Podcast 361: Alison Tavel on the Resynator

Last October, The Fretboard Journal's Ryan Richter (and
ace producer/engineer Sean O'Brien) attended a
screening of Somewhere You Feel Free, the documentary
examining the recording of Tom Petty's seminal
album Wildflowers. Ryan recalls: "After it ended and as we
were making our way through the lobby, I noticed a woman
graciously accepting thanks and congratulations out in front of
the theater. Sean motioned to her, indicating that we'd be
breaking stride to take our place in line. 'Have you met Alison
yet? I've been meaning to introduce you two. Her father invented
this wild synth that she's making a documentary about.' Sean went
on to say that she also the handled all the archival footage and
helped produce the film we'd just seen. Needless to say, I was
intrigued." 

 


After a quick introduction, Alison and Ryan decided they'd find
time to talk on mic about her father's creation, for which
she's been acting as a steward, reinvigorator, forensic
investigator, evangelizer, and documentarian for the last
several years. The device, called The Resynator, was not
only way before its time in terms of sonic character, but also
in its marriage of emerging technologies in the realm of
musical instruments. Her father, Don Tavel, (a musician and
inventor) passed away when Alison was just ten weeks old,
leaving her to not only learn about him though the memories of
others, but also to reconnect with those involved in the
development of The Resynator (including Mu-Tron inventor Mike
Beigel) to refine and more fully realize an instrument that
lost it's maker so many years ago. 


 


We hope you enjoy this conversation between Alison Tavel and
Ryan Richter. 


 


Alison's completed Kickstarter campaign: 


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/resynator/resynator


 


The Resynator on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpGdbnmvZYI&ab_channel=Resynator



 



Spotify Resynator playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5JOjjnhNJCrBN1sJ7kgN14?si=jaYMRvEPSDqpaSTVtBMEig&dl_branch=1&nd=1


 


This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code
FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual
subscription); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the
discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase);
and BED|STÜ shoes (save 20% off with the code FRETXBS for a
limited time).

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and support
all that we do, including our growing family of podcasts. Click
here.