Keith Emerson

This Sound On Sound article states: "The huge cost of the Fairlight CMI did not put the rich and famous off. Peter Vogel brought an early CMI to the UK in person, and one of the first people to get one was Peter Gabriel. Once UK distributor Syco Systems had been set up, the client list started to grow. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) bought the first as a replacement for his Mellotron. He was soon followed by Kate Bush, Thomas Dolby, Geoff Downes, Queen, Keith Emerson, Alan Parsons, Stuart Copeland, JJ of Art of Noise, Trevor Horn and Frankie Goes To Hollywood, and many others."

This Sound On Sound article states that Emerson used a Yamaha GX-1.

This site states that Keith used the Hiwatt Custom 100 with his leslie cabinets

Again....I worked for Kurzweil and owned all of these instruments. Keith was endorsed by Kurzweil Music Systems in the 80s, with a K250 and a Midiboard. Both were used on the EL Powell album and can be seen in music videos and on live concert footage. I also got to see Keith's rig in person. Keith triggered sounds from a Yamaha TX-816 and an Overheim Matrix 12 with his MidiBoard. That's where the big brass lead for "The Score" and "Touch and Go" came from. In later years, he switched to cheaper, thinner synths like the Korg O1W and an Alesis. Neither ever captured the magic of the original FM/OB analog layers. Or the GX-1 for that matter.

This Sound On Sound article states that Emerson owned a Yamaha TX816.

Keith Emerson can be seen with his Hammond and Moog Modular Synthesizer in this picture from the Emerson & Lake Tour in 2010.

This Facebook post from Moog states:

50 years ago today (posted October 27, 2021), Minimoog Model D serial number 1203 was shipped to Keith Emerson 🎹🎶

This article on Vintage Synth Explorer lists Keith Emerson as an artist that uses the Model D also.

This article states that Keith used a Moog Apollo in his keyboard rig

This image shows Keith with a gem pro 2

This Sound On Sound article states that Emerson owned an Oberheim Matrix 12.

The site www.brain-salad-surgery.de states that Keith used the hammond C3: "Keith bought his original C3 around 1967. It was the organ that he played on all the ELP tours from the '70s."

At [36:46] Keith is seen using the Alesis QS8

I worked with Kurzweil in the 80s and owned a K250 Expander and MidiBoard. You can clearly see the K250 on the left side of Keith's 1986 keyboard rig. You can also clearly hear the very distinctive K250 CHOIR patch from Sound Block A all over "The Score" - both live and on the studio recording. You can hear the K250 percussion (claps, snaps and shakers) all over Touch & Go as well. The "Endless Glissando" patch as well as the K250 choir and strings are all over "Mars, The Bringer of War."

The MidiBoard is the large 88 note controller placed on top of his GX-1. See the video.

Sound on Sound lists Keith's gear in this article, which includes a Hohner Clavinet D6 Classic keyboard with real strings.

This Sound On Sound article states that Emerson owned a Polymoog.

In the Sound On Sound article titled "Keith Emerson's Keyboard Clearout," it is mentioned that Keith Emerson owned a Korg PS-3200.

This Sound On Sound article states that Emerson owned a Korg SQ-10.

This Sound On Sound article states that Emerson owned a Korg VC-10.

This Sound On Sound article states that Emerson owned an Oberheim DPX-1.

Keith Emerson is known for his use of the Moog Modular Synthesizer, as highlighted in the Emerson Moog Modular System feature by Moog Music.

Homeboy Keith goes full-on apeshit on a poor L-100 in this video

States that Keith used the piano in his live setup

Keith Emerson used the Gem Promega 3 digital piano, as documented in photos from his official website during The Nice's London performance in October 2002.

This Sound On Sound article states Emerson owned a Korg RK-100.

In this review of Keith Emerson's 1981 album "Honky", Background Magazine notes where the album was recorded and what musical gear Emerson used on it:

"Honky was recorded in the Bahamas and 'honky' is what the local children called Keith while he was there! The pictures inside the booklet show that Emerson's stay there was primarily a holiday, so this album was recorded in a relaxed, carefree spirit. For this record Emerson used the following instruments: Yamaha CP30, MiniMoog, Hammond C3, Korg 3100 & 3300, Steinway concert grand model D, Yamaha grand and a vocoder. [...]

The album certainly contains some fine musical moments which can be enjoyed by lovers of prog rock. Especially the album's opener Hello Sailor is an amazing piece of music. This is a kind of mini-suite divided into three pieces called Introduction, Bach Before The Mast and Hello Sailor Finale. This suite comes closest to what Keith Emerson is famous for with the albums he recorded with ELP. The first part is performed on the piano and tends towards a style that can be heard on albums such as Brain Salad Surgery (1973) and Works, Volume 1 (1977)."

In this review of Keith Emerson's 1981 album "Honky", Background Magazine notes where the album was recorded and what musical gear Emerson used on it:

"Honky was recorded in the Bahamas and 'honky' is what the local children called Keith while he was there! The pictures inside the booklet show that Emerson's stay there was primarily a holiday, so this album was recorded in a relaxed, carefree spirit. For this record Emerson used the following instruments: Yamaha CP30, MiniMoog, Hammond C3, Korg 3100 & 3300, Steinway concert grand model D, Yamaha grand and a vocoder."

In this review of Keith Emerson's 1981 album "Honky", Background Magazine notes where the album was recorded and what musical gear Emerson used on it:

"Honky was recorded in the Bahamas and 'honky' is what the local children called Keith while he was there! The pictures inside the booklet show that Emerson's stay there was primarily a holiday, so this album was recorded in a relaxed, carefree spirit. For this record Emerson used the following instruments: Yamaha CP30, MiniMoog, Hammond C3, Korg 3100 & 3300, Steinway concert grand model D, Yamaha grand and a vocoder. [...]

Keith Emerson played a Hohner Clavinet L on tour in 1970 and 1971. This photo comes from ELP's 1970 concert at the Isle of Wight (Clavinet is on top of piano). He can also be seen playing a Clavinet L at the 12:29 mark of this video.

Additional photos of Keith and the Clavinet L here and here.

The following comes from a July 1984 article from One Two Testing:

Emerson Lake and Palmer, the album, arrived like a cultural bomb shell in the midst of 1971's fascination for the heaviness of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. It had been completed at Advision Studios with the final session using the organ at St Mark's Church, Finchley.

That year Emerson could be found touting around the Moog 1C, a Hammond C3 (for playing), a Hammond L100 (for stabbing), two Leslie 122 speaker cabs, a PRO 900 amp, two custom-built horns, a customized Leslie, two 100W Hiwatt amps and speakers, and a Hohner Clavinet L.

Keith Emerson, renowned for his versatility across various music genres, utilized a Kurzweil SP2X stage piano as part of his performance setup. This information is substantiated by the inclusion of the Kurzweil SP2X, along with a Korg BX3 organ modeling keyboard and a TREK 2 UC1A preamp pedal, in a road case marked "KEITH EMERSON." The dimensions of this case are noted as 33 by 62 by 23 inches. The provenance of these instruments is traced back to the Estate of Keith Emerson, providing credible evidence of his use of the Kurzweil SP2X. This detail is documented under the listing "KEITH EMERSON KEYBOARDS," from a reputable source.

Keith Emerson, the acclaimed keyboardist known for his versatility across multiple music genres, utilized a Korg BX-3 organ modeling keyboard. This specific gear, along with a Kurzweil SP2X stage piano and a TREK 2 UC1A preamp pedal, was confirmed to be part of his equipment as evidenced by an auction lot from the Estate of Keith Emerson. The items, housed within a road case bearing the stenciled name "KEITH EMERSON," underscore his preference for diverse and high-quality musical instruments in his performances.