Akai MPC60 - A Sampling Masterpiece

video upload by Alex Ball and Tubedigga

"A look at the classic Akai MPC60, its origins and legacy."

0:00 History of the MPC60
3:46 Intended use of the MPC60
8:18 Demo: The MPC Song
8:55 What people actually did with the MPC60
10:27 Sampling
12:15 Demo: Passable Hip-Hop
13:13 Groove, Feel and Swing
14:49 After the MPC60
15:29 Discussion with TUBEDIGGA
22:04 Patron Outro Jam

Huge thanks to TUBEDIGGA and my Patrons
/ @tubedigga
/ alexballmusic

Rare EMS Synthi 100 from 1971

video upload by datachild

FSOL/DIGITANA SX1 demo 2

video upload by Digitana Electronics

"This one demos most features and some unusual synch options between osc1/2. Simple sequence..just working through different modulations etc. All sounds SX1 only."

EMS The Synthi Educational Handbook

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via this eBay listing

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EMS Synthi Users Manual

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via this eBay listing

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Clone Synthi VCS3 et The 3FX

video upload by Laurent Baloran

"The The 3FX découvre mon clone Synthi VCS3 avec sa drôle de matrice augmentée de plusieurs lignes la midification."

"The 3FX checks out my Synthi VCS3 clone, featuring its quirky matrix—augmented with several additional rows—and MIDI capabilities"

Recreating Pink Flyod's Iconic EMS Synthi AKS Sound | Voltage Labs

video upload by Voltage Labs

"In 1973, Pink Floyd released 'The Dark Side of the Moon', one of the most influential albums of all time. The track 'On the Run' is famous for its use of the Synthi AKS, a classic London-made analog synthesizer by EMS (Electronic Music Studios).

Today I’d like to show you how to recreate the iconic sequence of that track on an EMS Synthi A, then show how to program it on a Moog Mother-32, and finally how to patch it in a Eurorack system."

SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS SYNTHE A PLUS/SYNTHI A

video upload by SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS

"Some Ring modulator madness"

Erica Synths Syntrx II Review and Demo // Not just for Bleeps, Fizzes and Ambient Soundscapes

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The Erica Synths Syntrx II is one of the most talked-about synthesizers of recent years — but three years on from its release, is it still worth your money? In this in-depth review and demo, I finally get hands-on with this modern spiritual successor to the legendary EMS VCS3 and EMS Synthi, and I want to bust two big myths: it's NOT as complicated as it looks, and it's NOT just a crazy sci-fi sound effects machine.
🎹 What's covered in this video:

-Syntrx II vs the original EMS VCS3 / EMS Synthi — key similarities and differences
-Syntrx II vs Syntrx I — what changed and why
-The 16x16 digital pin matrix explained simply
-Using the Syntrx II as a standard 3-oscillator monosynth
-The trapezoid (looping) envelope in practice
-All-analog signal path walkthrough
-Onboard 3-channel sequencer, DSP reverb and delay, envelope follower
FM, self-oscillation, noise modulation, and filter techniques
-Sample & hold circuit — how to set it up
-The joystick as an LFO / recording modulation source
-MIDI setup tips (offset fix, CC assignments for X and Y axes)
-Patch saving — what it DOES and DOESN'T save, and why it matters
-Honest pros and cons

🎵 Extended drone demo — 5 minutes of the Syntrx II running a single live patch with the trapezoid looping envelope, FM, noise, filter modulation via joystick, and DSP effects. The full version was over 10 minutes — it really is that good.

💷 Price context: Original EMS Synthis now sell for £24,000+. The Syntrx II comes in under £2,000. If you've ever wanted that Synthi sound without selling a kidney, this might be your answer."

Soundfreak SVS rows

video upload by Todd Barton

"A quick look/listen to the various row outputs from the Soundfreak Sequential Voltage Source: A, B, C, D, A+B+C+D, A+B, C+D.
More at https://www.soundfreak.io/
My Patreon: / synthtodd"

SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS SYNTHE A PLUS

video upload by SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS

"Some fun using SYNTHE A plus sub oscillators as LFO’s"

SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS SYNTHE A PLUS

video upload by SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS

"Here's a demo of the new SYNTHE A PLUS using it's sample and hold with the trapezoid as it's source."

Ritual #3 for VCS3, Arp 2600, Voyager, Mellotron and Gongs.

video upload by R. Reger

Ben&Stelios@KSYMENov2025

video upload by Schema Musicalis

"Ben Roidl-Ward: bassoon - Stelios Giannoulakis: EMS Synthi100
Free Improvisation at ΚΣΥΜΕ/CMRC, Athens 27 Nov 2025

A frequency-to-voltage converter and two envelope followers allow Ben's bassoon to drive voices from the synth, while Stelios radically adjusts parameters and adds elements with the joysticks, the faders, and the other controls. No other sources or effects were used.

Recognized by the Washington Post as one of the artists “changing the sound of classical music,” Ben Roidl-Ward stands out for his technical and expressive versatility. He is an Associate Professor of Bassoon at the University of Illinois and Principal Bassoonist in three symphony orchestras. He collaborates with the Ensemble Dal Niente and the Lucerne Festival and has participated in over 180 premieres. He studied at Northwestern, Rice, and Oberlin, mentored by prominent bassoonists. On 27 November 2025, together with the Composer Niki Charlafti, Ben visited CMRC to present the project Building Bridges. Stelios Giannoulakis is a Greek composer and engineer playing with modular and circuit-bent devices. While teaching Electroacoustic Composition and Creative Music Technology at ΚΣΥΜΕ, he has been fortunate to become familiar with the historic EMS Synthi100 analog synthesizer.

from the event:
'Tο ΚΣΥΜΕ φιλοξενεί τον Αμερικάνο φαγκοτίστα Ben Roidl-Ward (Assistant Professor of Bassoon at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) και την Ελληνίδα συνθέτρια Νίκη Χαρλάφτη (PhD in Composition and Music Technology, Northwestern University) με το project Building Bridges. Παρουσίαση και συζήτηση πάνω στην δημιουργική και εκπαιδευτική προσέγγιση της ομάδας, εκτέλεση έργων για σόλο φαγκότο των Μηχάλη Παρασκάκη, Στρατή Μηνανάκη και Νίκου Χαριζάνου, αυτοσχεδιασμός με το EMS Synthi100 από τον Ben Roidl-Ward και τον Στέλιο Γιαννουλάκη. Το Building Bridges έχει σκοπό την ανάθεση, εκτέλεση και προώθηση τολμηρών νέων έργων για φαγκότο από Έλληνες συνθέτες σε διεθνές επίπεδο, όπως και την εκπαίδευση και διασύνδεση διαφορετικών ομάδων ακροατών'"

Very early Synthi A -1971! s/n 4118

Note: links to listings 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.

Pic of the inside below.

"This auction is for an original 1971 Mk1 EMS Synthi A synthesiser, serial number 4118, in its Spartanite case. The case has a few marks and scratches as befitting a 55 year old instrument, but no chips or breaks. The latches, although showing some corrosion, work perfectly.
The Synthi front panel is one of the cleanest we’ve seen, being almost immaculate with virtually no panel marks and, unusually, no writing or marking absent or worn from the screen printing. In addition this example comes with the early chrome mirror finish knobs.

The internals are extremely clean and original with no modifications (see photo#4 now under the wrong thumbnail) and the unit has the genuine GE PA234 audio amplifier devices for the outputs and reverb.

The unit has been fully tested by one of the three or four people in the world who can call themselves EMS experts. It has been aligned and found to be working perfectly, and consequently given the original condition of the unit, no capacitors have been replaced. The original ones are working fine and show no signs of leakage or decay. However while the existing pots are electrically good with no scratchiness, some are a mechanically stiffer than current production models and the buyer might wish to have these replaced. This can be done at additional cost either here in the UK by EMS experts Lucid or by the buyer’s own engineer.

The Synthi comes with a full set of 20 patch pins and a new UK 240VAC mains lead (not shown). (Observant viewers may notice the absence of the usual Synthi A plastic name plate which usually adorns the outer case. This isn’t missing, but was simply never fitted as there are no holes for it, perhaps because of the early serial number. In addition the rear case is attached by four factory fitted screws and bushings, rather than the more usual arrangement of three)."

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Three Phutney EMS clone PCBs, Tuned

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via this Vemia listing

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

"Set of Three Phutney PCB Cards – EMS VCS3 / Synthi A Clone A set of three fully built Phutney PCB cards for the EMS VCS3 / Synthi A. These are the highly regarded clone boards designed by Derek Revell, widely considered among the most accurate reproductions available for anyone wishing to recreate one of these classic synthesizers, or to replace cards in an original EMS instrument.

The boards were professionally assembled by an experienced audio engineer, using new old stock germanium and silicon transistors to get as close as possible to the character of the original EMS circuitry.

They have been extensively tested and calibrated in my 1975 EMS Synthi AKS. My original intention was to use them to build a VCS3 “Cloney”-style synth, but that project never materialised.

During testing, resistor values were carefully adjusted until the cards performed and sounded indistinguishable from the original EMS circuit boards.

The sale also includes: • Header and PCB solder-in edge connectors to simplify wiring during a build • A set of blue edge connectors with solder tags if you prefer the more traditional “old-school” wiring approach

All three boards are fully populated, tested, and confirmed working. As mentioned, they were bench-tested and run inside a working EMS Synthi AKS, allowing direct comparison with original EMS cards during calibration.

If you are planning to build a vintage EMS-style synthesizer, this is an excellent starting point, as the boards are already assembled, tested, and carefully tuned to match the performance and sound of a 1975 Synthi A / VCS3."

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EMS Synthi AKS Mk2, 1975 w/ Docs & 7" Record

Note: links to listings 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.

"A superb and highly original EMS Synthi AKS Mk2, manufactured in 1975, in full working order and very nice cosmetic condition as shown in the photos. The aluminium front panel is in excellent shape and fitted with the original vernier dials, which have developed a lovely natural patina with age and use. The Spartanite briefcase is also in very good condition and retains the correct EMS London badge.
This is a genuine, unmodified example that retains its original character and components, something that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. It has clearly been a well-loved and carefully maintained instrument. I have owned it for the past 11 years, but it’s now time for it to move on to someone who will give it the use it deserves.

The Synthi A itself has been recently serviced by a professional vintage synth technician, and the KS sequencer was serviced four months ago by Robin Wood at EMS in Cornwall, ensuring everything is functioning exactly as it should.

Included with the synth: • Extra patch pins • Original Synthi–KS sequencer umbilical cable (excellent condition) • UK mains cable • Two keys for the Spartanite case so it can be locked — a great security feature… after all, no one would think of stealing a locked briefcase synth!

Also included is an excellent collection of original EMS documentation and ephemera, which is becoming increasingly difficult to find with surviving instruments: • Original EMS user manual, bound for protection • EMS 7' 33rpm demonstration record with cover • Original guarantee form (unused — unfortunately the manufacturer’s warranty has now expired!) • Several original EMS leaflets for the Synthi, VCS3 and Synthi 100 & Synthi Hi-Fli • Unused patch cards from 1975, in two different formats • Original 1975 EMS price list • An unbound copy of the Synthi Educational Handbook

Overall this is a beautifully preserved and highly original Synthi AKS Mk2, complete with period accessories and documentation — something that is becoming increasingly rare.

If you are looking for an authentic EMS instrument with real provenance and ready to continue making extraordinary sounds for decades to come, this is a wonderful example. Serial Number: 45104KS"

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EMS Synthi AKS _vintage 100% serviced

Note: links to listings 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.

One pic of the inside below.

EMS Synthi AKS!

* Vintage original. Fully serviced and restored! *

Original Synthi from the 70's with KS keyboard sequencer & cables.
The Synthi and KS have been together from new so they have matching serial numbers.

Recently serviced by specialized EMS tech. Ready for another future!

Nice condition. See pictures and make sure to click 'expand' and scroll for full detail.
Just ask if you'd like larger pictures or details.

Here's a list of the mods and extensive work done:

--------------------------------------
Caps replaced
Trimmers replaced
Vernier dials replaced : 3x
Envelope lamp replaced
Filter slew/unslew (push-pull)
Trapezoid polarity switch
VC Waveshape of Osc 1 and 2 via reverb mix column
Osc sync 3x + sync amount pots
Osc3 hi/lo range
Portamento
KS service
Calibrated
--------------------------------------

Fully working and technically great original Synthi AKS. This is a real instrument!
The recap, new trimmers and verniers should keep it going smooth for many years.
The very useful mods like Osc sync, portamento, envelope ±, controlled waveshape make it so much more versatile! Filter slew/unslew also a must on Synthi's. :)"

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EMS Synthi A

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via this Vemia listing

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

"A brand new Synthi A. Shipped Dec 2024 by EMS Cornwall after 4 years on the waiting list. Mods done by Robin Wood of EMS: - Oscillator stabilisation on Osc. 3 - Dual transistor upgrade for Osc3 if Hi/lo fitted - Oscillator Sync on Osc2 – variable with depth pot - VC Shape fitted to Osc2 and Osc3 - Hi/Lo frequency range - switchable (on all three oscillators) - X10 Envelope Attack/Decay time multiplier - 10-turn pot on Input Channel 1 - Centre-zero trapezoid - Patchable voltage inverter - Filter unslew switchable - Papageorgiadis Sample & Hold Built in a (vintage) Spartanite case (+ matching keys) and including all EMS documents (manual, invoice)."

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EMS clone Cloney Synthey and DKS

Note: links to listings 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.

"It is complete with DKS keyboard and has been recently serviced by the clone circuit designer Derek Revell. It has a gate input modification but apart from that is unmodified."

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