Ken Evans joins me from Australia to talk about recreating classic synthesizer parts for artists including Peter Hook and the Light, and about the sounds and instruments behind New Order's music.

We discuss how Ken first got into electronic music through Blue Monday and The Human League, his early experiences with instruments including the Roland Jupiter-4, Korg MS-20 and Juno-106, and how his work developed into sound design and programming for other artists.

Ken explains how he approaches rebuilding classic synth parts by ear, including Bizarre Love Triangle, the practical differences between hardware and software, live touring setups, vintage drum machines and the challenges of maintaining older instruments. He also talks about the synths he would save first.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Ken Evans and the New Order connection
05:15 Early synth influences: Blue Monday and the Jupiter-4
09:36 From Tycho Brahe to Tycho Sound Design
12:46 Recreating Bizarre Love Triangle
16:08 Working with Peter Hook and the Light
21:39 Recreating New Order's synth parts
26:49 Juno-106s and live hardware
32:15 Drum machines, samplers and touring rigs
39:26 The synths Ken would save first
43:32 Why the Jupiter-4 is so distinctive
45:16 Hardware versus software
47:55 Tycho Sound Design and where to find Ken

Find out more about Ken's music and sound-design work through Tycho Brahe website and social channels.
https://tycho.com.au/

Subscribe to The Digital Lifestyle for synth tutorials, sound design, vintage gear and electronic-music interviews.

#Synthesizers #NewOrder #PeterHook

Ian Dixon and Garry Whittaker return for a TDL Show catch-up covering rescued smart displays, Home Assistant dashboards, local voice control, the E-mu Emax II sampler, Korg Radias videos, synth editors, studio tools and recent music projects. Garry shows how low-cost display hardware and old Meta Portal devices can be repurposed for Home Assistant, while Ian talks about the Emax II, GoTek floppy emulation, new Web MIDI editors and writing tracks around specific synths.

Chapters:
00:00 Coming up: Emax II, Radias and Home Assistant displays
01:00 Garry returns for a catch-up show
02:00 Cheap ESP display as a bedside Home Assistant clock
04:00 Reusing old hardware for Home Assistant dashboards
06:00 NSPanel Pro, kiosk mode and garage controls
08:00 Meta Portal as a repurposed smart display
10:00 Local voice control, Home Assistant voices and wake words
12:00 Intercom and voice call experiments
14:00 OpenPortal, APK installs and kiosk satellite
16:00 Fleet management, DNLA and Music Assistant
18:00 Mounting, USB access and hardware limitations
20:00 Cheap Meta Portal devices and useful display ideas
22:00 App stores, browsers and unlocking extra features
24:00 Music Assistant, Sonos-style control and gestures
26:00 Ian's E-mu Emax II rack sampler
28:00 GoTek floppy emulation and USB libraries
30:00 Classic Emax sounds, sampling and memory limits
32:00 Emax repairs and Korg NX5R editor
34:00 Browser-based synth editors and studio search ideas
36:00 Writing tracks around specific synths
38:00 Sampling workflows and creative constraints
40:00 SCSI, Raspberry Pi emulation and old sampler storage
42:00 Keeping vintage technology alive
44:00 Music playback, Spotify and canvas artwork
46:00 Garry's socials and Home Assistant video plans
48:00 Wrap-up and next catch-up

Featured Topics:
Home Assistant dashboards and wall displays
Meta Portal repurposing with OpenPortal
Local voice control and wake words
Music Assistant and smart home audio
E-mu Emax II rack sampler
GoTek floppy drive emulation
Korg Radias videos and sound design
Web MIDI synth editors and studio search tools
DX100, DX7 and synth-specific track writing
Vintage sampler storage and SCSI emulation

If you enjoy smart home projects, retro tech, music technology and synth chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and tell us in the comments which old device you would repurpose for Home Assistant or studio use.

Watch more videos on the channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@IanDixonTDL

Peter James Stevens from the ProSynth Network joins me for a vintage Yamaha synth chat, focusing on the Yamaha CS and SK analogue instrument range. We talk about the famous CS-80 and the wider CS family that often gets overlooked: CS-5, CS-10, CS-15, CS-30, CS-15D, CS-20M, CS-40M, CS-50, CS-60, CS-70M and the SK string/synth/organ instruments.

Peter has a collection of Yamaha analogue synths and brings real hands-on context to the discussion: how the smaller mono synths compare with the big polyphonic machines, how the SK range links back to Yamaha organ technology, why the CS instruments have such a distinctive build and sound, what they are like to service, and why these instruments still matter for players and collectors.

We also talk about Synthfest, the ProSynth Network, restoring and maintaining vintage Yamaha gear, the move from CS analogue synths into DX digital FM instruments, and what makes these old Yamaha instruments worth hearing and playing in person.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro and Yamaha CS/SK teaser
00:46 Peter James Stevens joins the show
01:08 From emulators to vintage Yamaha
01:40 Why the smaller CS synths get overlooked
02:16 CS-5, CS-10, CS-15, CS-30 and CS-30L
02:59 CS-15D, CS-20M, CS-40M and memories
03:37 CS-80, CS-40M and CS-70M context
04:36 Yamaha SK range and organ/synth crossover
05:23 Professional stage instruments and Yamaha design
06:03 CS-15, Human League and classic synth references
07:27 Yamaha gear in music college memories
12:15 Servicing, restoration and repairability
12:44 Exploring the mono synths
18:04 Synthfest and playing the instruments in person
20:57 Peter's Yamaha collecting story
21:07 CS-50, CS-30 and favourite instruments
25:10 The shift from CS analogue to DX digital
25:37 DX1, DX7 and Yamaha's next era
30:10 Playing vintage Yamaha synths today
31:56 ProSynth Network and where to find Peter

Featured Topics:
Yamaha CS-80 and the flagship CS poly synths
Yamaha CS-5, CS-10, CS-15 and CS-30 mono synths
CS-15D, CS-20M, CS-40M and CS-70M
Yamaha SK string, organ and synth instruments
Vintage Yamaha servicing and restoration
Synthfest and hands-on synth events
The move from analogue CS synths to DX FM synthesis

If you enjoy vintage synth history and hands-on synth chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment with the Yamaha CS or SK instrument you would most like to try.

Simone Owen from Future Perfect joins me for TDL Synth Chat 1048 to talk about songwriting, electronic music, synthpop influences, production workflow, live performance and the next Future Perfect album, Faultline.

We cover Simone's early musical memories, including David Bowie and 70s/80s influences, how Future Perfect began, the difference between retro inspiration and modern electronic songwriting, and how artists like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, OMD, Jean-Michel Jarre and dance music helped shape her sound.

Simone also talks about self-taught production, working with software synths and hardware, live electronic gigs, the synth scene, Bandcamp and streaming, and how she keeps the focus on finishing music rather than collecting gear.

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:20 Meet Simone Owen from Future Perfect
01:06 Future Perfect and early Bowie memories
02:42 Self-taught music and learning by doing
05:09 Depeche Mode and early synth influences
08:19 Synthpop, Pet Shop Boys, Genesis and storytelling
10:39 First albums and production roles
12:07 Pre-Future Perfect projects and production workflow
15:01 Early Future Perfect tracks and OMD-style experimentation
18:20 Live performance and electronic gigs
23:55 Synth scene, dance, goth and synthwave crossover
25:09 Songwriting and production today
29:02 Favourite synths and early gear
31:17 Software synths and working in the box
34:37 Keeping the setup focused
35:54 Faultline and future Future Perfect projects
37:02 Where to find Simone and Future Perfect

Future Perfect - YouTube

Future Perfect - UK EBM/Futurepop/Electronica

If you enjoy TDL Synth Chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment with your favourite Future Perfect track or the electronic artist who first pulled you into synth music.

Ian Dixon is joined by Jimi Uno / James Hancox from Jimi Uno's Pound Store Synth Emporium for a TDL Synth Chat about budget synths, overlooked classics and the joy of getting big sounds from unfashionable gear. The conversation covers how Jimi got into music, early encounters with DX7-era synths in music shops, the Kawai K1, Ensoniq and E-MU samplers, Alpha Junos, ROMplers, live rigs, effects, hardware versus plugins and the dream synths that still sit on the wish list.

This episode is all about the instruments that do not always get the headline treatment: bargain vintage synths, samplers, ROMplers, older workstation keyboards and the effects that can make them come alive. If you enjoy classic digital synths, budget music tech and stories from the era of real music shops, this is a great chat with plenty of gear memories and practical recommendations.

Chapters
00:00 Coming up: Jimi Uno and Pound Store Synth Emporium
01:08 Welcome to Jimi Uno / James Hancox
01:51 Getting into music and early synth fascination
03:29 DX7-era records, music shops and learning by listening
05:00 First affordable keyboards and trying synths in shops
08:00 Early music jobs, organs and being around instruments
09:35 Wanting a DX7 and learning to program the DX100
11:00 Modal Argon 8 and recreating classic FM-style sounds
13:26 Live playing, gigging and changing setups
15:35 The Pound Store synth idea and overlooked bargains
17:12 Mirage memories, sampling limits and E-MU samplers
20:00 Synths owned over the years and music shop stories
23:05 Effects pedals, tape echo and gigging workflows
24:29 Juno-106, DX11 and discovering the Kawai K1
26:13 Why the Kawai K1 still matters
28:54 Samples, TG33-style sounds and 90s digital character
32:00 Alpha Juno and affordable Roland classics
33:34 ROMplers, workstation sounds and why they are coming back
36:13 E-MU Emulator libraries and sample-disk formats
40:51 JV-1080, Ensoniq gear and gear that got away
44:05 Current gigging setup and synth choices
47:39 Budget effects, Lexicon and widening synth sounds
52:30 Hardware versus software synths and plugins
57:04 Plugin workflows, limitations and creative choices
59:00 Dream synths, creativity and final gear thoughts
01:00:19 Where to find Jimi Uno
01:02:00 Wrap-up and final recommendations

https://www.youtube.com/@UCtCmty534OccwdWcLJnShIw

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HUcGPmrhV3nfNHPQr7luW?si=I4eD-r2HRl-T49cYKZ1TZA&nd=1&dlsi=f42694178f144e27

If you enjoyed this TDL Synth Chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and leave a comment with your favourite overlooked synth, sampler or effects unit. I would also love to know which budget classic you think deserves more attention.

🎧 Listen to Each Machine a Voice:

https://open.spotify.com/album/695pmN5dQXZqEAVyDrgmDJ

https://music.apple.com/us/album/each-machine-a-voice/6809510892?uo=4&app=apple+music

https://music.apple.com/us/album/each-machine-a-voice/6809510892?uo=4&app=itunes

https://amazon.co.uk/music/player/albums/B0HJ53934H?marketplaceId=A1F83G8C2ARO7P&musicTerritory=GB&ref=dm_sh_t0f4NnY2RNOvqYTXmAZqXo7Ch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg7j67485GU&list=OLAK5uy_msD5-KeWGm4k0tvYC2mVBswhtbyCmOQHc

If you enjoyed this TDL Synth Chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and leave a comment with your favourite overlooked synth, sampler or effects unit. I would also love to know which budget classic you think deserves more attention.

#TDLSynthChat #JimiUno #PoundStoreSynthEmporium #BudgetSynths #VintageSynth #KawaiK1 #YamahaDX7 #EmuSampler #RolandJuno #Synthesizer #MusicProduction

Watch the video on YouTube.

Ian and Garry catch up for The Digital Lifestyle Show, covering EV road trips, smart home upgrades, Home Assistant, retro tech projects and the latest synth work from Ian's studio. Garry talks about a 2,000 mile trip to Denmark in the VW ID. Buzz and what European charging infrastructure looks like in practice, while Ian shares updates on the new album Each Machine a Voice, TX7 and Korg KARMA editor projects, Keyfax 3, old synths and a few future ideas.

This episode moves between practical connected-home discussion and music technology: thread and Zigbee changes, mini PC upgrades, USB UPS power, ESPHome voice devices, OpenClaw voice experiments, Yamaha and Korg editor/librarian tools, MOSS physical modelling, retro synth books, album production and Music Assistant.

Chapters:
00:00 Coming up: catch-up show, EVs, gadgets and synth projects
00:35 Garry returns and the 2,000 mile Denmark EV road trip
01:43 Denmark charging infrastructure and motorway charging
03:00 ID. Buzz sightings, Legoland and real-world EV range
05:05 Home Assistant and smart home revamp
06:12 Thread routing, Zigbee and removing older smart-home layers
07:00 Moving Home Assistant to a mini PC
08:13 USB UPS power for the Home Assistant box
09:33 ESPHome voice hardware and Nabu voice assistant experiments
13:11 Controlling lights and custom voice responses
16:51 Ian's new album Each Machine a Voice
19:30 YouTube videos, Boss ME-25 synth guitar effects and synth demos
20:51 Modern editor/librarian tools for old synths
21:33 TX7 editor, MS2000 editor and patch management
22:01 Korg KARMA, MOSS physical modelling and editor work
24:00 Korg DW-6000 editor and building the editor collection
24:40 Keyfax 3, late-80s synths and vintage adverts
26:25 Album release, voice quality and OpenClaw voice control
29:00 More retro gear, E-MU samplers and project backlog
29:29 Running Home Assistant on older hardware
31:34 Future guests and tidying Home Assistant automations
32:03 Water leak sensors, alerts and spoken notifications
32:54 Kitchen lighting, daylight sensing and smart switches
34:14 Music Assistant, multi-room audio and old touch devices
35:59 Twinkly lighting, upcoming videos and wrap-up

This week I chat with Alonzo from Synthwave Dojo about making 80s-inspired synthwave, from the roots of the sound through to practical ways of building bass lines, drums, pads, leads and full arrangements.

Alonzo shares how he moved from playing drums in rock bands to producing electronic music, what defines synthwave, why the Drive soundtrack helped introduce a new audience to the genre, and how producers can start with simple tools, free synths and classic drum machine sounds.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro and meeting Alonzo
02:15 From rock drums to electronic music production
05:35 Making music solo with synths and a laptop
08:10 What is synthwave?
11:50 Kavinsky, College and the Drive soundtrack
16:20 80s influences, nostalgia and the synthwave sound
23:20 The quick synthwave recipe: drums, bass, pads and leads
27:45 Turning an 8-bar loop into a full track
33:15 Free VSTs, drum samples and getting started
36:30 Affordable hardware for synthwave sounds
39:30 Synthwave Dojo tutorials, courses and live builds
42:00 Sound design, sound banks and FM synthesis
45:00 Building 40-bar and 80-bar arrangements

Check out Synthwave Dojo:
https://synthwavedojo.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@SynthwaveDojo

If you enjoy music technology, synths and electronic music production, please like the video, subscribe to The Digital Lifestyle and leave a comment with the synthwave sound or artist you would like us to talk about next.

#Synthwave #SynthwaveDojo #MusicProduction #80sSynth #ElectronicMusic #Synthesizer #TheDigitalLifestyle

Watch the video on YouTube.

Gary Whittaker is back for a smart home catch-up, with new gadgets, Home Assistant updates, Zigbee and Thread talk, presence sensors, AI automations and a few workflow updates from the studio.

In this episode we talk about cleaning up thousands of old Alexa devices, moving away from SmartThings, using a multi-radio smart home hub for Zigbee and Thread, LinknLink presence sensors, local AI image recognition, LED panel notifications, OpenClaw automation, new microphones and the Kawai K1m.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro and Gary returns
01:04 Cleaning up old Alexa and smart home devices
04:49 Kawai K1m, one-synth tracks and synth librarian tools
08:47 Vibe coding, AI workflows and token costs
12:06 Multi-radio smart home hub for Zigbee and Thread
18:35 Home Assistant integration and range improvements
19:23 LinknLink presence sensor setup
23:35 Using sensors with lights, Hue and OpenClaw
28:08 New wireless microphone kit
29:28 Recent videos, SynthFest and one-synth tracks
30:42 LED panel notifications with AI recognition
33:38 OpenClaw automations for podcasts and video workflows
36:08 Local AI models for smart home image recognition
38:44 Night lighting and bedroom automations
40:12 Wrap-up and Gary's channels

If you enjoy smart home tech, Home Assistant, music technology and practical AI automation, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and let us know in the comments what smart home gadget has made the biggest difference in your setup.

https://riddix.github.io/home-assistant-matter-hub/guides/alexa-bulk-delete-devices
https://alexa.amazon.co.uk/api/behaviors/entities?skillId=amzn1.ask.1p.smarthome