David Thomas
@thesounddesigner.bsky.social
Freelance sound designer (mainly BBC Radio), audio drama specialist and studio owner, Lewes UK.
The Lovecraft Investigations, Aldrich Kemp, Temporal (Audible) and BBC comedy shows.
The Lovecraft Investigations, Aldrich Kemp, Temporal (Audible) and BBC comedy shows.
On a way to a job in the Midlands and stopped off in Stratford. This is the room that William Shakespeare was born in.
November 17, 2025 at 2:14 PM
On a way to a job in the Midlands and stopped off in Stratford. This is the room that William Shakespeare was born in.
My favourite photo from tonight’s bonfire celebrations in Lewes, taken half way up the high street.
November 5, 2025 at 11:02 PM
My favourite photo from tonight’s bonfire celebrations in Lewes, taken half way up the high street.
Lewes castle from our garden. Just now
November 5, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Lewes castle from our garden. Just now
Destroying some already broken laptops before taking for recycling. Recording interior and exterior drops, slides, fumbles and pick-ups. Recording at night to avoid birds and traffic.
November 3, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Destroying some already broken laptops before taking for recycling. Recording interior and exterior drops, slides, fumbles and pick-ups. Recording at night to avoid birds and traffic.
I think he’s seen me.
November 2, 2025 at 12:53 PM
I think he’s seen me.
The desk at the end of the video below is the exact desk that I used for years at Pier Productions, old Radio Sussex building. Here’s a pic of it in its original location just before we decommissioned it.
The amp that powered the speakers (Quad 306) now powers the centre speaker in my own studio.
The amp that powered the speakers (Quad 306) now powers the centre speaker in my own studio.
October 28, 2025 at 8:36 AM
The desk at the end of the video below is the exact desk that I used for years at Pier Productions, old Radio Sussex building. Here’s a pic of it in its original location just before we decommissioned it.
The amp that powered the speakers (Quad 306) now powers the centre speaker in my own studio.
The amp that powered the speakers (Quad 306) now powers the centre speaker in my own studio.
The Greenwich Meridian on the first night of GMT
October 26, 2025 at 11:42 PM
The Greenwich Meridian on the first night of GMT
I arrived to record a show yesterday and the internal power supply of my big desk had died. Aargh.
Thankfully I always travel with a spare desk of the same type (but smaller channel count) so I was up and running again in 5 mins-ish. Phew.
Parts to fix main desk arrive tomorrow.
🪛 🔧 ⚡️
Thankfully I always travel with a spare desk of the same type (but smaller channel count) so I was up and running again in 5 mins-ish. Phew.
Parts to fix main desk arrive tomorrow.
🪛 🔧 ⚡️
October 23, 2025 at 10:08 AM
I arrived to record a show yesterday and the internal power supply of my big desk had died. Aargh.
Thankfully I always travel with a spare desk of the same type (but smaller channel count) so I was up and running again in 5 mins-ish. Phew.
Parts to fix main desk arrive tomorrow.
🪛 🔧 ⚡️
Thankfully I always travel with a spare desk of the same type (but smaller channel count) so I was up and running again in 5 mins-ish. Phew.
Parts to fix main desk arrive tomorrow.
🪛 🔧 ⚡️
I’ve done a bit of ambience recording over the last couple of days. Beachy Head, top and bottom on consecutive days. 500ft cliffs on the Sussex coast. Just about managed to avoid the rain
October 15, 2025 at 10:49 AM
I’ve done a bit of ambience recording over the last couple of days. Beachy Head, top and bottom on consecutive days. 500ft cliffs on the Sussex coast. Just about managed to avoid the rain
Slows in a jar with sugar and gin. Looks like a Pixies album cover.
October 11, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Slows in a jar with sugar and gin. Looks like a Pixies album cover.
We had to leave the laquer to fully harden for a few weeks but I’ve now helped my son build the neck, pickups and electrics all back on to the new body he got for his 18th birthday. (He sanded, dyed and laquered a bare wood body that we bought him). Very happy with the result.
Before and after:
Before and after:
October 9, 2025 at 6:51 PM
We had to leave the laquer to fully harden for a few weeks but I’ve now helped my son build the neck, pickups and electrics all back on to the new body he got for his 18th birthday. (He sanded, dyed and laquered a bare wood body that we bought him). Very happy with the result.
Before and after:
Before and after:
Picking Sloes to make Sloe Gin.
It should be just about ready for Christmas.
It should be just about ready for Christmas.
October 9, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Picking Sloes to make Sloe Gin.
It should be just about ready for Christmas.
It should be just about ready for Christmas.
The world’s oldest photography shop is 400m from my house and I went to an open day there last Sunday. All the original cameras and stands from the 1850s are still there and they still use the same studio. Many props in photos from 1860 are still used today.
The neck braces are no longer used!
The neck braces are no longer used!
September 18, 2025 at 6:39 AM
The world’s oldest photography shop is 400m from my house and I went to an open day there last Sunday. All the original cameras and stands from the 1850s are still there and they still use the same studio. Many props in photos from 1860 are still used today.
The neck braces are no longer used!
The neck braces are no longer used!
Lovely. I bought this Arts and Crafts chair in about 1993 for what was then about half my monthly pay packet and it’s brought me joy every day since.
September 12, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Lovely. I bought this Arts and Crafts chair in about 1993 for what was then about half my monthly pay packet and it’s brought me joy every day since.
Annoying? I just feel a bit sorry for you
September 4, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Annoying? I just feel a bit sorry for you
On a Zoom with John Bolton last night for BBC Too Long Didn’t Read, (talking about “The Special Relationship”) and a few hours later he got raided by the FBI.
That would have been tricky for the programme if it had been a few hours earlier!
On Radio 4 at 6:30
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
That would have been tricky for the programme if it had been a few hours earlier!
On Radio 4 at 6:30
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
August 22, 2025 at 4:44 PM
On a Zoom with John Bolton last night for BBC Too Long Didn’t Read, (talking about “The Special Relationship”) and a few hours later he got raided by the FBI.
That would have been tricky for the programme if it had been a few hours earlier!
On Radio 4 at 6:30
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
That would have been tricky for the programme if it had been a few hours earlier!
On Radio 4 at 6:30
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
In 2019 I was sound designer a BBC audio drama with Ray Davies about the Arthur album.
Ray wrote the script (with Paul Sirett) and the character of Ray’s mum says the lines below before we go into a section where Ray writes Waterloo Sunset. The Terence Stamp thing might be a coincidence?
Ray wrote the script (with Paul Sirett) and the character of Ray’s mum says the lines below before we go into a section where Ray writes Waterloo Sunset. The Terence Stamp thing might be a coincidence?
August 17, 2025 at 6:09 PM
In 2019 I was sound designer a BBC audio drama with Ray Davies about the Arthur album.
Ray wrote the script (with Paul Sirett) and the character of Ray’s mum says the lines below before we go into a section where Ray writes Waterloo Sunset. The Terence Stamp thing might be a coincidence?
Ray wrote the script (with Paul Sirett) and the character of Ray’s mum says the lines below before we go into a section where Ray writes Waterloo Sunset. The Terence Stamp thing might be a coincidence?
My son wanted an Oxblood Fender Precision Bass for his 18th but they don’t exist (affordably) so we got a blank body to put onto my old black Squier. Several coats of dye done and now the first coat of laquer is drying. (Wood block in place of neck is to hold at correct angle when applying lacquer)
August 17, 2025 at 11:19 AM
My son wanted an Oxblood Fender Precision Bass for his 18th but they don’t exist (affordably) so we got a blank body to put onto my old black Squier. Several coats of dye done and now the first coat of laquer is drying. (Wood block in place of neck is to hold at correct angle when applying lacquer)
Harvest Moon. Landport Bottom, Lewes
August 8, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Harvest Moon. Landport Bottom, Lewes
Just for a bit of fun on a Sunday morning I separated that vocal line in Spectralayers.
July 27, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Just for a bit of fun on a Sunday morning I separated that vocal line in Spectralayers.
It may not be the official lyrics on the inner sleeve but it is what she sings
July 27, 2025 at 9:54 AM
It may not be the official lyrics on the inner sleeve but it is what she sings
Training up my son in audio. He’s been working on BBC shows with me since he was 8 (on and off) and last night was his first day with his own desk. I took splits from the mics and he could practice in real time without affecting the show.
July 25, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Training up my son in audio. He’s been working on BBC shows with me since he was 8 (on and off) and last night was his first day with his own desk. I took splits from the mics and he could practice in real time without affecting the show.
Ha! This was my attempt to do a um 5.0.2??? recording a few years ago. 5xkm184 and my RSM191. Never found the place to test it out on playback though.
July 17, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Ha! This was my attempt to do a um 5.0.2??? recording a few years ago. 5xkm184 and my RSM191. Never found the place to test it out on playback though.
Another bucket list item ticked off tonight. Smokey Robinson was on good form at Love Supreme festival near Lewes.
July 5, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Another bucket list item ticked off tonight. Smokey Robinson was on good form at Love Supreme festival near Lewes.