Composer and musician Yann Tiersen talks to William Stokes about his love of modular synthesis, the joys and challenges of touring and performing and how he found himself unexpectedly involved in film composition, followed by an exclusive performance using five selected modules. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:26 - An Accidental Film Composer 05:44 - Recording And Mixing Process 11:38 - Visiting Erica Synths 13:21 - Trans Musicale Festival In Rennes 18:47 - Eskal Studio On Ouessant Island 21:00...
Jun 26, 2025•53 min
Nick Rothwell is joined by Jeff Albert, Associate Professor at Georgia Tech, and Paul McCabe, Senior Vice President of Research and Innovation at Roland, to discuss the 2025 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition - an annual event showcasing new technologies and innovations in music. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:10 - Jeff Albert And Georgia Tech 05:02 - Paul McCabe And Roland's Future Design Lab 10:17 - Judging The Guthman Competition 12:06 - Getting Hands-On With The Instruments 13:45 - Get...
May 29, 2025•44 min
Oli Freke talks us through the history of samplers, from the introduction of the Mellotron in 1963, through to current day sampling software, while highlighting the golden era of sampling from the late 80s to early 90s. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:08 - The Mellotron 02:28 - Pre-Digital Samplers 03:18 - Pierre Schaeffer And The Phonogène 04:03 - Peter Zinovieff And EMS 05:44 - The University Of Illinois' PLATO 06:08 - Harry Mendell's Melodian 07:21 - Wendel Sampling Computer 08:29 - The Fair...
May 09, 2025•44 min
Composer, pianist and producer Martin Kohlstedt talks to Caro C about his approach to combining piano and electronic instruments, improvisation in the studio and on stage, plus the work he is doing to reduce the carbon footprint of touring. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:42 - Combining Piano And Electronics 05:10 - Organic, Improvised Performances 09:29 - Incorporating The Voice Into Recordings 10:23 - Favoured Hardware Choices 12:56 - Touring Equipment 15:54 - Selecting A Live Team 17:10 - Th...
Mar 27, 2025•39 min
Composer and Sound Designer Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe tells Caro C about his preferred sound modules and working methodologies, plus shares details some of the film and TV projects that he has recently been collaborating on. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:35 - Finding A Musical Voice 04:38 - Choosing Modular Synthesis 10:18 - Avant Garde Artistry 17:14 - Current Modular Setup 23:19 - Other Favourite Modules 28:11 - Composing For TV And Film 34:03 - Combining Hardware And Software #morphagene #sp...
Feb 27, 2025•42 min
In this occasional series exploring modular synthesis and live performance, William Stokes talks to Tony Rolando, electronic musician and founder of modular company Make Noise. Tony talks about his beginnings in the industry and how Make Noise has relaunched in 2025 with a new team and a brand new module release, which he then showcases in an exclusive performance alongside four additional modules. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 05:22 - Creating Social Media Posts 12:10 - Recent Innovations In Mo...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 39 min
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the groundbreaking E-mu Systems Emulator II sampler, Dave Rossum, Kevin Monahan and Paul Wiffen share inside stories of the development and manufacture of the instrument, their struggles to get around the technological limitations of the time and how the instrument was widely adopted by bands, artists and pop culture. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:50 - The Origins Of The Emulator 03:59 - The E-mu Name 04:57 - Kevin's Background 08:09 - Paul's Backgrou...
Dec 17, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Electronic music pioneer and composer Suzanne Ciani discusses her career highlights in conversation with William Stokes, including early performance struggles due to her determination to present shows in quadraphonic, a career resurgence thanks to Moogfest and why she loves working with the Buchla interface. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:06 - The First Female To Score A Movie 04:01 - Having More Than 20 Albums 04:36 - Golden Apples Of The Sun 07:55 - Live Performance Struggles 11:57 - A Love ...
Nov 28, 2024•45 min
Krust, also known as K or DJ Krust, chats about his early involvement in the Bristol music scene in the late 80s to early 90s, the development of the Drum & Bass sound and setting up the Full Cycle and Dope Dragon labels with Roni Size. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:28 - Early Influences And Getting Started 07:28 - Getting Immersed In Rave 08:45 - Launching A Label 10:23 - Learning The Equipment 12:12 - Jungle DJ / Producers 16:11 - Creating A Sound Palette 17:58 - Making Use Of Hardware ...
Oct 31, 2024•51 min
Pedals are not just for guitars. Here Paul White connects his extensive pedal collection to a modular synth system, effectively using the pedals as additional modules and suggesting some creative ways of setting up and combining them to create a range of sounds for different applications. (00:00) - Introduction (01:12) - Connecting Your Pedals (02:01) - Using A Delay Or Reverb (04:19) - Adding Some Overdrive (05:08) - Adding Effects With Pitch Shift (06:07) - Using Chorus To Thicken A Sound (06:...
Sep 26, 2024•19 min
In this first part of an occasional series exploring modular synthesis and live performance. William Stokes talks to experimental electronic musician Scanner about his career, the choice of his favourite modules he'll showcase in his closing performance and the friendliness of the modular community. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:13 - The Tate Modern Installation 02:52 - Working With Laurie Anderson 06:40 - The Origin Of The Name Scanner 10:47 - Module 1: Morphagene 14:30 - Module 2: Mimeophon...
Aug 20, 2024•56 min
Jason Singh is a sound artist, producer and performer. His creative output is an exploration of the natural world, voice and a wide range of music technologies. Works include live performance, immersive installations, studio recordings, broadcasts and sound walks. In this show he talks about how he makes music using the MIDI Sprout interface, a device that senses the electrical voltage of plants and converts it into MIDI information. He then uses the notes to control Ableton to produce the sound...
Jul 25, 2024•45 min
In an impromptu chat, Tom Oberheim tells Sam Inglis about his early years as an engineer and his accidental route into creating electronic musical instruments. As he celebrates his 50th year since the launch of the SEM, Tom talks about the rise of digital, the resurgence of analogue and the launch of the new TEO-5. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:26 - An Accidental Engineer 02:46 - Building For Musicians 06:34 - Becoming a Distributor For The ARP 2600 11:05 - Designing The SEM 12:43 - The Filte...
Jun 25, 2024•37 min
Electronic Music artist Jlin talks about her processes for creating a new work, being ready to tour straight from the studio and staying grounded and focused when your work starts to gain recognition. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:27 - The Journey So Far 03:09 - Using FL Studio 03:50 - Live Performance With Ableton 09:23 - Developing A Sound World 10:51 - Focusing On The Detail 12:12 - CPU: Clean, Precise And Unpredictable 14:55 - Favourite Plug-ins 16:02 - Preparing For A New Project 18:36 -...
May 21, 2024•32 min
The drum machine has progressed massively since the days of the home organ player. Here Oli Freke takes us through a brief history with lots of audio examples, highlighting the most iconic models to have been released during the last 40 years and the part that they have played in shaping musical trends. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:51 - Early Rhythm Machines 02:57 - The First Korg Rhythm Machine 04:03 - The Invention Of The Transistor 08:02 - Solid State Rhythm Machines 13:48 - Using Drum Ma...
Apr 25, 2024•57 min
As a tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto on the first anniversary of his passing, Caro C talks to Richard Barbieri, Natalie Beridze and Carsten Nicolai, aka Alva Noto, three musicians who were fortunate enough to collaborate with him. Here, they share some insights into his mindset and methodologies. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:44 - Richard Barbieri 09:04 - Natalie Beridze 19:45 - Carsten Nicolai / Alva Noto Ryuichi Sakamoto Biog Ryuichi Sakamoto was a multi award-winning keyboardist, songwriter, c...
Mar 28, 2024•43 min
Henrietta Smith-Rolla, known professionally as Afrodeutsche, gives Caro C insights into her musical journey, from her introduction to the music industry in Manchester, finding her sound, getting signed to Skam Records and becoming a BBC 6 Music DJ with a prime-time Friday evening slot. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:22 - BBC 6 Music 04:05 - Becoming A Musician 06:40 - Getting Signed To Skam 10:11 - Equipment Used On Debut Album 13:59 - Using Synth Pads 16:19 - More Recent Projects 18:19 - Crea...
Feb 29, 2024•38 min
Richard James Burgess is a man who wears many hats. In a career that spans over five decades, Richard was first and foremost a drummer. In the 1970s, he became a part of the London music scene as a session drummer, as well as with the ground- breaking band Landscape. Richard combined his passion for music, drumming and electronics when he worked closely with Dave Simmons on the Simmons SDS-V drum kit. After Landscape dissolved, he began to work more behind the desk, being one of the first to own...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr
In May of 1983, the world of synthesizers and electronic music as we knew it would change forever with the launch of the Yamaha DX7. To celebrate 40 years since its launch, Rob Puricelli spoke to Dr John Chowning, the developer of FM synthesis, Dave Bristow and Gary Leuenberger, sound designers for the original DX7 and Manny Fernandez, who has worked on all Yamaha’s FM projects from the Mk.II DX7 through to today’s Montage M series. See the Show Notes for further details. Chapters 00:00 - Introd...
Dec 20, 2023•1 hr 21 min
In celebration of Delia Derbyshire Day 2023 and the 60th Anniversary of the Doctor Who theme, Caro C is joined by fellow devotees Mark Ayres, David Butler and Cosey Fanni Tutti to discuss the Delia Derbyshire Day archives and the importance of her contributions to the development of electronic music. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:26 - Delia Derbyshire Archive Mark Ayres 03:15 - Mark Ayres Introduction 07:44 - The Beginnings Of Electronic Music 10:12 - Electronic Sound Sources 13:10 - The Deli...
Nov 23, 2023•58 min
DJ, Artist and Producer NikNak chats to Caro C about her route into immersive performances and turntablism, from her time as a student through to winning awards and launching her own albums, EPs and singles with the assistance of various funding organisations. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:12 - What Is Turntablism? 03:20 - Source Music 06:18 - Supportive Organisations 07:50 - Avoiding Copyright Issues 10:22 - Equipment Over The Years 15:03 - Immersive Performances 23:58 - MIDI Footpedals 25:4...
Oct 25, 2023•36 min
Bristol-based musician and songwriter Hazel Mills talks us through her impressive career, from working as a touring session musician, being a member of the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble, working with UDO Audio and releasing her debut solo E.P. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:30 - Working As A Keyboardist 03:12 - MIDI Controller Of Choice 04:04 - Live Arrangements And Sounds 09:36 - Working With A Musical Director 10:56 - Collection Of Synths 12:04 - Getting Onto This Path 16:22 - Synth Secrets Ser...
Sep 27, 2023•37 min
Richard Evans has worked in the music industry for over thirty years in a variety of roles, including positions at London Records, Factory Records and MTV Europe. In 1998 he set up marketing consultancy The Fan Base and has been connecting musical artists with their audiences ever since. He is the founder of the This Is Not Retro website and record label and has worked for Andy Bell, Vince Clarke and Erasure since 2009. During the pandemic, Richard set out to create a definitive record of electr...
Aug 23, 2023•49 min
Alan R Pearlman was responsible for some of the greatest sounding and most intuitive synthesizers of the modern age, many of which are still highly sought after or emulated to this day. Inspired, as so many were, by hearing Wendy Carlos’s 'Switched on Bach', he founded Tonus in 1969, a company that would soon become ARP Instruments, and began producing synthesizers such as the legendary ARP 2500, 2600 and Odyssey. Since his passing in 2019 at the age of 93, his daughter, Dina, has been building ...
Jul 27, 2023•45 min
Chris Clark, known professionally as just Clark, reveals how he got signed to Warp Records, his recording and production workflow and how Thom Yorke ended up as a guest vocalist on his latest album, Sus Dog. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:36 - Getting Signed To Warp Records 03:45 - Recording Workflow 05:08 - Updating Equipment 07:35 - Early Musical Influences 09:35 - Switching Over To Software 10:40 - Hardware Still In The Studio 12:37 - Limiting Plug-in Use 16:52 - Collaborating And Working S...
Jun 28, 2023•36 min
Paul White takes us on a sonic journey as he explores the endless possibilities of sound design using a guitar as your sound source. Through the use of foot pedals and effects plug-ins he demonstrates the synth-like sound and textures it can bring to your electronic music. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:55 - Guitars As A Sound Source 03:55 - Sustaining Notes 06:10 - Using an EBow 07:09 - Adding Vibrato 07:48 - Emulating Multiple Oscillators 08:54 - Adding Plug-in Effects 10:16 - Using Granular...
May 24, 2023•17 min
Julie Campbell, known as LoneLady, is a musician, songwriter, singer and producer from Manchester, England. Here she tells Caro C about her writing and recording process and how she secured a deal with Warp Records. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:19 - Former Things 06:08 - Influences For The Album 08:55 - Curating The Ideas 12:19 - Touring The Album 15:21 - Warp Records 17:12 - The Album Cycle 19:20 - Supporting Peter Buck 23:38 - Building The Live Show 28:27 - Technical Development Lonelady B...
Apr 27, 2023•34 min
As part of Japan, Richard Barbieri soon became the thinking person’s synthesist, famous for his rich and textural electronic backings that beautifully complemented the work of other band members to forge what is still a unique sound to this day. Disbanding at the height of their fame, Richard went on to work on a wide array of projects, some with fellow members of Japan, one of which introduced him to Steven Wilson. He joined Porcupine Tree in 1993 and, aside from Wilson, is their longest servin...
Mar 21, 2023•54 min
Graham Massey talks us through his early days with the formation of 808 State and improvising with electronic instruments, through to current collaborations and favourite creative tools. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:02 - The Beginnings Of 808 State 11:54 - Developing A Polished Production 14:56 - Musicality And Arrangements 17:29 - Incorporating Improvisation 20:09 - Performing Live 24:09 - Influencing Genres 26:29 - Favourite Creative Tools 30:16 - The Changing Access To The Arts 35:46 - Ot...
Feb 22, 2023•46 min
Mike Lindup is best known as the keyboardist and co-vocalist for Brit-Funk legends, Level 42. Mike has blended traditional keyboard instruments, such as the piano and Fender Rhodes, with a myriad pieces of cutting edge music tech over the years. We caught up with him ahead of his new solo release, Changes 2. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:52 - What were your influences? 04:21 - Stevie Wonder 06:14 - The move from classical to pop 08:32 - Robin Scott’s influence 11:51 - The transition to music ...
Jan 27, 2023•45 min
