To compliment our collaborative video profile on Hans Kulk and Willem Twee Studios done as part of the CRAFTED project, Tom de Graaf from Willem Twee Studios put together a sample pack, diving deep into the sounds of their unique Studio 1. The studio, outfitted with several tape machines and a massive wall of electrical test equipment, is an interactive time capsule from the origins of electronic music. But this sample pack isn’t what you think it is, it’s even more special.
One of the first things one notices when they get hands-on in Studio 1, once they get over the overwhelming awe of possibilities this equipment has to offer is how meaningful every knob, switch, lever, dial, or button feels and sounds. Start clicking through the frequency spectrum on an old oscillator and you’ll feel and hear it to. With each click, the machine lets you know immediately, that you’ve clicked through. It’s hard to put into words, but when you use this equipment you feel it and hear it. It’s like the difference between turning on a gas stove versus an electric stove. An electric stove, you press a button, maybe you hear a beep and you see the stove start to turn red and heat up. Whereas with a gas stove, you have to press down the knob, turn it a little, you hear the clicking on the ignition from the burner and then “whoosh” the flames jump up and you know the stove is on.
So this sample pack, is an aural homage to that experience. Tom de Graaf meticulously went through Studio 1 and recorded every click, clank, tick and thwap you’d encounter while getting hands on with the equipment. We don’t want to sounds like old hats who go on-and-on about how “oh they don’t make things like they used to”. But it’s undeniable. This equipment is military grade. They’ve outlived their creators and they’ll probably outlive us so long as they keep getting used. And that’s what Willem Twee does, they keep it alive. If you want to feel for yourself and go even deeper you’ll have to book a session at Willem Twee, but for now, we hope these sounds find their way into your productions!