Prophet Rev2 Analog Synth - LFO parameter assignments Part 2

Published on May 23, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"A quick video about routing the LFO to oscillator parameters on the Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev2 synth. Trying out different LFO routings to get different sounds while playing this analog polysynth.
The LFO routing implementation on the Prophet Rev 2 is definitely intuitive and right up there with what I've seen. Especially, when you consider the large amount of possible destination parameters, it invites experimentation no matter your experience with analog subtractive synthesis."

Synth & Sundry Prophet Rev2 videos

Prophet Rev2 Quick Look | LFO with filter

Published on May 15, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"A quick video about routing the LFO to filter cut off and resonance parameters on the Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev2 synth. Trying out different rates and shapes while playing this analog polysynth.
The LFO routing implementation on the Prophet Rev 2 is probably one of the most intuitive I've seen and the large amount of possible destination parameters invites experimentation no matter your experience with analog subtractive synthesis."

Korg Minilogue XD and Behringer Model D | analog in action

Published on May 6, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"The just released Korg Minilogue XD is responsible for the main melodies while the Behringer Model D is on bass duties, sequenced by Ableton Live. Percussion is also provided by Ableton Live with sequence switching performed on the Push 2.

See how parameters tweaked on the fly sound and the kinds of sounds you can get out of the latest Minilogue variant while couched in the warm embrace of the Model D and its rich analog bass tone."

Prophet Rev2 First Look #2 | Filter - What is it like?

Published on Mar 27, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"The Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev 2, a refreshed modern analog polysynth, has a primary low pass Curtis filter which can be switched between 2 and 4 pole slopes.

Let's see how the filter feels. We try the filter with different settings both for cutoff and resonance. The filter affects the sounds coming from the oscillators and removes frequencies which changes the timbre of the sound.

The 2 pole mode has a 12db/octave slope while the 4 pole mode has the steeper 24db/octave mode that has a more pronounced effect (generally suitable for monophonic synth patches).

The main controls are the Cutoff that frequency at which frequencies start to be removed. This starts with the high frequencies and lends the name low-pass to the main filter for the Prophet Rev2. Cut off works hand in hand with resonance which highlights a narrow area of frequencies at the cut off point (where frequencies are being removed). This brings its own sonic characteristics.

It's worth noting that high resonance values lead to self oscillation when in four pole mode. This means that the filter will generate its own pitch.

Recorded through an RME Fireface UC audio interface without any effects or dynamics processing added."

Prophet Rev2 First Look Synth & Sundry videos

Prophet Rev2 First Look #1 | Oscillators - How do they sound?

Published on Mar 20, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"The Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev 2, a 16-voice analog synthesizer, has two oscillators per voice with Sawtooth, Triangle, Pulse and additionally a Saw+Tri amalgam. Additionally each voice gets an oscillator and sub oscillator to round out the sound generation set available to the player.

In this video, we try out some of the sonic possibilities the oscillators on the DSI Prophet Rev2.

Since the oscillators in the Rev2 are digitally controlled analog oscillators, they have very stable tuning. However, part of the pleasing character of an analog synth comes from its imperfection and instability. This brings that back with a vengeance and gives it its own dedicated setting - Osc Slop.

Both oscillators in each voice have a frequency range that extends across 9 octaves and the Osc Frequency controls move through the full spectrum in semi-tone increments. Meanwhile the Fine Tune knob is center-detented and it allows for full a half-semitone of adjustment.

While waveform selection on offer may seem somewhat limited, this is greatly made up by the fact that the Shape Mod knob operates across all wave shapes. The naturally dull triangle shape has a great deal to gain from this feature as it really brightens the sound up a bit (somewhat reminiscent of the 'Metalizer' on Arturia analog synths).

Recorded through an RME Fireface UC audio interface without any effects or dynamics processing added."

Prophet Rev2, Arturia Microbrute & OP-1 / Atmospheric 80s Jam

Published on Mar 13, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev2 , Arturia Microbrute and Teenage Engineering OP-1 all together in one room for an eighties relaxing synth jam played live by two sets of hands.

This is the first time I've jammed alongside the DSI Prophet Rev2 and I have to say I am very impressed by its lushness and warmth. It strikes me as a player's polysynth with which can easily rustle up rich and immersive pads, leads and key type sounds. I am looking forward to seeing how it performs in terms of bass and more atonal textures.

Recorded through RME Fireface UC. Drums provided by Ableton Live

If you'd like to hear more music from us, you can check out these convenient playlists:

Prophet Rev2 Dimensions: 12.70 inches (or 32.26 cm) in Width / 35.12 inches (or 89.20 cm) in Length / 3.80 inches (or 9.65 cm) in Height"

OP-1 Teenage Engineering | Uneasy Lounging w/ a portable synth

Published on Mar 6, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"The portable OP-1 synth by Teenage Engineering delivering some haunted lounge music. Samples from the radio intermingle with some basic beats, growling bass and digitally-tinged strings."

teenage engineering op-1 | wispy beat-driven lo-fi dreampop

Published on Feb 26, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"The OP-1 from teenage engineering is being used to combine an airy radio sample with programmed drums and the dr wave synth engine. Later the master channel is heavily processed with CWO effect as well as the 3-band master EQ.

This little machine rarely stops surprising me. I can't believe that the re-release is happening at a higher price than when it originally came out."

Prophet Rev2 Demo 2: DSI meet the PG-8X + OP-X Pro II VSTs

Published on Feb 19, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"Right hand: Prophet Rev2 - 16 voice analogue synthesizer.
Left hand: PG-8X and OP-X Pro II VSTs combined (these emulate an Roland JX-8P and Oberheim OB-X), played on an Arturia Keylab MkII."

Teenage Engineering OP-1 (Part 2): Minimal Felt Bassline & Radio snippet

Published on Feb 12, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"The OP-1 portable synth (which is not discontinued) puts out a decent sounding velvety bass on which the jam builds on. With beats riding that crazy CWO effect. All the meanwhile, a Phase synth provides the lead sound (if memory serves me right). The radio samples are run through the delay effect. In the meantime the M1 and M2 slots affect the master EQ."

Synth & Sundry Teenage Engineering OP-1 videos

Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev2 Demo 16 Voice

Published on Feb 5, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"A simple demo of two or three different patches I like on the Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev2. These are factory presets which I have modified slightly. No external effects used here - this is the Rev2 by itself recorded with OBS. I'm using the 16 voice model which is great for stacking voices.

The bass line halfway through the video is from repro 1 vst, not from the rev2."

Has Elektron Lost Its Way? Sidstation, Mono & Machinedrum (Part1)

Published on Jan 30, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"Elektron started with the Sidstation in 1998 built around the sound chip from the Commodore 64. It wouldn’t look out of place on a spy’s desk, somewhere in Cold War Sweden.

3 years later, they upped the ante with the Machinedrum, a digital drum machine with four percussive sound engines, a super-involved sequencer and multiple outs.

The Monomachine came in 2003 and applied the same form factor and sequencer magic but, this time, around five synth engines.

Elektron uploaded their first video to YouTube in 2009. It starred Hector (played by Kola Krauze) as a stern instructor.

The setting was a positively dystopian anechoic chamber. In my opinion, Elektron, at this point, saw itself not as a maker of consumer-friendly products but rather, as designers of unique machines.
They appealed to those crazy enough to try."

Teenage Engineering OP-1 (Part 1): Kidding around with a simple loop

Published on Jan 22, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"The Teenage Engineering OP-1 (which I hear is relatively in-demand these days) on its own on my lap. I put together a simple drum loop that ran through some delay for syncopation, then just added bass layer and other melodic elements courtesy of the Dr Wave, Pulse and String modules. Additionally, everything is run through the Grid Effect.

Here are three more OP-1 based videos:"

Wonky Sketch w/ Teenage Engineering OP-1
Teenage OP-1 Adventures
OP-1 Voltage Synth (loud!)

More Monark sounds: bass, leads and synth tweaking 🎛

Published on Jan 1, 2019 Synth & Sundry

"Trying out some Native Instruments Monark bass and lead presets while adjusting filter, feedback and contour parameters to finetune the sound. The Reaktor plugin is running within Ableton Live 9 Suite and I use the MIDI LFO Max for Live plugin to add some more movement to the sound. I really like the meaty sound of this plugin."

Ableton Live 10 Wavetable Synth jam

Published on Dec 25, 2018 Synth & Sundry

"Merry Christmas! I'm trying out the Wavetable synth that is built into Ableton Live 10, playing on an old Technics PX336 digital piano which is connected to my laptop via a Roland um-one mk2 usb midi cable."

Relaxing with Monark bass sounds before Christmas 🎧

Published on Dec 22, 2018 Synth & Sundry

"Jumping around between NI Monark's bass presets playing them with an arpeggiator and tweaking them. Everything is running Ableton Live 9 Suite and I use the MIDI LFO Max for Live plugin to add some more movement to the sound. I really like the sound of this Native Instruments Reaktor plugin."

Free Roland JX-8P synth emulator - PG8X VST plugin

Published on Oct 31, 2018 Synth & Sundry

"Massive synthwave vibes from this synth VST plugin. It's a faithful emulation of the classic Roland JX-8P synth, taking interface cues from the optional PG-800 hardware controller.

You can hear a few patches found on the internet. This VST synth can load in original JX-8P patches over sysex. You can hear some pads, leads and brassy tones in a few melodic examples of what this free plug-in can do."

Analog Four, Octatrack, Eurorack Fun in the Studio

Published on Oct 23, 2018 Synth & Sundry

"Trying out ideas with Analog Four, Octatrack (both mk1) and some eurorack. Edited down from about 45 minutes studio time."

Arturia Microbrute jam by Alpicat - Final Approach

Published on Oct 16, 2018 Synth & Sundry

"Microbrute analog synth is multilayered over several live and sequenced takes. All the synthesizer sounds except for the drums are from the Arturia instrument. The Microbrute does not have any patch memories so all sounds were designed from scratch. The audio was recorded and mixed in Ableton Live which also performed some sequencing duties. Additionally, the microbrute was recorded through a Focusrite Scarlett interface and played on an Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII since this particular microbrute was purchased second hand and the previous owner had sawn through the keybed."

Jamming with NI Reaktor, Razor, Carbon 2, Kontakt & Guitar Rig

Published on Oct 2, 2018 Synth & Sundry

"Made sounds on Reaktor synthesizer instrument Razor and modified sounds on Carbon 2 and Kontakt. I added Guitar Rig and Driver effects.

I love that the Razor synthesizer runs the whole gamut of components in its engine, from oscillators, through filters and even reverbs and compressors exclusively through its additive model. Yes! Even the reverbs are created by manipulating individual partials. What blows my mind is that you have different oscillator, filter and effects models that you can drop in to your hearts content. The fact that all this is happening within Reaktor is incredible. Razor is to additive synthesis what Diva by uHe is to virtual analog synthesis.

The sound that I made with Razor is done completely from scratch. This is was super fun to program and I was happy with the sound design results I got.

I was able to add some expressiveness, even without a dedicated control surface, by assigning some vowel parameters from the formant oscillator (a big reason why I got this) to aftertouch. Some other settings were also set to velocity, modwheel and pitchbend.

It can be a bit of a drag on CPU for older computers but well worth it for its left-field sounds and ease of use for sound design and production.

Carbon 2 is also a Reaktor instrument but a little bit older. I got through a Reaktor player bundle of some sort. I picked a preset that sounded rather good, modified it a bit and added saturation which worked well with the off-kilter quality of the sound.

Finally, the weakest of the bunch is Kontakt player library sound which I spruced up a little with Guitar Rig to add some heat to what was otherwise some lackluster sampled instrument.

We hope you enjoy this. Random shots of cats and plants occasionally cut through the screen capture of Ableton Live 9, my DAW of choice.

In other news, here's a playlist with finished tracks that sound more polished than what you heard here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk9F0..."