ABOUT THIS EPISODE
The original episode was taken down due to a copyright strike on the theme tune — even though I wrote and produced it myself. While I sort that out, you’re treated to a gloriously bad placeholder version.
Also, I’ve trimmed down the Clip n Mix segment — I was clearly having too much fun with firepits last time, and it got a bit… indulgent. This one gets to the good stuff faster.
And what is Tonás — the raw, unaccompanied flamenco style with roots in secrecy, survival, and soul?
In this episode, I launch a new segment called Clip n Mix, where I turn everyday sounds into music. This time? A campsite firepit. My son and I hit it with sticks, sample it using Ableton Note, and turn it into a crunchy little beat — which you’ll hear later in the episode.
Then we dive into one of flamenco’s most haunting styles: Tonás. My guest is the brilliant Josie Sinnadurai, a flamenco dancer based in Seville, who helps unpack the history, sound, and emotional depth of this unaccompanied vocal tradition.
👇 Full chapters and links below!
00:00 – Intro + why the theme tune sounds different
02:20 – Clip n Mix: sampling a firepit in Dorset
09:45 – What is Tonás?
10:20 – Interview with Josie Sinnadurai
34:50 – Why I didn’t make a Tonás track
35:20 – Turning firepit samples into music
49:15 – Sound, play, and curiosity
54:25 – Live shows + Patreon + sign-off
🎬 Watch the Tonás video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7vpU5zLl-A
👣 Follow Josie Sinnadurai:
Website: https://www.josielaurelflamenco.com/
Instagram: @josie_sinna
📱 Try Ableton Note (free app):
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/ableton-note/id1611814758
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ableton.note
🎧 Download the firepit samples + Ableton Note session:
https://www.patreon.com/StevePrettyOnTheOriginofthePieces
🎟️ Live at Wilton’s Music Hall – 24th Jan 2026
👨👩👧👦 Kids show (2pm):
https://wiltons.org.uk/whats-on/steve-pretty-and-friends-on-the-origin-of-the-pieces-kids/
🌙 Evening show (7pm):
https://wiltons.org.uk/whats-on/steve-pretty-and-friends-on-the-origin-of-the-pieces-2/
💬 Got a weird sound you’d like me to turn into music?
Drop it in the comments or email podcast@stevepretty.com
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