Myself and the EMS Synthi 100

Here's a clip of myself being interviewed by SonicState in 2003. We had nearly completed restoration of a EMS Synthi 100 and were showing it in London. I HATE having my pic taken - being filmed - whatever! And to have a mic shoved in front of you with no rehearsal - yikes! No wonder I forgot everything and stumbled all the way through!!

Just to correct a couple of things - this Synthi was researched in depth (with help from R. Wood!)and found to be the original DIGITANA (the name for the prototype before Synthi 100) as used and pictured in the EMS Studio. The sequencer was designed slightly later around '70 - 71... This being the original it consisted several veroboards!
An awesome instrument when its restoration was completed - and one I miss...

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Chris
• Simpson
• Synthesizer
• EMS
• Synthi
• VCS3
• outeverywhere
• Analog
• Analogue
• Synth

[mustanghovercraft]

There are in fact several fully operational S-100s dotted around the globe including this one. Another one I know of is currently being restored to full functionality. That said some are dead in storage and an unlucky few were destroyed.

[armalyte]

phenomenal

jack dangers owns one of these, as does daniel miller. the thing is, that apart from the bbc radiophonic workshop who used it extensively for docotr who backing stuff, no one else has really got the max out of it. it's just...too much

id rather keep my roland system 100, 100m (20 modules), moog voyager and dave smith evolver.

[mustanghovercraft]

The current owner of this particular instrument has gone quite some way to maxing its potential ;-)

I have always said an instrument of this nature requires two things of the operator.. A deep understanding of subtractive synthesis tied to an expansive imagination. The possibilities really are awe inspiring all things taken into account...

I used to sit with it for hours in a subtractive trance :-)

[JustWickedSwede]

On this synth, circuit bending is standard!

[totalrandomcrap]

I'll just have to be happy with my VL-TONE for now!

[AnalogDecay420]

MAMMOTH, quite intimidating really!~

ignition key!!!!

that is SOOoo Effing Gnar gnar~

you just quite literally could go catatonic BEFORE you've even heard it, looks more heavy than a NASA space shuttle launch!

so yeah, I'm sure one of these day's I'll score one at a garage sale for 3 bucks!

hah, THEN I wake up.

[theDarkMechanics]

more!

[mover86]

What a beast!!!

[fbowie21]

we had one at rutgers university camden, nj

I don't know who bought it

the professor would never let me go in the room and look at it

[implozija]

Fantastic!

I've seen the one in Radio Belgrade (ser. no 003) and, sadly, it's not in function at the moment. The guy working there said that it needs replacement of some of the electronics inside, but they're working on it.

If you're ever in Belgrade and can visit the radio station or their shops, be sure to buy a double CD called "30 years of Radio Belgrade Electronic Studio - Electroacoustic Music" feat. Paul Pignon & Vladan Radovanovic. It's only 2€ and the music is mind-blowing.

[Shape84]

F**** incredible system!

[lordoid]

That patch matrix is unbelievable. I mean wow.

[JargMarbin]

omfg. how much is it ?