Pink Floyd formed in 1965 in London, England. They are known for their psychedelic and progressive rock styles, and were officially inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Their original lineup included bassist and vocalist Roger Waters, drummer Nick Mason, keyboardist Richard Wright, and lead vocalist and guitarist Syd Barrett. Lead vocalist and guitarist David Gilmour joined the group in 1967, and Barrett departed the group due to mental health issues in 1968. Pink Floyd officially broke up in 1996, although they had a brief 2005 reunion.

Guitarist and lead vocalist David Gilmour’s singing style is light and airy. He is a baritone with a limited range, yet manages to express himself well in songs. A vocalist with good voice control would be a good match for Gilmour’s singing style. Concerning his guitar work, Gilmour is well-known for sustain and bending notes. An intermediate guitar player could most likely play some of his work, as it’s slow and steady. Knowledge of playing lead is required, however. Gilmour’s main guitar from Pink Floyd-present is a 1969 Fender Stratocaster.

Vocalist and bassist Roger Waters’ singing style is high and scratchy, especially on albums such as The Wall. He is a tenor with an expressive voice. When paired with Gilmour, they are an excellent fit, so you’ll need two singers who can harmonize and gel in such a manner. Roger Waters has exclusively played Fender Precision Basses since 1968, and on many of Pink Floyd’s songs, Waters experimented with EMS Synthi A and VCS 3 synthesizers, and often used echo effects.

Drummer Nick Mason is a slow, steady drummer that gave the band part of its melodic feel. Mason always favored acoustic drums, occasionally using electric drums and Roto toms.

Keyboardist Richard Wright used a lot of synthesizers during his time with Floyd, usually playing a Fender Rhodes or a Hammond organ. Wright used many Prophet 5 synthesizers. To sound completely like Pink Floyd, an excellent keyboardist will be needed with a working knowledge of synthesizers and sound effects.

Many bands have been able to successfully replicate Pink Floyd’s sound over the years, such as Australian Pink Floyd. Intermediate knowledge is required for the guitar parts, but it is really the keyboard and synthesizers that produce Pink Floyd’s psychedelic sound. It will take a tight band and a lot of hard work, but it can be done!

Keep rockin’
Pink Floyd by Pedro Netto taken on November 12, 2009
1977 – Pink Floyd – David Gilmour by Affendaddy taken on December 27, 2008
1977 – Pink Floyd – Roger Waters by Affendady taken on December 27, 2008
1977 – Pink Floyd – Nick Mason by Affendady taken on December 27, 2008
Richard Wright by Mon4ch0 taken on February 27, 2007