Son[i]a #330 Peter Blasser
- 00:58 Solar sounders
- 10:41 Intro
- 12:58 Post-electronic medieval times
- 16:16 Memory of craft
- 22:52 Paper circuits
- 31:34 Good companies release their schematics
- 34:58 From Berlin to Baltimore
- 39:37 Rehashing old ideas
- 44:06 Bad instruments
- 47:12 Electronic instrument designers as composers
- 52:09 Looking for bad sounds
- 60:06 Woodworking
- 68:18 Walking behind an abandoned warehouse
Peter Blasser is a designer of electronic instruments and one-of-a-kind in the world of synthesizer builders. His circuit designs catalyse philosophical concepts in the form of whimsical analog synthesizers that have been evolving since he started his company, Ciat-Lonbarde, in Baltimore more than 15 years ago.
Constantly rehashing his old designs, the instruments found in his now Berlin-based store can be traced back to some of his earlier designs, which are often idiosyncratically documented and generously shared in the form of downloadable circuits. Peter’s signature unmarked wooden instruments match his outlook on life, inviting users to share his intuitive and playful approach, which we enjoyed throughout our conversation. More akin to craft than industry, Blasser has used materials such as wood, paper, or fabric as a substrate for more sustainable circuits, re-imagining the role of electronics in a distant future.
In this podcast, Peter Blasser introduces us to his environmental instruments and reflects on his views on electronics and synthesizers as a form of creativity. He invokes elements such as wood, sunlight, wind, touch and craft in the process.