simonsound

I’ve been doing a bit of synth programming for UNKLE over the last few months (some of which features on their upcoming album) and in return I’ve been lucky enough to borrow a bunch of really nice synthesisers. The best of these has to be the Synthi VCS3 which was created by London based EMS (Electronic Music Studio) in the 60’s. The first commercial synthesiser to be used by the highly influential BBC Radiophonic Workshop, it went on to be used by bands such as Pink Floyd, Hawkwind and The Who.  But it is the work of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop that really made the most of this experimental electronic FX machine. Used by composers such as Delia Derbyshire and John Baker who coaxed other worldly rhythms and textures out of the little box of magic, its sounds turned up in many television programmes from the late 60’s onwards, the best known of these being Dr.Who.

Futuristic doors sliding open and closed, sonic screwdrivers, Dalek ray guns and many more futuristic sounds were created by this machine and its perfectly suited for such things. The Battleship style pin matrix system allows any of the VCS3’s different sound generation, modulation, control or treatment elements to be routed in a multitude of different ways which make for an almost unlimited number of sounds.

I have created a pack of EMS Synthi VCS3 ring-tones that will be launched around the release date of The Simonsound album in May. Everytime your phone rings you can imagine its The Doctor calling or that you’ve just been exterminated by a Dalek or that rather than your mum calling to see what you want for tea its an interplanetary message of goodwill from an unknown galaxy.

For more on EMS listen to the special EMS Tone Generation show

Just wanted to alert you to a new Tone Generation programme. This new episode features music performed and created for Expo 58.

Adding to the original 10 part Tone Generation series, this special World`s Fair edition focusses exclusively on electronic music aired at Expo 58, and was first broadcast as part of the Oscillatomium programme live from the Atomium in Brussels in October 2008, organised by mobile-radio.net.

Subscribe to the podcast or download the MP3 here.

Go here to find out more about the man behind the series Ian Helliwell. I’m in the studio with him next week working on another Tone Generation special and I can’t wait to hear his music selection.