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In this occasional series exploring modular synthesis and live performance, William Stokes talks to Tony Rolando, electronic musician and founder of modular company Make Noise. Tony talks about his beginnings in the industry and how Make Noise has relaunched in 2025 with a new team and a brand new module release, which he then showcases in an exclusive performance alongside four additional modules.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
05:22 - Creating Social Media Posts
12:10 - Recent Innovations In Modular
14:02 - Revisioning Jettisoned Music Technology
21:08 - Module 1: Maths
30:17 - Module 2: Morphagene
47:42 - Module 3: Qpas
57:57 - Module 4: Bruxa
01:12:52 - Module 5: New Universal Synthesizer System
01:27:40 - The Performance
Tony Rolando Biog
Tony Rolando is a self-taught musician and electronic musical instrument designer who started his career building electronics for artists, such as the light controlled mixer for Simon Lee’s “Bus Obscura,” working for Moog Music and playing in bands. He has recently released music with Important Records and the Asheville, NC based Ceremony of Seasons.
Tony is the founder, lead designer and co-owner of Make Noise, a modular synth company launched in 2008, known for modules such as the Morphagene and 0-Coast, popular with artists like Thom Yorke and Robert Lowe, aka Lichens. They operate out of Asheville, NC and have global distribution through a number of music tech dealers.
https://tonyrolando.bandcamp.com/
www.makenoisemusic.com
William Stokes Biog
William Stokes is a producer, writer and artist in three-piece avant-psych band Voka Gentle. As well as being a critic and columnist for Sound On Sound, conceiving the popular Talkback column and heading up the Modular column, he has also written on music and music technology for The Guardian, MOJO, The Financial Times, Electronic Sound and more.
As an artist in Voka Gentle he has made records with producers from Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Grizzly Bear, Nick Cave) to Sam Petts-Davies (Radiohead, The Smile, Roger Waters), has had songs featured on franchises from FIFA Football to The Sims and has toured across the UK, Europe and the USA, playing festivals from Pitchfork Avant-Garde in Paris to SXSW in Austin, Texas. He has collaborated with artists including the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne, Morcheeba, Panda Bear and Sonic Boom.
Alongside being a guitarist and pianist, he is a synthesis enthusiast with a particular interest in sampling and explorative sound manipulation. As a producer and engineer, he has made albums with acclaimed avant-garde musicians from composer Tullis Rennie to Mute Records artist Louis Carnell. “I’m always seeking out the most ‘out-there’, experimental, risk-taking musicians I can find to work with,” he says, “to capture vibrant, detailed recordings and create three-dimensional mixes of music that might otherwise struggle to know where to begin in the studio environment.”
Stokes currently lectures in Music Production at City, University of London.
Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts