Peter Howell

Used for the 1980 Doctor Who theme, as is visible in this video at 1:44 and as reported by Mark Ayres here.

The bass line was created in a manner not totally removed from the original, with the sound, performed on Peter's beloved Yamaha CS80 synthesiser, assembled across two tracks of multitrack tape. This finished part was then run off onto quarter-inch tape, flipped over, and rerecorded through effects onto another reel to give each note a subtle pre-echo. The final effect was dubbed back to the multitrack.

Other instruments employed included the ARP Odyssey (used for the opening line of the melody), the EMS Vocoder (used to build the complex texture voicing the answering phrase in the main melody), and the Roland Jupiter 4 (set to auto-arpeggiate in octaves, it provided the sound for the middle eight). The chordal parts were created by layering the Jupiter 4 with the CS80.

Used for the lead synth on the 1980 Doctor Who theme, as is visible in this video at 3:33 and as reported by Mark Ayres here.

The bass line was created in a manner not totally removed from the original, with the sound, performed on Peter's beloved Yamaha CS80 synthesiser, assembled across two tracks of multitrack tape. This finished part was then run off onto quarter-inch tape, flipped over, and rerecorded through effects onto another reel to give each note a subtle pre-echo. The final effect was dubbed back to the multitrack.

Other instruments employed included the ARP Odyssey (used for the opening line of the melody), the EMS Vocoder (used to build the complex texture voicing the answering phrase in the main melody), and the Roland Jupiter 4 (set to auto-arpeggiate in octaves, it provided the sound for the middle eight). The chordal parts were created by layering the Jupiter 4 with the CS80.

Used for the 1980 Doctor Who theme, as reported by Mark Ayres.

The bass line was created in a manner not totally removed from the original, with the sound, performed on Peter's beloved Yamaha CS80 synthesiser, assembled across two tracks of multitrack tape. This finished part was then run off onto quarter-inch tape, flipped over, and rerecorded through effects onto another reel to give each note a subtle pre-echo. The final effect was dubbed back to the multitrack.

Other instruments employed included the ARP Odyssey (used for the opening line of the melody), the EMS Vocoder (used to build the complex texture voicing the answering phrase in the main melody), and the Roland Jupiter 4 (set to auto-arpeggiate in octaves, it provided the sound for the middle eight). The chordal parts were created by layering the Jupiter 4 with the CS80.

Peter Howell can be seen in Maida Vale studios at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop with his own setup. A list of synths in here are the Elka Synthex, Yamaha DX7, Fairlight CMI.

Peter Howell can be seen in Maida Vale studios at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop with his own setup. A list of synths in here are the Elka Synthex, Yamaha DX7, Fairlight CMI.

Peter Howell can be seen in Maida Vale studios at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop with his own setup. A list of synths in here are the Elka Synthex, Yamaha DX7, Fairlight CMI.

"Then polyphonic synths appeared. I tried the Polymoog and really didn't like it; I liked the Prophet V, but my favourite was the Yamaha CS80."

Peter Howell could been seen in his studio at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop during 1985 with the gear listed.

Arp Odyssey Mark 1, Elka Synthex, Yamaha DX7.

In a video titled "Peter Howell in his new studio at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1989" by BL MT on YouTube, the Roland D-550 can be seen on Peter Howell's computer screen during a demonstration of his studio.

In a video from 1989, Peter Howell can be seen using a Roland S-50 in his studio at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, as documented by YouTube user BL MT.

Peter Howell can be seen using the Yamaha KX76 Synthesizer in a video from 1989, captured in his studio at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. This is verified by footage from a YouTube video titled "peter howell in his new studio at the bbc radiophonic workshop in 1989," uploaded by BL MT.

In the white files via 1987 The Computer & The Sound House which showcase Peter Howell's studio, there is evidence of his use of the Yamaha DX7-IID, as shown in the image from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

"Peter Howell in Studio B. A pair of S550 samplers, a Proteus and a pair of DAT recorders can be seen in the rack to the rear. There's an Arp Odyssey on top of the left-hand rack, which also contains a CD player, D550, TX802 and a pair of TG55s."

"Peter Howell in Studio B. A pair of S550 samplers, a Proteus and a pair of DAT recorders can be seen in the rack to the rear. There's an Arp Odyssey on top of the left-hand rack, which also contains a CD player, D550, TX802 and a pair of TG55s."

"Peter Howell in Studio B. A pair of S550 samplers, a Proteus and a pair of DAT recorders can be seen in the rack to the rear. There's an Arp Odyssey on top of the left-hand rack, which also contains a CD player, D550, TX802 and a pair of TG55s."

August 1986 New multitrack cables for C and E. Old XLR cables and Varicon conversion boxes to be used for Soundcraft 8-track and noise reduction in new Studio H. ‘Drilled out’ headphone sockets to convert to ‘Igranic’. Using 300 baud modem. TX816 and more QX1’s ordered. Peter using Yamaha DX1 keyboard and Yamaha MEP4 MIDI Processor. Hi-fi VHS machines (with timecode on one channel) to be rented. Fairlight Computer Musical Instrument (CMI) modified: removed transformers box. Phone system costing almost £4000 a year: £8000 Thorn-Ericson ‘Earl’ system considered. Mac Plus computer arrives with large screen and adaptor card: has internal Micahdrive HDD?