The Bob Moog Fondation is a charitable organisation, based in Anaheim, North Carolina, just a few streets away from the current Moog factory. It acts both as a archive for Bob's work over the years, a museum to show the timeline of his inventions (and more general synth developement) and an educational resource for schools providing hands on experience for children and adults.
Imgaine you had to do all those things? It's pretty certain you'd quickly lose track of what day it is, what week it is or even what month it is (signs of recognition and enthusiastic ndoding from fellow COVID brain fog peepz at the back of the crowd)?
What you would need in that case is.....a calendar! Obviously you can get calendars with amazing inspritation quotes, beautifull sunsets and cute animals but what if you could get an unbelievalbe nerdy synth related calander featuring 18 of the world's most influential synth designers? That would be pretty freakin' cool, no?
"We are proud to announce the release of our epic 2022 Synthesizer Pioneers 18-month calendar, which honors 18 innovators in the field of synthesis from the past 60 years. This is the fifth calendar released by the Foundation focusing on the rich history of Bob Moog’s legacy and the web of innovation in synthesis to which he was connected.
This calendar is the first to bring to the fore the historic achievements of synthesizer pioneers from all over the world. It features:
Harry Olsen and Herbert Belar (RCA) Harald Bode Raymond Scott Bob Moog Don Buchla Peter Zinovieff (EMS) Alan R. Pearlman (ARP) Ikutaro Kakehashi (Roland) Fumio Mieda (KORG) Tom Oberheim Dave Smith Roger Linn Wolfgang Palm (PPG) Dave Rossum Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie (Fairlight) Ray Kurzweil Felix Visser (Synton) Makoto Fukuda (Casio) Many of the pioneers have contributed historic photos of themselves, with their hallmark inventions from their private archives. Also included within the calendar are scores of dates of particular historic importance provided by the pioneers. A brief narrative is included with each photo.
The 18-month calendar also weaves together connections between Bob Moog and many of the featured pioneers. His relationships with them ranged from inspiration to friends to colleagues to business associates. Secondary photos on many of the pages highlight that connection, showing Bob with his fellow pioneers.
The 18-month calendar is printed on #80 stock paper, making the images suitable for framing after the year is over!
This is the first time any of the Moog Foundation's products have been availabe outside of the USA so we're pretty happy to be able to bring it to you, and a portion of the profits are re-invested in the Bob Moog Foundation so it's a win/win situation.
The calander runs from Jan 2022 until May 2023 (and before you ask, we have no idea why it's an 18 month calendar...maybe they're just relaly indecisive and couldn't cut the list of synth pioneers down from 18 to 12?) and is available right now, right here.
"Tape Leaders book review & flipthrough. Tape Leaders is a richly illustrated A-Z compendium featuring over 100 composers active with tape and electronics in the analogue era.
Containing information never previously uncovered, Tape Leaders shines a fresh light on many sound experimenters unacknowledged in the history of British electronic music. It also covers EMS synthesizers such as the VSC3, Synthi and others as well as BBC Radiophonic studio.
Tape Leaders: A Compendium Of Early British Electronic Music Composers is an indispensable reference guide for anyone interested in electronic sound and its origins in the UK. The book compiles information on practically everyone active with experimental electronics and tape recording across the country to reveal the untold stories and hidden history of early British electronic music.
With an individual entry for each composer, it covers everyone from famous names like William Burroughs, Brian Eno and Joe Meek to the ultra-obscure such as Roy Cooper, Donald Henshilwood and Edgar Vetter.
There are sections for EMS and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and amateurs, groups and ensembles that experimented with electronics, including The Beatles, Hawkwind and White Noise.
Author Ian Helliwell draws on his experience and extensive research into electronic music. After six years and dozens of interviews, he has amassed information never before brought to light on this fascinating subject.
With a specially compiled 15 track CD of mainly unreleased early British tape and synthesizer works (exclusively available to the Velocity Press shop), this is an essential book for anyone interested in electronic music history during the 1950s and 60s.
This hardback book is 22.7cm x 17.7cm, and the 224 pages are printed and bound on heavyweight 130gsm paper. You can grab a copy at
----------
TIMECODES
00:00 - Intro & Overview
00:50 - Electronic Music Composers A-Z 12:07 - Experimental Amateurs 13:20 - Electronic Music Groups 15:31 - EMS (Electronic Music Studios) 16:32 - BBC Radiophonic Workshop 17:25 - Tape Leaders CD Liner Notes 17:41 - Info, Credits & Index
Tape Leaders: A Compendium Of Early British Electronic Music Composers is a richly illustrated A-Z compendium featuring over 100 composers active with tape and electronics in the analogue era. Containing information never previously uncovered, it shines a fresh light on many sound experimenters unacknowledged in the history of British electronic music.
With an individual entry for each composer, it covers everyone from famous names like William Burroughs, Brian Eno and Joe Meek to the ultra-obscure such as Roy Cooper, Donald Henshilwood and Edgar Vetter. There are sections for EMS and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and amateurs, groups and ensembles that experimented with electronics, including The Beatles, Hawkwind and White Noise.
First published by Sound On Sound Magazine in 2016, this is the first time it’s been available outside their shop and this new edition has been extensively revised and updated. The hardback book is 22.7cm x 17.7cm landscape, and the 224 pages are printed and bound on heavyweight 130gsm paper. With a specially compiled 15 track CD of mainly unreleased early British tape and synthesizer works (exclusively available to the Velocity Press shop and free with all pre-orders), this is an essential book for anyone interested in electronic music history during the 1950s and 60s.
Ian Helliwell: "Years before investigating the work of FC Judd for the documentary Practical Electronica, it was evident there was so much early British electronic music that had never been properly researched. The idea of a book examining this formative period began to crystallize during work on the film, as interesting facts were being uncovered that fed into a much broader-based history than has ever been available. A compendium to cover not just the acknowledged figures, but also those that never get a mention, was the objective so that famous names sit alongside the unknowns, and the reader gets a sense of the vast amount of electronic music activity that was going on, which has since been ignored or forgotten about.
“The graphic design was another important consideration and has been something of a labour of love to evoke the era of tape recorders, tone generators and analogue synthesizers. Many of the photos and images have come directly from the featured composers or their families, and form an eye-catching array of illustrations to support and enhance the text."
"Circa 1975: A photo from the Frankfurt Music Fair
Peter Zinovieff in the EMS synthesizer booth.
They are featuring the rare SYNTHI P model, just announced on the left side and stand. Underneath the board listing EMS musical artists is a SYNTHI HI-FLI effects unit is barely seen. Another unusual/prototype model is next to the Hi-Fli."
Peter Zinovieff and Electronic Music Studios video upload by JeffreyPlaide
Peter Zinovieff: Synth Pioneer video upload by Sound On Sound magazine Jul 21, 2016
Peter Zinovieff talks about modern musical interfaces video upload by Expressive E Jan 6, 2016
Peter Zinovieff feature uploaded by Erica Synths on Nov 23, 2020. This was the latest video to feature Peter Zinovieff that I am aware of.
Peter Zinovieff interview 2015 video upload by 香港電子音樂社 Hong Kong Electronic Music Society Jun 30, 2015
Dr Peter Zinovieff intro & performance excerpt - Deliaphonic 2017 video upload by Deliaphonic Aug 29, 2018
And a few perspectives from others:
Bright Sparks Behind The Scenes - The Brits video by GForce Software published Feb 16, 2021
Cosmic Tape Music Club Podcast hosted by The Galaxy Electric - E1 Peter Zinovieff
video by The Galaxy Electric published Jan 27, 2021
"Peter Zinovieff, a hugely influential figure in British music whose early synthesisers helped to change the sound of pop, has died aged 88. He had suffered a fall at home earlier this month.
With its marketing slogan 'think of a sound – now make it', his company Electronic Music Studios (EMS) was one of the first to bring synthesisers out of studios and to the public. With products such as the portable VCS3 and Synthi A, EMS customers – including David Bowie, Kraftwerk, the Who, Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd – were often taught to use the instruments by Zinovieff.
In 1967 he collaborated with Paul McCartney on Carnival of Light, a performance of a 14-minute avant garde composition created between Beatles sessions for Penny Lane that has never been released.
He was also a respected composer of his own work, including early experiments with AI composition and sampling – he claimed to have invented the latter technique." You can read the full post here.
"Peter Zinovieff (26 January 1933 – 23 June 2021) was a British engineer and composer, whose EMS company made the VCS3 synthesizer in the late 1960s. The synthesizer was used by many early progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd[3] and White Noise, and Krautrock groups[4] as well as more pop-oriented artists, including Todd Rundgren and David Bowie. In later life he worked primarily as a composer of electronic music.
Zinovieff was born on 26 January 1933;[5] his parents, Leo Zinovieff and Sofka, née Princess Sophia Dolgorouky, were both Russian aristocrats, who met in London after their families had emigrated to escape the Russian Revolution and soon divorced.[6] During World War II he and his brother Ian lived with their grandparents in Guildford and then with their father in Sussex. He attended Guildford Royal Grammar School, Gordonstoun School and Oxford University, where he earned a doctorate in geology.[7][8]
Zinovieff's work followed research at Bell Labs by Max Mathews and Jean-Claude Risset, and an MIT thesis (1963) by David Alan Luce.[9] In 1966–67, Zinovieff, Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson ran Unit Delta Plus, an organisation to create and promote electronic music. It was based in the studio Zinovieff had built, in a shed at his house in Putney. (The house is near the Thames, and the studio was later partially destroyed by a flood).[10][11] EMS grew out of MUSYS, which was a performance controller operating as an analogue-digital hybrid.[12] It was a synthesiser system which Zinovieff developed with the help of David Cockerell and Peter Grogono, and used two DEC PDP-8 minicomputers and a piano keyboard.[13] Unit Delta Plus ran a concert of electronic music at the Watermill Theatre in 1966, with a light show. In early 1967 they performed in concerts at The Roundhouse, at which the Carnival of Light was also played; they split up later in 1967.[11] Paul McCartney had visited the studio, but Zinovieff had little interest in popular music.[14]
In 1968, part of the studio was recreated at Connaught Hall, for a performance of pieces by Justin Connolly and David Lumsdaine.[15] At the IFIP congress that year, the composition ZASP by Zinovieff with Alan Sutcliffe took second prize in a contest, behind a piece by Iannis Xenakis.[16]
In 1969, Zinovieff sought financing through an ad in The Times but received only one response, £50 on the mistaken premise it was the price of a synthesiser. Instead he formed EMS with Cockerell and Tristram Cary.[17] At the end of the 1960s, EMS Ltd. was one of four companies offering commercial synthesizers, the others being ARP, Buchla, and Moog.[18] In the 1970s Zinovieff became interested in the video synthesizer developed by Robert Monkhouse, and EMS produced it as the Spectron.[19]
Jon Lord of Deep Purple described Zinovieff as "a mad professor type": "I was ushered into his workshop and he was in there talking to a computer, trying to get it to answer back".[20] Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco, in their history of the synthesizer revolution, see him rather as aristocratically averse to "trade".[21]
Zinovieff wrote the libretto for Harrison Birtwistle's opera The Mask of Orpheus,[22] and also the words for Nenia: The Death of Orpheus (1970).[23] The section Tristan's Folly in Tristan (1975) by Hans Werner Henze included a tape by Zinovieff."
Update:
Peter Zinovieff: A Tribute by CatSynth TV
video upload by CatSynth TV
"We look back at the life and work of Peter Zinovieff, who passed away last week at the age of 88. His work at Electronic Music Studios (EMS) was a major influence on musicians of the 1970s and beyond. At EMS, he co-created the well-known and coveted VCS3 and Synthi series. But he was also a composer in his own right, working on pioneering electronic music in the 1960s and returning to active composition in the 2010s with several collaborations with artists in other media and exploring massive sound spatialization.
Additional background music provided via the Arturia Synthi V as a tribute."
Note the EMS VCS 3 beat the Minimoog by one year. It was released in 1969. See The First synth to post for more. Be sure to check out the comments at the botto of the post there as well.
I almost skipped posting this as the only news here is there's a 4th production run of the Colossus. I guess it's interesting knowing how many are out there. What's also interesting is I always assumed the Colossus was either built in a limited initial run, or it was built per order only. This is a mammoth endeaver and each one costs 25,000 GBP which comes out to $35,000 US. It is $4500 less than this little Sennheiser VSM201 Vocoder!
Press release follows:
""Analogue Solutions announces forthcoming fourth run of Colossus supersized synth that trips back to the future of analogue
KINGSWINFORD, UK: following a showstopping showcase during its introduction at SynthFest UK 2019 in Sheffield, British boutique electronic instruments innovator Analogue Solutions is proud to announce a forthcoming fourth run of Colossus — its supersized synth that trips back to the future of analogue, albeit symbolising so much more than a powerful analogue ‘workstation’ with no fewer than 12 VCOs (Voltage-Controlled Oscillators) beating at its monumental musical heart, rather representing art, architecture, and superlative studio furniture at its hand-built best by taking its design cues from the colossal classic that is the EMS Synthi 100, although no Synthi circuit was cloned or copied in making the destined-to-be-classic Colossus fit for a new generation of high-flying owners — as of February 15…
Synthesizer Evolution: From Analogue to Digital (And Back) book review & book flip through. Synthesizer Evolution is a recently published book covering every major synth, drum machine and sampler from 1963-1995. Each instrument is hand drawn and includes vital statistics and quirky facts.
Synth Evolution is published by Velocity Press (https://velocitypress.uk) and written & illustrated by Oli Freke (https://www.synthevolution.net), a London-based musician, artist and author with a life-long passion for analogue synthesizers and electronic music.
Synthesizer Evolution: From Analogue to Digital (And Back) provides us with an in-depth look at synthesizer history over the decades and covers a variety of vintage synthesizers including analog synths, digital synths, modular synths, wavetable synths, FM synths, additive synths and more.
Join me for a narrated book flip through highlighting various synths and concluding with a brief book review at the end. Hope you enjoy and feel free to grab a copy of Synth Evolution if you like it.
"Peter Zinovieff shares his memories about developing EMS Synthi and checks out the SYNTRX.
We are grateful to great minds that changed the course of music history and inspired entire generations of musicians and instrument developers."
"Built in the 1970s from modules at Electronic Music Studios EMS Bournemouth factory, this analog modular PAIA modified by EMS Bournemouth 110 volt synth ended up in the hands of Joy Division's producer Martin Hannett who was also a musician mainly using synth and bass guitar.NOTE -The listing is for the synth only, the Hannett AMS delays and Marshall Time Modulators are available from me separately- message me for more info on those. this EMS Bournemouth PAIA analog modularHannett synth is a working piece of history"
"We present a the first of a two-part demo and tutorial on the Arturia Synthi V, a recreation of the infamous EMS Synthi A. We discuss the history of the original, present the basic functionality of the Synthi V, explore some of the factory presents, and look at how to create your own sounds with the main interface.
00:30 History of the EMS Synthi
01:12 Presenting the Arturia Synthi V
02:28 Factory preset demos
04:36 Creating your own sounds
10:58 More factory preset demos
In part 2 we will be covering more advanced editing, including Arturia's extended features.
"Nice unit with oiled afromosia case. Great history.
This was an EMSA unit. Electronic Music Studios of America, Amherst MA.
Dr. Everett Hafner's early EM studios.
Works well and is useful. Outputs 1V/OCT, interfaces well with Moog.
Pitch tracking is not up to tracking a guitar, but I found if you sequence something and play along with it (I use electric kalimba) you can get all sorts of dynamic effects from the envelope followers and filter tracking from the CV. Adds a cool layer of control. Missing one knob insert.
Leaving the offer button on, but not inclined to take less than I am asking."
"ask.audio blogs about the 2017 recovery of a rare, one-of-a-kind EMS Synthi KB1 synthesizer, a model that never made it into production. This one was made for the band YES in 1971. Digitana Electronics obtained the synth and was looking to document some music history.
'We are pleased to announce that Digitana Electronics has acquired an important piece of E.M.S. history…the E.M.S. Synthi KB1 keyboard. Only one prototype was ever made, for the band YES in 1971.
'The synth never went into production. It has remained essentially unused for 46 years though Steve Howe (YES guitarist) did use it on a track in the first of his ‘homebrew’ demo recordings, some of which featured on the bands albums. We plan to release more photos and audio demos of this keyboard in the future so that E.M.S. fans everywhere can finally hear and find out more about this beautiful and historic instrument.'”
"A synth studio tour of the Vintage Synthesizer Museum (https://vintagesynthmuseum.squarespac...) in Oakland, California with VSM founder and curator Lance Hill.
I had the opportunity to visit the Vintage Synth Museum in February 2020 after 2.5 years since my last visit. In this updated synth & music studio tour, Lance takes us through some recent synth and music gear additions to the studio, discusses the history of Vintage Synthesizer Museum, showcases various classic vintage synths, and more.
To book an appointment at the Vintage Synthesizer Museum, call (510) 859–3558 from 10am–11pm daily or email vintagesynthmuseum@gmail.com.
"David & Stephen Dewaele (aka Soulwax/2manydjs) have always been fascinated by collecting instruments and recording gear. Their passion hasn’t been born by completism: every new item inspires a world of possibilities. The one item that always eluded them was the EMS Synthi 100—a huge and rare analogue synthesizer, of which there were only 31 ever produced, that can create a near infinite array of sounds."
* David & Stephen Dewaele’s tribute to the EMS Synthi 100
* 48 page book exploring the background behind the album and the history of the Synthi 100.
* 1 x 180g black vinyl
* Vinyl and book housed in a fully art-worked inner sleeve, a perforated ‘patch bay’ outer sleeve and clear PVC bag.
* The book includes a foreword from David and Stephen Dewale, an introduction from 3030, the specific Synthi 100 unit that was used for the album; a history of its creation and an exploration of its sounds; and finally an interview with Ivan Schepers, the IPEM technician who has been 3030’s long-term custodian.
* Art Direction by Ill-Studio.
* Photography by Younes Klouche.
* Written, recorded, produced and mixed at DEEWEE by David & Stephen Dewaele.
Update: I shouldn't have to say this but for high priced items like this do your due diligence. Someone reported this seller attempted to sell a fake Buchla module on Muffs (you can find a thread on it here). That said, I have no way to verify it, and I have no idea it this is just coming from someone that has an issue with this seller, or wants to buy it and is attempting to distract other buyers, or other. As always, do your due diligence.
"Museum Curator / Collector Alert. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own one of the most significant analogue synthesizers in history.
We proudly present the vanishingly rare EMS VCS3 "'The Putney" with matching DK1 "Cricklewood" keyboard. The condition of these units is simply astounding. Both units are all-original. Our experts date these units to the early 1970s, most likely 1970/71. Our technicians have fully tested, restored to full functionality, calibrated, and tuned both units.
We will also provide the inter-connect cable between the Putney and Cricklewood (not pictured)."
Looks like two EMS VCS3s in a custom keyboard controller case. There was a smaller VCS4 and XILS made a software emulation that looked just like this one. You can find both in the archives here.
"VCS4 day is a one day event (10–5pm) that pays tribute to the unique early music synthesiser, the EMS VCS4, which has recently been acquired for the Department of Music at Goldsmiths from the musician Simon Desorgher, with the support of the Goldsmiths Alumni and Friends Fund.
The VCS4 was produced by the world-renowned Electronic Music Studios Ltd (EMS) company in London in the late 1960s, run by pioneering composer Dr Peter Zinovieff. It was one of a number of early EMS synthesisers used by pioneers of electronic music in Britain, and was created initially for the composer Harrison Birtwhistle for use in his piece Chronometer (1971–72). The instrument, which is the only one in existence in the world, combines two VCS3 synthesisers to create a custom and highly versatile performance instrument. VCS3 synthesisers have been used by such luminaries as Delia Derbyshire, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Aphex Twin, Brian Eno, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and Robert Fripp. For many years the VCS4 had been thought lost, until the advent of the Hugh Davies Collection arriving at Goldsmiths in 2019, when Desorgher approached the music department with a proposal for the VCS4 to be maintained and made available to students and researchers at Goldsmiths Electronic Music studios.
Shortly after Goldsmiths Electronic Music Studios opened in 1968 (one of the first electronic music studios at a university in the UK), the studio obtained two other EMS VCS3 synthesisers. It is fitting therefore that the VCS4 is now housed in Goldsmiths Electronic Music Studios, affording opportunities for it to be used by undergraduate and postgraduate students in both their compositions and performances.
VCS4 day represents an opportunity to gain detailed insight into this extraordinary instrument, through a series of talks from its inventors, protagonists and leading experts on the history of analog synthesisers and their cultural impact. A programme of performances on the VCS4 will take place throughout the day."
Amazing series sent my way via John L Rice. Playlist and descriptions for each video in the playlist above, directly below. Enjoy. ;)
See here for previous posts featuring Battlestar Galactica.
Playlist:
1. Voice of the Cylon Pt. 1 The Synthesizer [ARP 2500]
Battlestar Galactica fans & synthesizer community, rejoice! For the first time in history the mysterious sound of the Cylon voice is revealed. I tracked down probably the last person alive who knows the entire formula, very private individual still works in visual arts. To him it was just a job he did 40 years ago, to me it's one of the most mesmerizing sounds in musical/sci-fi fx history. 6 parts to this series as of 11-2019.
2. Voice Of The Cylon Pt. 2 the Voice Recording
My contact told me "they brought us the voices" on Nagra III and IV tape machines. Vocoder recorded back to Nagra for film sync. Voice actor Micheal Santiago was hired to do the voice, but didn't, telling youtube user intromix later that "they ended up getting someone cheaper" to do it. One actor did all the voices, for consistency, reading the script in a lifeless, monotone voice as to not shift the frequency spectrum in the vocoder.
Finally it is known exactly which vocoder was used for the Cylon voice. Universal Studios had rented the EMS and Sennheiser, and when sound designer Peter Berkos was asked about it circa 2008 he mis-remembered due to having the Sennheiser manual still. Youtube user intromix has owned both and tested oscillators, it could not have been the Sennheiser but now we know for sure anyway.
The rare, quirky effect box that was used as an impromptu distortion device. My contact told me that they floated the idea of using a guitar amp and/or pedals, but did not even try it once they found this. ** Also, he told me NO Marshall Time modulator was used as it hadn't even been released yet.
5. Voice of the Cylon Pt. 5 Recording Gear
Two main pieces of studio recording gear that were present at Universal Studios in 1978 that had a big impact on the sonic character of the Cylon voice recording. Big thanks to Ken from Electrodyne for all his advice, as well as https://vintageking.com/ and http://petesplaceaudio.com
6. Voice Of the Cylon Pt. 6 Audio Demos & Credits
Resurrecting the sound of the Cylon Centurion from the original Battlestar Galactica 1978 using the original equipment. Once the vocoder was recorded, it was further altered/degraded by multiple tape transfers in the video editing process, post-production techniques (EQ and reverb, to "place" the character in a big room, spaceship, etc) My contact said there were just pieces of tape on the gear to place knobs/switches back where they were; and that the synthesizer frequently sounded very different from day to day or after a power outage. In the series there are wildly differing Cylon tones, tiny movements in gain or EQ settings (especially the ringy ARP 2500 filters) radically alter the vocoder due to the ultra-harmonic richness of the tone. So many preamps and transformers involved, it was hard for THEM to make the Cylon voice consistent. Supposedly sound designer Peter Berkos wrote notes on the process, Universal Studios couldn't locate any info at all, it likely all burned down in the great fire of 2008 as well as the golden ARP 2500 oscillator used all throughout Galactica 1980.
Preamp was running a bit hot in this demo, didn't catch until after, so this tone sounds extra crunchy in this example. I sampled my tones with lowpass filter a bit too low, hope to get another chance with the real thing some day.
7. Gold Cylon Voice Vulpa [extra video]
Recreating the lower voice of the Gold Cylon commander. There are so many steps and factors to re-creating the Cylon voice even the original crew could not make it consistent on a day-to-day basis. Out of hundreds of test files this year I'm only really happy with about 5 of them but will keep working to recreate it perfectly.
"The E&MM Spectrum is a British DIY synthesizer designed by Chris jordan and released with Electronics and Music Maker magazine in 1981.....
The magazine provided a painted metal faceplate, keyboard assembly, and printed circuits boards. The rest was sourced by the builder using a supply kit provided by the now defunct Maplin Electronic Ltd, UK (see also the Maplin/ETI 3600, 3800, 4600, and 5600S synthesizers).
The synthesizer uses the famed Curtis integrated circuits: VCOs (CEM 3340), VCF (CEM 3320), VCA (CEM 3330), and envelopes (CEM 3310). These chips were used by many companies at the time, including AKAI, ELKA, Ensoniq, Oberheim, Roland, and Sequential Circuits.
Perhaps the closest synthesizer to the Spectrum is the Sequential Circuits Pro~One, both of which use the same CEM chips for VCOs, filter, and envelope; and use a similar two-VCO architecture. However, whilst the Pro~One is known for an extensive modulation section, the Spectrum is very interesting in its own right.
The design makes the most of the CEM 3340 VCOs, with a total of five waveforms, including a SUB square wave. The LFO, with multiple waveforms including random and regular sample and hold (the latter of which produces more defined sequencer like voltages), can be routed in positive or negative polarity to the VCOs, filter, ringmod/noise, and output. The multimode LP, LBP and BP filter is a self oscillating one and can be modulated by the joystick, envelope generator, and the LFO. There are also two sync options, as well as FM, ring mod, and an envelope shaper. The stereo output can also be modulated for panning and stereo FX; and there are eight jacks for external connectivity including CV/Gate in and out, and pre filter in.
In conclusion, I would describe the Spectrum as a drunk and wonky Pro~One. Mine is temperamental, and sometimes has a mind of its own, but when tamed, the Spectrum becomes a very live and organic synthesizer. The tech who serviced it for me said it reminded him of an ARP 2600, and described it as a 'proper synth'. GreatSynthesizers.com describe it as "...a mixture of EMS Synthi, Sequential Pro-One and Roland SH-5" and "one of the most outstanding monophonic analog synthesizers in history".
This audio was recorded directly from the Spectrum in mono, using a TC Electronic Alter Ego delay pedal for some parts. All parts played from the keyboard, or using the LFO to gate the amplifier."
"Museum Curator / Collector Alert ! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own one of the most significant analogue synthesizers in history !
We proudly present the vanishingly rare EMS VCS3 "'The Putney" with matching DK1 "Cricklewood" keyboard. The condition of these units is simply astounding. Both units are all-original. Our experts date this unit to the early 1970s, most likely 1970/71. Our technicians have fully tested, restored to full functionality, calibrated, and tuned both units."
