Liam Howlett’s synths and gear in studio and live.
Relase date: 1979
Type: Analog synthesizer
Launched in 1979, the VP-330 Vocoder Plus was a 10-band vocoder combined with a 49-note keyboard, and it quickly became the machine behind the popular 'talking robot' sound of the early '80s. But there was more to the VP-330 than met the eye, thanks to three onboard sound sources that could be played and blended with your voice. The string section was particularly expansive and lush, thanks to the ensemble circuitry that widened the sound, while the choir and human voice sounds could be used either subtly or in a more adventurous manner, depending on how much color you needed. The VP-330 also became a firm favorite with more experimental musicians who were interested in merging tonal textures to create something entirely new. Ethereal and majestic in equal measure, the VP-330 is a fascinating stop-off point on the evolutionary journey of electronic musical instruments, and it remains in demand and in use to this day.
The strings sound very similar to Roland's RS Series. The VP-330 was built in two main versions. The original MK-1 had rocker switches and the MK-2 had buttons eith LED's. The MK-1 is said to sound richer.
Ghost Town
"I've got this upstairs -- I borrowed it from a friend to record some stuff for the new album. I think it's one of those things you can use a couple of times, and then throw in a cupboard. It's got some nice strings on it, but you can't get many sounds from the vocoder. The typical '80s electro voice, but not much else. "
"I'm using [the VP-330] on Ghost Town. I don't surround myself with loads of gear. I'm better with limited stuff and getting the most out of it."
Liam with Moog Prodigy and Roland VP-330 Vocoder Plus at Baby's Got A Temper video shooting in 2002.
Future Music - 1st February 1993 Prodigious talent
Sound On Sound - 1st October 1996 Liam Howlett • The Prodigy & Firestarter
Power On - 1st January 1999 Catching Up With The Prodigy
Future Music - 1st December 2000 DIY Prodigy
Sound On Sound - 1st October 2004 Liam Howlett: Recording Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
Korg magazine - 29th November 2004 Never Outgunned: Liam Howlett
Keyboard Magazine - 1st February 2005 Trim the Fat
Sound On Sound - 1st October 2010 Jon Burton: Mixing & Recording The Prodigy Live
MusicTech magazine - 18th May 2015 Landmark Productions: The Prodigy – The Fat of the Land
MusicTech magazine - 30th July 2019 Prodigy engineer/co-producer Neil Mclellan remembers the Jilted Generation sessions