Synth Design Podcast
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Stijn Kuipers - This is Not Rocket Science // Designing the Fenix
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Synth Design Podcast is back! Special edition with This is Not Rocket Science in Amsterdam. I actually went to visit them and see where the Fenix IV w...
Sam Battle- Look Mum No Computer //Solder therapy, with Look Mum No Computer
13 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sam Battle AKA Look Mum No Computer is one of the most active synth makers/hackers online. Last January I had the opportunity to invite him to chat wi...
Justin Van Slembrouck- Modern Sounds // Interfacing generative synthesis
06 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is the right amount of controls? Knobs? Switches? When designing an instrument this question can get many answers. There is no right or wrong, an...
Ciro Caputo Viglione- Unknown Devices // Start with the interface, then figure out the rest
30 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When architect Louis Sullivan coined the phrase Form Follows Function he set the foundation for good design in just three words. In the world of music...
Loki Davison- Poly Effects // Screen, yes! Menu diving, no!
23 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Endless possibilities can lead to a horrible user experience, and when it comes to musical instruments in particular it can be hard to find the balanc...
Jason Lim- Instruo // What makes Instruo synthesizers so exceptional?
16 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's the 20th episode! And I was waiting for this one since my first post on Instagram (it's been almost a year!). Instruo is in its own league when i...
Thea Flowers- Winterbloom //Why should you open source your synths?
09 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Should you open-source your work? Giving away your IP and all the hard work you put into a project might seem unreasonable to many of us, and yet for ...
Emmanuel Galvan- Bocuma Synths // design, build, test learn. rinse & repeat
02 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Designing a complete stand-alone synthesizer is no joke. It can take years to research, experiment, design and build your grand vision. But can you st...
Simon The Magpie- Magpie Effects // from circuit bending to professional effect manufacturing
25 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Simon The Magpie has been circuit bending instruments and effects for many years. In the last few months, he started designing his own effects togethe...
S. Barile & D. McGee - Conductive Labs //A Composer's Best Friend
18 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The concept of noodling on a guitar is one we are all familiar with, but how do you noodle on a synth? Conductive Labs took the notion of noodling (or...
Andrew-Ostler // Digital-vs-Analog-Synth-Design-Philosophy
11 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you'd asked me 3 months ago what Expert Sleepers might release next I would have never have guessed an analog module. Yet, Andrew Ostler, the desig...
Gianluca Herbertson// Herbs and Stones Playful first, then figure the rest
04 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Disregard the convention in the search for playfulness - probably good advice for anyone who's looking to innovate. In particular with instruments, wh...
Tom Verschooten//Threetom Modular a fresh look on modular filtering
28 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Korg MS-20 filter has so many clones that it's hard to count. So why make yet another one? Unless... It's not really a clone. If you want to relea...
Archil-Lab // Making music with motors springs and mechanicals
21 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Archil comes to instrument design from a composer perspective. In the last 3 years, he has been designing mechanical instruments in search of new soun...
David-Rainger- RaingerFX
14 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Guitar effects are a gateway drug for synthesis, and we've gone a long way since the first distortion stomp was introduced around the middle of the la...
Tony Rolando- Make Noise // Instruments as riddles, to guide you through untrodden paths
07 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Make Noise interfaces are like a riddle. They remind me of minimalistic art pieces from the early 20th century - inviting you to question geometric co...
Tom Whitwell- Music Thing Modular // bit by bit, Turing machine - breadboard to eurorack
31 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone who's into generative music knows the Turing Machine, by Music Thing Modular. A random looping sequencer that shaped the way we play with zeros...
Hannes-Pasqualini - Papernoise// the balance between visual design, user interface and illustration
24 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hannes Pasqualini from Papernoise is responsible for some of the most iconic Eurorack interfaces out there. From Mutable Instruments and Alright Devic...
Wesley Marcarelli - Stem Modular //Rethinking stem education, using modular synthesis
17 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wes, from Stem Modular, designs his modules for educational purposes. Not for music education, but for science lessons. Making theoretical concepts le...
Brian Alexander, Trace Bloom // Electronic instruments on the edge of design and conceptual art
10 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On the edge of industrial design and art, there's an intriguing space where craftsmanship meets abstract thinking. Where a designer tinkers with mater...
Erica Synths - Girts Ozolins // Designing instruments for tactile interaction and performance
03 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Designing over 300 instruments will teach you a thing or two about user experience, interface design and ergonomics. In this interview, Girts Ozolins ...
Arturia - Sébastien Rochard // the creative process behind a world-class instrument
26 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Designing an open-ended instrument is a complex challenge. Open ended means flexible, and the more flexible an instrument is, the more complex it can ...
Meng Qi // finding the intricate balance between harmony and chaos
19 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meng Qi has been designing instruments for over 10 years. In this interview, we discuss the creative process behind the Wing Pinger. Inspired by Rob H...
Oxi One Sequencer
12 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Oxi One is an outstanding example of innovation. It is an extensive controller both for midi and analogue devices. What I find most striking is the fa...
Clatters Machines and interacting with nature
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do you design an interface for true randomness? How many controls would you offer the user? What constraints should you define? In this conversati...