Studio 360

The Art of Noise

The pioneers who turn the sound of everyday objects into music.

Capturing the sounds of wildlife.

Aquarium Recording by Vancouver Film School/CC BY 2.0

Listen to this episode of Studio 360 by clicking the arrow on the audio player below:

A show about how sounds from household items and nature get turned into something else. First Kurt Andersen talks with Ben Burtt, the legendary sound designer who came up with the iconic noises in Star Wars, WALL-E, and more. Then Kurt gets a lesson on the theremin from a master of this out-there instrument, Pamelia Stickney. Many people find the cacophony that comes from old steam radiators to be aggravating, but writer Henry Alford hears music in his, and sets to work to make a symphony from the clanks and hisses. And then it all goes to the birds: Artist Nina Katchadourian replaced her car alarms with recordings of bird calls … and Ben Mirin fuses birdsong with beatboxing.

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