous growth and inventive artistry.
Throughout this period, Daniel honed his craft privately, beginning with local lessons from Stamford CT's Lou Gabriel, who laid down the foundational techniques for him. In 1983, while still in high school, a breakthrough came via a connection through Modern Drummer magazine—an influential publication revered by drummers worldwide. This opportunity led him to study with legendary drummer and author Gary Chester in Suffern, NY. It was there where he was surrounded by some of the world’s finest premier Drummers and percussionists. This transformative experience deepened his understanding of authentic drumming. After that, over the next seven years, Daniel’s relentless practicing continued, culminating in 1990 when he again, went to New York City, NY and studied with another renowned master drumming guru Kenwood Dennard mastering prestigious and phenomenal drumming techniques. So, by this point, with mentorship from two of the drum community’s most celebrated and renowned figures, his technical proficiency and artistic vision flourished through dedication and perseverance.
Through a long and deeply immersive artistic journey, he cultivated his voice as a multi-instrumentalist with tireless devotion—sharpening his craft to a proficiently skilled edge and channeling it into a wide spectrum of musical and creative realms. After twelve transformative years of study, he stepped fully into the professional world in 1992 at the age of 26, where he has remained ever since. His path has led him across the nation, performing and creating as a rhythmist, multimedia synthesist, sound engineer, and drum technician. In 1995, at the age of 29, his artistry reached the global stage through a pivotal collaboration with Grammy-winning producer David Hentschel—renowned for his work with Genesis, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Jean Luc Ponty and many, many others. This work culminated in Supper’s Ready, a tribute to Genesis released by Magna Carta Records, earning glowing reviews in the international press. This release marked not only his worldwide debut but his arrival among the ranks of extraordinary, world-class musicians.
In 1997, Daniel contributed to Schizoid Dimension, an internationally released King Crimson tribute album featuring members of the original 1970s lineup. The project received widespread acclaim and marked his first recorded appearance as a multi-instrumentalist—where he was featured by employing the Mellotron via the official Mike Pinder (Moody Blues) CD-ROM. This milestone further established his growing reputation in progressive and experimental music circles.
Looking back to 1993 and again in 1997, Daniel collaborated with Daevid Allen, (RIP)—the visionary founder of Soft Machine and GONG—recording in New York and contributing to Allen’s enduring legacy. Over the course of his career, Daniel has either worked with or appeared alongside current and former members of such iconic groups as King Crimson, YES, Moody Blues, U.K., Asia, Soft Machine, GONG, Brand X, Renaissance, The Strawbs, Camel, The Flower Kings, Blue Öyster Cult, Jefferson Starship, Van der Graaf Generator, Clearlight, Hawkwind, and Spirits Burning.
As a composer and synthesist, he was commissioned in 1999 to create two original works for Twitch, a Tucson-based rock opera by a local performance and dance company. Known increasingly as ((( ~ sound animator ~ ))), his work draws from diverse sonic palettes—integrating analog and digital synthesis, Mellotron, Theremim, the EWI, ethnic percussion (including Tabla), natural soundscapes, and the human voice into richly textured compositions.
His debut trilogy of solo albums, released between 2003 and 2010 on his very own Visionaryquest Multimedia Productions label imprint, explores cinematic and spiritual themes. The first release, Awakening, even features a guest appearance by Grammy-winner Paul Nelson, (RIP). Two of the three albums were met with critical praise across national music press sources and his SOLO album FIREFLOWERS was even chosen as an editor's pick in Goldmine Magazine and was featured alongside such stellar artists as Jeff Beck, Andy Summers and Van Halen.
Daniel’s sound design is a synthesis of electro-acoustic and “ancient-futurist” expression—creating ambient, mystical soundscapes that serve as sonic meditations drifting toward the divine. His evolving artistry is rooted in an intention to inspire self-reflection, spiritual clarity, and a deeper relationship with the Creator: the one true living GOD,
“I AM that I AM.”
((( ~ sound animator ~ ))) DANIEL TODD CARTER as DRUMMER / PERCUSSIONIST & FUTURISTIC GROOVE CREATOR
Daniel has often been described by his peers in the music industry as a monstrous & ferocious Drummer & Percussionist, though he can also be poignantly soulful, thoughtful and sensitive. His attention to detail is unmatched as his incredibly high quality credentials have proven over and over again that he is totally unique as a player.
HERE ARE SOME PERSONAL TESTIMONIALS
DENNIS CHAMBERS --- Professional Drummer...Formerly with: Parliament Funkadelic / Santana / John Scofield / John McLaughlin / Steely Dan / The Brecker Brothers / Mike Stern /George Duke / Victor Wooten and is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most respected Drummers on the international modern current day music scene.
"Hi...my name is Dennis Chambers. I just want to say a few words about a dear friend of mine, he's a great underrated musician. His name is Dan Carter. He's a great Educator, a great Drummer, and I just want to say I appreciate you man, DC out."
KENWOOD DENNARD --- Professional Drummer...Formerly with: Miles Davis / Sting / Dizzy Gillespie / Jaco Pastorius / The Allman Brothers band / Wayne Shorter / Herbie Hancock and Stanley Jordan. Kenwood is also very well and widely known on the modern day international music scene and is considered a drumming guru within the Drumming community and was a Berklee College of Music Professor of JAZZ studies for over 25 years.
"Daniel Todd Carter is a voice in the Drumming / Percussionist world who deserves wider recognition. I have personally heard him play some uplifting music which totally defies norms and preconceptions. He is a long time Drumming friend of mine and has associated himself with many of my friends and colleagues in the music industry. Daniel has recorded with some artists who have already made an impression on musical history and I hope you take the time to enjoy this website. Daniel has recorded with Daevid Allen, founder of The Soft Machine and GONG. He appeared on a track, on a album produced by David Hentschel, (Paul McCartney / George Harrison / GENESIS / Elton John / Yellow Jackets etc, etc). His SOLO project "AWAKENING" received 4 out of 5 stars from Goldmine magazine. Daniel's third album, (in his debut series AWAKENING trilogy), entitled "FIREFLOWERS" was showcased in Goldmine magazine alongside Andy Summers / Jeff Beck / Pat Travers and Van Halen. But my favorite memories with Daniel have been how he has persevered through every artistic angst and personal struggle to come up with music that is off the beaten path and passionate."
DANNY GOTTLIEB --- Professional Drummer...Was the original Drummer in the Pat Metheny Group from 1977 to 1983. Has also worked with Chick Corea / John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra / Gil Evans Orchestra / The Blues Brothers / Jeff Berlin / Gary Burton Quartet / Sting / Stanley Jordan / Al Di Meola / Stan Getz / Herbie Hancock / Wayne Shorter / Bobby McFerrin / Mike Stern / Booker T and the MG's / The Carnagie Hall Jazz Orchestra. He is featured on more than 300 albums to date and is a 4 time Grammy award winner.
"Daniel Todd Carter is a very sensitive and musical Drummer who would enhance any musical environment, especially creative alternative rock and progressive music. He has great time, a good beat and gets a musical sound from the Drums that translates well in the studio. His playing illustrates finesse and dynamics and is someone who can bring creativity and productive ideas to any playing situation. Thanks, Daniel for sharing your creativity with us, and wishing you you all the best on future musical projects!"
((( ~ sound animator ~ ))) DANIEL TODD CARTER as SYNTHESIST / MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST & OTHERWORLDLY SOUNDWORLD CREATOR
Daniel has also become known as an incredibly unique Synthesist / Multi-instrumentalist & Sound Designer who was commissioned to compose for live theatre and has released a debut trilogy of SOLO recordings that have received very favorable reviews in the national and international music press.
HERE ARE SOME MORE TESTIMONIALS
DON FALCONE --- Professional Musician & Producer - Leader and Captain of Spirit's Burning, one of America's premier Space Rock bands / collectives.
"Daniel was integral in breathing life into the Spirit's Burning "Crazy Fluid" album. Besides offering his thoughts for the albums possible directions, his Drums and Drumming were the starter component for what became two very different songs. This included the albums opening track, "Holy water and the sea movers", plus "Martian Crystals" which featured vocals by former HAWKWIND singer Bridget Wishart. Daniel returned to the crew on the Spirit's Burning & Clearlight album, "Healthy music in large doses", once again providing the rhythmic seeds for a special track."
A ((( ~ sound animator ~ ))) daniel todd carter timeline
A HALF CENTURY OF MUSICIAL LIFE
Born January 22nd, 1966, in San Jose, CA (((~soundanimator~))) Daniel Todd Carter is a professional Multimedia-instrumentalist composer / artist of an extremely original and unique quality multidimensional otherworldly music and in the past has worked with Grammy award winning producer David Hentschel (www.thekeyboard.co.uk) and Daevid Allen, RIP, founding member of both The Soft Machine and GONG. Shortly after his birth, Daniel fell gravely ill, (through Interceseption) and almost perished. Upon arrival at the hospital, the doctors told his mother that he was less than 45 minutes away from death. After what he saw as a second chance in life, he decided to dedicate himself to becoming a beacon, a creative artist and musician that stands out from the rest. His goal is to be totally unique, and a true light house in the storm of life. His music and art is created to glorify the one true and living GOD I AM that I AM, and to help people who see and hear it to better understand themselves through his art and music. He firmly believes in himself as a direct reflection of GOD. His goals are to constantly move forward and extend his musical and artistic search beyond existing stagnant musical forms and to constantly search for something new. A truly progressive artist and musician in every sense of the word, his debut AWAKENING trilogy released on his own independent label Visionaryquest Multimedia Productions starting in January 2003 and concluding in December 2010 truly showcases his incredible talent and totally unique abilities. Relocates to Westport, CT with his parents to begin a new life on the east coast and ends up settling in the Fairfield county area of Connecticut for the next 37 years.
VERY EARLY LIFE
1970:: First became exposed to Science Fiction at the very young age of four. It proved to be a profound influence on him and continues to be all the way up to the present day.
1976:: First discovers his artistic abilities, (drawing / painting), while still in grade school in Stamford, CT. He also hears drummer John Bonham for the very first time, and also the song "Dream Weaver" by artist Gary Wright and was pretty impressed on both accounts. Although at that time Daniel would not become a musician for another four years.
1980:: Became a musician for the very first time by beginning to play the Drums. First lessons ever with a local teacher, (Lou Gabriel), in Stamford, CT.
1981:: Witnessed his very first ever rock concert when he was 15 years old by going to see Rush at the Hartford Civic Center on their Exit Stage Left tour in Hartford, CT. He sat in the 11th row dead center where he was introduced to master drummer Neil Peart who was and still is the reason why to this day he has continued to play the Drums. Like countless others on this earth, Neil had a HUGE impact on him as a musician that forever changed his life as a musician
1983:: Continued to study the Drums under the world renowned tutelage of all-time studio drumming great Gary Chester, who is credited as the very first ever Drummer to use headphones in a recording studio, a pioneering moment in the history of music. Gary was one of the greatest teachers Daniel EVER had, and he to also had a HUGE profound impact on his life as a creative artist and individual.
LIFE AS A YOUNG ADULT
1986:: Daniel graduated from the Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio when he was just 20 years old as this was a signpost moment for him and the beginning of him becoming a young adult ready to begin his journey as a multi-instrumentalist artist / musician in the music industry.
1985:: Co-founded and performed 1st EVER live gig at the Our Gang nursery school with very first amateur band (a very short lived band called U.S.A. that broke up directly after leaving high school).
1986:: Graduated from the Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio. He became a multi-instrumentalist for the very first time by purchasing and learning to play his very first two Analog synthesizers. It was at this time as well, upon returning back home to Connecticut that he would begin formulating and writing down the very humbled beginnings of his solo (((~soundanimator~))) project. This project has now evolved and grown to be a lifelong endeavor right up to the present time of today.
1988:: Setup very 1st tiny bedroom 6 track cassette recording studio at home in his parents basement in Stamford, CT.
1990:: Studied further with more one on one lessons with another world renowned Drum guru/teacher/author, Kenwood Dennard in New York City, NY.
1991:: Began attending the Connecticut Institute of Art in Greenwich, CT studying commercial and fine art.
1992:: Professional career as a musician begins. Performed / toured and recorded in very first professional band Lord Have Mercy. Embarked on very first northeast tour performing 45 shows in the New York tri-state area.
1993:: Met / jammed / recorded and performed live with the legendary Daevid Allen in New York City, New York. Daevid was the founding father of both The Soft Machine and GONG, (two legendary bands).
1994:: Graduated from the Connecticut Institute of Art in Greenwich, CT in June of that year.
1995:: Records VERY 1ST professional international (GENESIS tribute), CD in New York City, New York, in July and then it was released later on that year in October internationally on the Magna Carta label based out of Rochester, NY, with Jay Tausig and Grammy award winning legendary producer David Hentschel, entitled "Supper's Ready". Recording also begins on debut CD AWAKENING, and it was also at this time that he saw the birth of his SOLO career as well.
MID LIFE PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN
1996:: Introduced for the very 1st time and toured nationally throughout North America with legendary groups GONG and Brand X as their senior Drum technician for both groups.
1997:: Records 2nd professional international tribute CD, which turns out to be the definitive (KING CRIMSON tribute), CD entitled "Schizoid Dimension" again in New York City, New York, in January at Alien Flyer recording studios, (formerly Skyline Studios), one of the largest and most legendary recording studios in New York with his former group Solid Space. The CD was released internationally later on that same year on the Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra label based out of Los Angeles, CA. The CD featured Daniel on both the Drums and the Mellotron and was his debut as a multi-instrumentalist.
1998:: Records 3rd professional international tribute CD, again, with his former group Solid Space. The CD featured the legendary Daevid Allen on vocals and was his 3rd and final tribute recording entitled, "The Fox Lies Down". Once again, the CD was later released internationally later on that same year on the Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra label based out of Los Angeles, CA. This was his last tribute CD recorded which completed a trio of tributes. This was a killer way to kick off a professional recording career. It was also at this time that he significantly upgrades his personal recording studio.
1999:: Relocates once again from Northern California, (Nevada City), to Southern Arizona, (Tucson). Traveled to the San Francisco bay area to participate in "Progfest 99", one of the most prestigious Progressive Rock festivals of the year as senior Drum Technician helping out many legendary bands firsthand at the Palace of Fine Arts. One of the most premier venues in the bay area. He was also commissioned to compose two original compositions for a local theatre / dance company based out of Tucson, AZ for a rock opera entitled "TWITCH". And yet, once again, he relocates from Southern Arizona, (Tucson), back to Northern California, (Sacramento) and moves to a rental house in a suburb of Sacramento called Carmicheal.
2000:: Performs his first official live solo show in March with pre-arranged material at a very small venue/coffee house in downtown Sacramento, CA at a place called The Paris Café. The solo set was very short lived though it was very well received. Relocates once again from Sacramento, CA (westcoast), over 3000 miles back home to Stamford, CT (eastcoast) after struggling out west for years to re-focus his life right back where he started from over two years earlier.
2001:: Establishes domain name for the very 1st time. www.soundanimator.com becomes a reality.
2003:: Daniel officially releases his debut CD entitled AWAKENING on his own independently owned and operated Visionaryquest Multimedia Productions label which is the first release in his series debut AWAKENING trilogy. This was a HUGE and MONUMENTAL time in Daniel's SOLO career. This established a keynote beginning for him and has begun a lifelong process of releasing high quality independently produced music directly from the source. And yet, once again, he moves out of his parents place in Stamford, CT and moves locally into a new apartment with his new girlfriend in Norwalk, CT. Only 6 short months were spent in this place as it was decided yet once again to pack up all of their belongings and move 3000 miles back out west from Norwalk, CT (eastcoast), to Auburn, CA (westcoast) to try and start over yet once again. This was the 6th national relocation/move for Daniel. Daniel and his girlfriend Judith were officially married on October 28th, 2003 at the River Walk Chapel of Life in Reno, Nevada. Congratulations to the newlyweds.
2005:: Daniel officially releases his 2nd CD in his debut series AWAKENING trilogy entitled UNIDENTIFIABLE REALMS-THE MYSTERIOUS LIFE-GIVING FORCE again, on his newly established independently owned and operated Visionaryquest Multimedia Productions label. It was at this point that Daniel found himself two thirds of the way through to his completion of his debut series AWAKENING trilogy.
2010:: FINALLY! After many setbacks and VERY frustrating delays, Daniel finally releases his 3rd and FINAL release in his debut series AWAKENING trilogy entitled FIREFLOWERS. This CD was also once again released on his newly established independently owned and operated Visionaryquest Multimedia Productions label. FINALLY! It was at this point that Daniel brought to a completion his debut series AWAKENING trilogy, so he could essentially turn around and look back on almost a decade of extremely hard work and struggle. FIREFLOWERS was chosen as an editor's pick in the July 2015 issue of Goldmine magazine. It has received very favorable reviews with all those who have heard it so far.
2010: : Daniel also returned with his first live performance in a very long time, performing live in Tucson, AZ at Ambient Core 2010. Congratulations to both Daniel & Judith on the birth of their son Joshua Samuel Carter in July of that year. This year turned out to be a HUGE year in Daniel's life.
2013:: Daniel was yet once again invited by Spirit's Burning leader Don Falcone to contribute another Drum Track to a new release entitled Spirit's Burning & Clearlight, "Healthy music in large doses". The album/CD was officially released worldwide on the Gonzo Multimedia label also based out of the U.K. The album/CD was released on the very same day as Daniel's 47th birthday.
2014:: Daniel was unexpectedly contacted by Spirit's Burning leader Don Falcone and informed that he yet once again had shown up on an official compilation promo CD for Spirit's Burning entitled, "No one cries in space", which was also officially released by the Gonzo Multimedia label, as a promo only, based out of the U.K. It was included with all the new purchases of the most recent Hawkwind DVD as a thank you. This was an unexpected surprise.
2017:: In November of this year, Daniel had a very unexpected surprise as his old friends, the legendary BRAND X returned to his hometown of Phoenix, AZ who he had toured with as their Drum Technician some 21 years earlier in 1996 on their Manifest Destiny east coast tour. It was a wonderful reunion of seeing his old friends John Goodsall and Percy Jones and catching up on old times. And, it was a blazing night of music as well.