The groundbreaking BBC Radiophonic Workshop archive is now accessible for the first time for artists and producers to use, continuing its legacy of pioneering electronic music and sampling. This archive includes iconic sounds and music created for popular radio and TV series like Doctor Who, Tomorrow’s World, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Thanks to a licensing agreement and collaboration between Spitfire Audio, a London-based technology company known for creating virtual instrument sample libraries, and BBC Studios, a new package of samples will be available for purchase starting from Wednesday. The introductory price for this package is £119/€143/$159 until March 6, and then it will be priced at £149/€179/$199.
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, which operated from 1958 to 1998, was renowned for its innovative and experimental approach to sound creation. The sounds produced at the Workshop have influenced artists like Brian Eno, Orbital, and Hans Zimmer and paved the way for modern music production. The sample library created from the Workshop’s archives will now be accessible to musicians and producers, preserving this important musical heritage for future generations.
The iconic Doctor Who theme, created by Ron Grainer and arranged by Delia Derbyshire at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, is just one example of the Workshop’s groundbreaking work. Composer and sound designer Mark Ayres, who is also the Workshop archivist, emphasizes the importance of leaving behind a creative tool inspired by the Workshop’s work for future generations to use and be inspired by.
The Spitfire Library features sounds from original tapes, as well as new recordings and experiments by Workshop members and associates. The goal is not only to look back at the past work of the Workshop but to project its creative process into the future and explore what it would sound like today.
Dominic Walker, the global business director for BBC Studios, expresses excitement about collaborating with Spitfire Audio to bring the legendary sounds of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to a new generation of musicians and composers through this valuable online library.
To learn more about this new offering, you can watch the trailer provided in the link.
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