Qsonics Ltd.

LONDON

Music, FX + More

Audio Production

Audio Mangling

Audio Wizardry

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NOW AVAILABLE: A sizzling new production music album from Qsonics

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Big beats & squidgy bass - 80s electro throwbacks - brass shenanigans
This is an album full of personality cuts to bring promos, ads and programme segments roaring to life.
If you're a radio commercial producer, we have pre-cut 20 & 30" ad backing-track versions - click to request!

Grab this collection by contacting MusicCandy or Qsonics directly, or via your local MCPS affiliated sub-publisher.

RECENT TV:   Qsonics sound design & voice production for Sky's Revolution

Click for details + demo

Sound Comes Alive withCreative Input from Qsonics

Qsonics capabilities overview showreel.Scroll for individual work areas + demos

The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before
Neil Gaiman
That beautiful quote certainly resonates with everything created under the Qsonics banner!

Over many years Qsonics has supplied leading broadcasters including BBC Worldwide & UK, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, Global, Bauer and UTV, as well as ad agencies, video producers and animators. Qsonics has fulfilled diverse audio production needs from podcasts & corporate presentations to museum & art venue audio guides - even live event sound design for Wembley Arena and The Shard.


Drew White - this is the best photo available, shockingly!

Qsonics is London based and was formed by Andrew White. Drew combines 25 years of broadcast production skills, including in UK national & network radio during the 90s+00s, with a music production and performance brand created in São Paulo, Brazil. Drew has hosted production development workshops including a Guardian Masterclass and training sessions for National Prison Radio.


With almost a thousand PRS-registered music titles Drew White's original sounds have featured on national radio as far back as 1995 - and been heard everywhere from Radio 1 to Top Gear trails, Fun Kids Radio to Classic FM, across Hyde Park in London to Bloomberg in the US + in every continent apart from Antarctica! with production music library tracks appearing on well over a dozen albums.

RECENT RADIO:

Show production for Stortford One Party Classics
A montage of some cheeky music demonstrators featuring Stortford in some innovative ways!
Male voice: Drew White   Female voice: Kerri Murphy

The Stortford One shout (at 0.08") and 3 note logo melody are from the station's core imaging package and are © Ignite Jingles. Get your world-class sung jingles from ignitejingles.com
Sweepers & VO for DAB station Passion Radio

— How Can How Can Qsonics Help You? Contact Button Help You? —

A casual enquiry or fully defined brief? Either way, do get in touch!

Please send your enquiry or job request to:

hello@fQsonnnnics.com

Creative audio for shows, brands & products

TV, Online + On-Site

A small, representative selection of Qsonics broadcast and pilot projects over the years.
NB: Demos are in compressed form not representative of supply quality. Some have been edited for showcasing.

Sky UK / Znak&Co - Revolution

Sound design and various audio production services for a new TV concept, exclusive to Sky One.


A library of glitchy electronic sounds, retro-buzzers, success/fail/foul and impacts was created to underpin the distinctive VO work of Zora Suleman.


Qsonics produced the voice sessions and created a unique futuristic processing chain to stylise the mysterious, ethereal computer announcements you hear throughout the show.


Click the image for a sampler of the FX & voices
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WPP BrandZ - China's Top 100 Brands

The world's biggest marketing group catalogues the planet's biggest brands and presents them through powerful video countdowns.


Qsonics is pleased to work on these territory specific productions, soundtracking their stunning, cinematic visuals.


Among them, three China themes to a brief of "East meets West" for spectacular launch events in Beijing.


The mesmerising images were captured and montaged by ToInspire Productions.


(2018 theme not currently available for rights reasons).

2017 theme
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Music created by Drew White, Qsonics

Get a flavour, then skip to 5:45 for the top 10 with build to jubilant end!

2016 theme
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Music created by Drew White, Qsonics
2015 theme
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Music created by Drew White, Qsonics

Channel 4 - Brendan's Magical Mystery Tour

Sassy, brassy and a big summer vibe for this globe-trotting teatime show hosted by Coach Trip's Brendan Sheerin.


The brief was for a fast-moving sig tune with percussion, fx and a catchy lyrical-sounding melody line.

A full set of opening and end titles, incidentals & break bumpers was provided.


The fun graphics were the work of the wonderfully creative Lynn Tidsey. See below for a site link.


Example of one programme opening
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End Titles version:
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Montage of production workparts:
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There were many more - this is just a selection!

GAGV - Growing Against Gangs Foundation for WebVid

Custom music soundtrack + audio mixing for this hard-hitting campaign message.

Debt Equals Threat
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Music created by Qsonics

Key objectives:

* Punctuate and accentuate points with music & beats to keep voice conversational and informal + avoid a 'finger-wagging' tone

* Find the right palette of sounds for the demographic + a way to match a developing, darkening storyboard mood.

* Build a compelling music flow to maintain viewer attention and pace with fast-moving visuals, for maximum impact.


It was a privilege to work with the WebVid team on such an important campaign.


Dancing on Ice - Series Opener - Edge of Glory

This was a seminal moment for Qsonics - soundtracking a DOI series opener with an arrangement of Lady Gaga's Edge of Glory in grand symphonic style, to suit an elaborate visual fantasy theme .


Created at the request of ITV Studios for the primetime Sunday show, this had to match up to the sky-high production values of the team and Olympic stars Torvill & Dean. The original Gaga vocal was built into a completely new version of the song and Jayne & Chris choreographed the routine around this new piece.


With beautiful costumes, stunning moves and tricks, pyrotechnics and a glittering end scene this had it all and - crucially - the track was given the official nod of approval from the record label. The remix was subsequently used in the National Television Awards nomination montage for the talent show category, proving it was a memorable high point in the series.


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As a footnote, the orchestral track styling - with its regal horns & marcato strings - has subsequently been favourably compared to the hit Disney song "Let It Go". Was it the inspiration for this? Well, Frozen the movie came out 18 months after this DOI performance!


BBC News Review of the Year

For five years running the BBC's annual review programmes featured custom music by Qsonics for the start and end titles, as well as programme trails.


Each year the 6 themed episodes were shown on BBC News Channel several times a day and often on BBC World News channel internationally and could be accessed via high profile links from the BBC News site across the festive period.


2012 was a particularly special time - ending a year of British sporting triumphs and the Diamond Jubilee and it was great to hear Qsonics music leading into the memorable Daniel Craig sequence featuring The Queen

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BBC World News Marketboards backdrop

This custom track was created for financial data segments on BBC World News and features a layered mix of electronic sounds over rhythm guitar, piano and string line - all riding on a propulsive rhythm which maintains pace & energy to carry the visuals.


An active theme, but with neutral mood as data shown will have a range of implications for different viewers, so can't sound overly cheerful in a major key or too heavy and newsy.


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WPP BrandZ - Top 50 Indonesian Brands

Another regional project for WPP BrandZ, this time with a brand value countdown for Indonesia.


This theme features the enchanting, natural and woody tones of the Angklung - and yes, a real one rather than any sampled/synthesised approximation!


Being an instrument where the sound of each note depends on how much and how fast the tube is shaken, it was easy to control the build up to the Top 10 where horns, strings and ethnic flutes took the original gentle melody to soaring heights.

2017 theme
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Music created by Drew White, Qsonics

History of Retail in 100 objects - WPP The Store

An innovative approach to a challenging request - bespoke music-to-picture to accompany a video which would illustrate 100 retail milestones through history, from Cave-dwellers and Neolithic period through Early Trading, right up to the present day.. and beyond!


ToInspire Productions created a timeline video for this presentation by The Store - advertising giant WPP's Retail Practice - which needed a musical soundtrack like no other.


In order to match the fluid movement through time seen in the visuals, a single piece was created which emphasised significant moments along the way. The instrumentation was designed to reflect each era and it was all wrapped in a contemporary base.


It's by no means a scientific exercise, but added an extra fun dimension + plenty of personality to the presentation and received great feedback.

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BBC News - How To Put A Human On Mars

A gently bubbling, curious and thoughtful bed for this daytime science special.

The warmth of the track suits a focus on making the interstellar connection, rather than anything suggesting little green martians!


This track was one of a range created for BBC World/News promotional use by Qsonics.


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Alton Towers - In Park Announcements + Video Screens

A set of themes based around "Hall of the Mountain King" by Grieg, long associated with the park.

Designed to give the theme a fresh twist and tailor it for family + teen visitors, stylised versions were created to be heard on the revamped Monorail + Skyride transportation systems and further backing mixes with dance-tempo loops were created for the box office area.


Here is one of many monorail mix sets with everything from spooky "Scarefest" fun + '1812'-style fireworks to CBeebies-land forward promotion and the all important safety info. Each section reflects the voice message with music & fx and the tempo ramps up as the transit pulls in to the station.

Monorail examples - arriving & departing:
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Featuring voice of London buses, Emma Hignett + Drew White

The video shows one of those box office area sequences with ear-catching swipe, click and rollout FX to draw visitors' attention to promotions on screens. The goal was to turn heads with stand-out sonics and ensure nobody would miss out on the messages as they passed through.

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World-class visuals created by Sounds Fishy

Exploration Systems

An exciting proud custom theme for a promotional video, capturing the landscape seen in the footage and representing global reach, human focus and a strong business commitment.


The punctuation and flourishes help to add grandeur and gravitas to the strong message delivered by voiceover Christopher Kent.


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Consumers Advocate Product Video Soundtrack

Caring & compassionate music for a subject requiring a sensitive approach.


The infographics were produced by Sounds Fishy - a highly experienced and innovative video production house based in LA. They explain some crucial differences between pet insurance plans and illustrate how this comparison service can help pet owners make an important choice.


The music was intended to help keep the message moving and highlight the 3 distinct scenes, reflecting the mood in each case. You will hear an introduction, plan type details and an overview of how the service works, leading to a confident and positive finish.


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Live event and performance soundtracks

On stage, at conferences, within event venues

The Shard - New Year countdown

 

Starting the new year on a high! Qsonics rang in 2018 from the tallest skyscraper in the UK, with a custom countdown.


Party-goers at Hutong and Aqua Shard venues in the iconic building enjoyed a dramatic soundtrack referencing the Westminster Chimes and building up to the all important Big Ben "Bongs" at midnight.


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A great collaboration with voiceover Jill Kenton, who provided an exciting countdown read. Also featuring Drew White who was dark and mysterious!

A wobbly phone vid from FVO Jill, who was there to experience the timing
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Jukhee Kwon - Waterfall (installation)

Jukhee Kwon is a profilic and highly imaginative contemporary artist who creates experiments around paper form, which have been exhibited across the world.


The artist invited Qsonics to collaborate in an art installation at Hanmi Gallery in Fitzrovia, central London, and create a soundtrack to accompany her work.


While the visual would be a tall and imposing shredded book sculpture, where page innards drape from the binding to the ground, a 4-channel audio playout would complement it with a powerful, sparse soundtrack.


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A modest representation of the experience - but with four strategically placed speakers and eerie back-lighting, you had to be there!

The intricate process that sees entire books transformed from pages into thin, dangling strips requires weeks of repetitive, precision cutting. Drew White captured the sounds of Jukhee at work in her highly focused state.


Dual microphones were placed close to the knife blade and a further two rested on the floor where, periodically, the gathered paper strands would fall in a heap and break the hypnotic rhythm of the cuts. The ASMR was undeniable, but the challenge would be to translate this into the gallery atmosphere.


By taking the recording from that close stereo field - originally only a few centimetres wide - and expanding it across the room either side of the book, then adding a bass-enhanced capture of the floor mics further back in the room, we were able to create an unusual and fairly disarming sensation. Some described it as 'breathy' while others felt it must be the sound of a guillotine.


In essence, the sound was being distorted and enlarged in much the same way as the book's own form. If you consider being faced with that shadowy 'exploded' book and accompanied by these sounds from all around you, it should be easy to see why visitors were standing for minutes in front of it to decode what they were encountering.


GI Signage Health & Safety Briefing

 

Qsonics was commissioned to provide a civil engineering and highway maintenance company with a Health & Safety briefing sequence like you have never heard before!


While the info these scripts contain is deemed essential, it can often end up packaged in a less than appealing way.


The VO on this project gave an excellent read with plenty of intonation.


Qsonics then set to work building an evocative soundtrack with a cinematic edge which would carry the voice. Music and fx are both used to punctuate and emphasise key sections, making it feel more like a modern pre-flight air safety video.


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Voiceover: Mel Elliott @ Mel's British Voice

Do not download this audio, as it is licensed only for use by GI.


If you would like something similar and customised to your needs, just get in touch.


 

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On Air – RadioActivities

Selected work for stations through the years

Malfunction - branding

 

Malfunction takes a raft of top quality, lesser-heard music and injects it into a radio stream wrapped in some of the most other-worldly branding around!


The brainchild and personal project of Scott Temple, experienced radio practitioner and Pirate (FM - the legal type) broadcaster, Malfunction ironically does function really well as an at work & in car listen, since there's max flow & min breaks.


The central tag line "Never Know Next" highlights its unpredictability - and Qsonics wanted to ensure that would apply to the idents just as much to the music!


Instead of building idents as completed cuts, a huge set of fragments with just the station name, strapline and other fx & random speech was assembled and then an algorithm used to link them in every possible permutation. In simple terms, that yields unexpected IDs by the bucketload to keep it ear-catching and fun.


Can you handle the whole lot in one go?
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Express FM - branding

 

Back in 2006 Qsonics created a starter package for community station Express FM in Portsmouth, featuring Dallas vocals from TM Century. When it was time for a recent refresh Drew White & David Harber looked at how to pump more Portsmouth into the package, while extending what had already been established.


By keeping the "Express" vocal in the mix and working the Pompey Chimes into the top of hour news intro there was a clear and direct connection with the area. In order to distinguish the melody from Big Ben or just sounding like a generic chime, we took a recording of the 5 bells chiming in the tower at Portsmouth Guildhall.


The result: Maximum authenticity for the city! There's even a football variant with "Play up Pompey" chant for match days.

Strapline logo demo + various package mixes:
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VO: Drew White

Classic FM Christmas Appeal

A theme with tenderness and a spirit of goodwill - reminiscent of "Silent Night" and featuring a horn motif as a call to action, 'cello & piano for compassion and a harp for a sprinkle of Christmas magic.


This was custom written and structured to fit each trail format, sensitively cradling the 'showcase' message about the excellent work of Nordoff Robbins and then audibly highlighting the name of the charity.


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Classic FM - Take The Cake

 
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A musical call to action for a nationwide event where cakes are baked to raise money for charity.

The theme begins by marking out four key ingredients of eggs, flour, sugar and butter.


It then takes on a Coplandesque playfulness to set the scene for a lively kitchen scene and a cheeky cake tin snare drum helps to engage younger listeners. The message is very much of family involvement and doing good.


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Winchester Today community branding

 

Winchester Today is a package full of Win. With podcasts, a live stream and plans to further develop a credible community brand, the aim was to provide this fledgling online station with a package big and versatile enough to meet their growing needs.. in advance! By super-supplying it would allow them to focus on the key job of adding content, rather than needing to continually find new music beds or order feature-specific liners from day to day.


Qsonics took care of functional, musical and editorial needs with almost a hundred individual cuts and break-out idents provided from scratch.


If you are a community station with a distinctive local approach and you don't want to be mistaken for just another glossy music network, make sure your imaging does you proud and portrays your individual character clearly and professionally on air. Talk to Qsonics.


Ident montage:
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Heart / Sky promotion theme

Extract showing off-air use of a disco funk theme for The Borgias promotion on Heart radio network + full theme used as a promotional talkover bed


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BBC World Service - The Journey Started Far From Here

This theme was created for promotional trailers marking a season of programmes about migration.


A sensitive world-music theme spanning east & west - with a broad panorama expressed in background strings and a personal, singular voice in solo instruments representing individuals and their stories at the centre.


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Open Language Science - bilingual Brazilian advert

 

A Brazilian language school wanted mirrored English + Portuguese radio adverts to demonstrate to non native speakers how taking language learning outside the classroom confines can benefit students.


A creative script was developed around the client's concept and their enthusiasm for 'open learning' was captured in a soundscape.


To more effectively reach both beginner and advanced learners, but without altering the message, the same voice and script were used for both language versions, allowing potential students to compare the wording.


British English version:
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VO: Drew White

Brazilian Portuguese version:
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VO: Drew White

 

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Q is for Quirky - odd briefs welcome!

The Weird & the Wonderful - what do you need?

"I don't know if it's possible, but"...
That's often the opening line of a tentative enquiry which leads to some of the most creative results!

Heart's Breakfast Ark

A classic example of Qsonics bringing creative concepts to life in a way that sets them apart from the usual approaches.


Listen and marvel as Cat, Cockerel, Cow and a host of other animals present a 'name that tune' competition with a difference. No lazy keyed sampler pitch change or lazy autotune here - just a whole heap of fine editing, timing tweaks and playrate mangling!

Hear example tracks + how it sounded on-air:
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(Note the original backings were not used as it would have made it too easy!)

ArcherMind - commissioned by Radio 4 for BBC's Broadcasting House

It's Barwick Green (Archers Theme) meets Approaching Menace (Mastermind).


To put it in context, Radio 4 wanted a musical way to herald a quiz with tough trivia about The Archers. Qsonics was able to provide something that connected them musically and brought a smile to listeners.


There were several possible approaches, but the two delivered were mash-up and stylised re-make. Both were used on air.


Main version with sample:
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Alt version used during pre-promote:
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Turtle Fun - vocal

"Hi, can you sing a jingle for a Spanish turtle toy with a cute smile that's coming to the UK market?"


Well apparently, yes! Recorded with multiple layers inc key harmonies (no auto-tune or artificial stacks) and a thinned out bass to prevent it being overbearing, this is catchy and pretty snappy.


Produced for Silent Media Es.
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Pips for Toddlers - a BBC PM experiment for younger listeners

The PM programme is known for its playful, light hearted features to offset the heavier news items. Eddie Mair (now at LBC) and Carolyn Quinn noted the average audience age appeared to be creeping up, so the programme launched an initiative for younger fans called "My Baby Loves PM".


A Qsonics jingle was employed to herald this feature, acting as a musical signal to young ears.


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As featured on BBC Radio 4 "PM" programme

The PM audience was asked to gauge reaction and capture it on video.


A looped version featured heavily, including as a background to the "Previously on PM" feature.


The results of this were that all adult listeners were driven mad - but the kids loved it! Well.. kids and Broadcasting House presenter Paddy O'Connell:


 
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Audio Features + Montage Mixing

A Range of Services inc. Feature Package Production, Remixes/Reworks, Megamixes/Medleys

Fun Kids science packages

Sound design & mixing of short info packages to bring factual scripts to life, with 'scenes in sound', imaginative musical textures and plenty of pace to maintain the attention of younger listeners!


Benny & Mal (aka Bene & Mal)
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Various extracts:

 

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Producer Tools - ready to roll

An extensive range of moods & styles + inspiring sonic snacks

From workparts, whizzes & whooshes to talkover beds and functional jingles

Splinter FX (Samplephonics)

 
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A package of impacts, spot fx, transition swoops, airy sweeps, rhythmic & fx loops/fills & crazy tech/comic noises for a nice price


Presentation montage:
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Buyout available - click link below

On Demand - Pop Production Music

 

Confident pop themes for broadcast - available from Music Candy.

Cheeky sax riffs; flowing slick dance-pop with retro drums; pulsing guitar & synth tracks


Album sampler:
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Available to license - click link below

Beds and Beats - Total Promos 7

 

Fresh production music for themes and talkover beds. Great for ads with personality.

Produced in collaboration with Ben Neidle @ noise fusion covering a range of useful styles in promo lengths.

From fresh & shiny stateside pop to soulful, sultry late-night vibes.


Album sampler:
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Available to license - click link below

Ready To Air - Radio Toolkit

 

10 themes and underscores for Radio Toolkit library - a massive 60 cuts in all.


Perfect for adverts, explainers and online music beds - and available directly from Qsonics for your productions.


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Support for Independent Media Producers

Qsonics is proud to work with broadcast, online and direct delivery sectors

Take advantage of great value custom branding services for Internet Radio and Podcasters.

Qsonics builds structured timeline templates to get your production started + a helping hand as you grow.


Drew White is on hand with tailored & trusted advice, having set up workflows for the likes of National Prison Radio and presented at the "Essentials of Podcasting" Guardian Masterclass.

Whatever support you need - it's worth getting in touch to talk through your ideas and needs.

 

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Background info

About Drew White

Drew in the 90s

I began in studios on the south coast as a teen and from 1990 worked full-time in radio programme and commercial production, already using early digital editing technology from D.A.R. then Digidesign and SADiE. I set up my first studio and began music + fx creation for station identity, as well providing full soundtracks for corporate videos and trail voices for TVS and Meridian. I was involved with legacy brands including Power FM, Galaxy and 2CR.



Photo Of Not Tony Blackburn

In London I spent 7 years full-time within stations including Capital Radio (FM + Gold) and the launch of Talk Radio UK. I was the imaging producer of Capital's first network roll-out and created branding & promotions audio for World Cup + Euro tournament coverage.


During this time I teamed up with Steve Wright jingle legend Anthony James to launch production library Music Candy; worked on shows for Bravo TV; and created the theme for ITV music show "Routes of Rock". Through the years I have worked with, and recorded, many fascinating things from insects to dinosaurs (or, at least, Tony Blackburn).



I first used the name Qsonics for experimental audio performance and tech art projects while living in São Paulo, where I enjoyed the amazing cultural energy of South America's biggest city. This was a great opportunity to expand my original music portfolio with help from many talented local players, but I also wanted to collaborate in live studio sessions for these musicians' own tracks so I could get a real feel for their creative vision.


The experiences were quite magical - from percussionists who appeared to be playing in double time before my eyes (clip 3) to a rainstorm with perfectly-timed thunderclap captured during a backyard vocal recording (clip 7). Here are some brief extracts showing my production contribution to just a few of these projects:


Gilles Peterson at Qsonics

I am proud to have provided production services to many UK broadcasters including BBC News, Global Radio (Classic FM, Gold, Heart, Capital), Bauer group and UTV radio networks among others.


In 2006 my own Qsonics studio in Brazil was chosen to play host to Gilles Peterson, Earl Zinger and the Somethin' Else production crew for a São Paulo special edition of 'Worldwide' broadcast LIVE on BBC Radio 1



My music and fx have been heard on BBC Radio 1 and 2 and on countless Independent Local Radio stations. I have appeared as an imaging + promotions voiceover on over 50 UK stations - showreels for this work area can be found at DrewWhite.com and Radio Facilities where I am a featured voice artist.


Internationally, through partnership with TM Studios in Dallas my music has reached exposure on stations from Bloomberg in New York to Serbia to Scotland, while my library music work gets used in some surprising parts of the globe - I've produced albums for De Wolfe, Music Candy and Beds & Beats in London.


Drew White - DJing in Sao Paulo
Drew White - DJing in Sao Paulo

Qsonics Ltd. - Chiswick, London W4 Company No. 07937756 (England & Wales) Registered At: Radius House, 51 Clarendon Rd. WD17 1HP