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Model ‘VCS 1’ electronic music synthesiser
Made by Electronic Music Studios in Cornwall, England, c. 1969.Summary
Object No.
H9953-13Object Statement
Electronic Music Synthesiser, 'VCS 1' model, metal / plastic / electronic components, by Electronic Music Studios (EMS), Cornwall, England, 1969, used by Don Banks music studio, New South Wales, Australia, c. 1975Physical Description
Electronic music synthesiser, model number VCS 1 owned and used by Don Banks. Rectangular metal casing with grey front panel housing conrtyol dials and sockets. Three rows of dials with four at top, seven in middle and seven at the bottom. Dials control particular parameters;Top (L to R): Attack Time, Attack, Filter Mode, Hi Triang.
Middle: (L to R): Noise Out, Decay Time, Suppress Mod 2, Filtyer Freq, Hi Freq, Lo Freq, Reverb Depth.
Bottom: (L to R): Mic Out, Attack Out, Mod Out, Filter Out, Hi Out, Lo Out, Reverb Out.
Below bottom row of dials is series of input and output sockets arranged in four groups of five sockets. Some are identified as outputs, other as inputs. Outputs are listed above particular sockets for Noise, Mic, Attack, Mod, Filter, Hi Osc, Lo Osc, Reverb.
Inputs are listed below sockets for Mic, Mod 1, Mod 2, Filter, Hi Osc, Lo Osc, Reverb.
Metal for other parts of case is honey-combed. White power cord attached to front. Level indication marks have been drawn onto front panel around some knobs in blue pencil or pen.
Marks
Dymo adhesive labels read;"E.M.S. VCS 1"
"DON BANKS"
Control knobs and sockets marked with their purpose.
Short URL
https://ma.as/259174Dimensions
Width
132 mmDepth
165 mmWeight
3.75 kgProduction
Made
Electronic Music Studios Cornwall, England c. 1969Notes
This was the first synthesizer produced by EMS London and made specifically for Don Banks prior to the building and commercial release of the VCS3 synthesizer.History
Used
Banks, DonOwned
Banks, DonNotes
Don Banks was a prominent Australian composer who pioneered electronic music in Australia and was later head of the Canberra School of Music. The VCS1 was commissioned by Don Banks in the late 1960s from Peter Zinovieff, Tristram Carey and David Cockerell.The studio equipment was sold as one item following the death of Don Banks and acquired by the Powerhouse Museum in 1983.
Cite this Object
Harvard
Model 'VCS 1' electronic music synthesiser 2020, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 20 February 2020, <https://ma.as/259174>Wikipedia
{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/259174 |title=Model 'VCS 1' electronic music synthesiser |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=20 February 2020 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}
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