大象传媒

Hannah Peel & Richard Norris chart a musical history through iconic instruments, with the Theremin and SM58 Microphone in the spotlight for this first episode.

Invented in 1928, the Theremin is one of the first electronic instruments. Biographer Albert Glinsky shares details of the incredible life its Russian inventor Leon Theremin led. Plus, director Lisa Rovner, whose documentary Sisters With Transistors celebrates the female pioneers of electronic music, explains why Theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore was so important in the story of electronic music.

The SM58 is the classic ice cream shaped microphone you've seen on hundreds of stages. Brian Eno reveals why this budget microphone was perfect when he was recording Bono's vocals. And Richard and Hannah share their love of using microphones to record the natural world, and how they use these field recordings in their own music.

From the Theremin to the MPC, the 808 to Ableton, Instrumental takes drum machines, samplers, synths and software as a springboard to celebrate creativity in all its facets. Across the series hear from fellow musicians, creatives and instrument builders including Brian Eno, Carl Cox, Marta Salogni, Roger Linn, Jlin, Jacob Collier, Richie Hawtin, Andre Huang, Patten, The Mad Professor, Shiva Feshareki and more, on how people have been using, and misusing these tools to create new and wonderful music.