Synth History

Legendary musician, composer, visual artist and co-founder of DEVO, Mark Mothersbaugh, talks to Danz about scoring Wes Anderson’s 2004 film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and about his new book, Apotropaic Beatnik Graffiti. This is the extended version of a conversation originally presented at one of the Synth History ‘Iconic Scores’ screening series nights at the Vidiots Theater in Los Angeles, CA. 

Oscillators are found everywhere in our universe, from the voltage controlled oscillator found inside your synthesizer, to the quartz crystal oscillator found inside your watch. The oscillations of black holes, electromagnetic fields, and sound itself shape the dynamics of our world. This episode takes you on a journey through what it means to oscillate - a fundamental concept in physics and engineering. Special guests include: Joel Green, an astrophysicist and instrument scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute; Max Katz, a physicist and legislative fellow in the U.S. Senate; and Steve Dunnington, engineer and VP of product development at Moog Music.

The Roland Corporation and its founder, Ikutaro Kakehashi, have had a lasting impact on popular music and culture. Roland’s drum machines and synthesizers have been used by countless musicians. This episode explores the circumstances that led Mr. Kakehashi to found one of the biggest musical instrument companies in the world. 

Wendy Carlos is a musician and composer best known for her electronic music and film scores (A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Tron). She paved the way for synthesizers with her 1968 record Switch-on-Bach, which won multiple Grammy Awards. In this episode we talk about Wendy's history and contributions to the world of music.