6 Music Instrumental

Invented in 1928, the Theremin is one of the first electronic instruments. Biographer Albert Glinsky shares details of the incredible life its Russian inventor Leon Theremin led. Plus, director Lisa Rovner, whose documentary Sisters With Transistors celebrates the female pioneers of electronic music, explains why Theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore was so important in the story of electronic music.

The SM58 is the classic ice cream shaped microphone you've seen on hundreds of stages. Brian Eno reveals why this budget microphone was perfect when he was recording Bono's vocals. And Richard and Hannah share their love of using microphones to record the natural world, and how they use these field recordings in their own music.

From the Theremin to the MPC, the 808 to Ableton, Instrumental takes drum machines, samplers, synths and software as a springboard to celebrate creativity in all its facets. Across the series hear from fellow musicians, creatives and instrument builders including Brian Eno, Carl Cox, Marta Salogni, Roger Linn, Jlin, Jacob Collier, Richie Hawtin, Andre Huang, Patten, The Mad Professor, Shiva Feshareki and more, on how people have been using, and misusing these tools to create new and wonderful music.

Hannah Peel & Richard Norris chart a musical history through iconic instruments, with the Theremin and SM58 Microphone in the spotlight. Including insights from Brian Eno.

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The Roland Space Echo is a legendary effect that uses tape to create spacey delays and reverbs. The Mad Professor remembers first using tape delays, the importance of the Space Echo in Dub, and working with Lee ‘Scratch' Perry. Whilst Hannah and Richard share their love of tape as a tactile medium with Brian Eno.

The AKAI MPC was a sampler that came out in the 80s, and revolutionised a technique that was previously only available to the upper echelons of the music making community. Autor Joe Schloss gives a concise history of Hip Hop and sampling and explains why the MPC was at the epicentre. And Jacob Collier reveals how sampling his audiences singing led to him creating his own musical instrument.

From the Theremin to the MPC, the 808 to Ableton, Instrumental takes drum machines, samplers, synths, and software as a springboard to celebrate creativity in all its facets. Across the series hear from fellow musicians, creatives and instrument builders including Brian Eno, Carl Cox, Marta Salogni, Roger Linn, Jlin, Jacob Collier, Richie Hawtin, Andre Huang, Patten, The Mad Professor, Shiva Feshareki and more, on how people have been using, and misusing these tools to create new and wonderful music.

Hannah Peel & Richard Norris chart a musical history through iconic instruments with the Space Echo and MPC in the spotlight. With The Mad Professor, Jacob Collier and more.

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The Yamaha DX7 was one of the biggest digital synths of the 80s. Peaking in 1986, its sound appeared on thousands of tracks across all genres that decade. Brian Eno reveals how he was one of the few people who managed to programme it. And Youtuber Cuckoo celebrates the sounds of the DX7 that were used in video game soundtracks of the 80s and 90s.

The Technics SL1200 turntables are legendary amongst DJ across dance, hip hop and beyond. Carl Cox explains why, and how he managed to mix on three of them at once. And turntablist Shiva Feshareki reveals how finding a scrap of paper while researching Delia Derbyshire, led to her 2018 Prom for two turntables and orchestra.

From the Theremin to the MPC, the 808 to Ableton, Instrumental takes drum machines, samplers, synths, and software as a springboard to celebrate creativity in all its facets. Across the series hear from fellow musicians, creatives and instrument builders including Brian Eno, Carl Cox, Marta Salogni, Roger Linn, Jlin, Jacob Collier, Richie Hawtin, Andre Huang, Patten, The Mad Professor, Shiva Feshareki and more, on how people have been using, and misusing these tools to create new and wonderful music.

Hannah Peel & Richard Norris chart a musical history through iconic instruments with the DX7 Synth and SL1200 Turntable in the spotlight. With Brian Eno, Shiva Feshareki & more.

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The 808 drum machine is one of the most iconic instruments of all time. Richie Hawtin explains how the 808, alongside the 909, was instrumental to techno, his music as Plastikman, and throughout his career. And Jlin shows how the sounds of the 808 are found throughout her production, despite never having owned a machine.

Ableton is one of the leading music making software programmes on the planet. One of its creators, Gerhard Behles, explains how the freedom of 90s Berlin influenced the birth of the software. Diving deeper into music and computers, Holly Herndon and Marta Salogni remember using AI to make Holly's album PROTO, and artist Patten discusses the inspiration and challenges of using text to audio AI to create his boundary pushing sounds.

From the Theremin to the MPC, the 808 to Ableton, Instrumental takes drum machines, samplers, synths, and software as a springboard to celebrate creativity in all its facets. Across the series hear from fellow musicians, creatives and instrument builders including Brian Eno, Carl Cox, Marta Salogni, Roger Linn, Jlin, Jacob Collier, Richie Hawtin, Andre Huang, Patten, The Mad Professor, Shiva Feshareki and more, on how people have been using, and misusing these tools to create new and wonderful music.

Hannah Peel & Richard Norris chart a musical history through iconic instruments, with the 808 and Ableton in the spotlight. With Richie Hawtin, Jlin, Patten and more.

[LISTEN NOW]