AudioPilz Gives Us The Skinny on the Original Prodigy Keyboard

In the latest episode from AudioPilz, our mate Florian Pilz opens the puzzling icebox that is the Roland W30. Birthed from the remnants of Roland technology past, this sampling workstation was a stalwart in The Prodigy’s arsenal. But why, you ask? Well, Liam Howlett, ever the visionary, saw past its cumbersome workflows and embraced its quirks as a unique instrument. From its chunky 30kHz, 12-bit sampling roots to a reservoir of loathed yet resonant filters, it was designed with a flair only an ’89 relic could boast. For those familiar with Howlett’s story, this machine was the nucleus of early Prodigy sandwich tapes — layers of frenetic rhythms and melodies that blew past norms, reminiscent of an audio mosh pit with every thunk and plink.

Enter the workflow chaos – sampling on the W30 was like trying to paint a masterpiece inside a phone box. Our journey begins with sampling: the process by which Liam fed sounds via DJ turntables into the mono mouth of the W30. It had a fierce appetite for floppy disks as not just a preference but a necessity. One might liken this to feeding a Gremlin after midnight, only mess with floppy disks if you’re keen on courting disaster. Boasting a breathtaking 512 kilobytes of RAM split into two banks, this beast longed for sonic variety yet shackled you with a fleeting seven-point-two-second capture at best quality. AudioPilz illustrates that managing this digital anarchy required mastering the graphical interface, akin to taming a temperamental cat: stroke it right or it’ll scratch back.

What’s in the name? Plenty, if you asked Liam Howlett. The Prodigy was defined by this very piece – tying together live sets with samples mapped out to match the band’s rowdy energy. Florian unravels the sequencing mysteries, unveiling a minimalist approach that sidesteps multitrack recording’s palatial allure. With the W30, it was all about snapping loops and patches straight from the keyboard – a format that screamed raw and live. This limits became blessings, fostering a style untethered to the polished veneers often associated with studio work. You could say it was a beautiful mess, one only The Prodigy could glorify. Yet, as trends evolved, the duo added Akai samplers for diversity while the TR-909 became the percussion powerhouse, enhancing Howlett’s pioneering synth tapestry.

Fast forward to the present and the dilemma remains: Does the W30 hold its ground today? AudioPilz takes us on a temporal trek to test the W30 with modern gear – a reincarnation attempt as daring as punk’s atemporal thrill. The question hangs heavy: could it still create that Prodigy punch? The original kit displayed its age in terms of operational ease, but there was undeniable authenticity in its sound. Teaming it with the Beatstep Pro and TB3 for slicker sequences, Florian brings us face to face with nostalgia, curiousity, and a mild admiration for this idiosyncratic sampler. At its core, the W30 was chaos embodied, unruly yet burning bright—a savage reminder of those gritty sounds from yesteryears waiting to resurface.