What synth did The Prodigy use on Firestarter?

Liam Howlett used a Roland SH-101 synthesizer to create the main synth lead on "Firestarter." The SH-101's sawtooth wave was the foundation of the aggressive sound before being processed through distortion and sampling.

How to get The Prodigy Firestarter synth sound?

Start with a sawtooth wave from an SH-101 or similar analog synth, run it through a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal, then sample the result. The key is the combination of analog synthesis, guitar pedal distortion, and the character added by vintage sampling.

What distortion pedal did Liam Howlett use on Firestarter?

Liam Howlett used a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal to create the aggressive, buzzing character of the synth lead. The RAT's particular filtering and clipping characteristics were essential to achieving the track's signature sound.

What sampler was used on The Prodigy Firestarter?

The Akai S950 sampler was used to capture and replay the distorted SH-101 sound. This sampling process added additional grit and lo-fi character while making the sound repeatable for live performances.

synth from "firestarter" by the prodigy

firestarter

the prodigy

synth

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Tone Profile

Aggressive and distorted synth lead with a raw, buzzing character. It's a high-energy sound with a cutting edge.

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Roland SH-101(instrument)
Pro Co Rat(processing)
Akai S950(processing)

The Story

The aggressive synth lead on "Firestarter" was created by Liam Howlett using a Roland SH-101 synthesizer running sawtooth waves through a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal. The distorted synth sound was then sampled into an Akai S950 sampler, which added further grit and allowed the sound to be triggered consistently during live performances. This combination of analog synthesis, guitar pedal distortion, and vintage sampling created the track's signature buzzing, aggressive character.

Production Credits

Producer: Liam Howlett

Signal Chain

Instrument: Roland SH-101Shop on Reverb

Processing: Pro Co RatShop on Reverb, Akai S950Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a sawtooth wave on an analog synth like the Roland SH-101 or a comparable synth.
Use a distortion pedal like the Pro Co Rat to achieve the aggressive, buzzing tone. Experiment with the Rat's filter and distortion amount to find the sweet spot.
If possible, sample the distorted synth sound into a sampler like the Akai S950. This allows for further manipulation and adds a unique sonic texture. Alternatively, use a modern sampler with bit-crushing and lo-fi effects.
Adjust the filter and envelope settings on your synth to shape the attack and decay of the sound.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Roland SH-01AShop on Reverb$300-$400

Alternative to: Roland SH-101

Authentic recreation of the SH-101 with identical sawtooth wave character and filter response

Pro Co RAT 2Shop on Reverb$70-$90

Alternative to: Pro Co RAT

Current production version of the exact same distortion circuit used on the original track

Native Instruments Kontakt 7Plugin Boutique$400-$500

Alternative to: Akai S950 sampler

Modern sampler with vintage emulation modes that can recreate the S950's lo-fi sampling character and bit-crushing

TAL-BassLine-101Plugin Boutique$60-$70

Alternative to: Roland SH-101

Software emulation specifically modeling the SH-101's sawtooth oscillator and filter characteristics

JHS PacketManShop on Reverb$150-$180