Electronic Music Studios

Electronic Music Studios (EMS) is a British electronic musical-instrument company established in Putney, London, in 1969 by composer and electronic-music pioneer Peter Zinovieff, composer Tristram Cary and engineer-programmer David Cockerell. The company emerged from a particularly fertile intersection of experimental composition, computer music, broadcasting and engineering. Zinovieff had already operated an advanced electronic studio and had worked with Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson in Unit Delta Plus; Cary was an important early British practitioner of musique concrète and electronic composition; and Cockerell supplied the engineering expertise that shaped EMS’s instruments. EMS’s first commercial synthesizer was the VCS 3, designed principally by Cockerell and developed in the basement of Zinovieff’s home. Introduced in 1969 and nicknamed “The Putney,” it was a compact monophonic instrument whose architecture differed markedly from the larger modular systems then associated with American manufacturers. Instead of relying primarily on patch cables, the VCS 3 used a matrix plugboard. Conductive pins connected signal and control paths across the matrix, allowing a small instrument to offer unusually broad routing possibilities while remaining relatively compact and visually legible. The instrument combined voltage-controlled oscillators, noise generation, filtering, ring modulation, envelope and reverberation functions, amplification, metering and joystick control. EMS sought to make sophisticated synthesis more accessible than competing large-format systems. Its original low-price ambition was not fully achieved, but the VCS 3 remained comparatively affordable and became one of the defining British synthesizers of the early 1970s. The company expanded the concept through the DK1 keyboard controller, the portable Synthi A, the sequencer-equipped Synthi AKS and the much larger Synthi 100. The suitcase-format Synthi A and Synthi AKS became especially recognizable because musicians could transport them easily and because the instruments’ distinctive matrix interface encouraged exploratory performance and sound design. The Synthi 100 represented EMS’s move into large-scale modular synthesis. It incorporated numerous oscillators and filters, dual matrix systems, keyboards, joysticks, an oscilloscope and an advanced event sequencer. Approximately thirty were made, and the instruments found homes in universities, broadcasters and major studios. A unit associated with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, known as “The Delaware,” was used in productions including Doctor Who, Blake’s 7 and the original radio version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. EMS also produced specialist devices such as the Synthi Hi-Fli effects processor, Spectron video synthesizer, Synthi E, Vocoder 5000, Vocoder 2000 and PolySynthi. EMS instruments became closely associated with progressive rock, electronic music, avant-garde composition and broadcast experimentation. Equipment was used by Pink Floyd, The Who, Brian Eno and Roxy Music, Tangerine Dream, Hawkwind, Tim Blake, Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk and other artists. Pink Floyd’s use of a Synthi AKS on “On the Run” from The Dark Side of the Moon helped establish the model as an enduring cultural icon. EMS equipment also appeared in film and television contexts, including the 1978 film The Shout. The company is now based in Ladock, Cornwall. Its historical importance rests not only on its product catalog but also on the way its instruments joined experimental composition, studio production and live performance in relatively small, highly configurable systems. EMS remains best known for the VCS 3 and Synthi family, which continue to influence discussions of analogue synthesis and vintage electronic instruments.

EMS was founded in Putney, London, in 1969 by Peter Zinovieff, Tristram Cary and David Cockerell. Its formation followed the founders’ work in electronic composition, recording, broadcasting and computer-assisted music. Cockerell designed the company’s early equipment, while Zinovieff provided the experimental studio environment and Cary contributed extensive experience as a composer and electronic-music practitioner. The first commercial product, the VCS 3, was developed in the basement of Zinovieff’s house and introduced in 1969. Its compact design and pin-matrix routing system distinguished it from the cable-heavy modular instruments produced by larger competitors. Although EMS initially hoped to sell an advanced synthesizer at a very low price, the VCS 3 was ultimately sold at a price that was still comparatively competitive for its capabilities. The DK1 dynamic keyboard controller extended the system, adding keyboard control and further synthesis functions. EMS continued to explore alternative formats. The VCS4 was built as a live-performance system combining two VCS 3 units, but it did not enter production. The Synthi KB1 likewise remained a prototype. In 1971, the company introduced the portable Synthi A, placing the VCS 3 concept in an attaché-style case. The Synthi AK and later Synthi AKS added keyboard and sequencing functions; the AKS became one of EMS’s most widely recognized products. The same period saw the development of the Synthi 100, a large console synthesizer intended to compete with high-end modular systems. It combined extensive analogue synthesis resources with dual matrix patching, keyboards, joysticks, visual monitoring and a sophisticated event sequencer. Around thirty units were produced. Institutional and broadcast users, most notably the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, used the Synthi 100 for sound effects, music and experimental production. EMS also made the Synthi Sequencer 256 available separately. During the 1970s the company broadened its range beyond conventional synthesizers. Products included the Synthi Hi-Fli multi-effect processor, the Spectron video synthesizer, Synthi E, the Vocoder 5000, the Vocoder 2000 and the PolySynthi. EMS equipment appeared in recording studios, electronic-music laboratories, film production and live performance. Its instruments were used by artists including Pink Floyd, The Who, Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Tangerine Dream, Hawkwind, Jean-Michel Jarre and Kraftwerk. The Synthi AKS became particularly prominent in popular music, including Pink Floyd’s “On the Run.” EMS’s equipment was also integrated into broader computer-music research. Zinovieff’s studio and associated systems reflected the company’s interest in linking synthesis, sequencing, recording and computation. Manufacturing was reportedly carried out in significant part by Hilton Electronics in Wareham, Dorset, rather than exclusively at the EMS premises. The company later relocated to Ladock, Cornwall, where EMS remains associated with the preservation, servicing and continued identity of its historic instrument family. Vintage EMS instruments have retained substantial importance among musicians, collectors, archives and educational institutions. The recovery of a VCS4 in the United States and its later acquisition by Goldsmiths, University of London, illustrates the continuing institutional interest in EMS’s early technology. The brand’s legacy is defined by compact but unusually flexible analogue instruments, a strong connection to experimental music and broadcasting, and an enduring influence on electronic sound design.

• 2019

  Recovered VCS4 enters a university collection

  [1]Electronic Music Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  A VCS4 that had been lost to EMS was sold to Goldsmiths, University of London, after surviving in the United States.

• 1978

  PolySynthi is listed in the product range

  [1]Electronic Music Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  EMS’s later product range includes the PolySynthi polyphonic synthesizer.

• 1973

  Synthi Hi-Fli is introduced

  [1]Electronic Music Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  EMS expands into multi-effect processing with the Synthi Hi-Fli.

• 1972

  Synthi AKS is released

  [1]Electronic Music Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The Synthi AKS combines the portable EMS format with a small keyboard and built-in sequencer.

• 1971

  Synthi A and Synthi 100 arrive

  [1]Electronic Music Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  EMS releases the portable Synthi A and develops the large-format Synthi 100, expanding from compact instruments into high-end modular synthesis.

• 1970

  Synthi KB1 prototype is developed

  [1]Electronic Music Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  EMS develops the Synthi KB1, a compact keyboard-based instrument, but the design does not enter production.

• 1969

  EMS is founded and introduces the VCS 3

  [1]Electronic Music Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Peter Zinovieff, Tristram Cary and David Cockerell establish EMS in Putney, London. The company launches its first commercial synthesizer, the VCS 3, nicknamed “The Putney.”

Specialist British electronic-instrument maker focused on experimental, highly configurable analogue synthesis and studio technology.

• Analogue monophonic synthesizer · 1969

  VCS 3

  Introduced in 1969, the VCS 3 is EMS’s foundational commercial instrument. Designed by David Cockerell, it combines three voltage-controlled oscillators, noise generation, amplifiers, ring modulation, filtering, envelope generation, reverberation, metering, stereo outputs and joystick control. Its matrix pinboard replaced conventional patch-cable routing and gave the compact synthesizer extensive signal and control flexibility. The instrument became a landmark of British analogue synthesis and was used in experimental, broadcast and popular-music settings.

• Portable analogue synthesizer · 1971

  Synthi A

  The Synthi A placed the VCS 3-style synthesis architecture in a compact attaché-style case. Originally associated with the name Portabella, it was intended to be more portable and less expensive than the earlier desktop instrument. Its distinctive case, pin matrix and broad routing options made it useful for touring musicians, studio experimentation and electronic sound effects. The model is one of EMS’s most recognizable instruments.

• Portable synthesizer and sequencer · 1972

  Synthi AKS

  The Synthi AKS expanded the portable Synthi format with a small keyboard and sequencer integrated into the case lid. Early units used an experimental touch interface before later versions adopted a capacitive keyboard and sequencer arrangement. Instruments associated with Brian Eno, Pink Floyd and Jean-Michel Jarre helped make the AKS an emblematic performance and recording synthesizer of the early 1970s.

• Large-format modular synthesizer · 1971

  Synthi 100

  The Synthi 100 was EMS’s major large-scale modular system. It used numerous oscillators and filters, dual matrix patchbays, dual keyboards, joysticks, an oscilloscope and an event sequencer in a free-standing console. Approximately thirty were built. The system was used by broadcasters, universities and electronic-music studios, including the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, where a unit known as The Delaware supported radio and television production.

• Digital event sequencer · 1971

  Synthi Sequencer 256

  The Synthi Sequencer 256 was a sequencing system associated with the Synthi 100 and also offered as a separate unit. It provided programmable event control and analogue-to-digital interfacing suited to complex electronic-music and studio applications.

• Analogue multi-effect processor · 1973

  Synthi Hi-Fli

  The Synthi Hi-Fli extended EMS’s work beyond synthesis into performance effects and signal processing. It was used by musicians including Tony McPhee of the Groundhogs and appeared in the group’s 1974 live and recording work.

• Vocoder · 1977

  Vocoder 2000

  The Vocoder 2000 was part of EMS’s later speech-processing and electronic-studio range. It demonstrates the company’s interest in transforming voice and other audio sources through electronically controlled analysis and synthesis.

• Polyphonic synthesizer · 1978

  PolySynthi

  The PolySynthi was a later EMS entry addressing polyphonic synthesis, extending the company’s product family beyond its historically dominant monophonic and modular instruments.

• 1971

  Move into large-format modular synthesisProduct launch

  Background

  EMS wanted to compete directly with high-end modular synthesizer manufacturers and serve institutional and professional studios.

  Action taken

  It developed and released the Synthi 100, a console system with extensive synthesis, sequencing and control facilities.

  Aftermath

  The Synthi 100 gained use in broadcasting, education and experimental music, including at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

  Source

• 1969

  Launch of the VCS 3Product launch

  Background

  EMS sought to make a highly flexible synthesizer smaller and more affordable than large modular systems from American competitors.

  Action taken

  The company commercialized the Cockerell-designed VCS 3 with matrix-pin routing and a compact monophonic architecture.

  Aftermath

  The VCS 3 established EMS as a significant British synthesizer maker and became the foundation for later Synthi instruments.

  Source

1. 1Electronic Music Studiosen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Electronic Music Studios official websiteems-synthi.demon.co.uk