The Mind-Blowing EMS VCS3 Sequence in Pink Floyd's On The Run

video upload by Andy Whitmore

"Unlocking the Magic: Synthi AKS Sequence in Pink Floyd's On The Run

Demo of a wide range of sounds & special FX of the VCS3 - & how to program them - explained by Andy Whitmore at Greystoke Studio.

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.

VCS3 - as used by
BBC Radiophonic Workshop
Brian Eno
Chemical Brothers
Hawkwind
David Bowie
Flood
Ice-T
Jean-Michel Jarre
John Paul Jones - Led Zeppelin
King Crimson
Kraftwerk
Pete Townshend - The Who
Rick Wright, David Gilmour & Roger Waters - Pink Floyd
Tangerine Dream

Watch me bring that sound back to life!🎹🕺"