Chris Carlson is a musician and software developer based in Richmond, Virginia. His work is driven by the desire to discover new ways of generating, transforming, and experiencing sound.

Carlson is the creator of Borderlands Granular, a unique interface for performing with granular synthesis on the iPad. The app’s minimal design emphasizes direct gestural interaction with waveforms and allows users to discover “sounds within sounds.” Borderlands was honored with an Award of Distinction in Digital Music and Sound Art in the 2013 Prix Ars Electronica and has been recognized and presented by the ZKM Center for Art and Media and Sónar Festival.

While he often performs live with multiple copies of his app, Carlson’s musical output also includes compositions for film and modern dance as well as generative multichannel works for public spaces. By day, he creates audiovisual experiences for cultural institutions and brands at Second Story. He has delivered work for clients including the National Archives, the Denver Botanic Gardens, Epson, and SFMOMA, among others. Carlson holds a M.A. from Stanford University’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics and a B.S. in Physics from James Madison University.