Thanks KRM: finally - a video with substance. I used EMS equipment back in the 70s (VCS, Synthi 100, Synth A) and was engrossed for ever with the incredible variations you could control to set up original sounds that would last for ages (courtesy of the Osc3). It's great to see an engineer who is so clear with a rundown on the instrument, I am yet to find one in Australia.
I knew the synthi was in safe hands, as soon as I saw his beard. A genius has his best ideas while shaving, then abandons the shave to get to work! Just a bit of fun dude, great work, great video!
Thank you very much for sharing this synthesizer with us. I think the filter is an incredible thing with an incredible sound, old gong and Steve hillage records really make it my favorite synth ever.
Oh and Pete Townshend used a VCS-3 (essentially the same instrument as the Synthi A) to process the organ on The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again. He used the filter and the envelope generator/VCA to generate the keyboard sound you hear throughout the song.
Thanks for this Keith, with my interest in this instrument it was great to get a walk through of the basic features and internal components of the Synthi A.
EMS synths were used by a lot of people. Del Dettmar used a couple of them in Hawkwind (he was still using one when I saw him play with Nik Turner in 94). Tim Blake used them with both Gong and Hawkwind and also his solo records. Karlheinz Stockhausen used several Synthi A's and VCS-3's on Sternklang, and the big Synthi 100 on Sirius. Brian Eno used a couple on most of his 70's era recordings. My friend Doug Walker used one with his band Alien Planetscapes as recently as 2001.
You can still buy them new at EMS UK in Cornwall.Do bare in mind you will be put on a list as many people want to buy 1.There will be 40 VCS's and 40 Synthi A's built,and that's it.
