The story: a Brooklyn maker and the HC-TT
Landscape began in Brooklyn in 2015, and its first instrument, the HC-TT, came directly from Pitra's own playing. As the company tells it1:
"Our first instrument, the HC-TT, was a response to Eric's wish for a more human connection to tape manipulation."
That idea, of putting the player's hands directly on the sound rather than behind a row of knobs, has stayed the through-line of the company's work. Landscape says all of its instruments aim to provide a direct human connection to audio, drawing on natural auditory and aesthetic phenomena, including weather, plants and animal life, as design inspiration1. For a player, that means the company's devices are built around physical interaction with sound itself, whether that is tape moving under the fingers or another material being shaped by hand, rather than around the knob-and-switch interface of a typical effects pedal.
The HC-TT set that direction. It was not designed as a variation on an existing effect but as an answer to a specific wish: to make tape manipulation something a person does directly, with a more human connection to the medium, instead of something mediated by conventional controls1. Everything Landscape has built since follows from that starting point.
Where the instruments are made
Landscape's instrument components are sourced from various locations in the United States and internationally, but most of the assembly is done in Brooklyn1. The company remains based there, and the mix of sourcing and local assembly means a Landscape instrument is largely put together in the same city where it was designed.
The people behind Landscape
The current team, as listed by the company1:
| Role | People |
|---|---|
| Design | Eric Pitra |
| Production & Operations | Erin vanZandt, Emily Brandt, Emily Poole |
| Design Support | Niles Fromm, Ivaylo Gueorgiev, Erin vanZandt, Chris Williams |
| Website | Anna Berger |
| Collaborators | Eli Pechman, Victoria Shen |
Pitra's design work is supported by several contributors, and the production and operations side is handled by Erin vanZandt, Emily Brandt and Emily Poole, with Anna Berger credited on the website. Eli Pechman and Victoria Shen are listed as collaborators1.
The company also credits a group of past staff: Otto Benson, Lelaina Brandt, Erin Cavanagh, Anya Easkra, Jasmine Flamant, Boris Klompus, Andy Pitcher, Riley Wong, Yegang Yoo and Zander Zel1.
Landscape products
Alongside the HC-TT, the Landscape line includes the Noon and Moon instruments1. Each follows the company's founding idea: instruments that put the player in direct, physical contact with the sound.
Questions
Who founded Landscape?
Landscape was founded by Eric Pitra, who also handles the company's design work. He started the company in Brooklyn, New York in 2015, and its first instrument, the HC-TT, came out of his own wish for a more human connection to tape manipulation.
Where are Landscape pedals made?
Landscape is based in Brooklyn, New York. Instrument components are sourced from various locations in the United States and internationally, but most of the assembly is done in Brooklyn.
What was the first Landscape product?
The first Landscape product was the HC-TT. The company describes it as a response to founder Eric Pitra's wish for a more human connection to tape manipulation, which set the direction for the instruments that followed.
What is the Landscape HC-TT?
The HC-TT is Landscape's first instrument, created so that a player could manipulate tape directly with their hands rather than through conventional controls. It grew out of Eric Pitra's wish for a more physical, human connection to tape manipulation.
Who has Landscape collaborated with?
Landscape lists Eli Pechman and Victoria Shen as collaborators. The company's credits also include design support from Niles Fromm, Ivaylo Gueorgiev, Erin vanZandt and Chris Williams, and Anna Berger on the website.
Sources (1)
- About landscape, Landscape