Electronic Music

The following is a short piece of audio that was edited out of the original podcast interview with Don Lewis back in November 2020, where he discusses his time programming the Yamaha DX7’s factory sounds. In the wake of Don’s passing we decided to publish this excerpt, along with a tribute on the website.Chapters00:00 - Introduction02:29 - Yamaha DX7 and DX9 Demo03:02 - The Beginnings Of FM Synthesis09:26 - Working For The Competition12:26 - Yamaha DX7 and DX9 DemoDon Lewis BiogDon Lewis was a gifted musician and educator whose mission was to inspire and empower audiences to achieve their dreams. Whether presenting a solo concert or collaborating with other musicians and artists, Don's music brought a message of hope, respect and community. Don began playing piano as a Dayton, Ohio high school student. Later, at Tuskegee Institute, he accompanied and sang with the Tuskegee Chorus and played for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Freedom Rallies.Uniting his interest in engineering with his musical talent, Don became one of the pioneers in synthesizer use and technology. In 1977, he designed and built a synthesizer system, Live Electronic Orchestra (LEO) that was an inspiration for Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), now on display at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, CA.Don performed at concerts worldwide and appeared as a soloist with many symphony orchestras. As a studio artist, he worked with such greats as Quincy Jones, Sergio Mendez and Michael Jackson. Don also created scores for film and television productions including the award winning Rainbow's End and Were You There series featured on PBS. In addition he scored commercials for such clients as Nissan, Pacific Telephone, and Digital Equipment Corp.Also an enthusiastic teacher, Don taught courses in the history of Gospel Music, multimedia, and synthesizer technology at University of California at Berkeley Extension, San Jose State University and Stanford University. In 1987, Don combined his love of children, education and music to create Say “Yes” to Music! He delighted thousands of students, teachers and school administrators across the United States and Canada with his inspiring musical assemblies.Throughout the years Don had been a concert artist and consultant with various musical instrument manufacturers including Hammond, Arp, Yamaha, Roland Corporation, and Rodgers Instruments. He continued to delight and touch the hearts of his fans in his concerts at home and throughout the world until his untimely passing on November 6th, 2022.Links / Credits Music from Yamaha’s DX7 and DX9 demonstration cassette.https://donlewismusic.com/https://www.donlewisleo.comhttps://www.augustenborgproductions.com/ Rob Puricelli BiogRob 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.comTwitter: @failedmusoInstagram: @failedmusoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Martyn Ware has been at the forefront of the British synth-pop scene since its inception, founding the hugely influential Human League with Phil Oakey and Ian Craig Marsh. Martyn and Ian went on to establish the British Electric Foundation from which Heaven 17 emerged, along with work as a producer for the likes of Tina Turner and Terence Trent D’Arby. Martyn has since ventured into the world of immersive audio through his collaborations with Vince Clarke as well as being a Principal at Tileyard Education, a Visiting Professor at Queen Mary University of London and a board member at the Ivors Academy. This year, Martyn released his autobiography, entitled Electronically Yours Vol.1.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:44 - Why Write Your Autobiography Now?02:13 - Sheffield 06:44 - Why Electronic Music? 09:57 - The Ware Ancestry12:00 - Music And The Message19:51 - Ripping Up The Rule Book21:35 - The Split!29:34 - British Electric Foundation30:31 - Heaven 1733:15 - Sananda Maitreya / Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby37:01 - Is There A Volume 2 To Look Forward To?Martyn Ware BiogIn his his long and illustrious career, Martyn has been part of the Human League, British Electric Foundation and Heaven 17.As a record producer and artist he has featured on recordings totalling over 50 million sales worldwide, producing amongst others Tina Turner, Sananda Maitreya (formerly known as Terence Trent D’Arby), Chaka Khan, Erasure, Marc Almond and Mavis Staples.He founded Illustrious Company with Vince Clarke in 2001 to exploit the creative and commercial possibilities of their unique three-dimensional sound technology, in collaboration with fine artists, the performing arts and corporate clients around the world. He is a Principal at Tileyard Education and a Board Member at The Ivors Academy. Buy Electronically Yours Vol.1 (Book) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electronically- Yours-Vol-My-Autobiography/dp/0349135150 Buy Electronically Yours Vol.1 (Audiobook) - https://amzn.eu/d/8hl1pkcIllustrious: https://illustriouscompany.co.uk/Heaven 17: https://www.heaven17.com Rob Puricelli BiogRob 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.comTwitter: @failedmusoInstagram: @failedmusoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Part electronic visual music artist and part software developer as co-founder of Ableton, Robert Henke delves into the overlap between artist and engineer and how software needs to be accessible in order to encourage and not hinder the creative process.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:12 - Current Projects03:23 - Lumière - Working With Lasers06:49 - Building The Performance Software08:54 - The Beginnings Of Ableton11:37 - The Overlap Between Artist And Engineer17:12 - Working With Audio Loops20:49 - Making Software More Accessible27:16 - Developing A Unique Sound30:18 - Working Without Compression36:27 - 8-Bit: The CBM 8032 AV Performance Robert Henke BiogRobert Henke's work is not easy to describe in a single sentence, and that already says a lot about what fascinates him: complexity and detail, often emerging from seemingly simple processes. Henke is a software developer, fascinated by the inherent beauty and elegance of technical constructions, and co-founder of music software company Ableton where he still plays an active role in the development department. Henke is a Berlin based electronic music producer who blurs the boundaries between club and listening since the mid 1990s. Henke is a visual artist often working with lasers to create audiovisual performances and installations. And Henke is teaching and writing about computer based audiovisual art and in general is a very nice person happy to share his knowledge. https://www.roberthenke.com/Caro C BiogCaro 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: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Susanne Kirchmayr, also known as Electric Indigo, is an Austrian music producer, Techno DJ and founder of the female:pressure, an international network of women in the electronic music industry. Here she chats to Caro C about her career beginnings through to her current projects.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:02 - Ferrum 7 music track02:09 - Starting Out As A DJ08:55 - Becoming A Music Producer13:18 - Founding female:pressure20:38 - An International Support Network23:50 - Musical Styles27:15 - Current Projects29:57 - Ableton and Modular31:10 - Working In Multi-Channel Audio34:39 - Future PlansElectric Indigo BiogElectric Indigo, DJ, composer, musician has performed in 45 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. She represents an intelligent and distinguished interpretation of techno and electronic music. In 1998 she founded the transnational female:pressure network for which she received an Honorary Mention at Prix Ars Electronic in 2009. The Republic of Austria awarded her with the Kunstpreis Musik in 2020. Electric Indigo premiered her compositions at festivals like Wien Modern, Musikprotokoll, CTM or Heroines of Sound and composed for Klangforum Wien. Her debut album “5 1 1 5 9 3” came out on Imbalance Computer Music, followed by "Ferrum" on Editions Mego in 2020. “Brittle” was released on Ventil Records in 2022.https://indigo-inc.at/Caro C BiogCaro 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: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Michael Whalen is a two-time Emmy Award winning, Grammy-nominated composer with over 30 years experience composing for film and television, as well as being a recording artist in his own right, with over 800 million streams since 2015. Here he talks to Rob Puricelli about performing his latest instrumental album ‘Imaginary Trains’ to a live audience at the EMEAPP museum, using their extensive collection of rare vintage synthesizers.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:47 - What was the inspiration behind the album, “Imaginary Trains”?05:06 - How did you come up with the idea for the live broadcast?10:51 - What instruments did you choose from the EMEAPP collection20:10 - How did you go about replacing the studio parts with the gear you chose?22:44 - Did any instrument daunt you?27:07 - Behind the scenes...30:19 - The choice between live and sequenced34:01 - Rehearsal and preparation35:42 - Gear Acquisition Syndrome! (G.A.S.)39:10 - Did any of these old machines let you down?39:50 - Would you do this again?41:55 - Future projectsMichael Whalen BiogAfter more than 30 years as one of the top television and film composers, an an internationally renown recording artist, a music supervisor, artist coach/client and former record label executive, his music has been heard by billions and billions of people. He has accumulated more than 800 million streams from all worldwide music platforms since 2015. His musical output is enormous and ranges from ambient/new age to jazz to soundtrack/theme music, world music, singer/songwriter, classical and crossover.Michael is an expert on copyright law, music monetisation and digital rights. He consults with major technology and music companies and mentors artists around the world as part of his company Artist Expansion. As a teacher, he has been an adjunct professor at NYU, The Berklee College of Music, and The City College of NY. Michael is also an author, thought leader on the future on digital copyrights and panelist at dozens of major conferences and festivals.https://www.michaelwhalen.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ugFiMYlr0https://emeapp.org/Rob Puricelli BiogRob 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.comTwitter: @failedmusoInstagram: @failedmusoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

A tribute to the life and works of composer and synth pioneer Peter Zinovieff by James Gardner, featuring interviews with co-workers and collaborators.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:04 - Collaborations04:13 - Replacing Tape With Digital06:29 - The Move Into Computers08:03 - The Launch of EMS14:31 - Running A Studio From Home16:16 - Working In Raasay18:19 - The VCS3 And Synthi20:05 - Copies And Virtual Versions22:50 - Creativity Post EMS26:49 - Lucy RailtonPeter Zinovieff BiogPeter Zinovieff has been described as Britain’s Bob Moog. A renowned composer from the mid ‘60s to the present day, he was one of the founders of EMS who produced seminal synthesizers such as the VCS3 and the Synthi AKS, as used by Brian Eno, Pink Floyd and the Chemical Brothers.Music CreditsPeter Zinovieff and Lucy Railton - RFG - Inventions for Cello and Computer - PAN Records PAN 90 (2020)Peter Zinovieff - Tarantella (1966)Peter Zinovieff - South Pacific Migration Party - The Association for Depth Sound Recordings ADSR010CD (2021)James Gardner BiogJames Gardner is a composer, synthesizer programmer, researcher, and broadcaster based in Auckland, New Zealand. Born in Liverpool, James played and programmed synthesizers in London during the 1980s, and in 1990 co-founded the band/remix team Apollo 440. Following encouragement from Michael Finnissy, he left the group in 1993 to concentrate on notated composition. Moving to New Zealand in 1994, he established the contemporary music ensemble 175 East, which he directed until 2010.As well as composing, he has written and presented many programmes for RNZ Concert including features on Frank Zappa, Morton Feldman, John Barry’s James Bond soundtracks, and These Hopeful Machines – a six-part series on electronic music. https://www.rnz.co.nz/concert/programmes/hopefulmachinesAs a teacher, Gardner has lectured on music and music technology at the University of Auckland, Unitec Institute of Technology and the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, where he is an Adjunct Senior Fellow. His primary research topic is the synthesizer company EMS, and the electronic music studio of Peter Zinovieff.Website: https://www.gardnercomposer.com/Twitter: @JEGcomposerhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/organised-sound/article/don-banks-music-box-to-the-putney-the-genesis-and-development-of-the-vcs3-synthesiser/38928808A05A6F2118B148CE302E3764https://modular-station.com/modulisme/itatiom/ems-1/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Richard Norris tells Caro C about his early break into the music industry, success with The Grid in the 90s, plus his many collaborations, remixes and unexpected career turns.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:34 - Defining Career Moments08:31 - The Gear Used By The Grid10:27 - Musical Trajectory20:35 - Favourite Equipment25:58 - Interesting Collaborations32:04 - Immersive Audio35:51 - Future ProjectsRichard Norris BiogRichard Norris has been recording, producing and releasing music for more than four decades. Richard started out in a post punk band, recording his first single at the age of 13, before diving into acid house as co-producer of Jack The Tab, one of the UK's first acid house compilations. He then formed The Grid with Soft Cell's Dave Ball, who went on to have 10 UK hit singles, including the Balearic classic Floatation and the million-selling Swamp Thing. He collaborated with Erol Alkan for the Beyond The Wizards Sleeve project and released two solo albums as the Time and Space Machine.Richard has remixed hundreds of artists including Brian Eno, David Sylvian, Pet Shop Boys, Yello, Erasure, Tame Impala, Warpaint and many more, plus has collaborated with Robert Fripp, Marc Almond, Joe Strummer, Sun Ra and a host of others. He is currently working on his Group Mind label, which releases ambient, electronic and deep listening music, as well as continuing his remix, production and live work. His memoir, Strange Things Are Happening, will be released in 2024.https://richardnorris.bandcamp.com/Caro C BiogDescribed as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC) and a "sonic enchantress" (BBC Radio 3), Caro has been making her own brand of sensual electronica since the late 90's, reared on a diet of black music, Warp Records and Bjork. Caro currently finds herself in ample musical mischief in the Manchester creative mycelium and beyond - making music, teaching, producing podcasts as well as being the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.URL: http://carocsound.com/Twitter: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Chiara Luzzana is a Sound Designer and Composer, known for her use of Zoom field recorders. A personal project sampling Swatch watches eventually became the official Swatch theme which then led on to similar commissions from several global brands. Caro C talks to her about her journey into corporate sound design.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:31 - Sound Artist And Soundtrack Composer02:58 - Working With Brands04:28 - Creating A Sensory Journey07:30 - Recording Skin08:40 - Getting Started In Sound Design11:28 - Studying In Shanghai12:33 - Learning To Listen15:52 - Musique Concrète16:55 - Production Techniques18:41 - Working With Zoom24:41 - Other Hardware and Software26:38 - Creating A Real-Time Soundtrack29:44 - The Lavazza Project34:42 - Working In Immersive Audio35:15 - Favourite Plug-ins37:27 - Future ProjectsChiara Luzzana BiogChiara Luzzana studied classical music as a child and later took a course in audio engineering specializing in musical cognition at Berklee College of Music. She started her career in cinema and advertising but in 2013 won an artistic residency in Shanghai.During this time she started a personal sound design project, gathering more than 2400 samples from Swatch watches and building a soundtrack, which would later become the official music of Swatch stores around the world and also of the Venice Biennale, a prestigious international cultural exhibition hosted in Venice, Italy.Following this success, Chiara has been invited to create soundtracks for a number of high profile brands.https://www.chiaraluzzana.com/Caro C BiogCaro 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: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

As part of Trevor Horn’s team of technological wizards in the 1980s, JJ Jeczalik emerged as the pre-eminent Fairlight programmer of the day, primarily as one fifth of the art-pop collective, Art of Noise, but also in projects ranging from ABC & Dollar to Yes and Malcolm McLaren. Describing himself as a not a keyboard player, JJ brought his programming skills and talent to bear on a wide range of successful and ground-breaking recordings that were at the vanguard of how cutting edge technology shaped not just the sound of pop music but how pop music itself was made.Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:59 - What was your path into the industry?09:47 - The importance of ABC and meeting Anne and Gary12:48 - Duck Rock and the McLaren Influence16:08 - Don’t be a drummer, be a programmer19:46 - You don’t say no to Yes26:44 - Yes embracing the Fairlight28:07 - The birth of Art of Noise33:49 - Into Battle!35:15 - In demand38:21 - The weight of influence46:23 - Taking Art of Noise on the road, then and nowPhoto Credit: Marc PinderArt of Noise Online: https://theartofnoiseonline.comArt of Silence: http://www.artofsilence.co.ukJJ Jeczalik BiogJonathan Edward Stephen Jeczalik fell into the music industry during a gap year whilst staying with friends in London. He promoted a gig by the group Landscape, featuring the similarly technology obsessed Richard James Burgess before eventually coming to the attention of Trevor Horn via his Buggles bandmate, Geoff Downes.During the 1980s, he worked on numerous projects that were both innovative and influential as well as hugely successful, including ABC’s Lexicon of Love, Malcolm McLaren’s Duck Rock, Yes’ 90125 and Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s debut, Welcome to the Pleasuredome. He also worked with artists ranging from Kate Bush to Paul McCartney, Scritti Politti to Godley & Creme and Pet Shop Boys to Shakin’ Stevens!JJ left the industry and became a teacher of ICT until his retirement but has since revived his music career, performing live under numerous variations of the Art of Noise name at venues such as the British Library and the hugely successful Let’s Rock 80s revival festivals.Rob Puricelli BiogRob 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 own 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.comTwitter: @failedmusoInstagram: @failedmusoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Hannah Peel, composer, producer and broadcaster, talks to Caro C about her solo record career including the shortlisted 2021 Mercury Music Prize electronic album, scoring music for Game Of Thrones and her many other diverse projects.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:45 - Musical Path06:48 - Using Electronic Instruments07:55 - Favourite Synths09:14 - Software and Hardware10:08 - Projects and Nominations14:10 - The Mercury Nomination15:31 - Performing Live17:23 - Combining Electronica And Orchestral20:28 - Composing For The Paraorchestra22:33 - Working With Software and Live Musicians26:48 - Favourite Tools29:27 - Combining Film and TV Work With Album Releases33:15 - The Composing Process39:31 - Learning Production SkillsHannah Peel BiogHannah Peel is a Northern Irish artist, composer, producer and broadcaster. Her solo record career includes the shortlisted 2021 Mercury Music Prize electronic album, Fir Wave; 2016's Awake But Always Dreaming, which became an ode to her grandmother’s mind as she lived with dementia; and the space-themed Mary Casio: Journey to Cassiopeia, scored for synthesizers and a 30 piece colliery brass band. A regular collaborator with Paul Weller, in 2018 she conducted and wrote all the orchestral arrangements for his shows at London's Royal Festival Hall and contributed to his Number 1 album, On Sunset.Following her Emmy-nominated score for Game Of Thrones: The Last Watch, Hannah is currently composing the music for Sky TV's 7-part series Midwich Cuckoos and releasing a new album The Unfolding with Paraorchestra. She is also a regular presenter on the BBC Radio 3 show, Night Tracks.www.hannahpeel.comCaro C BiogCaro 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: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts