1. Favourite knob or fader or switch on a piece of gear and why?
That’s not something I’ve thought of before. I definitely have a least favourite and that’s the alpha dial on my Juno 2. But if I were to pick one it would be the very retro switches on the Thermionic Culture Vulture and especially the MIDIMini V30. In the US switches turn on when you flick them up, unlike most that turn on when you switch them down. Flicking them up reminds me of old Sci-Fi movies so for a brief moment I feel like an astronaut.
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?
For what it does you can’t beat the Minimoog. I know it’s a cliche but there’s a reason it’s such a classic. I have the 2016 reissue, and when I first used it I was taken aback by how much the experience of interacting with the interface influences your behavior. If your first few years with a synth were trying to program the Juno 2 and navigating Roland’s 90’s digital interfaces on tiny screens, a big old simple analogue is a revelation. You spend much more time sculpting tones, and it’s so self explanatory there’s no need for presets. It’s instant gratification, but more modulation options would improve it. I have recently purchased an AJH Synth MiniMod Keyz, and that takes the Minimoog to a whole new level. It’s not as instant, but there are new worlds to explore. A bit like a Minimoog and Odyssey combined in a modular setting. Wonderful!
3. What setup do you bring on holiday or tour or commute etc.?
It very much depends on what I’m doing at the time. Last year I took the Polyend Play with me on a few trips, and this year I’ve been playing with the Sonicware ELZ_1 Play. It has to be something I can produce more than a single tone at a time and something I can run on batteries. I did try doing stuff on my a few years ago iPad, but it soon got confusing and too technical to be anything but frustrating, although there are some amazing apps like the Animoog
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
I love Arturia Pigments, which would be nice as hardware. I guess Waldorf Iridium is the closest as a physical instrument. Mainly though I think most well designed software works well precisely because its software, and a good piece of hardware works because of the physical interface, as software it would most likely be underwhelming. But if I had to choose, a Pigments synth and Iridium in software…. But then they’re almost the same thing!
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
I sold a Jupiter 4 and System 100 to a guy for £100 each on the same day. I was living in an apartment with no heating and he turned up in a Range Rover! Needs must and I needed synths that I could control via MIDI. In the days before DAWs when you were running 48 tracks live and using SMPTE to sync to 8-track tape, anything to make life easier was essential. I put the proceeds toward a BassStation Supernova which paid its dues for years. At the time it was the smart move, so I guess I can’t regret it too much, but everyone has a war story of selling classics for peanuts. Maybe I regret replacing the Jupiter 4 a few months ago. My younger self would be pulling his hair out at the price I paid!
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
There’s been so many over the years. The Akai S950 and S3000 were integral before software replaced them. I hammered the life out of them, as well as the Supernova. But after selling most of my typical “90’s collection” and going almost fully in the box for a couple of years, I started buying hardware again. Each piece has its moment. The Prophet 08 was a source of constant inspiration, but was replaced by the Prophet 6 and OB6. They couldn’t compete in terms of modulation options which is when I started getting into some modular pieces. The reason I’ve ended up with such an assortment is so I can move regularly from one to another to avoid falling into the same routine.
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
If I had absolutely nothing the first thing would obviously be a computer. The studio I built in the 90s will have cost around £40k, which would be around £94k in today’s terms. Now you can have the same with a cheap PC, Roland Cloud and a couple of other subscriptions. It’s unbelievable really. So for hardware, I’d start with something that can take you to places you can’t go with a DAW. I’d probably go with something wild like the PWM Malevolent that’s so good at delivering those little sonic hiccups and dirt. It’s another texture that you’re not going to get from software. Be warned, it’s a dangerously addictive gateway drug into eurorack and hardware.
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?
I would’ve said my Juno 2, but after picking up the Retroakctiv MPG50 controller it’s morphed into the perfect 80s/90s machine. The Virus TI took that spot for a while. It was so good that I used loads of instances on every track, but the latency was infuriating. Now my biggest nemesis is cabling. You can’t live without it but it causes so much grief, especially when like me you move stuff around a lot. Today for example, I found a couple of things that need attention on my Odyssey, one of which I thought was the HP filter being stuck at a minimum of 75% so everything sounded thin and weedy. After checking over it for an hour or so then booking it in for a service, I happened to knock the interface and the bass came booming back. The number of times MIDI cables, balanced versus unbalanced cables, 3.5 to 6.3mm adaptors or mono to stereo, XLR to jack etc. cause a dodgy connection that takes hours to track down is infuriating.
9. Most surprising tip or trick or technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?
Understanding wavetables was a revelation. I bought my Microwave XT in 1998 and never truly understood it until years later. Reviewers were excited by user wavetables and I just didn’t get the hype. I’m now all over them, and made a video demoing how you can create wavetables from anything for anything. I worked with Groove Synthesis recently to help put my Prophet VS wavetables into the 3rd Wave in its PPG mode to give all those lovely 80s digital artifacts. It’s one of those ideas that only exists due to the limitations of the technology, and if that creative spark hadn’t happened at the time it would never have been developed.
Artist or Band name?
Starsky Carr
Genre?
Electronic .. is that too broad? Probably to the detriment of my musical career, I can’t do that thing were people seem to write variations on the same track a 100 different ways.
Selfie?
Where are you from?
Liverpool, UK.
How did you get into music?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t into music. It maybe a Liverpool thing, it feels like part of my DNA.
What still drives you to make music?
See above!! I’ve no idea I just feel compelled. I get edgy if I’ve not done something for a while.
How do you most often start a new track?
Almost always by fiddling around, looking for textures, tones and melodies that lead me somewhere.
How do you know when a track is finished?
They’re never truly finished, there’s always something else to do. But when you think you’re now doing stuff that only 1% of people will notice, when you find you’re spending 10 minutes tailing the delay perfectly, making minute changes to filter sweeps, adding another level of saturation or EQ, it’s time to step back and put the brush down.
Show us your current studio
Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?
Whatever you do you have to like it. You have to be prepared to stand in front of an audience and play it. If you’re not proud of it, fix it or ditch it. I can’t attribute that to anyone in particular, it’s more a distillation of many pieces of advice that resonated.
Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.
1. Favourite knob/fader/switch on a piece of gear and why?
There are so many! I’ll go with the first one that comes to mind; The satisfaction of turning an arpeggio into a celestial pad in just a few seconds, it’s by turning the mix knob of the Panharmonium (Rossum Electronic) that you can achieve it. Layering is truly integral to my musical identity. And this module is just incredible for that purpose. There isn’t a piece where it’s not present.
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?
The piano is truly an indispensable instrument for me. I’ve been playing it since I was little. My mother “learned” to play it while she was pregnant with me. I truly believe that fetal life has an impact on who we are and become. She gave it up shortly after my birth. But for me, I’ve always been obsessed with this instrument. Just a single note is enough to plunge me into a very deep and intense emotional state. A year ago, I received the Keybird X1 from Keybird Instruments, which I had been eagerly awaiting for several months. It’s the piano of my dreams, lightweight, and portable. If I were to change something, perhaps I would add handles on each side to make transport easier and minimize damage. Also, among all the ongoing projects, I’m currently working on a pickup system for a piano/ modular synth collaboration.
3. What setup do you bring on holiday/tour/commute etc.?
It’s been years and years since I’ve properly been on vacation, but when I travel, it’s never without my session setup; my two modular cases, my small Mackie mixer, my portable recorders, and the battery that powers all this little world. It fills up the car trunk quite a bit, I must admit, but nothing is impossible with my old Volvo; the modularmobile 🙂 I always have at least one recorder on me, to capture as many sounds and atmospheres as possible. A reflex that stayed with me after my video game sound design training.
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
To be honest, nothing comes to mind. Constraint and limitation are integral parts of my creative process. And it must be said that with all the current offerings in these two worlds, boundaries only seem to widen. That being said, I find it truly extraordinary that anyone can access a virtual modular rack, for instance, at a lower cost, to get hands-on experience, test modules, etc ..
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
I really have no regret concerning my gear journey. Each purchase has taught me a lot, and each resale has allowed me to make a new purchase. This cycle has been necessary for my learning process, the famous “trial & error” that propels us forward. It has also enabled me to make some very nice connections.
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
The piano and singing have always been at the core of my creativity, and I believe they will remain so until my last breath. Adding modular synthesis six years ago was truly a game-changer, allowing me to have a complete electronic orchestra at my fingertips. In my previous projects, this was always the direction I was heading towards. My latest project, which concluded in 2018, “Planetoid,” was a solo endeavor where I sang, played acoustic instruments, synths, used loopers, controllers.. and it was everywhere, becoming physically unmanageable, or at least severely limiting my ability to express what I deeply wanted. It also took up a lot of space and prevented me from engaging in current creative processes.
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
I always think that if I had known about modular synthesis 20 years ago, it would have been something extraordinary. But not coming from an electronic background, it took all this time to get there. And nothing or no one along the way could have guided me. It happened purely by serendipity at a time when I reached a certain artistic and emotional maturity. But also at a time when I decided to go back to studying after a decade of experience on stage. A moment when I also felt stuck in my progress. And a moment when I completely changed my life. Also, I think I would have opted for quality soundproofing from my very first studio (a bedroom studio).
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?
I think it’s my tuners. Indeed, they have only one function in my current usage, and not the most creative one! But they are truly indispensable, especially for long one-hour live sets, where everything can drift very far in terms of dissonance. Big shoutout to the Endorphin team, with their autopilots that make the task as easy as child’s play! That being said, they can also be a tool for creating creative patches such tuning-based modulation effects, tuning-based sequencing and control of granular synthesis or phase modulation.
9. Most surprising tip/trick/technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?
It might seem a bit obsessive, but it’s about modular synthesis again. There are so many surprising and interesting techniques in this field. That’s what makes this instrument so fascinating – you never stop digging and discovering treasures. I remember not being able to sleep for months on end, my brain patching away at night, and waking up suddenly to jot everything down on paper.
Among the hundreds of discoveries one makes when starting out with modular;
Resonant Harmonic Attunement : It’s a technique that harnesses the innate resonance of a filter module to create ethereal harmonics and unlock hidden sonic dimensions. By carefully tuning the resonance knob to a specific frequency, then modulating it dynamically with an LFO or envelope generator, the filter begins to resonate in sympathy with the fundamental frequencies of the sound source. This resonance amplifies certain harmonics while attenuating others, resulting in rich, evolving timbres that seem to breathe and pulse with life.
Feedback loops: By routing the output of a module back into itself or into another part of the signal chain, you can generate chaotic and unpredictable sounds that can add depth and character to your patches. Experimenting with feedback loops can lead to unexpected results and push the boundaries of traditional synthesis techniques.
Wavefolder and Waveshaper Exploration: Wavefolders and waveshapers are modules that can drastically alter the shape and timbre of waveforms. Delving into the creative possibilities of these modules can lead to unique and characterful sounds.
Random and Stochastic Sequencing: Introducing randomness and probability into your sequences can yield unpredictable and evolving musical patterns. Utilizing modules such as random voltage generators, sample-and-hold units, and probabilistic sequencers can result in dynamic and constantly changing compositions
Cross-Modulation and FM Synthesis: Experimenting with cross-modulation and frequency modulation (FM) synthesis techniques can produce rich and harmonically complex sounds. By modulating the frequency of one oscillator with another, you can achieve a wide range of timbral variations and textures.
Complex Envelope and Function Generators: Utilizing modules capable of generating complex envelopes and functions, such as AD (Attack-Decay) and ADSR (Attack- Decay- Sustain-Release) generators, can add depth and movement to your patches. These modules can be used to shape the amplitude, timbre, and modulation of your sounds in intricate ways.
Exploration of Nonlinear Signal Processing: Modules that perform nonlinear signal processing, such as wavefolders, ring modulators, and distortion units, offer unique opportunities for sonic exploration. By pushing signals through these modules, you can create harmonically rich textures and unearth new sonic territories. Don’t be afraid to experiment with unconventional patching techniques and signal routings. Thinking outside the box and exploring unexpected connections between modules can lead to surprising and innovative results.
I could go on like this for hours, as the possibilities for discovery are endless. But what surprised me the most when I discovered its existence is its ability to substitute for an orchestra. To reach the orchestral patch as I practice it today, it took years of research and experimentation. This process has been incredible, a real journey, whether it’s the search for modules or their practice. In the first two years, I systematically unpatched my system after each use to discover new things every time. This technique really allowed me to know my instrument almost inside out, because despite the thousands of hours spent, there is still so much to learn and discover.
Artist or Band name?
Hélène Vogelsinger
Genre?
Immersive & orchestral ambient electronic music
Selfie?
Where are you from?
I am French by nationality, and have been based in France for a little over 10 years now. Due to my parents’ profession, we moved around quite a bit when I was growing up, my parents, my three brothers, and I. I spent a significant portion of my life in Beirut, Lebanon. I returned to Europe at the age of 19, with the sole aim of pursuing a career in music. At that time, the music scene in Lebanon was not as developed as it is today. I actually went back for a short tour in 2017, where I witnessed the great evolution that had taken place. It was truly a beautiful and moving experience. I was deeply affected by this intense period in Lebanon, which had a significant impact on my way of being, living, and composing. For musical projects, I then lived in England, and eventually returned to France, first in Paris, and then in the southwest of France, where some of my family resides. Perhaps the only place where I have some roots. It was one of the best choices of my life. Sort of an unconscious decision, following a burnout in Paris, where I struggled quite a bit, juggling odd jobs that allowed me flexibility in my schedule, thus giving me time for my musical projects and performing on stage in the evenings. The cramped spaces, the lack of nature, the economic constraints caused by the high cost of living, and the hustle and bustle of big cities (which I really appreciate in small doses) eventually took a toll on my morale. It was a very instructive journey nonetheless, and I wouldn’t change a thing if I could.
How did you get into music?
The voice was my very first instrument. I have been singing and composing on the piano since a very young age. So, as you can imagine, my very first compositions at the age of 5 were not very complex. At the same age, I began learning solfeggio, piano, and flute for 5 years. This training was put on hold when we moved to Beirut, but I continued on my own. Indeed, I never stopped singing, playing, or composing. However, this period was more of an accumulation of what I call « inputs »; all these new sounds that are only found there, the wonderful oriental music and its approach. But it was also a time of intense new experiences, such as repeated bombings, the war in 2006, but also, and especially, constant human warmth, that magnetic ground, that desire to embrace life to the fullest, that confidence in the future despite the difficult times and uncertainties. These were great lessons in humanity, humility, and resilience. It took me many years to readjust to the West, the expatriate syndrome and return one. It’s thanks to music and art in general that I was able to find a balance, allowing me to express all these experiences, but also encounters, people who held my hand and showed me the way when I was disoriented by all these changes.
What still drives you to make music?
The search for something deeper than this material existence. Through this guiding source, this force that has inhabited me since forever. I’m sure many artists and enthusiasts of all kinds understand when I say that I can’t do anything else, that it’s my life’s path, my ‘mission.’ Some may find this word a bit strong, but that’s how I feel. My family, who comes from a non-artistic background, took some time to understand it, but when we reunited 7 years ago, in the southwest of France, and they witnessed my dedication, things really changed. Having the unconditional support of loved ones, people we love, and who love us in return, is priceless. It’s an enormous strength. Especially on this path strewn with obstacles that is professionalizing in any art in general.
How do you most often start a new track?
In recent years, it’s after visiting abandoned, depopulated places, far from civilization.Their memory, the passing of time, and the energy they emit have been at the heart of my inspiration. Indeed, since 2019, I’ve embarked on creating a very specific process that unfolds in several stages (location scouting, first exploration, transcription, layers of perception). In terms of composition, and thus the transcription of the experience, it often starts with the piano and voice. This is how the pattern or melody is composed, which becomes the foundation, the essence of the composition. And everything else is built around it in a very organic way. I find myself in a state of ‘Flow,’ where space and time cease to exist. There are no difficult calculations behind all this. It’s like being the instrument of an invisible force, a downward movement, an energy that permeates my entire being, only to rise again. It has always worked this way.
How do you know when a track is finished?
In the context of my creative process, and thus when we record a session, it’s when it reaches its conclusion that the piece is truly finished. But in terms of composition and “orchestration,” the stage preceding the session, it’s an intuition. I know it. I feel it. It’s a feeling of fulfillment.
Show us your current studio
Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?
Embrace the process, not just the outcome. While it may seem peculiar, I’ve found profound wisdom in a self-imposed directive that I’ve diligently adhered to, particularly in the realm of crafting and refining my creative process. However, I must attribute this insight to a confluence of factors, including personal experiences, trial and error, and the invaluable guidance from my mentors and peers. One particular catalyst was a course on ‘unusual recording’ that I undertook at Berklee College of Music, which significantly propelled me out of my comfort zone roughly five years ago. It’s a profound reminder that creativity is not merely about achieving a specific goal or producing a masterpiece; it’s about immersing oneself fully in the act of creation, embracing the journey of exploration, experimentation, and growth. By focusing on the process rather than fixating solely on the end result, we free ourselves from the constraints of perfectionism and self-doubt. We become more open to taking risks, making mistakes, and learning from our experiences. This mindset shift not only fosters a deeper sense of fulfillment and joy in our creative endeavors, but also enables us to tap into our true potential and express ourselves authentically. Ultimately, it’s the journey of creation—the moments of inspiration, the challenges overcome, the lessons learned—that shapes us as artists and allows our creativity to flourish in ways we may never have imagined.
Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.
I’m just going to share with you my YouTube channel where I’ve been documenting my creative process for several years. It’s a place purely focused on artistic and spiritual exploration. I hope it can bring you some inspiration for your own journey, as others have done for me.
1. Favourite knob/fader/switch on a piece of gear and why?
The knobs on the Faderfox DJ44 are, to me, the pinnacle, but what do I know? Faderfox does such great work with its range of devices, and this one, in its little metal case, is an exceptional example of attention to detail. When I read your question a few years ago, when you first sent me the interview request, the DJ44 was my immediate thought — and it remains my answer to this day. I mention it with a sense of the bittersweet, because I’m likely going to trade my DJ44 at some point, because I just don’t use it as much as I used to, but in any case it’s a fantastic device.
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?
I love the Norns from Monome. I had the original Norns, the one with the metal case, which I bought used, but couldn’t really justify the cost, even used, so I sold it and bought a Norns Shield, which is a cheaper version that lacks a battery, among other differences. I had two Norns Shields for a while but sold one of them. There is now a larger Norns Shield called the Norns Shield XL, which I may trade up to at some point. My choice here of the Norns is a bit of a cheat since the Norns is essentially a tiny little computer that can run a wide array of software scripts, and the Norns isn’t just the Norns itself — it’s also that ever-growing library of open-source scripts that people write for the Norns, and the community of people themselves. In any case, the Norns is fantastic. What would I change about it? Honestly, nothing.
If I can give a second answer: I love the full line of Buddha Machines and I use them a lot for music-making.
3. What setup do you bring on holiday/tour/commute etc.?
I’ve pretty much always got an iPad with me. I purchased a used Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic last year on a visit to Portland, and it is very easy to bring on a trip. Despite being tiny, it has a full fretboard with an acoustic piezo pickup. I was in Los Angeles for a few days for a friend’s memorial service at the start of winter, and I had a recuperative time in the hotel room with just the guitar, a little Orange amp (the PPC108), my iPad, and the 8mu from Tom Whitwell’s ingenious line of Music Thing Modular instruments. (I played a small role in the development of the 8mu. Whitwell says he started on the project when he read a tweet of mine in 2019 that went: “Isn’t there some sorta readily available very small MIDI controller, like the size of a cellphone, with a couple buttons, a couple faders, a couple knobs?” The 8mu is what resulted.)
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
I’d love for the handheld Dirtywave M8 Tracker (no relation to the abovementioned 8mu) to be available as software. I think I read somewhere that such a port may yet happen. I certainly appreciate Renoise, the long-running tracker software, but I don’t think it’d be disrespectful of me to suggest the Renoise interface can be a tad overwhelming. The M8 is, in truth, menu-heavy in its own way, but I’d sure love to be able to use it on my laptop. I would have said the Monome Teletype, but that finally happened on VCV Rack, so I’ll go with another, simpler answer, which is I’d love for the Ornament and Crime module to be a VCV Rack module — and that would include the Hemisphere Suite alternate firmware and, heck, all the alternate firmware options. A funny thing happened in the years since you first sent this list of questions to me, which is that so many great physical synthesizer modules have been ported to VCV Rack, as a result of which this question was more difficult to answer today than it would have been back in 2020.
As for the reverse, from software to hardware, that’s an even more difficult question, because a lot of my favorite software, such as the Borderlands app, isn’t purely software; these are tools that work because of the physical interface on which they run. An app like Borderlands already is hardware, in a manner of speaking, because it runs on an iPad. However, a distinction can be made between a piece of software-driven hardware that will work until the thing breaks, like a guitar pedal with firmware, versus a piece of software that is dependent on a separate operating system, such as iPadOS in the case of Borderlands, that may break the software when the OS updates and the old hardware on which it ran is sunsetted. Any number of iOS apps fall into the latter category.
In addition some software, like the Koala app, already have physical parallels in hardware: if I want Koala in standalone hardware form, I could just get an Roland SP-404 (I do want to try the MK II, which does a bunch of stuff the Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II doesn’t). I love Samplr, which also falls into the Borderlands category of being iPad-specific. I love SuperCollider, but it requires a computer keyboard and a screen — I wonder what “hardware SuperCollider” might even mean, right? In many ways, SuperCollider is as tied to a keyboard as Koala, Samplr, and Borderlands are tied to iPadOS. So, no, there isn’t really a piece of software that I wish was hardware.
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
I had two Technics SL-1200 turntables and a mixer many years ago, and I sold them as our family grew and our home seemed to get smaller. I miss them, but I also couldn’t justify the space, and I still couldn’t today. There’s some regret in that, but also a healthy dose of realism. I trade gear with some regularity, and it feels like pieces are always in flux, so I don’t regret anything I have passed on. If I wasn’t using something enough, then it’s best being with someone else who can make use of it. In fact, I currently have a few instruments on semi-permanent loan from other people who can’t quite part with them but don’t have the space or need for them.
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
To keep it simple: the OG Ditto Looper. Or more to the point, a handful of them in combination with my electric guitar.
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
The process has been inherently exploratory for me, and it remains so. I probably wouldn’t do anything differently in particular, unless I had started much earlier or much later. For example, had VCV Rack existed before I got into modular, I’d probably have proceeded in a different manner.
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?
That question pretty much sums up my mixer, a Mackie 1202VLZ4. It’s called a “compact mixer,” but it’s only compact if your sense of reality has been warped by too much time in professional recording studios, which mine hasn’t. The thing seems absurdly large for the amount that I use it, but a mixer is essential and I’m not sure what I could use that’s smaller. I need a lot of ins and outs in a mixer. And that doesn’t count a pair of audio interfaces I use. Maybe there’s a patchbay I could use in its place somehow? Maybe the Teenage Engineering TX-6? (It does pack in six stereo inputs, but it’s priced a bit out of my realm.) Maybe I could combine an Expert Sleepers ES-9 with a mixer module and that’d do it? Maybe, as a friend recommended, I should just trade down for a smaller Mackie, the 802VLZ4, or an equivalent from another manufacturer. Maybe someone reading this will have a recommendation.
9. Most surprising tip/trick/technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?
Hooking a microphone up to the Dirtywave M8 Tracker was, as the saying goes, game-changing for me. As a result, I wasn’t surprised to read that the second generation of the M8 will in fact include a microphone.
Artist or Band name?
Marc Weidenbaum, Disquiet
Genre?
Ambient, field recordings, noise
Selfie?
Where are you from?
I was raised in the same house on Long Island from when I was about a week or so old until I left for college. I moved to California after college — first to Sacramento, where I worked for Tower Records as an editor on its music magazines (Pulse!, Classical Pulse!, and epulse), and then to San Francisco. I’ve lived in San Francisco’s Richmond District ever since, except for four fantastic years in New Orleans.
How did you get into music?
I listened to the radio a lot as a kid. I didn’t have much spending money, so the radio was my connection to music. At some point my younger sister’s friend took pity on me and gave me, with her mom’s permission, a bunch of her own Beatles records, which had been hand-me-downs from her mom in the first place, I think. I dove in, and I never fully re-emerged: it’s safe to say that listening to “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” on repeat as a teenager rewired my brain. By the time I was finishing high school I had branched out — Talking Heads, King Crimson, Funboy Three, stuff like that. I wrote for a campus music magazine when I was attending college, and by the time I left school I wanted to write full time about music. As the years went on, I came to recognize I’m as interested, if not more interested, in sound than in music on its own. As I think the philosopher Chistoph Cox put it, music is a subset of sound. That’s where my head is at.
What still drives you to make music?
Curiosity mostly. As someone who primarily writes, I’m fascinated by the idea of communicating non-verbally. Related topic: making music is way more social than writing is. Also, using instruments has helped me understand more deeply the music I write about, and playing has informed the collaborations I do with musicians, as well as the occasions when I interview musicians and other people who work in sound.
How do you most often start a new track?
I’m usually trying to approximate a combination of sound and signal flow that originates in my head — or more to the point, in my mind’s ear.
How do you know when a track is finished?
My skills are pretty limited, so I know when something has gotten to where I can’t usefully push it any further. I pretty much stop at the “sketch” phase every time. I think my listening may prefer sketches, as well, come to think of it.
Show us your current studio
I don’t have a studio, just a few Eurorack cases on a bookshelf by the edge of my desk. Most everything else I keep in a closet and pull out as I need it.
Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?
Play something every day. (For me currently that is mostly practicing guitar and trying to become vaguely fluent in SuperCollider.)
Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.
I’ll mention two things:
First, I moderate an ongoing music community called the Disquiet Junto. Since the first week of January 2012, each Thursday I have sent out a music composition prompt. As of the first week of January 2024, we had reached 627 such prompts, and the Junto keeps going every week. Musicians from around the world participate. I encourage people to sign up and give it a try. You can learn more at disquiet.com/junto.
Second, I publish an email newsletter called This Week in Sound. It’s for fellow listeners interested in the role sound plays in culture, technology, politics, science, ecology, business, storytelling, warfare, art, society, and anywhere else it might resonate.