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Electronic Music

Electronic Music

Sound On Sound

Welcome to the Sound On Sound Electronic Music podcast. On this channel we feature some of the pioneers of the industry, interview musicians and talk about retro and current gear. More information and content can be found at https://www.soundonsound.com/podcasts | Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - @soundonsoundmag | YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/soundonsoundvideo

57 - Suzanne Ciani: Space, Time and Buchla
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  • 57 - Suzanne Ciani: Space, Time and Buchla

    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 Talkbackcolumn and heading up the Modular column, he has also written on music and music technology for The Guardian, MOJO, The Financial Times, Electronic Soundand 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

    Thu, 28 Nov 2024
  • 56 - Krust - Drum & Bass Pioneer

    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

    Thu, 31 Oct 2024
  • 55 - Using Effects Pedals With Synths

    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
    Chapters
    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

    Thu, 26 Sep 2024
  • 54 - Scanner - My Life In Modules

    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 Talkbackcolumn and heading up the Modular column, he has also written on music and music technology for The Guardian, MOJO, The Financial Times, Electronic Soundand 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

    Tue, 20 Aug 2024
  • 53 - Jason Singh - Sounds Of Nature

    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

    Thu, 25 Jul 2024
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