Jad Abumrad’s Favorite Gear: A Butterfly Knife and a Cozy Springy Pillow
Jad Abumrad has made a significant mark in the podcasting landscape. He’s the creative force behind shows like Dolly Parton’s America and Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, both of which have earned Peabody Awards for their insightful explorations of two monumental music legends.
Before these projects, he launched Radiolab, an innovative NPR show that pushed the boundaries of sound design and redefined the podcast format. In its early days, podcasting often consisted of casual conversations or repackaged radio content. Radiolab, however, delivered meticulously crafted stories through themed episodes, enhanced by original music and immersive sound effects, many of which Abumrad composed himself.
After stepping away from Radiolab in 2022, he left it in the capable hands of Latif Nasser and Lulu Miller. Since then, he has kept busy producing Fear No Man, composing for various media, and serving as a distinguished research professor at Vanderbilt University. Despite his impressive credentials, he enjoys simple pleasures, like collecting a vast array of audio plug-ins and the satisfying snap of a butterfly knife.
What is your most indispensable tool?
My pillow. I need a flat, springy pillow, and I don’t get this trend of giant fluffy pillows that ruin your neck for days (I’m at that age). So, a good travel pillow is essential. As for digital tools, it’s rare to say you love a calendar app, but I genuinely adore Fantastical. It transforms the tedious task of scheduling meetings with busy people into something enjoyable. In terms of audio tools, I’m hooked on audio plugins and have way too many, but I keep returning to a granular synthesis app called Granite. It’s been around for 15 years, but it’s incredibly musical. I’ve used it to score numerous original Radiolab pieces.
Which is the most underappreciated?
I think indoor plumbing is incredibly underrated. I even give talks about the miracle of it.
What is the first app you install on a new phone or computer?
Alfred. It’s a lightweight, all-in-one replacement for Apple’s built-in Spotlight. Think of it as Raycast without the annoying AI features.
What is one thing you wish you could change about your phone?
I’d love to get rid of all the buzzes and dings. Honestly, I wish there were a button to turn my smartphone into a very dumb phone because I only need it to be smart for a few minutes each day.
What sites do you have pinned to your tab bar?
My tab bar is pretty straightforward: NYT, Ground.News, the Vanderbilt Library resource page (which links to Nexis and all the journals), ESPN.
How many tabs do you have open right now?
14, but today has been a big research day.
Which social media platform do you use the most (if any)?
I occasionally use Instagram. I used to be active on Twitter and had a decent following before the changes, but after getting locked out, I lost interest.
What is your happy place online?
Bandcamp and Andrew Huang’s YouTube channel.
What is your favorite gadget you’ve ever owned?
It’s a tie between my Motorola flip phone from 1997 and a butterfly knife I saved up for a decade to buy. The satisfying snap of the phone and the wrist flourish of the knife both fulfilled some deep urge.
Which was the most disappointing?
The Muse brainwave headset.
What game do you have the fondest memories of?
Around the same time I got the butterfly knife, I saved up quarters to play Donkey Kong at the local Kroger. I was never great at it, but I vividly remember the adrenaline rush of reaching a new level with barrels flying everywhere.
Which tech trend do you wish would go away?
People walking their dogs while glued to their phones. It’s maddening.
What is one thing you wish you had created?
The soundtrack to Birth. Alexandre Desplat is a genius, and that film, while peculiar and amazing, features one of the most haunting scores ever.
What creation are you most proud of?
My children. I was only a co-creator, though; my partner Karla might say I was more of a production assistant.
Which are you least proud of?
I have fond memories of a lot of my early music and stories. They were necessary for me at the time, but I’m glad most of them predate the internet’s permanent archive, so they’ve faded into obscurity.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Richard Nodell, my longtime work coach, therapist, and friend, once told me: “Your job is not to know where you’re going but to lead the search.” Wise words.
What is your current obsession?
The Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who makes orchestral sounds resemble storms passing over fields, and UK dubstep, the gritty underground blend of garage, drum and bass, 2-step, and Jamaican dub that came before the American variant sometimes called “bro-step.”
What do you do when you need to focus?
I meditate for two minutes and then put my phone away.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck?
I set up some gamelan strips on a table in my room and bang on those for a reset.
When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?
I often go places without my phone, but I have an Apple Watch, so it probably doesn’t count.
What’s the last piece of physical media you bought?
My son and I picked up an original pressing of John Coltrane’s Blue Train about a month ago.
What do you think is worth splurging on?
Food and music.
What would the tagline for your biopic be?
“In a world of noise, one man heard the signal.”
What’s the last GIF or meme you used?
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