OUT NOW: BBC Radiophonic Workshop — Electronic music history, reimagined

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BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Electronic music history, reimagined

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    • Smc0505 Cinemascope

    Electronic music history, reimagined

    For 40 years, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop was the place to go for the sound of the impossible – the unruly engine behind the music and effects of Doctor Who, the Goon Show, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and countless other BBC productions. It was a place of other worlds, and of other sounds. Reanimating this abundant legacy, the essence of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop is now available for the first time – with unprecedented access to its home: London’s Maida Vale studios.

    Dive into an immaculately sampled collection of vintage synthesisers, tape loops, iconic archives and brand new performances from Workshop members. Revitalised with Spitfire’s SOLAR engine, this library passes the torch from the most forward-thinking minds of early electronic music on to the next generation of producers. 

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    Our dedicated plugin

    Spitfire Audio App Spitfire Audio App required

    98 presets

    eDNA Interface

    Solar Plugin

    1,087 Unique Sounds

    Listen to BBC Radiophonic Workshop

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    While there are instruments in this library that are created from sampling the archival tapes of the Workshop, the human connection has been maintained. The found sounds and early synths that were deployed by the Workshop are realised here with new performances and patches from remaining members of the Workshop such as Dick Mills, Mark Ayres, Glynis Jones and new collaborators including Kieron Pepper (once live drummer for The Prodigy).

    Preserving a unique period in the history of British electronic music (1958-1968), but offering an instrument for the future, BBC Radiophonic Workshop takes the early form of sampling pioneered by composers such as Delia Derbyshire, Desmond Briscoe, John Baker and Daphne Oram and brings it up to date with the cutting edge techniques of library creation Spitfire Audio is known for. Vintage synthesisers, treasure-trove tape archives, found objects and performances from Workshop members are now available under the hood of Spitfire Audio’s state-of-the-art Solar engine.  

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    The Workshop was a place where tape loops ran around the block and solos were played on lampshades; a laboratory with a forest of wires, tape machines … and unique inspirations. Producers came for the sounds of “A halo of bees”, “An unbearable alien shriek”, “A machine singing to itself” or “The voice of a living planet” and left with some of the most original electronic sounds of the era. The Workshop gave Doctor Who’s TARDIS its engine, and terrified a gleeful generation of children who would hide behind the sofa while the voices of Daleks filled their living rooms. ”In another 20, 50 years, music that people have made with this collection might itself become a new onward tool,” says Mark.

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    The Workshop was a physical place, a space where you could get your hands – and your ears – dirty. The archive materials available in this new instrument, stored in Spitfire’s Solar engine, are your invitation to do the same. Solar allows these historic audio ingredients to find new expression through a variety of signal chains – some old, some new – and the modern techniques of bending, stretching and morphing provided for by the on-board effects.

    Along with a variety of microphones, the EMT turntable and Rogers loudspeakers made especially for the BBC, there are the Maida Vale plate and spring reverbs, plus processing through modular synthesizers, tape machines, EMS Vocoder, Echo chamber, Roland Vocoder SVC-350 and Eventide H-3000. Choose from Archive Content, Found Sounds, Junk Percussion, Tape Loops, Synths and a Miscellany of other gems … And your time travel begins. 

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    What's included

    Archive Content

    Decades of music and sound effects from the workshop, collated by Mark Ayres and chopped, warped and recombined by Spitfire Audio.


    Maida Vale & Found Sounds

    Exploring and sampling the building in the spirit of the Workshop.


    Junk Percussion

    A variety of bizarre percussion provided by drummer Kieron Pepper
    Lampshades, as inspired by Delia Derbyshire


    Tape Loops

    Long performances of textures, tonal or atonal, made by synths, found sounds, guitars and more


    Synths

    VCS3, Roland Sys100, EMS Vocoder, Arp Odyssey


    Misc

    Tuned Percussion, Skeleton Guitar and Warps.


    Detailed Sounds

    Archive

    Arch - 01 Robot Searching
    Arch - 07 Daleks
    Arch - 18 Galaxy Four
    Arch - Aggedors Temple
    Arch - Air Conditioning
    Arch - Alien Gun
    Arch - Avons Bracelet
    Arch - Boardroom
    Arch - Book Activation
    Arch - Brighton Beach
    Arch - Cloning Miniaturisation
    Arch - Computer Panel Bleeps
    Arch - Corridor Background
    Arch - Countdown
    Arch - Cyberman Stab
    Arch - Dalek Capsule
    Arch - Dalek Control Room
    Arch - Dalek Truth Machine
    Arch - Davros Interrogation
    Arch - Dawn of Emptiness
    Arch - Dematerialisation
    Arch - Dematerializer Gun
    Arch - Deons Take Control
    Arch - Devils Torpedo
    Arch - Distillation Chamber
    Arch - Dominator Saucer Int
    Arch - Earthlings 02
    Arch - Electric Storm
    Arch - Electromagnetics
    Arch - Exxilon Control Room
    Arch - Federation Laser
    Arch - Federation Ship
    Arch - Force Field
    Arch - Generator Child
    Arch - Generator Screen
    Arch - Heavenly Choir
    Arch - Heavy Voltage
    Arch - Hive Mena Fades Lg
    Arch - Hive Mena Fades St
    Arch - Horns of Nimon
    Arch - Interior Rocket
    Arch - JB Reel 1 (Bell Hit) St
    Arch - JB Reel 1 (ID 2) St
    Arch - JB Reel 1 (ID 3) St
    Arch - JB Reel 1 (ID) St
    Arch - JB Reel 1 Lg
    Arch - JB Reel 3 St
    Arch - JB Reel 4 Lg
    Arch - JB Reel 4 St
    Arch - JB Reel 7 Lg
    Arch - Jo At The Prison
    Arch - Keller Machine
    Arch - Liberator Black Hole
    Arch - Liberator Laser
    Arch - Liberator Plasma
    Arch - Liberator Ship
    Arch - Macra Terror
    Arch - Macra Terror Drops
    Arch - Macra Terror Fifth
    Arch - Macra Terror Tone
    Arch - Magrathea Alarm
    Arch - Mandragora Helix
    Arch - Marshman
    Arch - Marshmen 41
    Arch - Marshmen 42
    Arch - Marshmen Kit
    Arch - Mechanical Auton
    Arch - Meglos Earthling
    Arch - Meteorite Alert Lg
    Arch - Meteorite Alert St
    Arch - Moon Homing Beam
    Arch - Mr Walkers War
    Arch - Mysterious Being
    Arch - Ocean Reel Foghorn
    Arch - Ocean Reel Synth
    Arch - Orac Switch On
    Arch - Orac Working
    Arch - Ovoid Appearance
    Arch - Re-Creation
    Arch - Rematerialisation
    Arch - Rock Bottom Fifth
    Arch - Rock Bottom Stab
    Arch - Rocket In Space
    Arch - Rocket Stab
    Arch - Scorpio Gun
    Arch - Scorpio Spaceship
    Arch - Screens of Zolpha Thura
    Arch - Sea Chase
    Arch - Sea Fort
    Arch - Seen Too Much
    Arch - Sidrat Control
    Arch - Sisterhood Of Karn
    Arch - Sonic Screwdriver
    Arch - Space Bells
    Arch - Stranded
    Arch - Submarine
    Arch - Sutekh Time Tunnel
    Arch - Tachyon Terror
    Arch - Tardis Entry
    Arch - Tardis In Flight
    Arch - Tardis Into Time Slip
    Arch - Tardis Time Slip
    Arch - Testing Time
    Arch - The Beach Lg
    Arch - The Beach St
    Arch - The Masters Plan
    Arch - The Prison
    Arch - Time Lord Court
    Arch - Time Winds
    Arch - Transportation Reappear
    Arch - War Lord Arrival
    Arch - White Void
    Arch - Zolpha Thura 1
    Arch - Zolpha Thura 2Arch - Force Field


    Found Sounds & Maida Vale Sounds

    FS - Animal Growl / (9 signal chains)
    FS - Fire Crackle / (9 signal chains)
    FS - Oven Shelf Hit / (9 signal chains)
    FS - Paper Rip / (9 signal chains)
    FS - Paper Rip Medium / (9 signal chains)
    FS - Paper Rip Quick / (9 signal chains)
    FS - Wine Glass Lg / (9 signal chains)
    FS - Wine Glass St / (9 signal chains)


    Maida Vale Sounds

    MVS - Barrier Beater
    MVS - Barrier Mallet
    MVS - Barrier Wire
    MVS - BBC Sign Hit
    MVS - CD Rack Beater
    MVS - CD Rack Fingers
    MVS - CD Rack Fingers Quick
    MVS - CD Rack Mallet
    MVS - Chair Hit
    MVS - Coffee Jar Lid
    MVS - Computer Keys Pressed
    MVS - Computer Keys Sliding
    MVS - Disinfectant SpraMVS - Door Close
    MVS - Door Creaking
    MVS - Doorknob
    MVS - Dustpan & Brush
    MVS - Fire Extinguisher Beater
    MVS - Fire Extinguisher Mallet
    MVS - Foil Scrunch
    MVS - Garden Fork
    MVS - Hallway Door Close
    MVS - Hardcase Close
    MVS - Hole Punch
    MVS - Kit
    MVS - Kitchen Sink Knife
    MVS - Metal Stool
    MVS - Mouse Clicks
    MVS - Mouse Scroll
    MVS - Plastic Spoons 1
    MVS - Plastic Spoons 2
    MVS - Ribbons In Bucket
    MVS - Saucepan Hit
    MVS - Scissors Cut Air
    MVS - Stair Banister
    MVS - Stapler
    MVS - Tape
    MVS - Thunder Sheet 1
    MVS - Thunder Sheet 2
    MVS - Thunder Sheet 3
    MVS - Thunder Sheet Roll
    MVS - Trailer Hit Beater
    MVS - Trailer Hit Mallet
    MVS - Trolley Push
    MVS - Water Cooler 1
    MVS - Water Cooler 2
    MVS - Water Cooler 3
    MVS - Water Cooler 4
    MVS - Wine Bottle Cork


    Junk Percussion

    JP - Bike Spoke Hit
    JP - Bike Spoke Roll
    JP - Bike Wheel Hit
    JP - Christmas Tree Stand Hit
    JP - Death Val Triangle Hit
    JP - Death Val Triangle Roll Lg
    JP - Death Val Triangle Roll St
    JP - Dishwasher Bow Med
    JP - Dishwasher Bow Stacc
    JP - Dishwasher Hammer Hit
    JP - Dishwasher Scrape
    JP - Dishwasher Soft Beater Hit
    JP - Frying Pan Hammer
    JP - Frying Pan Roll
    JP - Frying Pan Scrape
    JP - Immersion Tank Bow
    JP - Immersion Tank Hit
    JP - Kit
    JP - Lampshade Bell Hit
    JP - Lampshade Bell Roll
    JP - Lampshade Bow Med
    JP - Lampshade Bow Quick
    JP - Lampshade Edge Hit
    JP - Lampshade Edge Roll
    JP - Lampshade Hard Stick Hit
    JP - Radiator Hammer Hit
    JP - Radiator Hammer Scrape
    JP - Radiator Stick Hit
    JP - School Bell Bow Lg
    JP - School Bell Bow St
    JP - School Bell Hit St
    JP - Shell Bow Med
    JP - Shell Bow Quick
    JP - Shell Hammer Hit
    JP - Shell Roll
    JP - Shell Stick Hit
    JP - Spring Hit 1
    JP - Spring Hit 2
    JP - Spring Roll Lg
    JP - Spring Roll St
    JP - Spring Scrape


    Synths

    Modular - Pluck Dirty / (9 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Bass Drone 1 / (10 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Bass Drone 2 / (10 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Bass Growls / (9 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Blip / (10 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Filtered Wind / (9 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Pad / (9 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Plucks / (9 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Portamento / (9 signal chains)
    Odyssey - Wobble / (9 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Filter Sweep / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Filtered Noise 1 / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Filtered Noise 2 / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Mod Noise / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Pad 1 / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Pad 2 / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Paraphonic Pad / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Pluck 1 / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Pluck 2 / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Rand Space 1 / (11 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Rand Space 2 / (11 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Sine Bass / (10 signal chains)
    Sys 100 - Sweep Bass / (10 signal chains)
    VCS 3 - Pad 1 Lg / (9 signal chains)
    VCS 3 - Pad 1 St / (9 signal chains)
    VCS 3 - Pad 2 Lg / (9 signal chains)
    VCS 3 - Pad 2 St / (9 signal chains)
    VCS 3 - Pad 3 St / (9 signal chains
    VCS 3 - Pluck Clean / (11 signal chains)
    VCS 3 - Pluck Dirty 1 / (11 signal chains)
    VCS 3 - Pluck Dirty 2 / (11 signal chains)
    Vocoder - Ahhs Lg / (9 signal chains)
    Vocoder - Eehs Lg
    Vocoder - Ohhs Lg


    Tape Loops

    TL - Alarm Bell / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Chattery Noise 1 / (9 signal chains)
    TL - Chattery Noise 2 / (9 signal chains)
    TL - Cymbal Scratch 1 / (11 signal chains)
    TL - Cymbal Scratch 2 / (11 signal chains)
    TL - Ebow Guitar 1 / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Ebow Guitar 2 / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Guitar Plucks / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Mandolin Scrapes 1 / (8 signal chains)
    TL - Mandolin Scrapes 2 / (7 signal chains)
    TL - Mandolin Strum 1 / (9 signal chains)
    TL - Mandolin Strum 2 / (8 signal chains)
    TL - Mandolin Strum 3 / (7 signal chains)
    TL - Mandolin Strum 4 / (8 signal chains)
    TL - Mod Cylo Violin Bow / (11 signal chains)
    TL - Mod Cymbal Bow 1 / (11 signal chains)
    TL - Mod Cymbal Bow 2 / (11 signal chains)
    TL - Mod Cymbal Bow 3 / (11 signal chains)
    TL - Mod Cymbal Hit 1 / (10 signal chains)
    TL - Mod Cymbal Hit 2 / (11 signal chains)
    TL - Mod Cymbal Hit 3 / (11 signal chains)
    TL - Modular Autoharp 1 / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Modular Autoharp 2 / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Modular Autoharp 3 / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Modular Tape Bass 1 / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Modular Tape Bass 2 / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Modular Tape Bass 3 / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Theremin Stabs / (12 signal chains)
    TL - Tin Whistle / (7 signal chains)
    TL - Tin Whistle Stabs / (7 signal chains)
    TL - Tin Whistle Stacc / (6 signal chains)
    TL - Tonal Ohhs / (8 signal chains)
    TL - Vocal Gliss 1 / (8 signal chains)
    TL - Vocal Gliss 2 / (8 signal chains)
    TL - Vocal Percussion 1 / (8 signal chains)
    TL - Vocal Percussion 2 / (8 signal chains)
    TL - Whistling 1 / (10 signal chains)
    TL - Whistling 2 / (7 signal chains)


    Tuned Percussion

    TP - Marimba / (8 signal chains)
    TP - Vibraphone / (8 signal chains)
    TP - Vibraphone Harm / (8 signal chains)
    TP - Vibraphone Mallet / (8 signal chains)
    TP - Vibraphone Wash 1 / (8 signal chains)
    TP - Vibraphone Wash 2 / (8 signal chains)
    TP - Vibraphone Wash 3 / (8 signal chains)
    TP - Vibraphone Wash 4 / (8 signal chains)


    Skeleton Guitar

    SG - Harmonics / (8 signal chains)
    SG - Noises / (8 signal chains)
    SG - Plucks / (8 signal chains)


    Warps

    Warps - Afterburner
    Warps - Air Lock
    Warps - Alien Voices
    Warps - Blurred Visions
    Warps - Caves
    Warps - Chasm
    Warps - Comet
    Warps - Cosmic Rays
    Warps - Echo Growls
    Warps - Hyperdrive
    Warps - Ignition
    Warps - Light Bursts
    Warps - Lost Chamber
    Warps - Orbit
    Warps - Our Planet
    Warps - Radar
    Warps - Radiation Belt
    Warps - Refractions
    Warps - Sinking Dimensions
    Warps - Solar Winds
    Warps - Sonic Resonator
    Warps - Tape Organ
    Warps - Time Fractures
    Warps - Vortex Echo
    Warps - Wormhole

    FAQs

    What is BBC Radiophonic Workshop?

    Dive into an immaculately sampled collection of vintage synthesisers, tape loops, iconic archives and brand new performances from Workshop members. Revitalised with Spitfire’s SOLAR engine, this library passes the torch from the most forward-thinking minds of early electronic music on to the next generation of producers.This includes:

    • Archive Content
    • Decades of music and sound effects from the workshop, collated by Mark Ayres and chopped, warped and recombined by Spitfire Audio.
    • Found Sounds
    • Exploring and sampling the building in the spirit of the Workshop.
    • Junk Percussion
    • A variety of bizarre percussion provided by drummer Kieron Pepper
    • Lampshades, as inspired by Delia Derbyshire
    • Tape Loops
    • Long performances of textures, tonal or atonal, made by synths, found sounds, guitars and more
    • Synths
    • VCS3, Roland Sys100, EMS Vocoder, Arp Odyssey
    • Misc: Tuned Percussion, Skeleton Guitar and Warps.

    Why can't I see a 'BBC Radiophonic Workshop' plugin in my DAW?

    This library is housed in our Solar plugin, so instead of seeing a 'BBC Radiophonic Workshop' plugin, you will need to select the 'Solar' plugin in your plugin list.

    Read more FAQs for this product

    Tech specs

    Mac system requirements

    Mac OS 11 to OS 14

    Minimum: 2.8GHz i5 minimum (quad-core), 8GB RAM

    Recommended: 2.8GHz I7 (six-core), 16GB RAM

    Both Intel and Apple Silicon/ARM are supported

    32-bit systems are not supported.

    PC system requirements

    Windows 10 or Windows 11 - (Latest Service Pack, 64-bit)

    Minimum: Intel 2.8 GHz i5 (quad-core) or AMD Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM

    Recommended: Intel Core i7 6th gen and later or AMD Ryzen 7, 16GB RAM

    32-bit systems are not supported.

    File size

    Download size 27.8 GB

    BBC Radiophonic Workshop sounds great with…