Granular Convolver: Red Bull Music Academy’s Instrumental Leap into Sonic Innovation

When the Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA) marked its 20th anniversary in 2018, it did so not with nostalgia but with bold invention. Central to this celebration was the Granular Convolver, an experimental musical device born from the minds of Tatsuya Takahashi, Christoph Hohnerlein, and Maximilian Rest.

Crafted as a one-off instrument and gifted exclusively to the Academy’s participants in Berlin, the Convolver was more than a commemorative token—it was a provocation, a call to reimagine how music is created, shaped, and perceived.

A Justifiable Flow Rooted in Curiosity

The Granular Convolver was a product of intellectual synergy.

• Tatsuya Takahashi, then chief engineer at Korg and later head of Korg Germany, brought deep analog synthesis expertise.
• Christoph Hohnerlein contributed technical craftsmanship with a passion for digital sound design.
• Maximilian Rest, founder of boutique synth retailer E-RM, added critical insights into user-centric design and interface logic.

Together, they sought to craft a musical tool that would disrupt traditional sound production. Unlike typical samplers or synths, the Granular Convolver was designed to process and mutate sound in real-time through convolution-based manipulation.

Understanding the Convolver: What Makes It Unique

At its core, the Granular Convolver is a hybrid audio processor and performance instrument. It combines two complex concepts—granular synthesis and convolution processing—to create new sonic textures.

Granular synthesis breaks audio into small “grains” (tiny snippets of sound), then rearranges or processes them to create entirely new forms. This allows for stretching, reshaping, and layering of sounds far beyond their original identity.

Convolution, more often used in reverbs, multiplies one audio signal with another (often called an “impulse response”), producing a third that carries the characteristics of both. Applied creatively, it can yield surreal textures and hybrid tones, allowing artists to “impregnate” one sound with the sonic fingerprint of another.

When combined, these processes create a unique sonic playground—one that is inherently unpredictable, incredibly rich, and ripe for live improvisation.

Physical Form: Interface and Interaction

The Granular Convolver wasn’t built to be sleek—it was built to invite hands-on exploration. With a minimal but expressive interface, the machine invited users to feed in audio, modulate parameters, and experiment freely.

Participants at the 2018 Red Bull Music Academy were given direct access to the unit, which came with a custom-engraved housing and dedicated controls for manipulating grain density, pitch, modulation speed, convolution blend, and other performance parameters.

Its tactile layout was integral to its appeal. Unlike menu-diving digital gear, the Convolver encouraged immediacy. Musicians could “feel” their way into new sonic territories rather than intellectualizing every decision.

The Public Lecture: Deep Dive into the Sound

One of the most pivotal moments for the Granular Convolver’s unveiling was a public lecture during the 2018 Academy in Berlin, where Takahashi, Hohnerlein, and Rest explained not only the device’s structure but also its philosophical foundation.

The lecture revealed that the Convolver was less about “perfect results” and more about embracing imperfection, unpredictability, and the beauty of failure. The creators challenged the audience to rethink what it means to use a machine—not as a tool for control, but as a collaborator in sound.

This mentality resonated deeply with the Academy’s ethos: experimentation over imitation, and curiosity over commercial polish.

A Living Artifact of RBMA’s Legacy

Though only a handful of Granular Convolvers exist, their symbolic impact is profound. As a bespoke creation tied to a particular year and location, the instrument is a living artifact of RBMA’s commitment to cross-pollination between technology and artistry.

For the musicians and producers who participated in RBMA 2018, the device became both a creative companion and a badge of experience—proof that they were part of a unique convergence of ideas.

RBMA has always been more than a music school. From lectures with Brian Eno and Flying Lotus to hardware collaborations like the RBMA-20 Convolver, its purpose has been to nurture creative independence while fostering a global music dialogue.

Resonance in Today’s Music Technology Scene

Even though RBMA formally ceased operations in 2019, the Granular Convolver lives on in spirit. Its influence can be felt in a wave of boutique hardware design, where modular interfaces, exploratory sound engines, and non-linear workflows have become increasingly mainstream.

Companies like Make Noise, Teenage Engineering, and SOMA Laboratory echo the same creative sensibilities: Build tools that spark questions, not just answers. The idea of gear as a co-creator—rather than a utility—has gained traction in experimental music circles, techno labs, and electronic festivals across the globe.

More Than a Machine

The Granular Convolver stands as a sonic metaphor for what the Red Bull Music Academy championed across two decades: community, unpredictability, and audacious invention.

In a world where music production is often reduced to plug-ins and presets, this singular device invites us to listen differently, to create fearlessly, and to collaborate across disciplines.

Even in its physical rarity, the Granular Convolver represents a common hope: that the future of music lies not in perfect replication, but in bold transformation.