EMS VCS3 and Synthi AKS: The Sound of Meddle and Dark Side
Keyboards shaped the band’s psychedelic aesthetic from the outset, with Wright utilizing a Farfisa Combo Compact organ routed through a Binson Echorec. According to historical gear profiles, the group integrated synthesizers early by acquiring an EMS VCS3, which generated the wind effects opening “One of These Days” from the 1971 album Meddle.
The EMS Synthi AKS quickly became synonymous with the group. Its built-in sequencer drove the rhythm track for “On the Run” on 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon.
Moog Minimoog: Powering Wish You Were Here and Animals
By 1975, Wright incorporated a Moog Minimoog into his touring and recording setup for the follow-up album Wish You Were Here. Sequential notes that the monophonic synth handled primary lead duties across the record’s centerpiece, “Shine on You Crazy Diamond.”
The Minimoog reappeared on the 1977 release Animals, providing a counterpoint to Gilmour’s guitar work. The instrument established itself as a staple of progressive rock. Musicians today can replicate those tones using Moog’s current production models or Behringer’s Model D analog synthesizer module.
Solina String Ensemble: Filling the Polyphonic Gap
Mid-1970s recording sessions required polyphonic keyboard textures just as traditional organs fell out of fashion, predating the accessibility of programmable polyphonic instruments like the Prophet-5. To solve this, the band adopted the Solina String Ensemble, which was also marketed as the ARP String Ensemble in certain territories.
Featuring divide-down oscillators and an ensemble chorus circuit, the Solina delivered the rich pads heard throughout Wish You Were Here and Animals.
Sequential Circuits Prophet-5: Defining The Wall
The 1979 double album The Wall introduced a starkly different sonic palette, incorporating orchestrations arranged by Michael Kamen alongside a revised synth rig centered on the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5. Sequential reports that the instrument provided the tearing oscillator-sync solo on “Run Like Hell,” alongside appearances on “Don’t Leave Me Now” and “Vera.”
Sequential continues to manufacture modern hardware iterations of the instrument, including the five-voice Prophet-5 and the ten-voice Prophet-10.
Roland JX-10: The Comeback Era on A Momentary Lapse of Reason
Personnel shifts in the mid-1980s preceded a major stylistic overhaul for the 1987 release A Momentary Lapse of Reason. With Wright reinstated alongside new studio gear like the Kurzweil K250 sampler, the band utilized Roland’s flagship analog synthesizer of the era, the JX-10—often called the Super-JX.
Wright utilized the instrument on the intro track “Signs of Life” and the single “Learning to Fly.” Roland later revisited the architecture through compact digital instruments like the JX-08, while software developers offer emulations such as TAL Software’s TAL-J8X.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Pink Floyd’s first synthesizer?
Which synth was used for the sequencer loop on “On the Run”?
The sequenced rhythm on “On the Run” from The Dark Side of the Moon was created using an EMS Synthi AKS.
What keyboard created the string sounds on Wish You Were Here?
The swirly string pads on albums like Wish You Were Here and Animals were generated using a Solina String Ensemble.
Which synth played the solo on “Run Like Hell”?
According to Sequential, the oscillator-sync solo on “Run Like Hell” from The Wall was performed on a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5.
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