Quote 18658556498:

We have also sound-houses, where we practise and demonstrate all sounds and their generation. We have harmonies which you have not, of quarter-sounds and lesser slides of sounds; diverse instruments of music likewise to you unknown, some sweeter than any you have, with bells and rings that are dainty and sweet. We represent small sounds as great and deep, likewise great sounds extenuate and sharp. We make diverse tremblings and warblings of sounds, which in their original are entire. We represent and imitate all articulate sounds and letters, and the voices and notes of beasts and birds. We have certain helps, which set to the ear, do further the hearing greatly. We have also diverse and strange artificial echoes reflecting the voice many times, and as it were tossing it, and some that give back the voice louder than it came, some shriller, and some deeper, yea, some rendering the voice differing in the letters or articulate sound from that they receive. We have all means to convey sounds in trunks and pipes in strange lines and distances.

Sir Francis Bacon, New Atlantis, 1624.

Quote pinned on the wall of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop by Daphne Oram, 1958.

(via minervasowlrepairs)

Video 3845909451:

A dedication compilation of material celebrating the pioneering spirit of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Electronic music synthesis is explored, with various analogue and digital techniques being employed. Material is edited from the following documentary and information sources: The Alchemists of Sound, The Masters of Sound, The Music Arcade, Radiophonic Workshop archive footage, Doctor Who titles, The New Sound of Music and Sonic State, with several more additional BBC music specials and YouTube material being used to enrich the information content. I would also like to thank Simonsound1 for the kind permission to use the Studer tape recorder splicing excerpt as an example of the kind of physical process involved in the sequencing of sounds using spliced magnetic tape. Simonsound1 also produced a radio show entitled “The Tone Generation”, covering the topic of pioneering electronic music composers.

Video 2816358546:

forbiddensiren:

Yo. Delia. Gurl. Reincarnate thyself so that I may wife you.

I’m not much of one for unrequitable crushes but there’s not much I wouldn’t do just to sit quietly beside Delia whilst she recorded sounds, spliced tape loops and narrated her thoughts.

*sigh*

Photo 1477897435:

panpots: early Radiophonic Workshop synthesizer built by the people who would eventually form EMS Would love to hear a recording of this device. zoom

panpots:

early Radiophonic Workshop synthesizer built by the people who would eventually form EMS

Would love to hear a recording of this device.

Photo 1367480834:

Had I worked at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, I would have got my tie chewed and recorded over up by 10AM every day. Probably intentionally after the first time. And hands up if you estimated their delay time by dividing the loop’s approximate length (doubled) by 15IPS. zoom

Had I worked at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, I would have got my tie chewed and recorded over up by 10AM every day. Probably intentionally after the first time.

And hands up if you estimated their delay time by dividing the loop’s approximate length (doubled) by 15IPS.

Video 1145255802:

gerausch:

An overview of Musique Concrete technique, in a pleasant English accent.

“By playing around with tape almost anything can become musical.”