It was notably used by John Paul Jones in the song " Four Sticks" on the untitled fourth album by Led Zeppelin.ĭK1 keyboard controller (front) connected to VCS 3 (rear)Īlthough the VCS 3 is often used for generating sound effects due to lack of a built-in keyboard, external keyboard controllers were available for melodic play. The VCS3-generated bass sound at the beginning of Pink Floyd's " Welcome to the Machine" forms the foundation of the song, with its other parts heard in response. The VCS3 was popular among progressive rock bands, and was used on recordings by Franco Battiato, The Alan Parsons Project, Jean-Michel Jarre, Todd Rundgren, Hawkwind, Curved Air, Brian Eno (with Roxy Music and as a solo artist or collaborator), King Crimson, The Who, Gong, and Pink Floyd, and many others. The first album recorded using only the VCS 3 was The Unusual Classical Synthesizer on Westminster Gold. As a result, remaining examples sell for far more than their original asking prices.
The VCS 3 found popularity among artists seeking to create exotic synthesised sounds.
However, the VCS 3 was renowned as an extremely powerful generator of electronic effects and processor of external sounds for its cost. This arose from the instrument's reliance on the then-current method of exponential conversion of voltage to oscillator frequency-an approach that other companies also implemented with fewer tuning issues. Some people found it unsatisfactory as a melodic instrument due to its inherent tuning instability. It was one of the first portable commercially available synthesizers, in the sense that it was housed entirely in a small wooden case, unlike synths from American manufacturers such as Moog Music, ARP and Buchla, which had large cabinets and could take up entire rooms.
The electronics were designed largely by David Cockerell, and its distinctive appearance was the work of electronic composer Tristram Cary. The VCS 3 was created in 1969 by Peter Zinovieff's EMS company.