Stephen Fortner is Editor in Chief of Keyboard magazine, the world's longest running and still most trusted source of information for keyboard players and anyone interested in using technology to make music. He has written for the magazine since 1998, and joined its full time staff as Technical Editor at the beginning of 2006. Trained on piano from age four, his lifelong fascination with electronic instruments began with a visit to an organ store only a couple of years thereafter. He has played in professional bands since age 14, almost always assuming the role of the guy with a stack of synths who is asked to "make it sound just like the record." His personal favorite music is funk and soul, with a keyboard focus on vintage sounds like the Hammond organ, Rhodes, Clavinet, and analog synths. In his role at Keyboard, he has remained on the cutting edge of reviewing and educating users about new (and old) synthesizers, keyboards, virtual instruments, and music production software. He has also personally interviewed artists across all genres—including Booker T. Jones, Thomas Dolby, Keith Emerson, Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater, Trent Reznor, Devo, Jimmy Smith, Depeche Mode, Billy Bob Thornton, Deadmau5, and Justin Timberlake—about the techniques and technology they use to create, record, and perform their music. Originally from Vermont, he now resides in Oakland, California.