MATRIXSYNTH: Search results for Prophet-5: One Year On


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Showing posts sorted by date for query Prophet-5: One Year On. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Monday, October 09, 2023

New Batch of Synthfest UK 23 Videos


video uploads by sonicstate

Playlist: (you can use the player controls to skip around)

1. Synthfest UK 23: Sequential - Trigon 6 Desktop
At SynthFest UK 2023, we had the opportunity to chat with Chris from Sequential, a part of the Focusrite group. Chris introduced us to the Trigon 6 Desktop, the latest addition to Sequential's synthesizer lineup. This compact desktop version of the Trigon 6 packs a powerful punch, offering three oscillators and a distinctive Dave Smith ladder filter. Designed for those seeking a space-saving solution without compromising on sound quality, the Trigon 6 Desktop retains all the features of its larger sibling, including patch recall, a versatile effects section with various modulation possibilities, and the distinctive feedback control that allows you to sculpt sub-harmonic richness.

Trigon 6 Desktop Price: $2,499

https://www.sequential.com/
2. Synthfest UK 2023: Calc And the Prophet X
At Synthfest UK 2023, we caught up with Calc from Sequential, and he gave us the lowdown on the Prophet X. Now, you might be thinking, Prophet X? Haven't we seen that before? Well, you're right, but this hybrid instrument has been quietly making waves in the music world. It combines digital and analog elements, with digital oscillators and a unique twist in the form of multi-sample-based instruments. Yes, you heard that right, it's not just your run-of-the-mill synth; it's a full-on sampler too, boasting an impressive 50 gigabytes of memory for your custom samples. You can treat it like a rompler, a sample player, or even use those samples as oscillators, creating a whole new realm of sonic possibilities.

Plus, it's packed with stereo goodness, allowing you to explore a wide soundstage with ease. It's not your typical synth, and that's what makes its a favourute of Calc's

Looking for some more info on the Prophet X? Check out Sequential's official page: www.sequential.com/prophet-x/

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Waldorf Q Cosmos, real time programming session


video uploads by Snupps Synth channel

Note the Prophet style knobs.

Use the player controls to skip through videos.

Playlist:

1. Waldorf Q Cosmos, real time programming session
Atmospheric, experimental real-time programming session based in one of my patches on the Waldorf Q synthesizer, that was done in one take. With only internal reverb/delay from the Q itself.
2. Cosmic Trek in search for Q (Waldorf Q synth solo)
Synth solo with one of my lead sounds on the Waldorf Q run through and amp modeling plugin, over a synth driven prog oriented groove/backing track that I made while testing out Ableton live.
3. Waldorf Q 3 OP FM demo (Sine waves)
Two sounds recorded over two tracks, modfied in real time. Both sounds are only sine waves + FM with oscillator sync being used, and one combfilter. The Q is capable of some very complex and moving sounds.
4. Waldorf Q Sand Dunes Ambient sound demo
An ambient sound demo of 4 of my Waldorf Q sounds, that I tweak and program in real-time. Only internal reverbs and effects was used.
5. Waldorf Q Realtime programming session, after the storm on planet Imit93N3
outtake from a Realtime programming session under the name, Storm on Imit93N3. This are from the last 16 minutes of that session.
6. Waldorf Q realtime Programming session 1
Realtime Programming session/Impro out of a sound i made with my newly acquired Waldorf Q.
7. Waldorf Q, Highlands
Another impro/programming session.
8. The Q album | Ambient album
A remaster and rerelease of the Waldorf Q ambient album that I made for just around one year ago. The Q album or "the leaf album" is an ambient project inspired by Hiroshi Yoshimura's Green, made only with waldorf Q sounds. The Album is available for sale at Bandcamp with better sound.
https://willsopp.bandcamp.com/releases"

Friday, September 15, 2023

Vintage Prophet 5 Rev 3.3 Model 1000 Sequential Circuits Synthesizer w/ Midi SN 4598

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Update: note the description appears to be pulled from this other listing on reverb. The pics and serial number are different. As always, adhere to eBay's and Reverb's buyer guidelines to protect yourself.

"The Prophet-5 actually contains five individual synthesizers, termed “voices”. For its producible sound sources, each voice contains two voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs), referred to as OSC A and OSC B. OSC A, OSC B, and a white noise source can be mixed into a resonant low-pass voltage controlled filter (VCF). The filter modifies the voice timbre under control of its four-stage envelope generator. The filter may also serve as a sound source. Following each filter, a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) also controlled by a four-stage envelope generator shapes the voice amplitude. Only one voice is depicted on the control panel, because the voice controls “patch” the five voices identically. This makes the voices homophonous— they sound alike— with pitch differences corresponding to (at most) five keys simultaneously-held keys. The term “digital-analog hybrid” is often used to described the Prophet. This means that instead of directly controlling the analog synthesizer voices, the keyboard and most controls are actually devices which input “data” to a microcomputer system which in turn “programs” the voices. The microcomputer has three main functions. First, it solves the of generating five independent sets of voice control voltages and gate signals (which operate the envelope generators) from a single keyboard. Second, its digital memory provides a way to store all of the switch and knob settings which form a program. These programs are retained by the microcomputers memory even when the Prophet is turned off, thats to a small battery with a 10-year life. Third, the microcomputer system keeps the ten voice oscillators in tune."

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Exploring the Roland Jupiter 6


Exploring the Roland Jupiter 6 | What did I get myself into? video upload by MIDERA

"I spent too much money on this. I told myself I shouldn't get it. I knew I didn't need it. I knew it wouldn't add anything to my setup. I knew it would be a project... And yet, I bought it. The Jupiter 6.

The Jupiter 6 belonged to someone I know and have bought other things from. When we started our discussion, only 2 issues were known. The Master 2 knob and the ENV2 keytracking weren't working. I figured I could fix this. Then VCO MOD ENV-1 tracking wasn't working. Then, the unit wouldn't power on at all. They managed to get the power working again (the switch itself wasn't working). So I decided to go ahead with the purchase.

I drove an hour to pick it up.

I got it home and, yes, those issues persisted, but I tested it out and decided right then that this was indeed a mistake. My Prophet 10 is a better synth with less issues. Anyway, a few days passed and I decided it was time to open it up. I replaced the power switch. I tore out the 2 faders that weren't working. I cleaned them and fixed them. I cleaned out a few others that seemed to have intermittent issues.

All seemed well... until I made this video. It was at the very end of this video when I realized that Oscillator 2 has one voice that isn't working correctly. The Pulse wave is silent. Digging deeper into this, I've found that IC36C pins 4 and 5 are not receiving any voltage. This is voice C (or 3). Unfortunately, so far this is beyond my skillset to fix, but it seems something (hopefully common between these two pins, both related to Pulse wave and PWM) is not working. It's not a bad chip, because I swapped chips and the issue persists on the same location, i.e., it didn't follow the chip. One possibility is that this location is not soldered properly, and those two aren't receiving any information. I'm not sure. I'd have to delve deeper, but again, I'm just out of my depths here.

So what are my thoughts now? I'm frustrated that I put so much money into something that really needed more work than I originally thought... But then again, I've also learned a lot, like how to repair faders, how to do some basic IC chip testing.

I am shocked by people saying it's 'cold'. I don't know what that is about at all. Doesn't sound cold at all to me. It sounds like a proper Roland synth. But wow it has a ton of range. I didn't properly capture it here, but a few sounds I have made sounded like hitting a stringed instrument... it's like you can feel the electricity, where I don't often feel that way with the Prophet 10. It's really a great sounding synth. To me, it retains everything I liked about my Juno 6 and added a lot more. The only thing I really miss about the Juno 6 is the better feeling faders and the smoother cutoff when modulated.

All I can say is - I can't wait to have this thing back to 100%.

Happy New Year!"

Thursday, June 02, 2022

Industry Tributes to Dave Smith



Some tributes from those in the indsutry. If there are others, feel free to leave them in the comments section below and I will add them to this post. I wanted to start with this one via @BirdKids from a post here on MATRIXSYNTH back in 2006, the year I actaully started this version of the site. It was the top pic from that post and I thought it fitting to start with it as it features a hidden message from Dave Smith.

via @BirdKids

"'May Peace prevail on Earth' Image via @matrixsynth matrixsynth.com/2006/09/on-ins… That's a Sequential Drumtraks (1984) How cool is that!?!? Thank you for everything Dave Smith and @sequentialLLC — your legacy, not just the machines, but the music and people it inspired, endless!"





via @WeAreNovation

"We're extremely sad to share that industry legend, Dave Smith, founder of fellow Focusrite family members Sequential, has died. We're heartbroken, but Dave was with his family, and doing what he loved best. To share your thoughts and memories, please visit http://sequential.com"

via @RolandGlobal

We are deeply saddened to learn that Dave Smith of Sequential has passed away. As a true synthesizer pioneer, he was very much admired and respected by Roland and others. We offer our condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and fans worldwide.

via @WeAreElektron

"We are terribly saddened to hear the news of Dave Smith’s passing. He has been such a pioneering giant of our industry, and his creativity and innovation will forever be part of the story of electronic music. Our thoughts are with his family & the entire @sequentialLLC team. RIP"

Note all three above used the image released by Sequential also featured in my post here. I grouped them together for that reason.



via @moogmusicinc

"Thank you, Dave, for all that you have given to our shared community. The world wouldn't sound the same without you."




via @SoulsbySynths

"RIP Dave Smith, thanks for the pioneering synths (including my Pro One which I love!), MIDI & so much more."

and via @tiptopaudio

"Rest In Peace Dave Smith. You brought so much happiness to this world, the sounds of your instruments touched the souls of so many of us. @sequentialLLC"




And via Roger Linn Design

"On May 31, 2022, Dave Smith, my dear friend of many years, passed away. His legacy of excellent synthesizers will last well beyond his years, as well as the positive influence on music that his instruments have had.

I first met Dave in the late 1970s at a trade show in Anaheim, California. He was showing his new Prophet 5 synthesizer, which I believe was the first polyphonic, programmable analog synth. I marveled at his creation, as did everyone else in attendance. Dave was full of energy and ambition, and well understood the new technology of microcomputers and software programming that was starting to change the world. He decided to use this new technology to change musical instruments. Of course the Prophet 5 went on to become a huge success, used on countless hit recordings in the 1980s.

Unlike me, Dave was an avid athelete, cyclist and triathlete. He actually participated in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon in his younger years, an astoundingly difficult physical endeavor. He even enlisted me in some of his strenuous hikes, including Mount Whitney, the back side of Yosemite's Half Dome, and Mount Shasta. I named our climb up Mount Whitney 'Iron Man and the nerd'. :)

Our friendship continued over the years, and in 2011 I had the pleasure of collaborating with him on the Tempest analog drum machine. It was fun working with Dave and I learned a lot from him. He had a deep understanding of analog synthesis circuitry and the many design choices that are necessary in order to insure that the final instrument meets the demands of golden ears. He was also good at pushing me a little to bring out my best.

Sadly, the healthiest of atheletes are no match for the roll of the genetic dice, and Dave developed some medical problems in his later years that no doubt contributed to his being taken from us earlier than many. I feel privileged to have known and to have enjoyed a friendship with this extraordinary and creative individual. I miss my dear friend.

Roger"

Update: there's a brief mention of Dave Smith's Hawaii Ironman Triathlon in this article on the development of the Prophet VS (also captured here). He was there during development.

Update2: KORG pays tribute:



via @KorgUSA

"Korg USA wishes to pay respects to the family, friends, and legions of fans of Dave Smith. We've lost a true pioneer and wonderful human being. From the roots of MIDI to Sequential, Dave leaves behind a legacy of innovations that have forever changed the way we create music."

Wednesday, December 08, 2021

Sequential Prophet-10 Demos by Postmodern Machine



Playlist:
1. 5 Pixels of you - A Holiday Meditation [Dec 25, 2020]
Thinking about how grateful I am for reflective time, and the seasons.
I miss so many of my favourite humans this year. I wish you all peace and reflection.
'Remember to extend grace because we're all just walking each other home.'

Prophet 10 / Meris Polymoon / AwTAC channels / AwTAC compressors / Elysia Xpressor 500 / Burl Mothership / Reaper / Kush Audio
2. Low Cyan - Sequential Prophet 10 / MFB Tanzbar / Arturia Keystep Pro
Sequential Prophet 10 / MFB Tanzbar / Arturia Keystep Pro / Meris Polymoon / AwTAC Channels / AwTAC Compressors / Elysia Xpressor 500 / Chandler TG Channel / Burl Mothership / Reaper / Kush Audio / Soundtoys
3. Typo Negative - Prophet 10 / Arutria Keystep Pro / MFB Tanzbar / Meris Polymoon
My second day jamming with the new Prophet 10!

Prophet 10 / Arutria Keystep Pro / MFB Tanzbar / Meris Polymoon / AwTAC channels / AwTAC compressors / Elysia Xpressor 500 / Chandler TG Channel / Burl Mothership
4. Triple One - first sounds on the prophet 10
I received the prophet 10 yesterday. it's an inspiration / motivation machine / time portal. what a stunning instrument!

Prophet 10 / Strymon Deco / Meris Polymoon / AwTAC channels / AwTAC compressors / Elysia Xpressor 500 / Burl Mothership / Reaper / Kush Audio

Friday, November 12, 2021

Prophet-5: One Year On, Part 6 Of 6


video upload by Sequential

"We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of Dave Smith’s modern classic, the Prophet-5 (and Prophet-10) Rev4!

As part of the celebration, our family of Sequential friends asked Dave for the inside scoop on the vintage Prophet-5 and the Rev 4 — one year on. Watch all six installments here as we post them. And to learn more about the Rev 4 Prophet-5 and Prophet-10, visit our website: https://bit.ly/Pro5-YT"

Sequential Prophet-5: One Year On posts

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Prophet-5: One Year On, Part 5 Of 6


video upload by Sequential

"We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of Dave Smith’s modern classic, the Prophet-5 (and Prophet-10) Rev4!

As part of the celebration, our family of Sequential friends asked Dave for the inside scoop on the vintage Prophet-5 and the Rev 4 — one year on. Watch all six installments here as we post them. And to learn more about the Rev 4 Prophet-5 and Prophet-10, visit our website: https://bit.ly/Pro5-YT"

Sequential Prophet-5: One Year On posts

Monday, November 08, 2021

Prophet-5: One Year On, Part 4 Of 6


video upload by Sequential

"We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of Dave Smith’s modern classic, the Prophet-5 (and Prophet-10) Rev4!

As part of the celebration, our family of Sequential friends asked Dave for the inside scoop on the vintage Prophet-5 and the Rev 4 — one year on. Watch all six installments here as we post them. And to learn more about the Rev 4 Prophet-5 and Prophet-10, visit our website: https://bit.ly/Pro5-YT"

Sequential Prophet-5: One Year On posts

Friday, November 05, 2021

Prophet-5: One Year On, Part 3 Of 6


video upload by Sequential

"We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of Dave Smith’s modern classic, the Prophet-5 (and Prophet-10) Rev4!

As part of the celebration, our family of Sequential friends asked Dave for the inside scoop on the vintage Prophet-5 and the Rev 4 — one year on. Watch all six installments here as we post them. And to learn more about the Rev 4 Prophet-5 and Prophet-10, visit our website: https://bit.ly/Pro5-YT"

Sequential Prophet-5: One Year On posts

Wednesday, November 03, 2021

Prophet-5: One Year On, Part 2 Of 6


video upload by Sequential

"We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of Dave Smith’s modern classic, the Prophet-5 (and Prophet-10) Rev4!

As part of the celebration, our family of Sequential friends asked Dave for the inside scoop on the vintage Prophet-5 and the Rev 4 — one year on. Watch all six installments here as we post them. And to learn more about the Rev 4 Prophet-5 and Prophet-10, visit our website: https://bit.ly/Pro5-YT"

Prophet-5: One Year On posts

Tuesday, November 02, 2021

Prophet-5: One Year On, Part 1 Of 6


video upload by Sequential

"We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of Dave Smith’s modern classic, the Prophet-5 (and Prophet-10) Rev4!

As part of the celebration, our family of Sequential friends asked Dave for the inside scoop on the vintage Prophet-5 and the Rev 4 — one year on. Watch all six installments here as we post them. And to learn more about the Rev 4 Prophet-5 and Prophet-10, visit our website: https://bit.ly/Pro5-YT"

Tuesday, October 06, 2020

Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Rev 2 SN 1091 w/ KENTON MIDI & Dust Cover

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"THE MYTHS:

As an owner of both a rev2 and two rev3s, let me just say:

1) They are most definitely different, more noticeable at certain settings..any prophet 5 is an outstanding synthesizer - no one would dispute that..
but some are more outstanding than others - it's not mojo, I spent a long time with my two synths together in my studio.

Ok, so the above still may sound subjective.


But here's something any professional will confirm:

Thursday, October 01, 2020

Sequential Re-Introduces the Prophet-5 and Prophet-10 Synthesizers



"The new Prophet-5 is Dave Smith's return to the analog poly synth that changed the world. It embodies all three revisions of the legendary synth — Rev1, Rev2, Rev3 — and now, the Rev4. History never sounded better.

Soundtrack exclusively by Prophet-5. Yes, even the drums."

Both models will be available in October. The Prophet-5 has a US MAP of $3,499. The Prophet-10 has a US MAP of $4,299. Note there is an additional video demo by INHALT further below.



And the press release (pics below):

"Sequential Reintroduces the Prophet®-5, the Synth that Revolutionized an Industry

San Francisco, CA—Oct 1, 2020—After months of clandestine development, Sequential today announced the reintroduction of its most famous and beloved instrument: the Prophet-5. Timed to coincide with founder Dave Smith’s 70th year, the instrument revisits a landmark era in American analog synthesizer design and marks an authentic and authoritative return to roots for the legendary pioneer of electronic instruments.

“It’s not often that you get to revisit your past, retrieve some of its magic, and give it new life,” said Dave Smith. “The Prophet-5 was one of the most exciting instruments to appear in an equally exciting time for music and technology. It’s gratifying to rediscover that its sound and aesthetics are just as appealing now as they were then.”

Faithful to the original, the new Prophet-5 features five voices with two multi-waveform analog oscillators, resonant analog low-pass filters and amplifiers, and a filter and amplifier envelope per voice. Modulation is provided by a multi-waveshape LFO and Poly Mod, a ground-breaking modulation scheme for its time that allowed the filter envelope and oscillator B to be routed to a variety of destinations including filter cutoff frequency, oscillator A frequency, and oscillator A pulse width.

The new Prophet-5 features original, genuine Curtis VCOs and filters as used in the Prophet-5 Rev3, as well as the Dave Rossum-designed SSI 2140 filter, the modern counterpart of the original SSM 2040 Rossum designed in the Prophet-5 Rev1 and Rev2. “We made the new Prophet-5 the best of all Prophets by embodying all three revisions of the original. We did this by adding a Rev switch to the front panel, so you can choose your preferred filter.”

Smith continued, “We also researched what made the original P-5 sound the way it did — organic and alive — and found that a lot of that desirable character was due to fluctuations and differences in the response times and frequencies of the individual oscillators, filters, and envelopes from voice to voice. So we also added a Vintage knob that loosens all of them up like they were in the old days. You can dial in progressively more vintage character as you go from a very stable “4,” as in Prophet-5 Rev4, all the way to “1,” as in Prophet-5 Rev1, which was the most temperamental of all Prophet-5s. We’ve even included the original factory sound set for the full vintage experience.”

Other modern enhancements include velocity sensitivity and aftertouch to increase expressiveness, as well as MIDI and USB connectivity. Control voltage and gate ins/outs are also present for connecting modular synths and other gear. The new Prophet-5 is housed in a collector-worthy, premium-quality, steel and hand-oiled sustainable black walnut heartwood body, with a full, five-octave, semi-weighted Fatar keybed.

Sequential is simultaneously offering the Prophet-10, a ten-voice version of the synthesizer with the same sound engine and collector-worthy design. “I originally designed the first Prophet in both five-voice and ten-voice versions. But the five-voice model was the one that achieved mass production. We thought it would be fun and fitting to reintroduce the ten-voice as well, to make the circle complete.” Sequential Circuits’ later product, the dual-manual, bi-timbral Prophet-10, was a different instrument in both concept and execution.

Both models will be available in October. The Prophet-5 has a US MAP of $3,499. The Prophet-10 has a US MAP of $4,299."

Sequential Prophet 5 Rev4 INHALT Sound Design of Factory Patches Demo


"There are few synthesizers that spark deep emotions and reverence. The Prophet 5 is one of them. Its history is marked by both the counter and the dominant cultural works; wether listening to the independent outings of New Musik and Skinny Puppy, the art of Japan and Sakamoto, the disco of Cowely, the soundtracks of Carpenter or the pop of McCartney and Madonna, it collectively becomes clear that the Prophet 5 is the great enabler of the modern musical expression. If the Model D is the left hand the Prophet 5 is the right. And rightly so, as its genius and genuineness transitioned the 5 from "tool of novelty" firmly into the place of an exuberant enabler of the creative expression. From decade to decade, its design and purity allowed it to slot into a music production unweathered and unbiased by whatever style is in vogue. Yet, it's always fashionable and it always sits right where it's supposed to. Put simply, it's a workhorse that inspires. Whatever the revision. And now, that story, that lineage continues with the Rev 4.

It's with absolute honor, gratitude, and exhilaration that I accepted the offer to work on the factory patches for Sequential's latest chapter in the story of the Prophet 5. Sound designing alongside the superb voicing team has been a wonderful collaboration with a company I consider family and my way to give thanks for the career that the Prophet 5 has helped me build. Unlike other projects I've done in the past, part of my testing of the Rev 4 included putting it through an actual studio music production. I'm currently in the middle of producing two LP's (the artists Some Ember and Patriarchy) and the Rev 4 got used heavily on both. The main question I sought to answer: "does it handle the same as a vintage unit". What became abundantly clear: the Rev 4 isn't like a Prophet 5, isn't inspired by a Prophet 5, ins't referencing a Prophet 5; it is a Prophet 5. Through and through in every sense of the very defining characteristics of the 5. It's a Prophet 5. Period. And in many regards it's better. Why?

Rapid fire MIDI, Fatar keybed, both genuine SSM (SSI) filters and VCAs, genuine Curtis filters and oscillators, a perfectly tuned LFO and envelopes, the ability to actually save LFO amount settings, velocity, aftertouch, the same voice allocation as the original ... and zero repairs needed with no sacrifice to the soul of what makes the 5 the 5. It looks the same with minor additions that can be completely ignored if you choose. You can play it like the original and you can expect it to do exactly what the original does. Or you can take advantage of all of the modern facilities. I also made a set of patches that were the same sounds on both a vintage 5 and the Rev 4 and quickly cycling playing the same passage on the 2 instruments, for all in the room, it was impossible to tell what's what and who's who.

The amount of care, attention to detail, and workmanship that has gone into the Rev 4 is remarkable and I am honored to have been a part of the team putting it through the paces. Sequential is a special company. It's marked by integrity, friendship, care, and carries on a tradition of producing musical instruments from that platform. The Rev 4 is a Prophet 5 and ONLY Sequential can make that.

Please note, the Rev 4 in the video is a prototype unit and I recorded this with a beta firmware. As such, while the synth was largely done there are some changes both to the panel and to the OS that are in the final shipping version (obviously). The Prophet 5 was recorded straight into Pro Tools HD and no post processing or fx were added. What you're hearing is the raw Rev 4."

All the press pics:


Saturday, March 21, 2020

Vintage 1980's Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 Analog Synth SN 2723

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.


via this auction

"This keyboard was purchased by my father in 1982 to set up a home studio to work with my sister, Shannon Worrell, who is a professional and well known indie singer and songwriter. [Wikipedia article]

This keyboard was used on several recordings of different albums she made as well as live performances. In the 1990's she later used it on the album, Three Wishes which famed musician and friend, Dave Mathews performed back up vocals for her. By the early 2000's the keyboard was in storage where I found it and had it sent to back to California at Sequential to be refurbished as some of the keys would no longer play notes. My sister gave it to me since she no longer wanted it.

The synth gets played a couple times a year for fun and that's about it. I collect many instruments and have run out of space for some of them so I have decided to let this one go. It has been well cared for and shows no abuse or abnormal wear. It is fully operational and ready to play.

The keyboard is all original except for three dial caps and some springs for some keys in side. It has never been modified or converted to MIDI. I am assuming that means it is Rev 2. I don't really know. It works perfectly and has a low serial number which I was told made it kind of rare since it also hadn't been modified. It's a super cool machine and an amazing piece of technology. It will make any collector stoked I am sure..."

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 SN 6252

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction, also on Reverb

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Prophet REV2 | In the Valley


Published on Jun 13, 2019 Alex Ball

"A demo that a number of people have been asking me to do for about six months, so I'm hoping it does the instrument justice.

The DSi Prophet REV2 (2017) is the successor to the Prophet 08 (2007) that was itself the comeback Prophet synth after Sequential had closed their doors thirty years prior.

Its heritage is legendary with the Prophet~5, Prophet~10, Prophet T8 and Prophet VS being a few of its relatives. It's also in good company with modern siblings such as the Prophet 12, Prophet~6 and Prophet X/XL.

Whilst it can do decent "classic" analogue sounds, retro patches would underplay all the modern things the REV2 can do. The 3 envelopes / 4 LFOs and comprehensive mod matrix combined with modern connectivity and synchronization make it a very convenient workhorse and I imagine players and engineers would have dreamed of functionality like it when the original Prophets were in their heyday.

You can stack patches, but the voice count halves when you do that. As mine is the 8-voice version that leaves me with 4-voices in that respect, but I worked around it. There's a kit to upgrade to 16-voice which is on my (long) list of things to do.

I used a combination of my own patches, some tweaked factory presets, some live playing, some midi and some tempo-synced grooves from the poly and gated sequencers. I used some onboard FX but also recorded some parts dry and added FX in my DAW.

Instruments used:
Prophet REV2 (all synth sounds)
Abbey Road Modern Drums (Drums)
Some miscellaneous drum samples

Some of the pictures of the other Prophets were taken by others back when we did "The History of the Prophet Synthesizer" last year. If you haven't seen that one:" The History of the Prophet Synthesizer

Saturday, January 26, 2019

Dave Smith - Prophet X | NAMM 2019


Published on Jan 26, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"Our trip to NAMM 2019 began with a nice chat with synth pioneer Dave Smith, Inventor of the legendary Prophet 5. Dave continues to push the synthesizer envelope constantly, and this year he shows us the Prophet X. We talk about this synth, restoring the Pro One, the digital dark ages, filters, Eurorack, and performance expressivity with his fine instruments."

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Rev 3.3 + Kenton Midi + Flight Case

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Serviced one year ago by Berlin specialists this Prophet 5 Rev 3.3 is in amazing condition! Higher price than normal as it comes with professionally installed Kenton Midi Kit by Andy Horrell from EMIS music in Bristol. Means you can hook it up directly to your DAW and control note on and off, filter cut off, modulation pitch bend and lots more!"

Tuesday, January 01, 2019

Happy New Year From MATRIXSYNTH!


Happy New Year everyone!

First I want to thank everyone who takes the time out of their busy schedules to come visit the site. I want to give an extra thanks to everyone who supports this site, including the sponsors you see above and on the right. Without them this site would not be possible.

As many of you know, running MATRIXSYNTH is a labor of love. The site has been running for over 13 years and hopefully will continue on for many years to come. Every single post goes up by hand, seven days a week, including holidays and "vacations." Some of you may not know this, but MATRIXSYNTH is a one man shop by me, matrix. I have not missed a single day of posting since back on August 6 of 2005 when I first launched this format of the site. I say "this format of the site" because I actually registered matrixsynth.com back in October of 1997. You can still see the old site here. On the left were links to sites I visited back in the day. It's actually a pretty neat snapshot of what was around on the web back then before the days of YouTube and social media. I launched this version of the site back on July 20 of 2005. As of this post there have been 175,117 posts on the site. We had 13,302 posts in 2018. Every single one went up by hand. I am extremely humbled and grateful of those who choose to support the site. Thank you so much!!!

Now, for some numbers. I haven't shared them in a while as they started to feel a little redundant year after year, but I figured why not? The image above is a map of visitors to the site in 2018. We had 540,712 users visit for a total of 3,418,064 pageviews. We finally have a visitor from North Korea this year! The numbers are from Google Analytics and should filter out bots. BTW if you look at this all time map, the only country to not have visited MATRIXSYNTH to date is the Central African Republic. It's pretty amazing to think someone from every single other country in the world has visited the site.

The following are the top 10 countries to visit by traffic:

1 United States 4,564(35.30%)
2 United Kingdom 1,070(8.28%)
3 Germany 866(6.70%)
4 France 653(5.05%)
5 Canada 544(4.21%)
6 Italy 512(3.96%)
7 Japan 464(3.59%)
8 Netherlands 357(2.76%)
9 Poland 331(2.56%)
10 Norway 314

(Update: I originally had the list by language which duplicated DE and FR. The list has been updated for country only).

A couple of years ago I started tracking new gear for the year with "new gear" labels. For 2018 we had the following:

695 new items never featured before on the site. This includes 49 posts on older gear never featured before.
111 new makers
92 new synths
63 new soft synths
67 new sound/noise machines
36 new synth effects
266 new modules
42 new mobile apps
11 new drum machines
111 new DIY projects
26 new controllers
40 new tools
7 new cases

And finally we had 52 posts to get the exclusive label for the year. These are the rarest of the rare featured on the site.

Note there is some overlap and the primary focus of MATRIXSYNTH is hardware synthesis. Rather than go into a top 10 list (which I never was into because all gear has its use imo), click through any of the links above to see what came in by category.

On the mega synth front, we saw the release of the Sequential Prophet X and XL (DSI changed names to Sequential as well), the Moog One and Grandmother, Yamaha MODX, Korg Prologue, and the Waldorf Quantum finally made it to release. You can also recap what was featured at NAMM 2018, SUPERBOOTH18, Knobcon, and SoundMit and other events.

This year we lost the following in the synth world. Note this does not include discontinued gear, although with Erthenvar being featured as a company, I may include gear in the the future.

Erthenvar Closes Shop
RIP John Leimseider
RIP Shirleigh Moog
The Candlelight Vigil: A Synth Cover in Memory of Jóhann Jóhannsson (From Prisoners)
David Van Koevering Has Passed Away

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And that's it for 2018. Happy New Year and onto 2019! Thank you to everyone that enjoys, contributes, and supports the site! I started MATRIXSYNTH to track everything synth. It's rewarding to know people out there still enjoy the site. MATRIXSYNTH is my gift to you.
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