Ryaan Ahmed
Hello! I'm Ryaan Ahmed.
Professionally, I am a software engineer and musician.
I am the Lead Engineer for Cakewalk Next at BandLab. I build tools that musicians use to create - step sequencers, audio editing workflows, and more - which involves writing low-latency, real-time C++ for audio processing in gnarly multithreaded contexts on consumer hardware.
I cofounded Artusi. We make generative and self-grading music theory, ear training, and sight singing teaching materials used in conservatories, universities, and high schools worldwide. It's free for individual use, so give it a try if you want to bone up on spelling your half-diminished 7th chords.
Previously (2019-2023), I was a Senior Research Engineer at MIT, where I became Associate Director of the Digital Humanities Lab and lectured in the Music Technology program. I taught engineering students to engage with the complexity of humanities problems through code, bringing humanistic thinking to their technical work. Under my leadership, we built and ran the most popular undergraduate research lab on campus. You can check out a lot of my MIT DH work (and, moreover, my students' work) on GitHub.
I play lutes and guitars, coach singers, and conduct baroque opera and oratorio. Used to be my full time job, but life on the road was not for me.
I mentor people looking to get into music technology, so feel free to reach out.
is the best way to reach me, as I'm not really on social media.
I live in London with my wife and son. I've spent my life ping-ponging across the Atlantic. In reverse order, I've lived in: Boston; London; Rochester (the one in New York, not Kent); Boston (the first time); Baltimore (where my folks still live); Augusta, GA; and was born in Chatham (in Kent... right next to the original Rochester).
I hold a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Harvard University, a masters degree in early music (Renaissance and Baroque lute) from the Eastman School of Music (where I studied with Paul O'Dette), and am a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow.
Here is a picture of me looking very serious or possibly grumpy (I promise I was actually having a very nice time!) while playing the theorbo:
