The Digital Lifestyle.com

Oli Freke joins me for a drum-machine special on this week's show. We talk about his new book Beat Gems, why rhythm boxes changed modern music, the sound of classic machines like the Roland CR-78, TR-808, TR-909, Linn LM-1, Oberheim DMX/DX and Yamaha RX5, and how drum machines helped shape synth pop, hip-hop, house, techno and 80s production. Oli also opens up the Oberheim DX, shows the EPROMs ins...

Gary Whittaker joins me for a bonus TDL Show catch-up. We talk about the Roland D-110 and sequencing before DAWs, smart home voice control, Home Assistant, OpenClaw, local AI models, MCP, and how AI agents can help with the repetitive production tasks around podcasts, YouTube uploads and general automation. We also get into smart displays, ESPHome, local vs cloud AI, privacy, using AI as a practic...

In this week's catch-up show, Ian and Gary dive into the latest in smart home tech, music production, and the evolving world of electric vehicles. Ian shares the impressive survival story of his Samsung Galaxy S24 after an unexpected dip in the pool and previews his brand-new 80s Italian Disco-inspired track, "Midnight Riviera." Gary showcases a versatile new ESP32 dev board with a high-quality to...

Welcome back to the show! This week, Gary returns, and we're catching up on everything from smart home innovations to retro synth deep dives. Gary shares his latest find—an incredibly flexible and affordable LED panel that he's integrated into Home Assistant for custom notifications. We also dive into the world of 80s sound design, discussing my recent Tangerine Dream sound pack, a classic 1986 "s...

In this episode of the TDL Synth Chat, I travel to Prague to speak with Marek Hradil, an electronic music composer and synth expert. We dive deep into his incredible collection of vintage gear—including classic Yamaha CS and DX synths—and explore his fascinating journey from using VSTs to repairing and even designing his own custom hardware. Marik shares insights into his workflow as a computer ga...

In this deep dive, Ian Dixon sits down with sound design expert Keith Crossley to discuss his latest breakthroughs in the world of synthesis. Keith shares his recent work reverse-engineering Omnosphere 3's file formats, enabling the creation of custom multi-sampled sound sources—a capability previously exclusive to Spectrasonics. They also explore Keith's massive library of wavetables, created thr...

In this catch-up episode of the Ian Dixon podcast, Gary joins the show to discuss his recent trip to the  Everything Electric  exhibition. We dive into the latest in EV technology, including test drives of the  MG4 Urban  and a look at the massive  BYD  and  Tesla  ecosystem packages. Beyond cars, we explore Gary's latest smart home gadgets, like the  GeekMagic TV Ultra —a tiny, customizable displ...

A deep‑dive conversation with legendary sound designer Kurt Ader , whose 40‑year career spans factory presets for Roland (Jupiter‑8) , Moog , Korg , Waldorf , Sequential, Emu, and more. He's collaborated with Jordan Rudess , Johannes Schmoelling (Tangerine Dream) , and worked on iconic synths from the Prophet VS to the Moog One . "Roland… told me they were making a new synthesizer with eight voice...

In this episode, I head up the A59 to Yorkshire to visit guitarist, guitar‑builder, synth fan, and all‑round studio tinkerer Pete Coates . What starts as a relaxed catch‑up in his workshop turns into a deep dive into his lifelong relationship with music, electronics, DIY gear, and the blend of guitars and synths that shaped both of us. Pete talks about how it all began for him: sneaking his sister...

This week's episode was a busy one: Gary returned from a family road trip with real‑world EV charging insights, Ian dove deeper into the Roland D‑50, a brand‑new Opsix sound pack dropped, and we explored everything from handmade guitars to next‑gen smart‑home sensors. If you love synths, tech, EVs, or maker culture, this one's packed. 🚗 Gary's EV Road Trip: Charging Hubs Are Changing Fast Gary sp...

In this episode, we sit down with Panos Gounas , a passionate electronic music producer based in the Netherlands, whose journey into music began in the kitchen — literally. Trained as a chef, Panos discovered music production through SAE Athens and private mentorship, eventually diving deep into analog synthesis and sound design. He shares how the Moog Grandmother and Roland Alpha Juno 2 shaped hi...

In this episode, Gary's back and we dive into a packed show: vintage synth goodness, Windows' biggest UX shake‑up in years, smart‑home automation breakthroughs (and disasters), plus new sound design tutorials and Tangerine Dream sound packs. If you enjoy deep‑dive synth chats, home‑automation nerdery, and weekly tech updates, you're in the right place.    

🎹 Synth Legends and Repair Stories This week on TDL Synth Chat , Ian welcomes special guest John Sepúlveda for a deep dive into the Roland D-50—one of the most iconic digital synthesizers of the 1980s. From its groundbreaking LA Synthesis engine to its cinematic presets and onboard effects, the D-50 changed the game. John brings a unique perspective as both a sound designer and engineer, having p...

This week's episode is a full catch-up with Gary, diving into everything from analog synths and sound packs to EV tech and smart home experiments. Whether you're into music gear, electric vehicles, or home automation, there's something here for you. 🎹 Donna Essential L1: Modular Analog Synth We kick things off with a hands-on look at the Donna Essential L1 — a modular analog synth inspired by the...

Alex from  Vulture Culture returns to TDL Synhat to talk Leviasynth, factory patch design, FM architecture, and the strange life cycle of iconic presets. This episode mixes hands‑on sound design stories with broader questions about what makes a synth feel unique — and whether any preset can still define an era. What we cover in the episode Leviasynth first impressions — why it's more FM‑adjacent t...

Join me for a deep‑dive conversation with  Espen Kraft — musician, producer, YouTuber, vintage‑synth aficionado, and creator of some of the most authentic '80s‑inspired music on YouTube. We talk early musical beginnings, vintage gear, sampling, YouTube controversies, creativity, and the realities of making music today. Espen shares stories from door‑to‑door organ sales in Norway, his first synth (...

This week's episode dives deep into synth nostalgia, rare gear, and the birth of a brand-new UK synth event —  Synth Southwest . I'm joined by Peter James Steven , co-host of Process Network and the driving force behind the new show happening in Dawlish on March 21st, 2026 . We talk emulators, Yamaha CS-series synths, the legendary Chroma Polaris, and what it takes to build a synth expo from scrat...

Gary's back and we're doing a full catch‑up episode! No guest this week — just deep dives into new projects, synth talk, smart home adventures, EV news, and a behind‑the‑scenes look at Ian's new album and video production. If you love music tech, DIY projects, Raspberry Pi experiments, synth programming, or smart home tinkering, this episode is packed.   ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 – Intro 0:05 – What's co...

This week on  TDL Synhat , we sit down with James Wickham — a Texas‑based industrial musician, sound designer, and full‑blown modular addict with a wall of Eurorack that could heat a small house. If you've ever wondered how people fall into the modular rabbit hole , why it becomes so addictive, or how modular fits into a modern production workflow, this episode is a goldmine. James Wickham walks u...

Gary joins me for a catch-up as we kick off the first show of the year, covering a wide range of tech, smart home, music, and CES news. We start with a look at what (and what hasn't ) made waves at CES so far, including experimental laptops, solid-state battery breakthroughs, EV tech, and some genuinely interesting smart home announcements. I also share updates on recent projects, including: A Ras...

In this episode, I'm joined by John Lehmkuhl of Plug-In Guru , creator of UniFi , and one of the most influential sound designers behind many iconic Korg synthesizers. John shares his incredible journey into music and sound design — from growing up in a family-run music store to shaping legendary instruments like the M1 , Wavestation , Z1 , Triton , OASYS , and more. We explore sampling under extr...

It's our Christmas Eve episode of The Digital Lifestyle Show , and Gary joins me for a relaxed end-of-year tech catch-up covering music tech, smart homes, and the latest gadgets we've both been experimenting with. I kick things off with a look at the Korg opsix module , exploring modern FM synthesis, how it compares to classic DX-era synths, and why it's such a powerful sound design tool. We talk...

In this episode, Ian is joined by  Rob Puricelli from the ProSynth Network for a deep dive into one of the most important and influential instruments in music history — the Fairlight CMI . Often described as the world's first music computer , the Fairlight didn't just introduce digital sampling — it completely changed how music was created, performed, and produced throughout the 1980s and beyond....

In this week's episode, Gary returns and we dive into a packed show full of new gadgets, smart home upgrades, studio improvements, and a couple of live unboxings . We look at new audio routing setups, presence sensors, smart switches, studio headphones, and practical ways to build a more intelligent smart home – not just an automated one. If you enjoy smart home tech, synth studio setups, and prac...

🎹 TDL Synth Chat – FM Synthesis Deep Dive with Matt Atkinson! This week on TDL Synth Chat , I'm joined by Matt Atkinson , an FM synthesis enthusiast and longtime Yamaha DX collector. Matt has owned almost every DX synth over the years — from the DX7 and DX9 to the V50 and beyond — and in this episode he shares stories, history, sound design techniques, and a full demo of his Yamaha V50 custom sou...