EDP (Electronic Dream Plant)

 

 

The Wasp was a dual oscillator, digital monophonic synth which had a distinctive flat, black and yellow printed vinyl keyboard. Despite the lack of proper keyboard it produced some impressive sounds and, with a budget price tag of around about £200, became one of the first synthesizers to become truely available to aspiring electronic musicians who couldn't afford to buy the likes of Moogs or ARP's.

 

The WASP's versatility was enhanced by the introduction of the SPIDER, a 252 note step or 84 note real time digital sequencer that could be linked to the wasp via a unique 6-pin DIN digital interface. Other additions to the range were the Gnat - a single oscillator version of the Wasp, the wasp special - a wasp in a wooden case(!), the WASP Deluxe - featuring a proper moving keyboard and external inputs for its filters, the Caterpillar  - a true, 4-octave master keyboard which could control up to eight Wasps or Gnats using EDP's proprietary digital control system and finally the Keytar - basically a Wasp in guitar form which, although prototyped, never reached the shops.

 

Sadly, EDP stopped doing business in 1982, although Chris Hugget formed another British company, OSC, with Paul Wiffen which produced the OSCar synthesizer.