Composing With Tape
Paul Cousins
September 19-23, 2026
A Week of Experimental Analog Music Creation
Arrival: Saturday 19th September, 4pm
Departure: Thursday 24th September by, 11am.
The Basics
- Five nights accommodation in Cornwall.
- Four full days of teaching, workshops, discussions and activities.
- All inclusive - breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks included
- All dietary requirements catered for.
The Highlights
- Work and learn with experienced Composer and Sound Artist Paul Cousins.
- Explore Tape as material for experimentation.
- Create your own work and be part of a group exhibition of tape works.
- Optional outings to walk, swim & explore the Cornish coastline.
This residency costs from £1250
The fee brings together an expert-led, curated residency programme alongside accommodation and full catering for the week.
Shared room £1250
Private king £1600
Private king with en suite £1700
Non residential £600
The non residential option includes full participation in all workshops and shared sessions, plus all daytime meals and refreshments.
Join sound artist and composer Paul Cousins for a week-long exploration of reel-to-reel tape machines and the creative possibilities of analog recording. Set against the inspiring backdrop of the Helford River, this immersive residency invites participants to delve into the tactile, hands-on world of tape manipulation, looping, and sound design.
During this workshop, we'll use reel-to-reel tape machines as both musical instruments and tools for composition. Paul will guide us through the fundamentals of tape recording, splicing, and looping, as well as advanced experimental techniques of tape delay and manipulation. Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with layering, degradation, and texture, discovering how the physicality of tape can inspire entirely new approaches to sound. By focusing on creating outside of the DAW and working directly with objects instead of screens, we'll embrace a process that celebrates the heart and soul of analog equipment.
Our creative journey will include collaborative sessions where we'll craft unique tape-based compositions, drawing inspiration from the natural elements around us. Field recording outings will offer an opportunity to capture environmental sounds, which we'll manipulate and integrate into our works. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments or sound sources (compact and portable), and Paul will provide several reel-to-reel machines and custom tools for experimentation.
Throughout the week, we'll reflect on the innovative techniques pioneered by artists such as Steve Reich, Delia Derbyshire, Brian Eno, and Éliane Radigue, exploring how analog tape can connect us to a slower, more deliberate process of creation. By the end of the residency, you will gain hands-on experience with tape-based composition and discover new methods of sound design. You'll leave with a collaborative collection of tape-driven works, including personal tape loops that serve as mementos of the creative journey and the beginnings of a shared tape loop archive.
This workshop is open to anyone curious about the creative potential of analog tape, from seasoned sound artists to those new to tape machines. Discover the beauty of imperfection, the magic of physical sound, and the joy of composing with tape.
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During this workshop, we'll use reel-to-reel tape machines as both musical instruments and tools for composition. Paul will guide us through the fundamentals of tape recording, splicing, and looping, as well as advanced experimental techniques of tape delay and manipulation. Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with layering, degradation, and texture, discovering how the physicality of tape can inspire entirely new approaches to sound. By focusing on creating outside of the DAW and working directly with objects instead of screens, we'll embrace a process that celebrates the heart and soul of analog equipment.
Our creative journey will include collaborative sessions where we'll craft unique tape-based compositions, drawing inspiration from the natural elements around us. Field recording outings will offer an opportunity to capture environmental sounds, which we'll manipulate and integrate into our works. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments or sound sources (compact and portable), and Paul will provide several reel-to-reel machines and custom tools for experimentation.
Throughout the week, we'll reflect on the innovative techniques pioneered by artists such as Steve Reich, Delia Derbyshire, Brian Eno, and Éliane Radigue, exploring how analog tape can connect us to a slower, more deliberate process of creation. By the end of the residency, you will gain hands-on experience with tape-based composition and discover new methods of sound design. You'll leave with a collaborative collection of tape-driven works, including personal tape loops that serve as mementos of the creative journey and the beginnings of a shared tape loop archive.
This workshop is open to anyone curious about the creative potential of analog tape, from seasoned sound artists to those new to tape machines. Discover the beauty of imperfection, the magic of physical sound, and the joy of composing with tape.
Residency Lead
Paul Cousins is a sound artist & composer based in London. Using a collection of 1/4" reel-to-reel machines, tape echoes and other analogue equipment, he creates music on the themes of obsolete technology and imperfection. His compositions have featured in installations at Barbican, 180 Studios and on BBC radio. In addition to releases with Decca and Castles in Space, in the studio he has worked on a diverse range of projects for acclaimed artists & record labels. His recent sound installation 'Atomised Listening' invited visitors to interact with obsolete music technology at Stone Nest in London's West End.
"Dreamy, meditative compositions" - FACT magazine
"Soaringly lovely" - Electronic Sound
"Atomised Listening uses obsolete equipment as a feature, creating a sound sculpture that allows an interaction between the audience and the tapes they manipulate" - The Wire
︎︎︎ ︎︎︎ paulcousinsmusic.com
︎ ︎ paulcousinsmusic
Accommodation options
We offer a small number of room types. Each option is booked separately and subject to availability.
Private King with ensuite (1)
Private King (3)
Single bed (6)
Shared room
We offer a small number of room types. Each option is booked separately and subject to availability.
Private King with ensuite (1)
Private King (3)
Single bed (6)
Shared room
Private Rooms
Private King with ensuite
A private room for one person with a king-size bed and ensuite bathroom. Includes patio doors out to a terrace and garden. Light-filled and peaceful.
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Private King
A private room with a king-size bed and shared bathroom. First-floor, light-filled, with garden or creek views.
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Private King with ensuite
A private room for one person with a king-size bed and ensuite bathroom. Includes patio doors out to a terrace and garden. Light-filled and peaceful.
Private King
A private room with a king-size bed and shared bathroom. First-floor, light-filled, with garden or creek views.
Shared rooms
Single bed in a room shared with up to three other guests. Each person has their own recessed alcove with a bed, reading light, and storage. Shared bathrooms are light-filled and beautifully designed.
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Shared twin
One twin room is available for two people travelling together. This option is by request. Please email us if you would like to share.
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Single bed in a room shared with up to three other guests. Each person has their own recessed alcove with a bed, reading light, and storage. Shared bathrooms are light-filled and beautifully designed.
Shared twinOne twin room is available for two people travelling together. This option is by request. Please email us if you would like to share.
Funded places and access
There are two fully funded places available for this residency, intended to support those who may need financial assistance to attend.
Funded places cover the residency fee, accommodation, and all meals for the week. Travel costs are not included.
Access is important to us. If there is anything that might make attending difficult, including access to equipment, please let us know when applying. We will do what we can to support access.
How to apply
To apply for a funded place, please submit a short statement of no more than 300 words explaining why you would like to take part, what you hope to gain from the experience, and how it would support your practice.
Grant deadline: June 20th, 2026.
Apply for a funded place
Dyski — experimental artist residencies
Immersive, place-based workshops and residencies
Focused on process, experimentation, and learning through practice
Pronounced [’dɪski], a Cornish verb meaning to learn, or to teach
Immersive, place-based workshops and residencies
Focused on process, experimentation, and learning through practice
Pronounced [’dɪski], a Cornish verb meaning to learn, or to teach
Dyski is a residency programme for musicians, sound artists, composers, instrument builders, and creative practitioners working at the edges of their practice.
We run immersive, small-scale residencies and workshops, primarily in Cornwall, UK and occasionally further afield, led by practitioners across experimental music, sound art, modular synthesis, audiovisual performance, field recording, electroacoustic composition, writing, and expanded creative practice.
Our residencies emphasise process, experimentation, and close engagement with place, with funded places available to support access.
We run immersive, small-scale residencies and workshops, primarily in Cornwall, UK and occasionally further afield, led by practitioners across experimental music, sound art, modular synthesis, audiovisual performance, field recording, electroacoustic composition, writing, and expanded creative practice.
Our residencies emphasise process, experimentation, and close engagement with place, with funded places available to support access.