Synth legend Oli Freke will spend a lot of money on a good bike

Oli Freke is a musician and journalist whose work has appeared Sound on Sound, The Quietusand Mixmag. This includes the use of mathematical analysis singing skills of the Western 12-tone scale and goes deeper effects plug-ins. He also wrote a follow-up book synthesizer changes from 1963 to 1995, charting the transition from analog to digital and back.

His new job is Beat Gemsdrum machine coffee watch history from the publisher Bjooks. Like other titles of Bjooks, Beat Gems it’s filled with beautiful photos, interesting historical facts, and helpful tips for getting the most out of your tools, old and new. Roland TR-808 or modern oddities like Erica Synths’ Thunder.

What’s the first app you install on a new phone or computer?

If I’m buying a new computer, it’s going to be my music computer, so I’ll be installing Ableton Live right away. It’s an amazing music program, with an interface that still sounds amazing compared to when I started making electronic music with an Atari ST 520 that could handle MIDI, without listening at all.

Which social media sites do you use the most (if any)?

Maybe YouTube, if we count it as a social network. It’s good to have experts in almost every field to explain ideas, concepts, and strategies. I focus on science, math, chess, and, of course, electronic music. I could do with a few attempts at algorithmic clickbait, which is one reason why I’m not a big user of other social media.

What’s the most frustrating weapon you’ve ever owned?

Leaf shredders and cubers seem like a good idea, but they don’t work very well and don’t save time or effort.

Which game do you remember?

Elite on the Atari ST it was amazing. It builds the whole world on (memory) where the technical problems were, and the result was very impressive.

What is your favorite thing to do?

As a singer, I wish I could write a song that the whole world knows and loves, and that fans want me to play every time – until I got so sick that, in the end, I wished I hadn’t written it. Perhaps this has happened, and all these wishes have come true!

What is the best advice you have ever received?

From my dad (aptly writing on Father’s Day in the UK): “Say yes to every opportunity that comes your way – don’t worry if you can or not!”

What is your passion?

Drum machine! The investigation of Beat Gems the book reminded me of the greatness of folk music; how drum machines have helped this, and in doing so have changed the nature of music over the past sixty years. It’s totally fun.

What do you do when you want to focus?

I wore it www.rinse.fm/koolchoose a group of banging drum’n’bass rollers, and then I’m very happy (and to be honest).

What do you do when you’re stuck?

Remind me of the infinite number of thoughts. I once wrote an article showing that there were 82 quintillion (82^18) 10-note chords that could be written with eight octave notes.

When was the last piece of screen you bought?

The vinyl soundtrack to the beautiful film titled Resynator. It’s about the mysterious synthesis of the early 80s and a daughter’s quest to learn about her father, who made it but sadly died in infancy. I can’t recommend it enough.

What do you think should be confusing?

The ultimate road bike. Compared to cars, bikes are cheap, and you can buy machines that are not far from professional ones for a reasonable price. The difference between a good bike and a fast bike is huge. Cycling in the countryside on a good bike brings me great joy.

What would be the tagline of your biopic?

See a person typing on a computer. For many years. Then watch him play music on the computer. And for years. Then watch him do some normal things about the house, the family, and the car. Sometimes he gets kicked out of flying to Berlin to launch his Kickstarter because he accidentally changed the rules! Disappointingly, this does not turn the biopic into a fall down –event type.

What was the last GIF or meme you used?