Hosts & story
Two microphones, one table, a lot of follow-up questions.
Overtone started as a running argument between a designer and a journalist about who really makes things. Sixty-two episodes later, neither of them has won.
The hosts
Nadia Ferreira
An industrial designer who spent twelve years designing kettles, toasters and one very famous stand mixer. She can tell you what a product cost to make by tapping it, and she will.
A walnut desk organiser, slowly
Eli Brandt
A science journalist and former public radio producer. Ten years of cutting tape taught him that the best part of an interview is usually the bit after the guest says “this probably isn’t interesting, but…”.
Sourdough, with mixed results
Overtone in numbers
2.4M
59
140
~3k
The story so far
From a back room to 140 countries.
We record in the back room of Fischer & Sons Piano Repair on Frankford Avenue. Mr. Fischer tunes pianos out front, so we schedule around him.
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The argument
At a friend’s wedding, Nadia and Eli spend three hours arguing about who designed the wedding venue’s chairs. They decide to find out, with microphones.
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Episode one
“The Chair That Took Nine Years” goes out to 212 listeners, most of them related to the hosts.
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The violin
Adaeze Nwosu plays a violin made from a fallen maple, live in the studio. The clip is shared 40,000 times in a week.
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Live from the piano shop
Ninety people, borrowed chairs and a question from a nine-year-old that we still think about.
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Going independent, properly
Season three is funded by listeners and a small number of sponsors we actually use. We hire Rosa Lindgren as producer.
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Season four
Sixteen new episodes, our first transcripts for every show and 48,000 downloads per episode.
How an episode gets made
About forty hours, for one hour.
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01 · 20 hours
Research
We read everything the guest has published, call two people who know them and visit their workshop if we can.
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02 · 3 hours
Recording
In person whenever possible, on dynamic microphones, with the phone in another room. No script, a page of questions.
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03 · 17 hours
Editing
Rosa cuts three hours down to one, Kit scores it, and the guest hears it before anyone else does.
Press
What people have said.
“The best interview show about making things, and it isn’t close.”
“Ferreira and Brandt have the rare gift of being curious out loud.”
“You will finish an episode and look at your doorknob differently.”
- Independent Audio Awards 2025 · Best interview show
- Philly Podcast Prize 2024 · Winner
- Featured in 31 countries
The rest of the team.
- Rosa LindgrenProducer
- Kit HarlowEditor and music
- Mr. FischerLandlord and piano tuner
Know someone who makes something extraordinary? Or want to reach people who make things?