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 Background
11:19 - The Motivation For Creating Emulator II
16:26 - Specific Challenges
25:19 - The Challenges Of Adding Hard Drives
30:35 - How Did The Iconic Industrial Design Come About?
35:11 - Having Two Disc Drives
38:22 - How Artists Responded To The Emulator II
46:46 - Using Sampling To Create Novelty Sounds
56:08 - Kevin's Contribution To Ferris Bueller's Day Off
57:37 - The Legacy Of The Emulator II And Sampling

#EmulatorII #Drumulator #SP12

"This is all part of musical creativity, which is what I love about my job so much, is that I get to be at the forefront of inventing these tools that then the musicians can go figure out what to do with and blow my socks off" - Dave Rossum

Dave Rossum Biog
Dave Rossum is a pioneering figure in the field of electronic music and audio technology, celebrated as the co-founder of E-mu Systems. Rossum’s early interest in engineering and music led him to study at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he developed a deep understanding of both electronic circuits and music theory.

In 1971, Rossum co-founded E-mu Systems with Scott Wedge. Initially focusing on modular synthesizers, the company became a cornerstone of the burgeoning electronic music scene. Rossum’s technical brilliance was pivotal in designing groundbreaking instruments, including the E-mu Emulator, one of the first affordable digital samplers, and the E-mu SP-1200 drum machine, which played a critical role in the development of hip-hop and electronic music.

Rossum’s work extended beyond instruments to innovations in sound synthesis and sampling technologies, many of which remain influential. After E-mu was acquired in the 1990s, Rossum continued to innovate. In 2016, he launched Rossum Electro-Music, a company dedicated to creating advanced modular synthesizer tools, such as the Morpheus filter and Assimil8or sampler, which appeal to contemporary electronic musicians.

Renowned for his combination of scientific rigour and musical sensitivity, Dave Rossum is regarded as a visionary who helped shape the sound of modern music and remains an influential force in the industry.

https://www.rossum-electro.com/

Kevin Monahan Biog
Kevin Monahan was a key figure at E-mu Systems, contributing to the company’s legacy of groundbreaking innovations in electronic music technology. Monahan played a pivotal role in the development and marketing of E-mu’s iconic products during the company’s peak in the 1980s and 1990s, helping bridge the gap between technical engineering and the creative needs of musicians.

As a product specialist and public face for E-mu Systems, Monahan was instrumental in introducing instruments like the E-mu Emulator series, the SP-1200 sampler, and the Proteus sound module to musicians around the world. His deep understanding of the technology, combined with his ability to communicate its potential to artists and producers, made him a vital part of E-mu’s success in both the professional and consumer music markets.

Beyond his technical expertise, Monahan’s passion for music and sound design made him a respected voice in the industry, helping to shape the culture and tools of electronic music during a transformative era. His contributions to E-mu’s success are remembered as an important chapter in the evolution of music technology.

Paul Wiffen Biog
Paul Wiffen is a renowned keyboard player, sound designer, and music technologist. With a career spanning decades, Wiffen has worked as both a musician and a consultant for leading synthesizer manufacturers, blending his technical expertise with a keen musical sensibility. At the height of the Emulator II's success, he was London's most prominent programmer of the instrument.

As a keyboardist, Wiffen has collaborated with prominent artists like Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel, as well as recording the bass line on the Band Aid single. As a sound designer he's been involved in several film scores, from Blade Runner with Vangelis to Jungle Fever with Stevie Wonder. His sound design work for manufacturers is equally notable —he played a significant role in programming and demonstrating groundbreaking synthesizers such as the Elka Synthex, OSCar and the Korg Z1, helping to shape the sound palettes of the 1980s and 1990s.

Known for his engaging live demonstrations at trade shows and clinics, Wiffen has also been an advocate for electronic music technology, helping musicians unlock the potential of new instruments and old.

Rob Puricelli Biog
Rob Puricelli is a Music Technologist and Instructional Designer who has a healthy obsession with classic synthesizers and their history. In conjunction with former Fairlight Studio Manager, Peter Wielk, he fixes and restores Fairlight CMI’s so that they can enjoy prolonged and productive lives with new owners. He also writes reviews and articles for Sound On Sound, his website Failed Muso, and other music-related publications, as well as hosting a weekly livestream on YouTube for the Pro Synth Network and guesting on numerous music technology podcasts and shows. He also works alongside a number of manufacturers, demonstrating their products and lecturing at various educational and vocational establishments about music technology.

www.failedmuso.com
Twitter: @failedmuso
Instagram: @failedmuso
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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 Of Programming
14:09 - Interacting With A Buchla
17:14 - A New Way Of Performing Music
22:32 - The Buchla 250 MARF
25:36 - Making A Comeback At Moogfest
29:36 - Creating Spatial Content
38:40 - A Meeting Of Art And Science
41:36 - Future Plans

"I didn't build the machines, I certainly didn't design them, but I could interact with them and use them, you know, and that's what I liked".

#buchla #moog

Suzanne Ciani Biog
Suzanne is a five-time Grammy award-nominated composer, electronic music pioneer, and neo-classical recording artist who has released over 20 solo albums including "Seven Waves," and "The Velocity of Love," along with a landmark quad LP “LIVE Quadraphonic,” which restarted her Buchla modular performances. Her work has been featured in films, games, and countless commercials as well. 

She was inducted into the first class of Keyboard Magazine's Hall of Fame alongside other synth luminaries, including Bob Moog, Don Buchla and Dave Smith and received the Moog Innovation Award. Most recently, she is the recipient of the Independent Icon Award from A2IM, The Golden Ear Award and the SEAMUS Award.

Suzanne has provided the voice and sounds for Bally's groundbreaking "Xenon" pinball machine, created Coca-Cola’s pop-and-pour sound, designed logos for Fortune 500 companies and carved out a niche as one of the most creatively successful female composers in the world. A Life in Waves, a documentary about Ciani’s life and work, debuted at SXSW in 2017 and is available to watch on all digital platforms. 

Ciani is a graduate of Wellesley College and holds a Masters in Music Composition from the University of California, Berkeley.

http://sevwave.com/
https://transversales.bandcamp.com/album/golden-apples-of-the-sun-3

William Stokes Biog
William Stokes is a producer, writer and artist in three-piece avant-psych band Voka Gentle. As well as being a critic and columnist for Sound On Sound, conceiving the popular Talkback column and heading up the Modular column, he has also written on music and music technology for The Guardian, MOJO, The Financial Times, Electronic Sound and more. 

As an artist in Voka Gentle he has made records with producers from Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Grizzly Bear, Nick Cave) to Sam Petts-Davies (Radiohead, The Smile, Roger Waters), has had songs featured on franchises from FIFA Football to The Sims and has toured across the UK, Europe and the USA, playing festivals from Pitchfork Avant-Garde in Paris to SXSW in Austin, Texas. He has collaborated with artists including the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne, Morcheeba, Panda Bear and Sonic Boom. 

Alongside being a guitarist and pianist, he is a synthesis enthusiast with a particular interest in sampling and explorative sound manipulation. As a producer and engineer, he has made albums with acclaimed avant-garde musicians from composer Tullis Rennie to Mute Records artist Louis Carnell. “I’m always seeking out the most ‘out-there’, experimental, risk-taking musicians I can find to work with,” he says, “to capture vibrant, detailed recordings and create three-dimensional mixes of music that might otherwise struggle to know where to begin in the studio environment.” 

Stokes currently lectures in Music Production at City, University of London.

https://www.vokagentle.com/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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
19:52 - Preparing A Track
23:23 - Dealing With Burnout
28:20 - Helping Musicians
31:06 - Crafting The New Album
41:15 - The Current Jungle / DnB Scene
48:36 - Current And Future Projects

Interviewee Biog
Bristol-born b-boy Kirk Thompson is best known as DJ and producer Krust, an artist whose ideas and frequencies rumble and resonate deep within jungle’s DNA. With an indelible legacy as a key figurehead in the Bristol sound, he has never compromised since emerging in 1989 as a member of Fresh 4. As a founding member of Full Cycle, the first non-London label to truly mould and manipulate the jungle schematic, and Reprazents, one of the first D&B acts to infiltrate the popular psyche and win critical Mercury Music Prize acclaim, his designs continue to help shape our understanding of what drum & bass is.

He is regarded as one of drum & bass and jungle's founders and pioneers noted for his unique musical style. Epic experimentalism of Krust’s  can be heard in his 1997 single ‘Soul In Motion’ and similarly ground-breaking ‘98 single ‘True Stories’ for Talkin Loud. An in-demand remixer, Krust has reworked tracks for Bjork, Korn, Moloko, Claude VonStroke, DJ Krush, Adam F, Shy FX, Alex Reece, DJ Ron, DJ Rap and many more. His recent album entitled Edge of Everything was released in 2020 on Crosstown Rebels and received critical acclaim. It was nominated for a album of the year with AIM Award and DjMag.

In addition to making music Krust has helmed Adapt The Canvas, a lifestyle coaching consultancy that holds workshops and seminars giving advice on time management, overcoming personal challenges, creative thinking, wellness and the development of the working mindsets, which have taken place in music colleges, universities and The Barbican, London. His Weekly podcast Conversation for Creatives reaches a global audience of creatives and can be checked out on his Instagram and Spotify profiles.

https://crosstownrebels.bandcamp.com/album/the-edge-of-everything
https://www.instagram.com/dj_krust/
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/adaptthecanvas

Caro C Biog
Caro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.

URL: http://carocsound.com/

Twitter: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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
• (00:42) - Connecting Your Pedals
• (01:31) - Using A Delay Or Reverb
• (03:49) - Adding Some Overdrive
• (04:38) - Adding Effects With Pitch Shift
• (05:37) - Using Chorus To Thicken A Sound
• (06:28) - Tremolo And Vibrato
• (06:54) - Phasers And Flangers
• (08:10) - Adding An Envelope Filter
• (09:21) - Creating Textures With Granular Delay
• (10:26) - Ring Modulator Effects
• (11:52) - Combining Effects
• (14:33) - Adding In An Arpeggiator
• (15:23) - Creating A Softer Sound

#StrymonCloudburst

Paul White Biog
Paul White initially trained in electronics at The Royal Radar Establishment in Malvern then went on to work with Malvern Instruments, a company specialising in laser analysis equipment, before moving into technical writing. 

He joined the Sound On Sound team in 1991 where he became Editor In Chief, a position he held for many years before recently becoming Executive Editor. Paul has written more than 20 recording and music technology textbooks, the latest being The Producer’s Manual.

Having established his own multitrack home studio in the 1980s he’s worked with many notable names including Bert Jansch and Gordon Giltrap. He’s played in various bands over the years and currently collaborates with Malvern musician Mark Soden, under the name of Cydonia Collective. Paul still performs live claiming that as he has suffered for his music he doesn’t see why everyone else shouldn’t too!

http://www.cydoniacollective.co.uk/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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
18:52 - Module 3: Equation Composer
24:08 - Module 4: QU-Bit Prism
26:51 - Finding Your Sound With Modular
29:22 - Module 5: QU-Bit Nano Rand
31:16 - Module 6: Instruō øchd DivKid
33:12 - Modular Social Community
35:31 - Modular Aesthetics
38:38 - Module 7: Bela Gliss
42:37 - The Performance

Morphagene - https://www.makenoisemusic.com/modules/morphagene/
Mimeophon - https://www.makenoisemusic.com/modules/mimeophon/
Equation Composer (discontinued)
QU-Bit Prism - https://www.qubitelectronix.com/shop/p/prism
QU-Bit Nano Rand - https://www.qubitelectronix.com/shop/p/nano-rand
Instruō øchd - https://www.instruomodular.com/product/ochd/
Bela Gliss - https://uk.shop.bela.io/products/gliss

Robin Rimbaud Biog
Scanner (British artist Robin Rimbaud) traverses the experimental terrain between sound and space connecting a bewilderingly diverse array of genres. Since 1991 he has been intensely active in sonic art, producing concerts, installations and recordings, the albums Mass Observation (1994), Delivery (1997), and The Garden is Full of Metal (1998) hailed by critics as innovative and inspirational works of contemporary electronic music. 

To date he has scored 65 dance productions, including the hit musical comedy Kirikou & Karaba Narnia, Qualia for the London Royal Ballet, and the world’s first Virtual Reality ballet, Nightfall, for Dutch National Ballet.

More unusual projects have included designing sound for the Philips Wake-Up Light (2009), the re-opening of the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam in 2012 and the new Cisco telephone system used in many offices around the world. His work Salles des Departs is permanently installed in a working morgue in Paris whilst Vex, the residential house by Chance de Silva architects, featuring his permanent soundtrack, won the RIBA London Award 2018.

Committed to working with cutting edge practitioners he collaborated with Bryan Ferry, Wayne MacGregor, Mike Kelley, Torres, Michael Nyman, Steve McQueen, Laurie Anderson and Hussein Chalayan, amongst many others.

http://www.scannerdot.com

William Stokes Biog
William Stokes is a producer, writer and artist in three-piece avant-psych band Voka Gentle. As well as being a critic and columnist for Sound On Sound, conceiving the popular Talkback column and heading up the Modular column, he has also written on music and music technology for The Guardian, MOJO, The Financial Times, Electronic Sound and more. 

As an artist in Voka Gentle he has made records with producers from Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Grizzly Bear, Nick Cave) to Sam Petts-Davies (Radiohead, The Smile, Roger Waters), has had songs featured on franchises from FIFA Football to The Sims and has toured across the UK, Europe and the USA, playing festivals from Pitchfork Avant-Garde in Paris to SXSW in Austin, Texas. He has collaborated with artists including the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne, Morcheeba, Panda Bear and Sonic Boom. 

Alongside being a guitarist and pianist, he is a synthesis enthusiast with a particular interest in sampling and explorative sound manipulation. As a producer and engineer, he has made albums with acclaimed avant-garde musicians from composer Tullis Rennie to Mute Records artist Louis Carnell. “I’m always seeking out the most ‘out-there’, experimental, risk-taking musicians I can find to work with,” he says, “to capture vibrant, detailed recordings and create three-dimensional mixes of music that might otherwise struggle to know where to begin in the studio environment.” 

Stokes currently lectures in Music Production at City, University of London.

https://www.vokagentle.com/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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 sounds he used in his recordings and immersive installations.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:48 - Getting Started in Audio
06:17 - Collaborating With Other Creatives
09:46 - Studio Toys
12:48 - Custom Built Instruments And Interfaces
14:08 - Live Performances
19:41 - Collaborating With Nature Using Biofeedback
25:07 - Using The MIDI Sprout and PlantWave
29:47 - Experiencing Nature Sounds In Real-Time
31:44 - Creating An Immersive Installation For Womad
40:54 - Opening Your Ears To Everyday Sounds

Audio Credits:
Afternoon - a commission by National Trust to create an entirely vocal piece which mimics the sounds of a woodland area in Tatton Park in Cheshire.
Passing Light - an Ambient Jazz piece featuring trumpet player Yazz Ahmed.

Rhubarb  - is a biosonfication track from the latest release "The Hidden Music of Plants and Trees", created in collaboration with a Rhubarb plant.

MIDI Sprout - https://www.midisprout.com/
PlantWave - https://plantwave.com/en-gb

Jason Singh Biog

Jason Singh is sound artist, nature beatboxer, producer, dj, curator, facilitator and performer. Jason’s life and work is rooted in listening - he follows a multi-sensory and cross-species approach to sound and music. His creative output is an exploration of the natural world, voice and a wide range of music technologies. Works includes live performance, immersive installations, studio recordings, music for film and theatre, deep listening and well being experiences, sound walks, broadcasts, music workshops, podcasts, soundtapes and immersive DJ sets. 

Collaborations and commissions include a diverse range of organisations and artists including BBC, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, V&A Museum, Earthshot Prize, WOMAD, Kew Gardens, Chester Zoo, SONOS, Luke Jerram, BFI, Celtic Connections, RNLI, National Trust, Tate Britain, Nitin Sawhney, George Ezra, Big Narstie, Yazz Ahmed, Shabaka Hutchings, Sebastian Rochford, Leafcutter John, Graham Massey (808 State), Natacha Atlas, Sarathy Korwar, Talvin Singh and Rokia Traore to name just a few. Jason is an associate Soundscape artist with D&B audiotechnik.

https://jasonsinghthing.com/

Credits:
Afternoon - was a commission by National Trust to create an entirely vocal piece which mimics the sounds of a woodland area in Tatton Park in Cheshire, England. 

Passing Light - Ambient Jazz piece featuring trumpet player Yazz Ahmed 

Rhubarb  - is a biosonfication track from the release "The Hidden Music of Plants and Trees" created in collaboration with a Rhubarb plant.

Caro C Biog
Caro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.

URL: http://carocsound.com/

Twitter: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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 Filter Design
15:03 - The OB-1 And Patch Memories

16:36 - OB-X - Polyphony And Programmable Presets

19:35 - The Oberheim Sound
22:37 - The Digital Takeover
24:40 - The Resurgence Of Analogue

28:01 - Launching The OB-X8 With Focusrite

29:23 - The Oberheim TEO-5

30:37 - Utilising New Technology

Oberheim Biog
Oberheim is the 21st century return of the legendary company that helped fuel the original electronic music revolution in the 1970s. Now, just as then, Oberheim is guided by the vision of engineer and inventor, Tom Oberheim. Tom’s genius for innovation introduced the world to the first commercially available poly synth and other groundbreaking electronic instruments that literally changed the sound of music.

Today, Oberheim reawakens this extraordinary legacy by bringing the famed Oberheim sound to a new generation of instruments and artists. The company’s passion remains unchanged by time or technology — to once again provide the world with the finest-sounding analog synthesizers ever made.

https://oberheim.com/

Sam Inglis Biog
Editor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006).

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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 - Being Disciplined
21:33 - Staying Humble And Working Hard
23:55 - Preparing For A Tour
26:13 - Stereo Vs Immersive
29:14 - Going With The Flow

Jlin Biog
Jlin (Jerrilynn Patton) has quickly become one of the most distinctive composers in America and one of the most influential women in electronic music. Jlin’s thrilling, emotional and multidimensional compositions have earned her praise as “one of the most forward-thinking contemporary composers in any genre” (Pitchfork). She is a recipient of a 2023 US Artist award and a 2023 Pulitzer Prize nomination.

Her mini-album Perspective was released to critical acclaim on Planet Mu 2023. Her much-lauded albums Dark Energy (2015) and Black Origami (2017) have appeared on “Best of” lists in The NY Times, The Wire, LA Times, Rolling Stone, The Guardian and Vogue. Jlin has been commissioned by the Kronos Quartet, Third Coast Percussion, the Pathos Quartet, choreographers Wayne McGregor and Kyle Abraham, fashion designer Rick Owens and the visual artists Nick Cave and Kevin Beasley.

Her next release, Akoma (Planet Mu March 2024) features collaborations with Philip Glass, Bjork and Kronos Quartet.

https://www.jlintheinnovator.com/

Caro C Biog
Caro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.

URL: http://carocsound.com/

Twitter: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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 Machines In Mainstream Hits
17:05 - The First Programmable Drum Machines
21:53 - The Introduction Of Drum Pads And Brains
25:22 - The Arrival Of Digital Samples And The Linn Drum
30:53 - The Era Of Sampling Drum Machines
37:06 - The Impact Of The Roland TR-808 and TR-909
42:49 - Other Notable 80s Drum Machines
44:35 - The Introduction of MIDI
46:45 - Standardised Layouts And Spec
50:07 - Analogue Circuit Modelling And Software
53:40 - Back To Hardware With Eurorack Modular
54:47 - Drum Pattern Generation With AI

Oli Freke Biog
Oli Freke is a London based musician, artist and author who has had a life-long passion for electronic instruments, synthesizers and electronic music. Currently working for the BBC, he has previously enjoyed success with electro band Cassette Electrik supporting the Human League on tour, written music for television and produced dance music since the 1990s.

His Synth Evolution range of posters, celebrating the synthesizer and electronic music culture, launched in 2017 and led to the definitive, hand-illustrated book, ‘Synth Evolution: From Analogue to Digital (and Back)’, featuring every commercial synth of the 20th century.

www.synthevolution.net
www.linktr.ee/olifreke

CREDITS

1. Chamberlin Rhythmate - audio.com (@Drum Machine)
2. Wurlitzer Sideman - Internet Archive (archive.com)
3. Korg Doncamatic - Korg (Germany)
4. Korg Minipops 3 - Corsynth Modular (Corsynth.com)
5. Ace Tone F-1 - @YouAreTheRobots
6. Roland TR-77 - @vintageaudioinstitute
7. Mattel Bee Gees Rhythm Machine - Thomas P. Heckmann (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn8mxHfY4vM&t=4s)
8. Maestro MRK-2 - @organ61
9. Korg KR-55 - Steve Porter (synthmagic.co.uk)
10. Roland CR-78 - AnalogAudio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0CHoU24Dis&t=129s)
11. Eko CompuRhythm - Hainbach (https://www.youtube.com/@Hainbach)
12. Paia Programmable Drumset - Thomas P. Heckmann (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2afPnOpv4U)
13. Boss DR-55 - Leonard de Leonard (https://www.sound-provider.eu/)
14. Movement Computer System - @Theccrstudio
15. Pollard Syndrum - recording: Joe Bataan, ‘Rap-O, Clap-O’
16. Simmons SDS-V - Alain Levesque
17. Linn LM-1 - John Diligio (@javd007)
18. LinnDrum - @zibbybone
19. Sequential Circuits DrumTraks - AnalogAudio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxhRyEEZCYA)
20. E-Mu Drumulator - @synthmania
21. E-MU SP-12 - AnalogAudio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDpvKBoJjug&t=287s)
22. Oberheim DMX - @synthmania
23. Roland TR-909 - @DoctorMix
24. Roland 707 - AnalogAudio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eRhSRHFkMA)
25. Yamaha RX-11, Casio RZ-1 - @synthmania

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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, composer and producer who along with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, became pioneers of the electronic music genre in Honsono's band Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Prior to his success with the band, Sakamoto earned a B.A. in music composition and worked as a session musician and producer. Alongside his success with the band, he continued his solo work, releasing solo albums and collaborations, experimenting with various genres and fusing traditional with electronic. This work led to him scoring more than 30 films throughout his career, his most famous being Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence and The Last Emperor. In his later career he composed a multimedia opera, sampled a glass building for use in one of his works and traveled to the Arctic to record the sound of melting snow.

Richard Barbieri Biog
Hailing from London, Richard joined the British band Japan in 1975 and saw huge success around the world until they split in 1982. He continued to work with David Sylvian, as well as Sylvian’s brother, Steve Jansen on separate projects. He reunited with Sylvian, Jansen and bass player Mick Karn for the Rain Tree Crow project and continued to play with Steve & Mick as part of ‘JBK’. In the early 1990s, the three of them teamed up with Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson as part of No-Man and it was here that Barbieri and Wilson would begin their long musical association. Porcupine Tree had initially been a Wilson solo project but he recruited Richard in 1993 and over the next 17 years, became one of the shining lights of the neo-prog / pop scene, embracing a more heavy style as the years went on. Reuniting in 2021, they released the first Porcupine Tree album in 12 years with 2022’s ‘Closure/ Continuation’, a critically acclaimed return to form. Richard has a large body of solo work which he started to release in 2005 and still does to this day.

http://www.richardbarbieri.co.uk/

Natalie Beridze Biog
Natalie Beridze is a Georgian music composer and songwriter. Since 2003 Natalie has been performing live concerts worldwide, and has been known as the first female electronic music artist from Georgia. From 2002-2008 she lived in Cologne and produced music under the artist name TBA. She’s released music in Europe on Max.E, Monika Enterprise, CMYK, Laboratory Instinct, CES Records DADO records, Apollo Records Chainmusic, CES Records and ROOM40.

In addition to her solo projects, Beridze has collaborated with artists such as Thomas Brinkmann, AGF (Antye Greie), Gudrun Gut, Joerg Follert, Marcus Schmickler, Nika Machaidze aka Nikakoi, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Gacha Bakradze, Alex Kordzaia, Annika Henderson, Antye Greie-Fuchs, Barbara Morgenstern, Beate Bartel, Danielle De Picciotto, Gudrun Bredemann, Lucrecia Dalt, Merja Kokkonen, Mommo G, Natalie Beridze, Pilocka Krach, Sonae. Beridze’s music is part of Adam Curtis’s recent BBC Documentary series “Can’t get you out of my head”. She also creates works for piano, orchestra and choir, which have been performed by a number of artists and the Tbilisi state opera orchestra. Her recent compositions for piano, keyboard, soprano and tape are part of the ongoing program of Zurich based Kiosk
Ensemble.

Beridze, alongside Nika Machaidze teaches songwriting and music production at CES (creative education studio).

https://natalieberidzetba.bandcamp.com/

Carsten Nicolai / Alva Noto Biog

Under the pseudonym Alva Noto, Carsten Nicolai is one of the best-known representatives of contemporary electronic music. Concerts have taken him to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Tate Modern in London. His various musical projects include collaborations with Ryōji Ikeda, Mika Vainio, Iggy Pop, Blixa Bargeld and Ryūichi Sakamoto. With the latter, Nicolai composed the score for Alejandro González Iñárritu's Oscar-winning film The Revenant, which was nominated for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a Critics Choice Award and a Grammy.

https://alvanoto.com/

Caro C Biog
Caro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.

URL: http://carocsound.com/

Twitter: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

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 - Creating Sample Packs For Spitfire
20:11 - Working With The Kyma
27:09 - Being Productive
32:30 - Balancing Different Projects

Afrodeutsche Biog
AFRODEUTSCHE (Henrietta Smith-Rolla), is a British born Ghanaian/Russian/German artist, composer, producer, and DJ based in Manchester, UK. Her polyrhythmic compositions integrate a wide array of musical genres, including Afrofuturistic electro and techno, classical solo piano and Detroit legacy house; all memorable journeys into deep, abstracted sound.

Praised by the Guardian for enacting a new wave of club music, named by Dummy Mag as one of 2019’s most exciting artists, Afrodeutsche’s spectacular debut album ‘Break Before Make’ was released on the legendary Skam label in 2018, followed in 2019 with the debut release on Eclair Fifi’s label River Rapid and a much praised remixes for artists as diverse as Marie Davidson (Ninja Tune), Joep Beving (Deutsche Grammophon) and Nathan Fake (Cambria Instruments).

AFRODEUTSCHE has written and performed scores for films and documentaries including the BAFTA nominated ‘Kamali’ about a young girl skateboarder in India, and a live re-score of renowned Earth documentary ‘Baraka’ at The Royal Northern College of Music.

The soundtrack for ‘Kamali’ was released by SA Recordings in September 2020, alongside a sample library for Spitfire. The audio library illuminates much of Henrietta’s writing process as a self-taught musician and composer. Inspired by her work with the Kyma sound design environment, it’s a set of tools for composition based around colour. Her aim is to offer a new perspective and a sense of freedom for those delving into the library, no matter their level of experience.

In the summer of 2022 she scored Bottega Veneta’s SS2023 collection runway show, during Milan Fashion Week working, closely with head designer Matthieu Blazy throughout the process.

In 2023 she premiered a new string ensemble commission for MIF at the prestigious new Factory International venue. Henrietta lent her own vocals and piano playing alongside a sting ensemble from the Manchester Camerata, arranged and conducted by Robert Ames.

After years hosting a regular radio show ‘Black Forest’ on the renowned NTS, AFRODEUTSCHE now leads BBC 6 Music’s Friday night schedule with the Peoples Party, a peak time show that entrances listeners with her idiosyncratic combinations of crate dug party tunes from any point in the last 50 years, acid, rave, electro, breaks, footwork, ghetto tech and jacking house. In 2022 she has regularly presented BBC 6 Music live coverage of festivals at Glastonbury and Cardiff. At the end of the summer she curated the 6 Music stage for London festival ‘All Points East’. 

Her DJ style is a synthesis of Drexciyan and Underground Resistance-inspired selections, intercut with a variety of forward thinking UK techno such as Bola and Lego Feet. Forever evolving a fully live hardware show, AFRODEUTSCHE debuted it at the opening of CTM Festival at Berghain in February 2020, integrating classical piano and hardware along with visuals. 

https://linktr.ee/afrodeutsche

Caro C Biog
Caro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.

URL: http://carocsound.com/

Twitter: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts