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This week on TDL Synth Chat , I'm joined by Chileas , a producer and synth lover from France, whose musical journey has taken him from beat-making in Paris to building a studio full of classic synths and exploring synth-pop sounds. We chat about his early days in a hip-hop scene full of samplers and soul records, and how that eventually led him to the world of analog synthesizers. From the MicroKo...

Welcome back! After a short break, we're back discussing the latest in smart home automation, AI integration, electric vehicles, Windows 11 builds, music tech, and more. Join Ian and Gary for a packed episode covering gadgets, home automation experiments, and future tech. 👇 Timestamps & Topics: 00:00 – Welcome back & holiday recap (Surface Go, Kindle, suitcase trackers) 01:48 – Capturing field so...

This week on The Digital Lifestyle Show , Ian and Garry are back with a deep-dive discussion after a string of great guest episodes. From the creative impact of AI to hands-on synth sound design and smart home automation hacks — it's a wide-ranging conversation packed with insights, demos, and gear tips. 🎧 In This Episode AI in Music Creation Can AI truly be creative? Or is it just cleverly copyi...

In this week's episode of The Digital Lifestyle Show , I'm joined by none other than Daniel Fisher from Sweetwater. If you're into synthesisers, programming, or live performance — this is a must-listen episode. Daniel has had a long and fascinating journey through music and synthesis, and in this episode, he shares stories from his early musical experiences, how he got started with synthesisers, a...

n this episode, we dive deep into the world of vintage synth firmware hacking with Thomas Jansson. Thomas has been developing new firmware for the classic 1986 Korg DW8000 synthesizer, adding features like enhanced unison detune, expanded filter resolution, random LFOs, and new modulation destinations — all while preserving the synth's vintage character. We also explore Thomas' background in music...

🎙️ New Episode of the TDL Podcast! This week, I'm joined by Peter Dowsett , a long-time synthesizer enthusiast, producer, and vintage sampler collector, for a deep dive into synth history, creative sound design, and studio setup secrets. Peter shares his journey from discovering synths in the early '80s to building an advanced modern studio with 90 live audio inputs via MADI routing. We talk TR-50...

🎙️ This Week on the Show: Exploring the Octave Cat with James Brennan James Brennan is back! Following his popular appearance discussing the Polyvox, James returns to dive deep into another quirky classic – the Octave Cat analog synthesizer. In this episode, we explore the history of Octave Electronics, how the Cat compares to synths like the ARP Odyssey and Minimoog, and what makes this rare mono...

This week I'm joined by musician and synth aficionado Peter Taipei for a deep dive into decades of gear, sound design, and creative inspiration. From his early days on the Roland JX-10 and Yamaha RY30 to sampling with EMU samplers , gigging with the Virus TI , and exploring granular synthesis , Peter shares insights from his journey blending guitars and synths in both hardware and DAW-based setups...

This week, Garry returns and we catch up on all the latest in tech and electric vehicles! 🖥️ I dive into testing the new Snapdragon-powered Surface Pro 11 , sharing my experience using it for music production with Cubase 14 ARM and low-latency studio headphones . We also cover the newly announced 12" Surface Pro and 13" Surface Laptop , exploring their specs, price points, and limitations. 🎹 We a...

: 🎹 TDL Synth Chat – Episode with Beat Zimmermann This week on TDL Synth Chat , Ian Dixon is joined by keyboardist, composer, and producer Beat Zimmermann for a deep dive into music, synths, and an exciting upcoming project. Beat shares his journey from classical piano training to jazz and fusion, his early passion for synthesizers, and his impressive collection of gear through the decades—from D...

🎧 Synth Chat with Seth | From Teenage Engineering to Take 5 and Beyond 🎹 Welcome to this week's episode of The Synth Show ! Ian chats with Seth Weisfeld —a product designer, synth enthusiast, and founder of Function Health—about his synth journey, gear picks, and design philosophy. Seth shares how his background at Facebook shaped his views on user experience in synths, why he's drawn to the OP-...

In this episode of TDL Synthchat , we dive into the world of Soviet-era synthesizers with special guest James Brennan. We explore the legendary Polyvox, a raw and aggressive analog synth known for its powerful filter and Cold War aesthetic. James shares his journey into electronic music, how he acquired his Polyvox from Ukraine, and the quirks that make this synth a unique piece of history. We als...

Welcome to the latest edition of TDL Synth Chat ! This week, I am joined by experimental musician and synthesist Eva Orchard . Eva talks about her journey into music and how she got started. We also discuss how she chose her first synthesizer and the latest gear she's using. Links from this week's show: Ever Orchid | Spotify https://www.youtube.com/@everorchid https://everorchid.bandcamp.com/ http...

In this episode,  Ian Dixon  and  Garry Whittaker catch up on various topics, including recent music interviews, travel experiences, and the efficiency of charging networks. They discuss Ripple's receivership and its impact on investors, as well as Garry's home projects like a rain sensor with impressive battery life. Ian shares his work on programming drum machines and recreating sounds from vari...

TDL Show #985 This week on the show, I'm joined by Carlo from Audiothing to talk about his recreation of the classic monosynth, the Jen SX1000. Carlo's love for this budget-friendly 1978 mono synth inspired him to bring it back as a plugin. We discuss how he got into synthesizers and why the Jen SX1000 was his first analog synth. Carlo shares his approach to designing the plugin, what makes the Je...

Welcome to this week's podcast! TDL Show #978 On the show this week, we are joined by Mark Pigott , sound designer and musician, to talk about his love of sound design. Mark has created many video tutorials on using the Waldorf Blofeld , Korg Modwave , and Korg Multi/Poly . We discuss how he got into synthesis, the art of programming wavetable synths, and much more!

This week on the TDL Show, we have a synth modulation master class from Peter "Ski" Schwartz, an expert sound designer and the creator of many classic synth sounds, including many of the presets on Korg synths like the Wavestation, Z1, Modwave, and the Multi/Poly. Using Modwave Native, Peter explains the principles of synth modulation and how you can use the Mod Processors on synths like the Modwa...

TDL Show #976 Welcome to this week's TDL Show! Garry talks about low-cost home security cameras and how to integrate them into your home security system. I explore a new plugin that recreates the classic Jen SX1000 and compare it to my own Jen. I also discuss the new MIDI stack in Windows 11 and revisit my old Korg NX5R. Plus, I launch my new community sound bank project and much more! Links from...

TDL Show #975 Welcome to this week's Synth Chat! This week on the show, I'm joined by keyboard player MarQ Speck from SWEET CRYSTAL. He's celebrating 50 years with the group and has played an incredible range of synths over the years. We discuss his journey, from starting out with organs to acquiring his first Minimoog and other classic synths. We also talk about the regret of letting go of potent...

Welcome to this week's podcast, where Garry and I are joined by musician and DJ Kelly Myers to talk about his passion for synths, drum machines, and music. Kelly has an interesting collection of electronic music gear, including the classic Roland TB-303. He shares how he got into music, talks about his gear collection, and explains why he uses both modern and classic synthesizers. Links from this...

  Welcome to this week's podcast! Garry and I catch up on the latest tech news, including the smart home gadgets he's been testing—such as using AI to control heating. I also talk about my new Korg sound packs and the latest Windows 11 builds. Links from this week's show: ·        Laser Harps and Beyond: Elka Synthex Sounds for the Modwave ·        Mastering Vintage Synth Templates on the Korg Mul...

Welcome to This Week's Show! This week, I'm joined by musician, synth collector, and YouTuber Alex Dalliance, also known as Vulture Culture . Alex has an incredible YouTube channel and a thriving community centered around vintage synthesizers. Alex regularly hosts a weekly YouTube live stream where he dives deep into the world of vintage and modern synths, sharing his expertise and passion with fa...

TDL Show 971 Welcome to This Week's Podcast! This week, I'm joined by Dan Phillips from Korg R&D to dive into Korg's NAMM announcements and the exciting new Multi/Poly synthesizer. Dan shares insights about the latest products unveiled at NAMM, focusing on the Multi/Poly—a new analog modeling synthesizer. He discusses the inspiration and development behind this instrument, explaining why the team...

Welcome to our first show of 2025! This week, Garry and I discuss what we're looking forward to this year, the latest news from CES, and exciting developments in music tech. I share details about my new Korg Multi/Poly, Garry dives into the world of 360 cameras, and we explore the latest trends in smart home technology. Links from this week's show: ·        Exploring Analog Synth Samples on the Mo...

This week on the podcast, Garry is back, and we're catching up on the latest news! Garry dives into the newest developments in the EV world and shares updates on some exciting tech projects he's been working on. Meanwhile, I talk about the Korg Multi/Poly, which I've just had the chance to explore. We also discuss Windows Insider news, AI advancements, and much more.