How Elizabeth Parker wove the score of 1984’s The Living Planet

Electronic scores can evoke the dramatic wonder of nature, as composer Elizabeth Parker demonstrated in her score for the 1984 BBC David Attenborough classic The Living Planet. Here’s a look behind the scenes, as Parker imagines that soundscape with everything from a PPG Wave to a ketchup bottle. If you need a little extra imaginative inspiration back to the Earth, you’ll love listening to her talk about how she works.

How to get started with SoundThread and CDP: wild free sound tools

Composers Desktop Project has been producing secret sauce of sound spelunkers since the cooperative began in 1986. But it’s receiving newfound attention — partly because of the revelation Aphex Twin used it, but mostly because we finally get a usable GUI. Here’s your guide to how to install this on Mac, Windows, or Linux, and how to dive into the rabbit hole.

Roland’s Tadeo Kikumoto on 808, part by part: the ukiyo-e drum machine

You think you know the 808? Listen to how Mr. Tadeo Kikumoto, Roland’s lead developer at the time, talks about what went into the machine. That walks through origins, from kick to claps, in this excerpt from the book Inspire the Music: 50 Years of Roland History, thanks to publisher Bjooks.

Peter Kirn - August 8, 2025

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