{"id":845515,"date":"2026-09-12T18:08:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T18:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/845515\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T18:08:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T18:08:18","slug":"synths-of-pink-floyd-welcome-to-the-machine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/845515\/","title":{"rendered":"Synths of Pink Floyd: Welcome to the Machine"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"synths<\/p>\n

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\n Synths of Pink Floyd \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<\/p>\n

Source:
\n Sequential \/ Pink Floyd\n <\/p>\n

The Floyd may be most celebrated for the guitar work of David Gilmour but Rick Wakeman\u2019s synth playing was top-notch too. After that space rock sound? Here are five of the synths of Pink Floyd. The last one may surprise you!<\/p>\n

Welcome to the Machine<\/p>\n

When you think of Pink Floyd, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the amazing guitar playing and tone of David Gilmour<\/a>. But there was much more to the band than that. As a keyboard guy, I\u2019ve always loved Rick Wright\u2019s contributions to the band, especially his synthesizer playing.<\/p>\n

Today, let\u2019s look at five of the synths of Pink Floyd, as well as some modern recreations where appropriate so that you can incorporate their sound into your own tracks if you wish.<\/p>\n

Synths of Pink Floyd: EMS VCS3 and Synthi AKS<\/p>\n

Keyboards were a big part of Pink Floyd\u2019s sound right from the start, with Wright filling out the sonic psychedelic landscape with a Farfisa Combo Compact organ run through a Binson Echorec. It\u2019s no surprise, then, that they would adopt synthesizers as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

\"Florian<\/a>Florian Schneider\u2019s EMS Synthi AKS \u00b7 Source: Julien\u2019s Auctions<\/p>\n

Their first synth was an EMS VCS3, which provided the wind sound at the beginning of \u201cOne of These Days\u201d on Meddle. But it was another EMS synth that is probably most associated with Pink Floyd. That would be the Synthi AKS, with its built-in sequencer getting a workout for \u201cOn the Run\u201d from The Dark Side of the Moon<\/a>. Another Dark Side track, \u201cAny Colour You Like,\u201d also features a Synthi AKS. Yes, that\u2019s very likely a Synthi that Rick is playing the solo with. Just lovely.<\/p>\n

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Any original EMS synth is going to set you back a pretty penny these days. If you\u2019re after that sound, try Behringer\u2019s AKS Mini<\/a>. Erica Synths does the SYNTRX 2<\/a>, which features a Synthi-like interface and architecture but with its own sound. There are also a few great software versions available too, like Arturia\u2019s Synthi V.<\/p>\n

The Behringer AKS Mini is available from our affiliate partners Thomann*<\/a> and Sweetwater*<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Synths of Pink Floyd: Moog Minimoog<\/p>\n

By the time of Wish You Were Here, the band\u2019s 1975 follow-up to Dark Side, Wright had added a Moog Minimoog to his rig. It\u2019s all over the album, handling lead synth duties. You can hear it extensively on the album\u2019s centerpiece, \u201cShine on You Crazy Diamond.\u201d The Minimoog would go on to appear on Animals as well, adding a tasteful complement to David\u2019s guitar playing.<\/p>\n

\"Bob<\/a>Bob Moog Tribute Edition Minimoog Model D \u00b7 Source: Moog<\/p>\n

Pink Floyd weren\u2019t alone in their love of the Minimoog. It was a firm prog rock band favorite<\/a> \u2013 hell, it was a favorite of bands and musicians of all kinds. Still is<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re after a Floyd-style Minimoog sound, you\u2019re in luck, as there are plenty of ways to get it. Moog still makes one<\/a>, and Behringer\u2019s Model D is a solid budget take on it.<\/p>\n

The Moog Minimoog Bob Moog Tribute edition is available from our affiliate partner Thomann*<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Affiliate Links<\/p>\n

\"Behringer<\/p>\n

\n Behringer Model D Analog Synthesizer\n <\/p>\n


\n $249 at \"sweetwater\"\/
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

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Synths of Pink Floyd: Solina String Ensemble<\/p>\n

By the mid-1970s, Pink Floyd were in the same boat as a lot of other bands. They wanted keyboard polyphony but organs were going out of fashion. It was still a few years away before the Prophet-5 would make analog polyphonic synths accessible. Until then, the Floyd did what a lot of other bands and musicians did: they bought a Solina String Ensemble.<\/p>\n

\"Solina<\/a>Solina String Ensemble \u00b7 Source: GForce<\/p>\n

The best-known of the many string machines of the 1970s, the Solina String Ensemble (licensed to ARP and sold as the ARP String Ensemble in many markets too) was a fully polyphonic synth with divide-down oscillators and a distinctive ensemble chorus for that swirly-wirly feel. It\u2019s all over Wish You Were Here and Animals, including on \u201cSheep,\u201d my favorite Animals track and contender for top PF song of all time.<\/p>\n

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The best way to get that sound hardware-wise is Behringer\u2019s own Solina String Ensemble<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Behringer Solina String Ensemble is available from our affiliate partners Thomann*<\/a> and Sweetwater*<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Affiliate Links<\/p>\n

\"Behringer<\/p>\n

\n Behringer Solina String Ensemble Analog Synthesizer Module\n <\/p>\n


\n $289 at \"sweetwater\"\/
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

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Synths of Pink Floyd: Sequential Circuits Prophet-5\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Wall in 1979 was a watershed record not only for Pink Floyd, but for rock in general. The sprawling concept album was a massive hit, spawned a movie and sent the band out on the road, where they built a physical wall between themselves and the audience during the course of the show. Madness. The album had a new sound for the Floyd, incorporating orchestrations as arranged by Michael Kamen. As part of this approach, they also changed their synth rig, leaning heavily on the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Sequential<\/a>Sequential Prophet-5 \u00b7 Source: Sequential<\/p>\n

The Wall is decidedly not a synth album, so when the Prophet-5 does pop up, you notice it. It was most famously used to provide the tearing oscillator-sync solo in \u201cRun Like Hell,\u201d a highlight of the album. You can also hear it on \u201cDon\u2019t Leave Me Now\u201d and \u201cVera.\u201d<\/p>\n

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If you want a Prophet-5, look no further than Sequential itself, which does a modern recreation of it as well as a 10-voice version called (unsurprisingly) Prophet-10.<\/p>\n

The Sequential Prophet-5 is available from our affiliate partners Thomann*<\/a> and Sweetwater*<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Synths of Pink Floyd: Roland JX-10\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pink Floyd were in dire straits by the mid-1980s. Rick Wright had been fired and Waters left in 1985. In 1987, sans Waters and with a reinstated Wright, Pink Floyd released their comeback, A Momentary Lapse of Reason. The late 1980s were far removed from the mid-1970s, and accordingly Floyd had a fresh new sound. Part of that included the Kurzweil K250 sampler, as well as a new analog synth, the Roland JX-10.<\/p>\n

\"roland-jx-10\"<\/a>Roland JX-10 \u00b7 Source: Adam Douglas<\/p>\n

Roland\u2019s flagship synthesizer of the time (and their last analog synth until very recently), the Super-JX (as it\u2019s also known) was essentially two JX-8P\u2019s in one. With its many performance features, the JX-8P was very popular with gigging musicians. Being a player himself, it makes sense that Wright would gravitate towards an instrument like the JX-10. You can hear it on the intro song, \u201cSigns of Life,\u201d and most famously on the single, \u201cLearning to Fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Super-JX is something of a forgotten synth in Roland\u2019s history but the JX-8P has experienced a reappraisal as of late. Roland updated it for the digital 21st century in the form of the JX-08<\/a>, and there are a few software takes on it as well, including TAL Software\u2019s TAL-J8X<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Roland JX-08 is available from our affiliate partners Thomann*<\/a> and Sweetwater*<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Affiliate Links<\/p>\n

\"Roland<\/p>\n

\n Roland JX-08 Boutique Series JX-8P Sound Module\n <\/p>\n


\n $399.99 at \"sweetwater\"\/
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

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*Note: This article contains advertising links that help us pay for this site. Don\u2019t worry: the price for you will always be the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!<\/p>\n

\"synths<\/p>\n

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