Doctor Who

Radiophonica (WFRP001) is the first title in UK sound designer Ian Boddy’s Waveforms series of independent downloadable sample libraries.

Radiophonica provides a library of sounds that recall the BBC Radiophonic Workshops early work on seminal TV programmes like Doctor Who; as such, they embrace those appealing analogue, organic, retro scifi sounding characteristics of early synthesiser soundtracks.

All 200 samples 24-bit/44.1kHz mono WAV, crossfade looped where appropriate were created using Boddy’s personal collection of old(er) and new(er) analogue synthesisers (Roland System 100-M, Analogue Systems RS Integrator, Doepfer A-100, Analogue Solutions Concussor, EMS VCS3, Moog Minimoog, Metasonix TM-2) and recorded directly into an Apple Mac running Logic Studio via an RME Fireface 400 FireWire audio interface with additional EQ or compression processing provided where appropriate using Audio Ease PeriScope, Waves Renaissance Compressor, and Waves L1 Ultramaximizer. All audible flanging, phasing, reverb, or echo effects are from the various analogue components of the modular systems themselves for absolute audio authenticity. Read more…

A hidden hoard of recordings made by Delia Derbyshire, the electronic music pioneer behind the Doctor Who theme, has been found – including a dance track that some think is 20 years ahead of its time.

David Butler, of Manchester University’s School of Arts, Histories and Cultures has revealed for the first time the existence of 267 tapes found in Ms Derbyshire’s attic when she died in 2001. Strangest among these is a dance track that Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll says is “quite amazing”.

“That could be coming out next week on [left-field dance label] Warp Records,” he noted. “It’s incredible when you think when it comes from. Timeless, really. It could be now as much as then.”

“I find it spell-binding,” says Hartnoll. “I’ve got a shedload of synthesizers and equipment, whereas Delia Derbyshire got out of the Radiophonic Workshop when synthesizers came along.”

Mike Ayres & Dick Mills talk about the history of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Planet Nerd’s Dan Walmsley talks to experimental composer David Shea about the history of the Doctor Who music and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.