Today we talk to modular synth pioneer Suzanne Ciani and MIT Spatial Sound Lab researcher KamranV. Suzanne and Kamran both love quadraphonic sound, and they have a new quad release coming out on June 4th called Ciani/Orkest. They are on a mission to make quadraphonic music accessible to both musicians and to listeners, and in this interview, Kamran will explain how, you, with no special equipment, can listen to their new album in quad.
We'll also get into how analog synthesizers actually work, the early history of Buchla synths versus Moog synths, why Suzanne t...
Today we talk to modular synth pioneer Suzanne Ciani and MIT Spatial Sound Lab researcher KamranV. Suzanne and Kamran both love quadraphonic sound, and they have a new quad release coming out on June 4th called Ciani/Orkest. They are on a mission to make quadraphonic music accessible to both musicians and to listeners, and in this interview, Kamran will explain how, you, with no special equipment, can listen to their new album in quad.
We'll also get into how analog synthesizers actually work, the early history of Buchla synths versus Moog synths, why Suzanne thinks keyboards diminish the potential of synths, and how Suzanne designed some of the most recognizable sounds of the 1980s.
Suzanne Ciani is a Grammy Award nominated composer, electronic musician, and neoclassical recording artist who has released over 20 solo albums, including Seven Waves and The Velocity of Love. Her work has been featured in Hollywood films, video games, and countless commercials. She was inducted into the first class of keyboard magazine's Hall of Fame, alongside Bob Moog, Don Buchla, and Dave Smith. And she was the subject of the feature documentary, A Life in Waves.
KamranV is an arts technologist and MIT Spatial Sound Lab researcher, and he's a National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient. He's worked at Interscope Records, produced immersive music releases for Nine Inch Nails, Sting, and Beck, and he ran the music tech fest, Moogfest. He's also on the board of dublab.
Cited Media:
Music & Albums:
- Suzanne Ciani - Ciani/Orkest (2026)
- Suzanne Ciani - Live Quadraphonic (2016)
- Suzanne Ciani - The Velocity of Love (1986)
- Suzanne Ciani - Seven Waves (1982)
- Wendy Carlos - Switched-On Bach (1968)
- Stevie Wonder - Talking Book (1972)
- The Rentals
Film & TV:
- 3-2-1 Contact, PBS (1980–1988)
- Brett Whitcomb - A Life in Waves (2017)
- Suzanne Ciani on David Letterman (1980)
Events & Festivals:
- Moogfest
- AES Convention
- Amsterdam Dance Event
- NAMM
Tools & Plugins:
- KamranV - QUARK Plugin (free)
Record Labels & Archives:
- Finders Keepers Records
- AKP Recordings
- Mr. Bonzai
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
5:45 Meet the Guests
6:28 Sound Design & Commercials
13:45 High Art vs Low Culture
19:03 Ciani Orkest
24:42 Moog vs Buchla
26:36 How Modular Synths Work
36:15 Quadrophonic Sound
45:13 The QUARK Plugin
50:24 Seven Waves
Click here to read the full transcript
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