Spotted instruments

Vangelis' studio setup has been evolving over the years. This makes it impossible to provide a complete list of the gear he has been using. All the more a challenge for synth spotters to maintain a list with the instruments and equipment that have so far been positively identified.

The picture to the right shows part of Vangelis' Epsilon studio in Paris, 1992. Also take a look at an older picture of Vangelis surrounded by his gear, playing his favorite, the Yamaha CS80. Also have a look at the gallery by clicking on the red image below, currently showing pictures from the Nemo studio.

If you have spotted any gear that is not listed here, please feel free to email it to us. State the name of the synth and the source (e.g. which photograph, which video, which gear list, interview, live sighting, etc.) and email it to
elsew.com@gmail.com

Also see the:
Studio Photo Gallery

List of spotted instruments

Analogue synthesizers

ModelSpotted at....
ARP 2500One cabinet in the Musical Express broadcast.
Arp OdysseySuperstar LP ("Earth" re-release, photo around '80)
Arp Pro SoloistPhoto
Arp Solina String EnsemblePhotograph on Nemo web site
Arturia MatrixbruteSeen in video tributing Stamatis Spanoudakis
Arturia PolybruteFacebook pic posted by Frederic Rousseau
Baloran The RiverPhotograph shown at Baloran's booth at Superbooth 2019
Behringer DeepMind 12Photograph shared on social media
Elka Rhapsody 610Sound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
Eko StradivariusMentioned in Melody Maker interview and seen on private pics
Farfisa SynthorchestraSound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
Korg 700 "MiniKorg"Interview Keyboard '84
Korg 800DV "Maxi-Korg"inside cover of Heaven and Hell LP
Korg Poly 800Sound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
Korg Polyphonic EnsembleJapanese LP pressing
Korg PS-3300Spotted in a video interview
Moog MatriarchSeen in video tributing Stamatis Spanoudakis
Moog Minimoogkeyboard interview'81
Moog Modular SystemBooklet of 3LP box
Moog OneSeen in video tributing Stamatis Spanoudakis
Moog SateliteSound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
Oberheim 2 VoiceOdes LP
Oberheim Matrix 12Photo (in Keyboard?)
Roland Juno 106There are two of them on the "Sound Studios" photographs in the "Direct" booklet
Roland Jupiter 4 (JP-4)Sound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
Roland Jupiter 6 (JP-6)Seen on Herrod Atticus concert photographs
Roland JX8PSpotted in Nemo studios on photographs
Roland MKS 70French Musicien magazine
Roland MKS 80 Super JupiterPhoto in "Direct" booklet
Roland ProMars CompuphonicPhoto in "Superstar LP" (Earth)
Roland SH-09Seen in studio shot with Vangelis looking up, playing synth on floor
Roland SH-3ASound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
Roland SH-1000Sound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
Roland SH-101Spotted in Antarctica DVD extra feature
Roland System 100French "guitarre et Clavier" magazine
Roland System 700 modularPictures in booklet of 3LP box
RSF KobolKeyboard USA interview
Selmer ClaviolineSeen in Georges Mathieu documentary (two of them)
Sequential Circuits Prophet 5Keyboard interview '81
Sequential Circuits Prophet 10Photo in "Direct" booklet
Yamaha CS-40MKeyboard interview '81
Yamaha CS-80Keyboard interview '81

Digital synthesizers

ModelSpotted at....
ASM Hydrasynth Facebook pic posted by Frederic Rousseau
Clavia Nord stage Spotted in TV footage
Emu Proteus/2Gear at the Mythodea concert, 2001
Emu Proteus/3 World modulePhotographs from concert in Doha
Ensoniq VFX-SDET1 TV interview 1990
Korg 01W/FDRecognized preset sound in "1492"
Korg DSS-1seen in Vangelis Ithaka trailer
Korg DW-8000mentioned on "List of Instruments", nemostudios.co.uk
Korg i3Spotted at Athletics opening ceremony '97
Korg KarmaPreset rhythm: Ending of World Cup Anthem Synth version
Korg Kronos 61Photographs of Vangelis' setup at the Qatar concert
Korg M1French Musicien magazine
Korg M1R Module (or M1REX)Gear at the Mythodea concert, 2001
Korg M3Youtube documentary excerpt (deleted)
Korg OasysSpotted in TV footage
Korg OpsixFacebook pic posted by Frederick Rousseau
Korg ProphecySpotted in TV footage
Korg SymphonyFrench Musicien magazine
Korg T1Eureka concert (TV)
Korg T2"Antigone de Sophocle" extract in Musiques au coeur (TV)
Korg T3"Musiques au Coeur" (TV)
Korg TrinityPreset sounds in Oceanic
Korg Triton RackJourney to Ithaca documentary
Korg x3Spotted at Athletics opening ceremony '97
Korg x50Spotted in the Sound of Cinema TV interview
Korg WavestateFacebook pic posted by Frederick Rousseau
Korg WavestationSpotted in a repair shop in Paris
Korg Z1Spotted in the Rosetta EPK video
Kurzweil 250French Musicien magazine
Kurzweil 250 RMXphoto in Direct booklet and photographs from '87 Acropolis concerts
Kurzweil K1200Spotted at Athletics opening ceremony '97
Kurzweil K2000"Musiques au Coeur" (TV)
Roland D-5Late '80s pic shared by Guy Protheroe
Roland D50French "Musicien magazine"
Roland JD800Eureka concert (TV)
Roland JD-990 (Super JD-990)Gear at the Mythodea concert, 2001
Roland Jupiter 80Rosetta EPK video
Roland JV-1080Many photos incl. Mythodea concert, 2001
Roland JV-2080Studio photographs
Roland JV80Keyboard Review interview '92
Roland MKS 20French Musicien magazine
Roland SH-201Spotted in Rosetta EPK video
Roland U110French Musicien magazine
Sequential Circuits Prophet VS (rackmount)Photo in "Direct" booklet
Waldorf MicrowaveKeyboard Review interview '92
Yamaha DX7Photo in "Direct"-booklet
Yamaha TX7On pictures from inside Nemo studios
Yamaha DX7 IIPhoto in "Direct"-booklet
Yamaha DX21Seen on TV news item in mid eighties
Yamaha GenosSeen on Facebook pic of studio
Yamaha GS-1Photo in SOS interview , Dec 84
Yamaha GS-2Keyboard interview '82 (Disputed; could be his GS-1 mistaken for a GS-2.)
Yamaha Reface CPPhoto shared on social media
Yamaha Reface CSVideo of The Thread press event
Yamaha SY77Photo in The City booklet
Yamaha SY99Sounds heard on Voices (chimes in Prelude)
Yamaha Tyros 1Spotted in TV footage (inc Rosetta EPK)
Yamaha VL1Patches recognized on Voices and Oceanic

Electric pianos / electro-mechanic instruments

ModelSpotted at....
Crumar Compac PianoElectronic piano imitation, Oor '76 article
Fender Rhodes 88Oor '76 article
Hohner Clavinet Model "1"Georges Mathieu documentary footage
Hohner Clavinet Model "D6"Seen on Youtube: "Vangelis in the Studio - Clip 2"
Yamaha CP-80Sound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list

Organs

ModelSpotted at....
Hammond B3Oor '76 article
Elka Tornado IV Reed organOor '76 article and nemostudios.co.uk

Acoustic instruments

ModelSpotted at....
Bösendorfer Imperial Grand PianoMidified in the 1980s, nemostudios.co.uk
Steinway & Sons Concert Grand Pianomentioned on "List of Instruments", nemostudios.co.uk

Samplers

ModelSpotted at....
Akai S900Photo in "Direct"-booklet
Akai S1000"S.O.S." July 1990 (UK)
Akai S1100Keyboard Review interview, dec '92 (UK)
Akai Z4Photographs of Vangelis' setup at the Qatar concert
Akai Z8Photographs of Vangelis' setup at the Qatar concert
Emu E4X SamplerAmonst Vangelis' gear at the Mythodea concert, 2001
Emu Emulator 1Photo in "Superstar"
Emu Emulator 2Photo in "Direct"-booklet
Ensoniq MirageSeen on pictures of Nemo studio
Korg DSM1"S.O.S." July 1990 (UK)
Korg S1Spotted in the Conquest of Paradise music video
Roland S-50French Musicien magazine
Roland S-760Gear at the Mythodea concert, 2001
Roland S-770Keyboard Review interview '92

Sequencers

ModelSpotted at....
ARP Sequencervarious photographs (nemostudios.co.uk)
Oberheim DS-2nemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Roland CSQ-100Sound On Sound article
Roland CSQ-600mentioned on "List of Instruments", nemostudios.co.uk
Roland MSQ-700mentioned on "List of Instruments", nemostudios.co.uk
Roland System 104various photographs (nemostudios.co.uk)
Zyklus Midi Performance SystemSequencer used on albums like Direct, inspired the custom "Direct box"

Effects units

ModelSpotted at....
AKG BX25 spring reverbSound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
AMS DMX 15-80 Delay Harmonizer Spotted in Musiques Au Coeur TV interview
Binson Echorec P.E. 603-T'70s studio photographs
Boss CE-1Chorus Ensemble pedal, SoundOnSound article: voice on Spiral's "Ballad"
Deltalab Effectron delay Spotted in Musiques Au Coeur TV interview
Dytronics CS-5 Tri-Stereo Chorusnemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Dytronics FS-1 Cyclosonic Pannernemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Eventide H3000 harmonizer Spotted in Musiques Au Coeur TV interview
Korg SDD-3000 delay Spotted in Musiques Au Coeur TV interview
Korg SDD-2000 delay Spotted in Musiques Au Coeur TV interview
Lexicon 224 Digital ReverbSerial number 0002, according to Raphael Preston
Lexicon 224X Digital ReverbMythodea concert 2001 gear setup (pictures)
Lexicon 480Lnemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Quantec QRS reverbnemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Roland RE-201 Space EchoSound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
UA 1176 blackface (Limiter) Spotted in Musiques Au Coeur TV interview
Yamaha Rev-7nemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Yamaha SPX-90nemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Yamaha Rev-5nemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article

Vocoders

ModelSpotted at....
EMS 1000 VocoderSuperstar LP ("Earth")
Korg DVP1Photo in "Direct"-booklet
Roland Vocoder Plus VP-330 Mark 1Picture in "Electronics and Music Maker" magazine
Roland Vocoder Plus VP-330 Mark 2Pictures from Nemo studios on web-site

Drum computers / modules

ModelSpotted at....
Ace Tone Rhythm Ace FR-3Seen in Youtube video (Videoheads, since removed) and heard in l'Apocalypse episodes (not album)
Alesis SR-16Seen on picture of Vangelis at his keys at the Vangelis Odyssey website.
Emu Emulator SP-12mentioned on "List of Instruments", nemostudios.co.uk
Korg KR-55mentioned on "List of Instruments", nemostudios.co.uk
Korg MiniPops 120nemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Korg miniPops 3 / Univox SR55Youtube video "Videoheads"
Linn LM-1Keyboard interview '81
LinnDrumGuitare & Claviers 84
Roland CR-5000Keyboard interview '81
Roland R-8Seen in various 1492 recording pics and videos
Roland TR-626Sound on Sound "Recording Vangelis" equipment list
Simmons SDSVKeyboard interview '81
Yamaha RX5Rev. cymbals in Sidestreets, and on "Direct" photo under papers

Anything else

ModelSpotted at....
Akai DD1000Digital mastering equipment, Keyboard Review interview, dec '92 (UK)
Akai MG1212 12-track portable recordernemostudios.co.uk "Portrait of a recording studio" article
Ampex ATR-100 master tape machineVarious photographs at Nemo Studios
Haken ContinuumSeen in studio photograph
Korg MS-02Cross brand interface, seen in various videos
Kurzweil Orchestral ROM Soundblock for K2000Source of cymbals patch in Bitter Moon, Bon Voyage, etc...
Lyrec TR-532 multitrack machineListed at nemostudios.co.uk (and not the TR-55 24-track as mentioned by others)
Mackie 32•8 mixing deskPhotographs of Vangelis' setup at the Qatar concert
Novation MM10 (Midi keyboard)Photographs of Vangelis' setup at the Qatar concert
Roland A-880 Midi Patcher/MixerJourney To Ithaca documentary
Roland RE-301Charos / echo, seen on Arbre de Vie video
Roland SR-JV80-02 "Orchestral" Expansion Board card ""Patch "Major Stab" heard in BBC interview and photographed on display
Roland SR-JV80-04 "Vintage Synths" Expansion Board card Additional patches for JV synths, recognized patch in opening of "Echoes" on "Voices".
Roland SR-JV80-05 "World" Expansion Board card ""Sample in Aquatic Dance, sticker on photographs
Roland MKB-1000 (Midi master keyboard)Photographs from sound studio setup for the Direct album.
Roland MPG 80Programmer for MKS 80, Nemo studio photographs
Scully master/multitrack tape machine (customized)Listed at nemostudios.co.uk
Stylophone 350sMentioned in Oor Feb '76 article
Sycologic mi4 midi routersSeen in various synth setup pics
ThereminRadio interview "Walhalla"
Yamaha EMT100French Musicien magazine. What is it? An error?
Roland E-500 OR (Oriental)Probably not Vangelis' owned, but spotted on photgraphs taken at the Qatar concert. A local machine replacing a Vangelis synth that broke during rehearsals?

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