![]() ![]() Its 4 octaves pressure sensitive keyboard, besides pitch information supplied a pressure-dependent control voltage and a position dependent control voltage. The EMS Polysynthi sound sources were two VCO's (or Voltage Controlled Oscillator Bank, 49 notes polyphony) producing triangle, square and pulse waveforms which could be independently mixed, a noise generator and external input (switchable between line and mic) with envelope follower. Since the delay time could be controlled by the keyboard voltage and by the VCLFO, a large range of time-based FX was easily created. One switch selected between the short delay mode (for effects such as chorus or flanging or reverb) and the long delay mode, for echoes up to 1 second. ![]() The VC "analog delay line" was perhaps the most novel feature of the Polysynthi. Furthermore, they could trigger the ADSR's allowing the performer to disconnect the keyboard from VCA duties to use it to control other parameters such as the filter or the delay time of the voltage controlled analog delay line. ![]() To begin with, it had two voltage controlled LFO's (VCLFO) with sine and variable pulse waveforms which could modulate each other or be frequency modulated by either of the 2 ADSR's. However, the Polysynthi had a few cool tricks up its sleeve that make it stand out. It had a fully polyphonic 4 octave keyboard, controlling what EMS called a Voltage Controlled Oscillator Bank (VCOB), but only 1 VCA and one filter switchable for 2 pole (12db) or 4 pole (24db) operation was available for all the voices, therefore the instrument was really 'para-phonic,' like some of its contemporaries such as the Korg Delta. Despite its name, it really was not a polyphonic version of the VCS3/Synthi A. ![]() Until recently, when the renewed interest for vintage synths and the availability on the Web of a few demos of this rare instrument brought it back into the spotlight. About thirty units hit the market and disappeared into oblivion except for aficionados of the EMS brand or synth historians. Produced around 1978 by a company that was already in financial trouble, notwithstanding the already legendary status of their instruments - used amongst the other by bands such as Tangerine Dream, The Who, Pink Floyd, Gong, Kraftwerk- the Ems Polysynthi was hardly a commercial success. ![]()
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