Maciek Polak "Remaining exercises For Synthi AKS Solo"

video uploads by analogia pl

"In 2016 and 2017, while working on the debut album for my band Pin Park, I recorded a few hundred tracks. Around 200 survived the first cut, and that number was eventually trimmed down to 50. These recordings were literally rescued by Marcin Bociński from legatomastering.pl after I had forgotten about them for quite some time.

The setup I used was extremely limited: an EMS Synthi AKS (occasionally a VCS3), an EMS Vocoder 100, and three Boss pedals (looper, reverb, and distortion). Everything was recorded onto a low-quality Zoom device running through a substandard mixer. Each track was captured in a single take with no overdubs, which meant there was no real possibility for mixing. Marcin’s mastering work was nothing short of amazing, bringing these raw recordings to life.

In 2018, Apekwolf Records released 14 of these tracks. The remaining 36 were never made available—until now. Enjoy!"

EMS Synthi A & Prestopatch Battle

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

Two separate listings.

Prestopatch Battle via this Reverb listing

"Original EMS Battle Prestopatch.

This thing is very rare and cool as heck."

EMS SYNTHI via via this Reverb listing

"This is a beautiful cream faced EMS Synthi A in fantastic condition. The case hardware shows some age and there is some mild scuffing on the bottom back of the ABS plastic part of the case but nothing that stands out. All mods built and installed by Robin Wood at EMS. Since I have owned it, it’s been kept in a padded case (included, see photos) in my climate controlled studio. The panel, pins, jacks, pots, guts, etc. are as good as new.

Aesthetics: There are labels applied by EMS that indicate the mods/expansions. As mentioned above, the metal case hardware shows some age, I took pictures of everything to be clear on aesthetics.

The mild scuffing on the ABS is not really noticeable to the eye but you can feel it if you run your hand over it.

I have included images of the pages in the manual that explain all of the mods and how they function. This is an amazing Synthi A that is 100% functional and clean with extras that add new dimensions to this classic beast."

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How do you feel about modifying vintage synths?

video upload by Soundgas

"How do you feel about modifying vintage synths?

Just got my EMS Synthi AKS back from a thorough overhaul and with a stack of mods added (it’d already had some historic and less than pretty ones installed).

People often ask whether modifying a synth like this affects value. While there’s no denying it can feel sacrilegious when you’re talking about an exceptionally well preserved example, I am 100% for anything that means old gear will get used more.

One of the worst things you can do with old gear is put it on a shelf and not use it. We regularly get contacted by collectors (or people who no longer use their now valuable vintage synths) expecting top prices for their precious instruments which come ‘serviced’ and ‘working perfectly - last time I used it’. A little digging usually reveals this to have been a decade or more ago and the service work is ancient history.

So if modding that classic synth means you’ll play it more and enjoy it, that to me is a no brainer.

I understand that this puts us at odds with many vintage synth collectors, but the majority of our customers - who want to use them (shock horror) for making music - seem to agree.

What do you think? Modify old gear or not?"

Batch of EMS brochures, technical documentation, photographs and advertisements + chrome sticker

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this Reverb listing

"Batch of EMS brochures, technical documentation, photographs and advertisements + chrome sticker

EMS Synthi users brochure - The book of sounds by David Stevens

Rare set of 2 reference books - EMS Vocom & Musys documentation by Peter Zinovieff & Peter Grogono

Rare A3 double page EMS Synthi synthesizers range In colour glossy paper

Synthi 100 - Synthi AKS - Synthi VCS3 - Synthi Sequencer - Synthi Hi-fli - Modules...

EMS Synthi Sequencer 256 - Genuine technical documentation

EMS VOCODER Rare advertising postcard in chrome plastic / carte postale chromée"

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Fixing a Real EMS SYNTHI 100!! Super Rare Vintage Synth

video upload by THIS MUSEUM IS (NOT) OBSOLETE

"Support the Museum and see more videos and stuff Patreon : / lookmumnocomputer"

EMS Putney s/n 377 and DK.1 s/n 2090

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this VEMIA listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.

"This is the second and sadly last Putney / DK.1 combo to come to VEMIA from Cardiff University Electronic Music Studio - one of the first and biggest electronic music studios in the world, with six VCS3s and then a Synthi 100. Another of the VCS3s from the studio is the featured instrument in the Wikipedia article https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/EMS_VCS_3.jpg - note the exact same type of security tag and engraving (E M Studio). The Wikipedia one is s/n 143. This Putney / VCS3 is s/n 377. The DK.1 is s/n 2090. Cosmetic condition is very good for things that are over 50 years old. There is considerable wear to the top panel silk-screening, and a few minor marks in the woodwork, but otherwise everything is lovely. The silk-screening around the matrix is in excellent condition - much better than average - and the matrix itself is very good. As well as looking great, they are in perfect working order, thoroughly serviced in September 2024 by EMS expert Lucid. The servicing includes replacement of all noisy pots and a correct set of matrix pins, all proper spec and sourced from Robin Wood at EMS. (Total invoice just under £1K).
The extra switch on the DK.1 reverses the dynamic voltage from the keyboard - perhaps in response to Carlos' criticism about the voltage as originally designed being negative. Lucid suspects this is an original EMS mod (and is identical to the other Cardiff Uni model we auctioned in April). **Now with one of Robin Wood's excellent padded covers for the VCS3 - money very well spent indeed. ** Packing at VEMIA: 30GBP."

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EMS Synthi A with Robin Wood mods, mint

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this VEMIA listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.

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Destroying drums for Aphex Twin's - Ventolin, with the Erica Synths Syntrx II and Roland R8

video upload by Bleeps and Boops

"Something no-one asked for but it's here anyway... I was fascinated by the idea of Richard processing drums in things like the MS20, but rather than go down that route I figured I'd have a go at Ventolin using the spiritual ancestor of the EMS Synthi, the Erica Synths Syntrx II.

Chapters below -

0:00 Intro
1:30 Thought process and motivation
3:17 Syntrx II Demos
8:17 Parts for Ventolin
11:00 Track!

It's not 100% (obviously) and I didn't go to the trouble of changing the parts up too much. I think the drums are samples - there are bits in the original that sound like they're being played backwards which gives the game away - but the Syntrx is way more than 'just' a monosynth, and makes some very weird sounds so I sort of went with it."

SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS SYNTHE A100 DEMO 3/EMS SYNTHI A/EMS SYNTHI 100

video upload by SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS

"A drone patch from the SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS A100"

SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS SYNTHE A100/EMS SYNTHI A/EMS SYNTHI 100 DEMO 2

video upload by SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS

"Here's a demo showing the more melodic side of the SYNTHE A100.
2 oscillators used for lead lines/sequence and sometimes osc1 and 2 synched.
Oscillators 3 and 4 provide the bed of thirds through the envelope shaper and reverb.
Bass line from Oscillator 6 modulated by oscillator 5

Roland System 8 only used as controller and sequence."

SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS SYNTHE A100/EMS SYNTHI A/EMS SYNTHI 100

video upload by SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS

"It's been a long time coming but we're very happy to announce the release of our model A100.

The Synthe A100 is a hybrid of the Synthi A and Synthi 100 in an Explorer hard case with 32 x 32 analog switch matrix.

Feel free to contact us at mail@switchtrix.co.uk for more info."

New Pete Townsend Synth Studio at the University of West London

This one is in via John L Rice via John Fisher.

via The University of West London where you'll find the full article.

"The Townshend Studio was unveiled on Thursday 10 October at the University’s Ealing site. The new studio arose from Pete Townshend looking for a home for his synthesisers, leaving a legacy for the next generation and a catalyst for creativity.

The collection includes some of the most influential instruments in the development of electronic music. It comprises 12 principal synthesisers including the ARP Model 2500 (1970), used on 'Quadrophenia', and the rare and sought-after Yamaha GX-1 (1975), one of only 10 made with a retail price of over 60,000 USD on release, plus many other instruments played by Townshend throughout his career.

'It’s my hope that the studio will be a creative space for learning, collaboration, experimentation and play, inspired by the musical and artistic legacy of Ealing, an area integral to the development of British music in the 1960s,' said Pete Townshend."

Pictured: ARP 2500 & EMS SYNTHI 100.

One more "Synth Museum" to add to my destination list. :)

You can find additional posts mentioning Pete Townsend here.

EMS SYNTHI "Think of a Sound" Brochure

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this listing

"Rare A3 double page EMS Synthi synthesizers range
In colour glossy paper
Synthi 100
Synthi AKS
Synthi VCS3
Synthi Sequencer
Synthi Hi-fli
Modules..."

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EMS Brochures

via this listing

"AKS - VCS3 - Synthi 100 - Synthi Sequencer 256 - Keybord DK2 & KS - Hifli - Synthi E -Vocoder - Vocoder 2000 - UIniversal Sequencer - Pitch to voltage converter - 8 octave filter bank"

Update: accidental repeat post. You can find the original with additional pics here.

The Memetune Annual 2024

video upload by Memetune Studio

"Available now from the Memetune Bandcamp merch page - a very limited run of BOTH Annuals (2023 and the new 2024 edition) at a special price!

https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com/merch...

The new Annual is also released today:

https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com/merch...

The second edition of the Memetune Programme Annual - for the year 2024

Hardback book (A4 size) with 74 full colour pages and download code for the accompanying music album

Based on the second season of Benge's unique 6 part TV series focussing on his passion for vintage synths, studio gear and video production equipment

The Memetune 2024 Annual follows the TV series format, broken down into the following categories:

LITTLE BLACK BOXES looks at some classic 80s and 90s rack mount synths, instruments that are often overlooked due to their utterly bland appearance. Their sounds, however, are anything but

SWITCHED ON CYBERSYNTHS features a brief history and description of abstract electronic music, in particular sounds created on modular synths, taking in randomness, chaos theory, feedback loops, nonlinear modifiers, plus stochastic and algorithmic ideas. It ends with perhaps the largest modular synth patch ever attempted, featuring 11 of the Memetune modulars containing over 430 modules

SYNTHESISER CLUB points a vintage video camera at various synthesisers and systems, and focuses on ‘families’ of synths, meaning a group of instruments made by one manufacturer in a particular time in synth history

PATCHING TODAY is a deep dive into patching on a selection of vintage modular systems, namely the Modcan A-Series (the most versatile modular ever made?), the Polyfusion 2000 (the simplest modular?), an EMS rig containing a VCS3, TKS sequencer, 8-octave filter bank and dual Synthi 100 HPF (the most English modular?), a Paia 4700 (the worst modular ever made?), the Buchla 100 (the first modular ever made?) and a hybrid Roland “green” modular system containing a modified System 100, SH5 with special modular panel and RE201 Space Echo (the ‘wonkiest’ system ever made?)

VIDEO LAB begins by presenting a short film called Proof of Hypertravel made entirely in the Lab, and then goes on to detail the lengthy process that went into making it, covering such things as Storyboarding, World-Building, Green Screening, Compositing, Special Effects, and types of vintage video cameras

There is also the Memetune Puzzle Page, the legendary Memetune Dictionary of Words, and a tour of the Memetune garden in a 1980 Lotus Esprit

The music on the download album that accompanies this annual has been selected from the second series and contains all the tracks made in the Synthesiser Club, Patching Today and Little Black Boxes sections respectively, approximately 60 minutes of original synthesiser compositions to enjoy whilst perusing the Annual

To watch the series search on YouTube for 'Memetune Programme by Benge'"

Any Colour You Like (Dark Side of the Moon) Pink Floyd: Synthi AKS

video upload by Andy Whitmore

"The Mind-Blowing EMS VCS3 part in Pink Floyd's Any Colour You Like.
S1: Ep1
Demo of the Synthi AKS solo from 'Any Colour You Like' from the legendary 'Dark Side of the Moon' Album - explained by Andy Whitmore at Greystoke Studio.
Dark Side of the Moon is a studio album released in 1973 - recorded at Abbey Road Studios - it took 7 months to record.
The Synthi AKS is wrongly credited on the album as EMS VCS3 - but the documentary videos clearly show David Gilmour, Roger Waters & Richard Wright playing the synth in my video.

Time Stamps
0:00 - Intro & EMS explanation
0:37 - Synth Solo Demo - Any Colour
1:11 - Patch Setting
1:27 - Summary
1:36 - Any Colour You Like - Synthi Solo

The VCS 3 (or VCS3; an initialism for Voltage Controlled Studio, version) is a portable analog synthesiser with a flexible semi-modular voice architecture, by Electronic Music Studios (London) Limited (EMS) in 1969.
This product was called various names by EMS. For example, the printed logo written to the front left of products are: V.C.S. 3 or The Putney (VCS 3) on the earlier version, then The Synthi (VCS 3) II on the later version (Synthi VCS 3 II).

The VCS 3's basic design was reused by EMS in many other of their own products, most notably in the EMS Synthi 100 (1971), and the Synthi A (1971) and AKS (1972) (essentially a VCS 3 housed in a plastic briefcase). The AKS also has a sequencer built into the keyboard in the lid."

EMS VCS3/Synthi/Switchtrix Electronics VCSX-100

video upload by SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS

"Introducing our latest model.VCSX-100.This time with Synthi 100 style collet knobs and Sakae counting dials
This Synth features the VCS3 OSC1-3,Filter,Envelope,Ring Modulator,Input channels,Meter and Joystick with the addition of the Synthi 100 Dual Random Voltage Generator,Multimode Filter,,Envelope Shaper and Octave Filter Bank.Housed in a VCS3 cabinet all module input and outputs brough out to 3.5mm jack sockets to interface with modulars or other VCS3/Synthi's"

Hans Zimmer 'RadioPhonic' Synth @ Superbooth 24 w/ AJH Synth

video upload by AJH Synth Official

"Hans Zimmer's 'RadioPhonic' Synth from AJH Synth @ Superbooth 24 - This monster MiniMod Eurorack modular system was commissioned by Hans himself, and he was kind enough to allow us to build a limited number of exact replicas which will be individually built to order by AJHSynth. Full details of the system, along with an interview with Hans Zimmer about his use of the MiniMod system, can be found at https://ajhsynth.com.
We will have one such RadioPhonic system on display in our bungalow at Superbooth 24, along with a MinMod Keyz, a 9U full system, and a huge monster case full of AJH modules.
Richard Quirk, and Wayne Taylor (DreamsOfWires/Tomorrow the cure) will also be there representing AJH with Allan J Hall himself. We'd be glad to chat about the modules and demonstrate some in action, so feel free to pop by.

The AJH SYNTH Eurorack range consists of high-end modules, all hand-made in the UK, most of which are based on classic, vintage designs, authentically recreating the circuitry of much sought-after analogue instruments and technologies of the past, whilst greatly expanding them, and bringing them to modern Eurorack levels of convenience, limitless flexibility, and reliability.
Official website page: https://ajhsynth.com"

Update: press release and pics follow:

CLICK FOR MORE »

EMS Brochures / Product Sheets

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this listing

"Binder of 12 original EMS product sheets

AKS - VCS3 - Synthi 100 - Synthi Sequencer 256 - Keybord DK2 & KS - Hifli - Synthi E -Vocoder - vocoder 2000 - UIniversal Sequencer - Pitch to voltage converter - 8 octave filter bank"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Peter Zinovieff's birthday and the EMEAPP EMS collection

video upload by EMEAPP

"Happy birthday to synthesizer pioneer PETER ZINOVIEFF. Here's a quick look at some of his innovations within our EMS here at the Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project (EMEAPP). This includes the VCS3 (The Putney), the Synthi AKS, the Synthetical Engine, and our Synthi 100 system, including the Compu-Synthi and the Vocoder 5000. Please follow us, there's lots of good stuff on the way!"

Update: from 1:42 in the video:

A Lollipop For Papa
video upload by Peter Zinovieff - Topic