Electronic Music Studios (EMS) • VCS3
The VCS3 (nicknamed the Putney) is an analog monosynth housed in a distinctive angled wooden case, a truly classic synth. EMS (Electronic Music Studios) was created in England back in 1969. The VCS3 was one of their first synths and it is still a great, unique, funky little unit! Pictured above is the Mark I model. Pictured is another unit with the small wood-cased DK2 voltage-control keyboard required to play the VCS3.
It has three oscillators, and a unique matrix-based patch system. Instead of patch wires, the VCS3 uses a patchbay grid in which the synth components are laid out, and signal routing is accomplished by placing small pins into the appropriate slots. The VCS3 was, in actuality, a modular type synthesizer reduced down to an extremely portable size.
It generates familiar sci-fi sounds (Dr. Who) and other truly analog sounds. Unfortunately, the oscillators tend to drift out of tune. There's a Noise Generator, 2 Input Amplifiers, 1 Ring Modulator, 1 Voltage Controlled Low Pass Filter (VCF), 1 Trapezoid Envelope Generator, Joy-Stick Controller, Voltage Controlled Spring Reverb unit and 2 Stereo Output Amplifiers.
Additonally, the VCS3 was also sold in a plastic breif-case and called the Synthi A. The major Synthi 100 system was based on three VCS3's strung together. Some ultra-rare commercially unavailable synths EMS made include the VCS4 in 1969 which was basically 2 VCS3's plus a keyboard. And the Synthi Keyboard 1 of 1970 was just a VCS3 with a mini 29-note keyboard.
Many of these EMS synth's have been used by Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd, Stereolab, Yes, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Jean-Michel Jarre, Astral Projection, Klaus Schulze, Depeche Mode, Vince Clarke, Add N to (X), The Who, Todd Rundgren, Recoil, Freddy Fresh, and many more.
Probably the best example you will ever hear of what the VCS3 is capable of is on the album 'Golem' by the krautrock band 'Sand' released in 1974. The band wrote a whole bunch of folk songs and then rewrote them into sparse desert-invoking synth laden folk songs. Some of the songs are purely synthesizer soundscapes using only the VCS3 and all are amazing.
Check it out for some amazing creative synthesizer work.
One thing forgotten is the mic pre, which sounds great. This synth is a killer when it comes to voice tweaking, and in general when used as some kind of external fx device.
Tim Blake used the VCS3 in Gongs early works 72 - 74 check out the 1974 album track You A Sprinkling of Clouds for trippy overdubbed VCS3.
Britain's Zorch played live at Glastonbury 75 using 3 SynthiA's and their 75 album was the only one recorded at the VCS3 creators studio.
Ourorboros (1975) is a great example of VCS3 purity.