Mick Talbot - piano forte, Hammond organ, clavinet, synthesisers
Billy Preston, who had contributed on a few songs with the Stones in the past, would become a heavy collaborator over the next few albums and here performs clavinet.
Among the exhibits there are numerous preliminary models and unique items such as a Hohner Clavinet, Rhodes Piano, Mellotron as well as original instruments from international stars like Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), Geoff Downes (Asia), Peter Wolf (Frank Zappa) and Tangerine Dream.
In the 1950s and 1960s, he invented various electro-mechanical musical instruments for the German musical instrument manufacturer Hohner, including the Cembalet, the Clavinet, the Guitaret, and the Pianet.
The song is characterized by the ringing tones of 12-string acoustic guitars, which is joined by a Hohner Clavinet through a Leslie speaker in the bridge of the song.
The XL also features several included PCM Waveforms, including Piano, Brass Ensemble, 9 Electric Piano and Clavinet, 7 organ sounds (one of which emulates the Korg M1 Organ), a full String Orchestra, 2 variable formant waves and more than 32 digitally generated waveforms (SYNWAVE 6 is a ramp wave/inverted sawtooth.)
The album saw Hammill's first use of the Hohner clavinet D6 keyboard, which would go on to feature prominently on the next few Van der Graaf Generator albums (particularly Godbluff).
Kerry Minnear – Electric piano, Clavinet, Hammond organ, Moog, cello, vibes, tenor recorder, vocals, percussion
His use of the Hohner clavinet model C on "Superstition" is widely regarded as one of the definitive tracks featuring the instrument.
Zac Rae – Rhodes piano (tracks 3, 4); Chamberlin (tracks 3, 4, 8–10); Farfisa organ (tracks 5, 8); piano (tracks 5, 10); clavinet, organ (track 7); Wurlitzer (tracks 7, 9); tack piano (track 8); synthesizer (track 10)
Edgar Winter - organ, synthesizer, ARP 2600, piano, marimba, saxophone, timbales, vocals, clavinet, liner notes
He had been listening to a sizeable amount of US soul and R&B, no doubt influenced by his new affair with a backup singer and clavinet player he had hired for his 1973 US tour – Gloria Jones.