The Digital Lifestyle.com

Hosted by Ian Dixon

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Episodes

1418

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

We talk Windows, smart home, music tech, vintage tech, EVs and lots more.

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October 14, 202648 min

Smart Displays, Home Assistant, Emax II and Korg Radias :TDL Show 1050

Ian Dixon and Garry Whittaker return for a TDL Show catch-up covering rescued smart displays, Home Assistant dashboards, local voice control, the E-mu Emax II sampler, Korg Radias videos, synth editors, studio tools and recent music projects. Garry shows how low-cost display hardware and old Meta Portal devices can be repurposed for Home Assistant, while Ian talks about the Emax II, GoTek floppy emulation, new Web MIDI editors and writing tracks around specific synths. Chapters: 00:00 Coming up: Emax II, Radias and Home Assistant displays 01:00 Garry returns for a catch-up show 02:00 Cheap ESP display as a bedside Home Assistant clock 04:00 Reusing old hardware for Home Assistant dashboards 06:00 NSPanel Pro, kiosk mode and garage controls 08:00 Meta Portal as a repurposed smart display 10:00 Local voice control, Home Assistant voices and wake words 12:00 Intercom and voice call experiments 14:00 OpenPortal, APK installs and kiosk satellite 16:00 Fleet management, DNLA and Music Assistant 18:00 Mounting, USB access and hardware limitations 20:00 Cheap Meta Portal devices and useful display ideas 22:00 App stores, browsers and unlocking extra features 24:00 Music Assistant, Sonos-style control and gestures 26:00 Ian's E-mu Emax II rack sampler 28:00 GoTek floppy emulation and USB libraries 30:00 Classic Emax sounds, sampling and memory limits 32:00 Emax repairs and Korg NX5R editor 34:00 Browser-based synth editors and studio search ideas 36:00 Writing tracks around specific synths 38:00 Sampling workflows and creative constraints 40:00 SCSI, Raspberry Pi emulation and old sampler storage 42:00 Keeping vintage technology alive 44:00 Music playback, Spotify and canvas artwork 46:00 Garry's socials and Home Assistant video plans 48:00 Wrap-up and next catch-up Featured Topics: Home Assistant dashboards and wall displays Meta Portal repurposing with OpenPortal Local voice control and wake words Music Assistant and smart home audio E-mu Emax II rack sampler GoTek floppy drive emulation Korg Radias videos and sound design Web MIDI synth editors and studio search tools DX100, DX7 and synth-specific track writing Vintage sampler storage and SCSI emulation If you enjoy smart home projects, retro tech, music technology and synth chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and tell us in the comments which old device you would repurpose for Home Assistant or studio use. Watch more videos on the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IanDixonTDL

October 7, 202632 min

Vintage Yamaha CS Synths with Peter James Stevens | TDL Synth Chat 1049

Peter James Stevens from the ProSynth Network joins me for a vintage Yamaha synth chat, focusing on the Yamaha CS and SK analogue instrument range. We talk about the famous CS-80 and the wider CS family that often gets overlooked: CS-5, CS-10, CS-15, CS-30, CS-15D, CS-20M, CS-40M, CS-50, CS-60, CS-70M and the SK string/synth/organ instruments. Peter has a collection of Yamaha analogue synths and brings real hands-on context to the discussion: how the smaller mono synths compare with the big polyphonic machines, how the SK range links back to Yamaha organ technology, why the CS instruments have such a distinctive build and sound, what they are like to service, and why these instruments still matter for players and collectors. We also talk about Synthfest, the ProSynth Network, restoring and maintaining vintage Yamaha gear, the move from CS analogue synths into DX digital FM instruments, and what makes these old Yamaha instruments worth hearing and playing in person. Chapters: 00:00 Intro and Yamaha CS/SK teaser 00:46 Peter James Stevens joins the show 01:08 From emulators to vintage Yamaha 01:40 Why the smaller CS synths get overlooked 02:16 CS-5, CS-10, CS-15, CS-30 and CS-30L 02:59 CS-15D, CS-20M, CS-40M and memories 03:37 CS-80, CS-40M and CS-70M context 04:36 Yamaha SK range and organ/synth crossover 05:23 Professional stage instruments and Yamaha design 06:03 CS-15, Human League and classic synth references 07:27 Yamaha gear in music college memories 12:15 Servicing, restoration and repairability 12:44 Exploring the mono synths 18:04 Synthfest and playing the instruments in person 20:57 Peter's Yamaha collecting story 21:07 CS-50, CS-30 and favourite instruments 25:10 The shift from CS analogue to DX digital 25:37 DX1, DX7 and Yamaha's next era 30:10 Playing vintage Yamaha synths today 31:56 ProSynth Network and where to find Peter Featured Topics: Yamaha CS-80 and the flagship CS poly synths Yamaha CS-5, CS-10, CS-15 and CS-30 mono synths CS-15D, CS-20M, CS-40M and CS-70M Yamaha SK string, organ and synth instruments Vintage Yamaha servicing and restoration Synthfest and hands-on synth events The move from analogue CS synths to DX FM synthesis If you enjoy vintage synth history and hands-on synth chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment with the Yamaha CS or SK instrument you would most like to try.

September 30, 202639 min

TDL Synth Chat: Simone Owen on Future Perfect, Synthpop and Faultline

Simone Owen from Future Perfect joins me for TDL Synth Chat 1048 to talk about songwriting, electronic music, synthpop influences, production workflow, live performance and the next Future Perfect album, Faultline. We cover Simone's early musical memories, including David Bowie and 70s/80s influences, how Future Perfect began, the difference between retro inspiration and modern electronic songwriting, and how artists like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, OMD, Jean-Michel Jarre and dance music helped shape her sound. Simone also talks about self-taught production, working with software synths and hardware, live electronic gigs, the synth scene, Bandcamp and streaming, and how she keeps the focus on finishing music rather than collecting gear. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:20 Meet Simone Owen from Future Perfect 01:06 Future Perfect and early Bowie memories 02:42 Self-taught music and learning by doing 05:09 Depeche Mode and early synth influences 08:19 Synthpop, Pet Shop Boys, Genesis and storytelling 10:39 First albums and production roles 12:07 Pre-Future Perfect projects and production workflow 15:01 Early Future Perfect tracks and OMD-style experimentation 18:20 Live performance and electronic gigs 23:55 Synth scene, dance, goth and synthwave crossover 25:09 Songwriting and production today 29:02 Favourite synths and early gear 31:17 Software synths and working in the box 34:37 Keeping the setup focused 35:54 Faultline and future Future Perfect projects 37:02 Where to find Simone and Future Perfect Future Perfect - YouTube Future Perfect - UK EBM/Futurepop/Electronica If you enjoy TDL Synth Chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment with your favourite Future Perfect track or the electronic artist who first pulled you into synth music.

September 17, 20261 hr 3 min

Jimi Uno on Pound Store Synths & Budget Classics - TDL Synth Chat

Ian Dixon is joined by Jimi Uno / James Hancox from Jimi Uno's Pound Store Synth Emporium for a TDL Synth Chat about budget synths, overlooked classics and the joy of getting big sounds from unfashionable gear. The conversation covers how Jimi got into music, early encounters with DX7-era synths in music shops, the Kawai K1, Ensoniq and E-MU samplers, Alpha Junos, ROMplers, live rigs, effects, hardware versus plugins and the dream synths that still sit on the wish list. This episode is all about the instruments that do not always get the headline treatment: bargain vintage synths, samplers, ROMplers, older workstation keyboards and the effects that can make them come alive. If you enjoy classic digital synths, budget music tech and stories from the era of real music shops, this is a great chat with plenty of gear memories and practical recommendations. Chapters 00:00 Coming up: Jimi Uno and Pound Store Synth Emporium 01:08 Welcome to Jimi Uno / James Hancox 01:51 Getting into music and early synth fascination 03:29 DX7-era records, music shops and learning by listening 05:00 First affordable keyboards and trying synths in shops 08:00 Early music jobs, organs and being around instruments 09:35 Wanting a DX7 and learning to program the DX100 11:00 Modal Argon 8 and recreating classic FM-style sounds 13:26 Live playing, gigging and changing setups 15:35 The Pound Store synth idea and overlooked bargains 17:12 Mirage memories, sampling limits and E-MU samplers 20:00 Synths owned over the years and music shop stories 23:05 Effects pedals, tape echo and gigging workflows 24:29 Juno-106, DX11 and discovering the Kawai K1 26:13 Why the Kawai K1 still matters 28:54 Samples, TG33-style sounds and 90s digital character 32:00 Alpha Juno and affordable Roland classics 33:34 ROMplers, workstation sounds and why they are coming back 36:13 E-MU Emulator libraries and sample-disk formats 40:51 JV-1080, Ensoniq gear and gear that got away 44:05 Current gigging setup and synth choices 47:39 Budget effects, Lexicon and widening synth sounds 52:30 Hardware versus software synths and plugins 57:04 Plugin workflows, limitations and creative choices 59:00 Dream synths, creativity and final gear thoughts 01:00:19 Where to find Jimi Uno 01:02:00 Wrap-up and final recommendations https://www.youtube.com/@UCtCmty534OccwdWcLJnShIw https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HUcGPmrhV3nfNHPQr7luW?si=I4eD-r2HRl-T49cYKZ1TZA&nd=1&dlsi=f42694178f144e27 If you enjoyed this TDL Synth Chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and leave a comment with your favourite overlooked synth, sampler or effects unit. I would also love to know which budget classic you think deserves more attention. 🎧 Listen to Each Machine a Voice: https://open.spotify.com/album/695pmN5dQXZqEAVyDrgmDJ https://music.apple.com/us/album/each-machine-a-voice/6809510892?uo=4&app=apple+music https://music.apple.com/us/album/each-machine-a-voice/6809510892?uo=4&app=itunes https://amazon.co.uk/music/player/albums/B0HJ53934H?marketplaceId=A1F83G8C2ARO7P&musicTerritory=GB&ref=dm_sh_t0f4NnY2RNOvqYTXmAZqXo7Ch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg7j67485GU&list=OLAK5uy_msD5-KeWGm4k0tvYC2mVBswhtbyCmOQHc If you enjoyed this TDL Synth Chat, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and leave a comment with your favourite overlooked synth, sampler or effects unit. I would also love to know which budget classic you think deserves more attention. #TDLSynthChat #JimiUno #PoundStoreSynthEmporium #BudgetSynths #VintageSynth #KawaiK1 #YamahaDX7 #EmuSampler #RolandJuno #Synthesizer #MusicProduction Watch the video on YouTube .

September 9, 202637 min

Podcast: EV Road Trips, Home Assistant and Synth Projects

Ian and Garry catch up for The Digital Lifestyle Show, covering EV road trips, smart home upgrades, Home Assistant, retro tech projects and the latest synth work from Ian's studio. Garry talks about a 2,000 mile trip to Denmark in the VW ID. Buzz and what European charging infrastructure looks like in practice, while Ian shares updates on the new album Each Machine a Voice, TX7 and Korg KARMA editor projects, Keyfax 3, old synths and a few future ideas. This episode moves between practical connected-home discussion and music technology: thread and Zigbee changes, mini PC upgrades, USB UPS power, ESPHome voice devices, OpenClaw voice experiments, Yamaha and Korg editor/librarian tools, MOSS physical modelling, retro synth books, album production and Music Assistant. Chapters: 00:00 Coming up: catch-up show, EVs, gadgets and synth projects 00:35 Garry returns and the 2,000 mile Denmark EV road trip 01:43 Denmark charging infrastructure and motorway charging 03:00 ID. Buzz sightings, Legoland and real-world EV range 05:05 Home Assistant and smart home revamp 06:12 Thread routing, Zigbee and removing older smart-home layers 07:00 Moving Home Assistant to a mini PC 08:13 USB UPS power for the Home Assistant box 09:33 ESPHome voice hardware and Nabu voice assistant experiments 13:11 Controlling lights and custom voice responses 16:51 Ian's new album Each Machine a Voice 19:30 YouTube videos, Boss ME-25 synth guitar effects and synth demos 20:51 Modern editor/librarian tools for old synths 21:33 TX7 editor, MS2000 editor and patch management 22:01 Korg KARMA, MOSS physical modelling and editor work 24:00 Korg DW-6000 editor and building the editor collection 24:40 Keyfax 3, late-80s synths and vintage adverts 26:25 Album release, voice quality and OpenClaw voice control 29:00 More retro gear, E-MU samplers and project backlog 29:29 Running Home Assistant on older hardware 31:34 Future guests and tidying Home Assistant automations 32:03 Water leak sensors, alerts and spoken notifications 32:54 Kitchen lighting, daylight sensing and smart switches 34:14 Music Assistant, multi-room audio and old touch devices 35:59 Twinkly lighting, upcoming videos and wrap-up

August 26, 202649 min

How to Make Synthwave: 80s Sounds, Basslines & Arrangements with Synthwave Dojo

This week I chat with Alonzo from Synthwave Dojo about making 80s-inspired synthwave, from the roots of the sound through to practical ways of building bass lines, drums, pads, leads and full arrangements. Alonzo shares how he moved from playing drums in rock bands to producing electronic music, what defines synthwave, why the Drive soundtrack helped introduce a new audience to the genre, and how producers can start with simple tools, free synths and classic drum machine sounds. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and meeting Alonzo 02:15 From rock drums to electronic music production 05:35 Making music solo with synths and a laptop 08:10 What is synthwave? 11:50 Kavinsky, College and the Drive soundtrack 16:20 80s influences, nostalgia and the synthwave sound 23:20 The quick synthwave recipe: drums, bass, pads and leads 27:45 Turning an 8-bar loop into a full track 33:15 Free VSTs, drum samples and getting started 36:30 Affordable hardware for synthwave sounds 39:30 Synthwave Dojo tutorials, courses and live builds 42:00 Sound design, sound banks and FM synthesis 45:00 Building 40-bar and 80-bar arrangements Check out Synthwave Dojo: https://synthwavedojo.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@SynthwaveDojo If you enjoy music technology, synths and electronic music production, please like the video, subscribe to The Digital Lifestyle and leave a comment with the synthwave sound or artist you would like us to talk about next. #Synthwave #SynthwaveDojo #MusicProduction #80sSynth #ElectronicMusic #Synthesizer #TheDigitalLifestyle Watch the video on YouTube .

August 19, 202641 min

Smart Home Catch-Up: Alexa Cleanup, Home Assistant & New Gadgets

Gary Whittaker is back for a smart home catch-up, with new gadgets, Home Assistant updates, Zigbee and Thread talk, presence sensors, AI automations and a few workflow updates from the studio. In this episode we talk about cleaning up thousands of old Alexa devices, moving away from SmartThings, using a multi-radio smart home hub for Zigbee and Thread, LinknLink presence sensors, local AI image recognition, LED panel notifications, OpenClaw automation, new microphones and the Kawai K1m. Chapters: 00:00 Intro and Gary returns 01:04 Cleaning up old Alexa and smart home devices 04:49 Kawai K1m, one-synth tracks and synth librarian tools 08:47 Vibe coding, AI workflows and token costs 12:06 Multi-radio smart home hub for Zigbee and Thread 18:35 Home Assistant integration and range improvements 19:23 LinknLink presence sensor setup 23:35 Using sensors with lights, Hue and OpenClaw 28:08 New wireless microphone kit 29:28 Recent videos, SynthFest and one-synth tracks 30:42 LED panel notifications with AI recognition 33:38 OpenClaw automations for podcasts and video workflows 36:08 Local AI models for smart home image recognition 38:44 Night lighting and bedroom automations 40:12 Wrap-up and Gary's channels If you enjoy smart home tech, Home Assistant, music technology and practical AI automation, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and let us know in the comments what smart home gadget has made the biggest difference in your setup. https://riddix.github.io/home-assistant-matter-hub/guides/alexa-bulk-delete-devices https://alexa.amazon.co.uk/api/behaviors/entities?skillId=amzn1.ask.1p.smarthome

August 6, 202644 min

The Man Behind Knobcon and STG muSonics

Suit & Tie Guy joins me for a TDL Synth Chat covering STG muSonics, Knobcon, modular synth history, why he moved away from software-based music making, and the stories behind his hardware design work. Suit & Tie Guy is the founder of Knobcon and the person behind STG Soundlabs / STG muSonics. In this long-form synth podcast we talk about early computer music, Numerology, hardware sequencing, the move from software to dedicated instruments, module design, the muSonics story, and why in-person synth events still matter. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:49 Suit & Tie Guy joins the show 02:07 Early music work and Mac game scoring 06:31 Numerology and analogue sequencing ideas 08:46 Live rigs, Hammond-style controllers and Manchester 11:35 Moving from software to hardware 14:07 KiCad, modular design and prototyping 17:35 Why dedicated hardware matters 20:40 Building a video studio for music technology 23:20 The Lyall four-voice synth and rare hardware 26:43 STG Soundlabs, mythology and muSonics 30:55 What muSonics is and why the name matters 33:37 Finishing the Moog 900-series idea 36:34 Knobcon and planning a part two 39:32 Synth communities and real-world connections 42:01 Sound design plans for the next chat Let me know in the comments what you would like me to ask Suit & Tie Guy when he comes back for part two. If you enjoy synth interviews, sound design and vintage electronic music technology, please like the video, subscribe to the channel and check out more TDL Synth Chat episodes on The Digital Lifestyle. Knobcon: https://www.knobcon.com/ muSonics / STG muSonics store: https://musonics.square.site/ Suit & Tie Guy's site also links the muSonics newsletter: https://suitandtieguy.com/ #SuitAndTieGuy #STGmuSonics #Knobcon #SynthPodcast #ModularSynth #Synthesizer #SoundDesign #TDLSynthChat Watch the video on YouTube .

July 30, 202657 min

Scott McAuley Sound Design Podcast: Synth Patches & Modern Classics

In this new podcast episode, I sit down with professional sound designer, synth programmer, musician, and Pro Synth Network regular Scott McAuley for a wide‑ranging conversation about the craft of sound design. It's a proper deep dive — from early musical influences to the realities of commercial patch creation — packed with insights for anyone who loves synthesizers, sound design, or electronic music production. 🎙️ The Conversation Scott shares his journey into music, from Casio keyboards and Walkmans to the synths and artists that shaped his ear. We explore how he approaches programming useful patches , why some presets are designed to show off rather than slot into a track , and how he balances vintage inspiration with modern tools. We also get into the practical side of sound design: letting each instrument dictate its own sonic personality recreating iconic artist sounds commissioned patch work teaching one‑to‑one sound design and why instruments like the PolyBrute 12 , OB‑X8 , OB‑6 , Korg Multi/Poly , and classic Roland gear still spark new ideas today Scott's work spans hardware, software, commercial patch banks, and even game audio — including sound design for Star Citizen . 🔗 Links Scott McAuley Sounds — synthsounds.co.uk Scott on YouTube — youtube.com/@scottmcauleysounds If you enjoy synths, sound design, and music technology, subscribe for more videos — and leave a comment with the next topic you'd like covered.

July 23, 202659 min

AI, Synths & the Future of Music — Mike Dunn Interview

In this episode of The Digital Lifestyle Show, I'm joined by Mike Dunn from the Academy of Contemporary Music for a wide-ranging conversation about synthesizers, sound design, music education, hardware vs software, and the rapidly changing role of AI in music. Mike shares his journey from growing up in Toronto and discovering synths like the Korg Poly-800 and Yamaha DX100, through touring and professional performance, to teaching the next generation of musicians. We also explore how synthesis is taught today, why creative restrictions can actually improve your music, the continuing debate over hardware versus VSTs, and whether AI represents a threat to musicians or simply the next major technological shift—just like samplers, drum machines and DAWs before it. There's plenty here for synth fans, musicians, producers and anyone interested in where music technology is heading next. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:20 Meet Mike Dunn 00:48 Mike's musical background 02:17 First synths: Korg Poly-800 and Yamaha DX100 05:11 VSTs, Ableton and vintage synthesizers 09:04 Hardware vs software synths 11:34 Teaching sound design 12:40 How students learn synthesis 15:28 Why creative restrictions help creativity 16:39 Choice paralysis in modern music production 17:32 Growing up with 80s synth technology 19:46 DX100, TR-808 and early samplers 26:16 How synthesizer priorities have changed 27:20 Presets, realism and the return of classic synth sounds 30:46 Arturia, Cherry Audio and learning synth history 33:02 Why hardware can inspire better sound design 34:51 Synths as performance instruments 38:51 Samplers, AI and changing music technology 39:13 Is AI just the next sampling revolution? 42:37 Will AI replace musicians? 45:05 How students feel about AI 47:31 Using AI creatively without losing authenticity 48:44 Could AI trigger the next musical revolution? 50:28 New music, live performance and avoiding streaming platforms 52:12 Why synth players should collaborate with other musicians 53:34 Advice for synth musicians 53:46 Academy of Contemporary Music and keyboard courses 55:08 Synthesis, Ableton and live performance education 58:14 Final thoughts 👍 Enjoyed the conversation? Let me know in the comments: Do you see AI as a threat to musicians, or simply the next tool in the evolution of music technology? Please like the video, subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications for more synthesizer tutorials, sound design, music technology discussions and interviews. Visit The Digital Lifestyle for more synth news, tutorials, sound packs and music technology content.