Demo of Korg Prophecy synthesizer

[djfakt]

This guy doesn't even know how to program this INSANE synth...Prophecy was the FIRST synth I ever bought and it took me, probably, four years to master...It is EASILY the deepest synth I have ever gotten into...And I'm a synth FREAK....Professional sound-designer.

Unfortunately, mine was stolen from me...

[jamwash]

anybody know how to find the internal arp tempo???? really struggling with this

[otterboi26]

Nice, would love to have one of these. Korg is my fav

[MageAtYou]

why dont you release a video where you play REAL tunes? I dont understand, no one does..

[Microsloth]

Nice demo... I've never seen one of these.

[JavaSpitLava]

i want this!@!!!!!!

[maccagrabme]

I had one of these 10 yrs ago but does it compare to today's vsti's? I liked the ribbon.

[albedoshader]

@maccagrabme: Radiohead, The Prodigy, Depeche Mode and Orbital think it compares.

If it were all about vsti's nobody would use old machines or generally hardware anymore. The Prophecy has a very distinct sound character. Listen to "Smack my bitch up" or "Firestarter" (all songs, actually) from Prodigy, for example.

Software is nice but hardware is nicer. ;)

Even an acoustically perfect piano vsti couldn't replace a real piano. Like porn videos can't replace real sex.

[kipp0man]

@albedoshader LOL - good point that makes real sense, especially the sex reference !. I have loads of stunning VSTs but I still an amazed by the playability and uniqueness of the Prophecy (which I own).

[BaronvonCase]

@albedoshader Congratulations on making the most absurd analogy I've read in some time. You know, synthesizers typically attempt to emulate real instruments. That's why they're called synthesizers. So if you're of the opinion that software:porn::hardware:real sex, then it follows that synths: porn::"real instruments":real sex.

[albedoshader]

@BaronvonCase: FYI, "synthesis" does not mean "emulation" but "put together". It means putting things together to make somthing new, not simulating something by another device.

"Synthesis" is the opposite of "analysis", which means taking something apart to find out about its constituents.

I just wanted to say it doesn't matter if a VST can sound like a real piano. Playing a real one is better, like real sex is better than any porn video. Maybe your sex isn't, I don't know. ;)

[BaronvonCase]

@albedoshader Wow. The hilarity ensues.

Just because you can't back your juvenile analogy any better than you are, you're going to criticize the sex life or someone you've never met and have no basis for judging?

Given your preoccupation with sex and your need to bring it into something totally unrelated to it, I think you're proving that you're not having any at all. Wink,

[albedoshader]

@BaronvonCase: I don't know how you come to the conclusion I'm preoccupied with sex but feel free to believe it. And I just put in my completely unsubstanciated assumption about your sex life (marked with a ";)" ) just for the fun of it.

Maybe you can teach me a lesson with a really adult analogy.

At least I could make clear you didn't know what synthesis means. :)

[BaronvonCase]

@albedoshader Sarcasm is tough to pick up on the internet, so if you didn't mean offense, I won't take it that way. I know and care as little about your sex life as you do mine, so let's leave it at that.

But not knowing what synthesis means? Really? Oi. I am simply trying to argue that a large part of synthesis IS the emulation of real instruments, and this emulation is a crucial part of the evolution of the synthesizer..

[BaronvonCase]

@BaronvonCase If one wants to spend a hundreds of thousands of dollars on a grand piano instead of using a VST that indiscernibly samples one, that is up to the person. If it's a question of one instrument being more fun than another to play, that's subjective, but in terms of the final product, if done effectively, it's essentially the same

[concretevapor]

@albedoshader "(all songs, actually) from Prodigy" hahaha

[albedoshader]

@concretevapor: just see my exaggeration as a legit rhetorical means to make my point clear ;)

[appadappa]

Hello KimSacramento , can i upload new synth sounds in it? and a drum or beat kit is that possible to upload it...? thank you Holland

[IanHendricks]

doesnt mateer soundscool as hell i`m getting me one :D

[Zoixlive]

such a shame it is monophinic I reckon, whats the point of having string patches on a mono synth?

[theoriginalmrsm]

Korg Z1 is the Prophecy plus additional features and polyphonic. Plus it has a XY pad. It's pretty cool.

[escobarstatus]

@theoriginalmrsm I have a Z1 that i wanted to put on Ebay....But wasnt sure what its worth....How much could I get out of it???

[albedoshader]

@escobarstatus: They get prices around 700 Euros on ebay at the moment.

[albedoshader]

@theoriginalmrsm: It's not only a polyphonic Prophecy. There are more physical models, more and better effects etc. The envelopes work differently and the sound is similar in many respects but very different in others as the filters are different, too.

[senhorlampada]

Guess they were thinking on studio-use only! :D haha

[sweeterthananything]

@Zoixlive well, solo strings for one.. but also at the time it came out there was nothing else like it other than the yamaha VL series so it was worth going out of your way to use it. if it wasn't a very performance focused patch, people would often sample it for poly or multitrack.

[albedoshader]

@Zoixlive: The physical models don't sound very realistic but they are great for experimenting by trying to push their parameters to the limit. The physical models enable you to program some very expressive sounds that are impossible in nature or with simple subtractive synthesis.

[Dubreak]

The prophecy has 12 Oscillator types. When you choose any of the STD Oscillator sets you can have up to 3 Oscillators per voice; 2 VA Oscillators, A sub-oscillator + a noise generator. ;)

[Hyper5nic]

The ElecTribe A contains 2 of the analog modeling tone generators made famous on the Korg "Prophecy" and "Z1".

The same warm, fat tone and rich distortion presents analog sounds that stand out.

The Prophecy had only one oscilator and the Z1 six. in typical use with a 12 voice polyphony (that's notes) .

Instead of great onboard fx and built in arpeggiators the, EA-1 only has a stepsequencer and 3 fx to choose from.

But, you can still perform arpeggios from another synth and add outboard fx.

[vils2008]

cvan i buy these in Australia, South Australia?

[reidlowe]

They were produced in 1996 time frame...if you can buy it, it's strictly on the 2nd hand market

[tonttu303]

Used by the KOXBOX

[Lestrakys]

Impressive video

you are a gifted musician

has this synth the same sounds as th z1 which is said to be the polyphonic version of the prophecy.

can the z1 read and reproduce equal sounds from the prophecy

[champswa]

no, it can't. not the same engine.

[synthpro]

I just got a Korg Radias wich has some of the same sounds as the Prophecy.

[katseazzz]

which is better prophecy or korg r3?

[HumanSoftware]

I never owned a Korg Prophecy (but IT SOUNDS VERY WELL, AS I CAN HEAR); anyway, R3 SUCKS! It's an awful, very expensive(considering its quality) and useless toy! The Vocoder is ridicolous...i've got one 1 year ago and i SOLD IT after a few weeks...i've been so disappointed...:-(!

[samsamba08]

The R3 is actually, truly, really good value for money. The presets suck, they're useless. But the point of a synth is to program your own. And it can produce some truly FAT sounds, as well as pretty convincing analog emulations. The vocoder's fine, you just have to tweak the patch a bit, as well as use it with a quality mic, not the one that's included (it's crap).

[HumanSoftware]

You're probably right but, believe me, i ADORE programming synths! The point is that i own some wonderful vintage analog monophonic "creatures" ( :-) ! ), and moving their knobs & sliders is so beautiful...Working on new digital synths can't be compared to that pleasure, so i easily loose my patience with modern synths, and the same is with Software synths(i hate them)...about the vocoder, why did they included that microphone if it's so "low quality"?

[outofbodyexperience]

I had one and it was super awesome. I can't remember why I sold it, but I did get rid of it and regreted it big time. I hope I can find another one.

[Rainzkul]

As I understand it, the Prophecy is digital, but the controls are genuinely analog. Is this correct? Sorry if this seems stupid, I really don't know too much about synths.

[nerdocide]

It doesn't just seem stupid, it *IS* stupid.

Genuinely analog controls.... ROFL.

[Rainzkul]

Okay.

[nerdocide]

The only thing that "counts" for an analog synth are the things in the audio channel (oscillators, filter, envelopes, LFO's, and so on). All synths that have patch memory have some level of digital scanning of the controls to recall the patch.

The Prophecy is 100% digital. Nothing wrong with that, that's just how that synth is.

[Rainzkul]

Well that's what I meant by analog controls, but thanks anyways.

[razers1]

I love my prophecy. I always use A11: Feedbeck with the octave control on +1. What a sound :P Or A:29 In the drain (sound at 2:00min on vid) for lower sounds. I mean, just hold that lower C and listen to it scream :)

[PetheadChris]

I want one now! XD

[donbuwa]

dang!i miss this synth.too bad i sell mine before.but im trying to get one again

[janling242]

thats THE SOUND

[frankelegant]

my appregiator button isn't working and I jsut bought mine. Any tips?

[xomz]

Check if your MIDI clock is set to internal.

If it is, try resetting the factory defaults.

[Assyrianpianist]

very cool man. I love this shit

[akyaziMKAYAIOO]

:) Prophecy sounds are wonderful! i love it! i'm playing it for oriental music...

[jojo808]

whats the advantages for synth hardware? I have a Laptop,M-audio controller(complex mouse)and some 'free' synth software. Arent there free synths file that can be infinitely updated that are as good as a static hardware synth? What do you think of passive controllers? M-audio has a wireless 1 now.

[jjuup]

The hardware advantages are:

1, you do NOT have to infinitely update your synth.

2. try to sell your laptop and the free plugins for 350€ after 10 years...

3. Real hardware keeps it's value, sounds better and has a built in control surface, is more reliable and is playable for decades.

example. I am still playing and touring and recording with my JP-8000 from 1997. I am not doing either with my Pentium 700MHz and the 15" tube screen that I bought the same year.

[razers1]

I've recently discovered that the white keys press further down and have some good effects on some voices like "feedbeck" always learning! :) its a great great synth!

[Nicetry75]

1:08 sounds a lot like µ-Ziq!

[mitchthompson]

I have one and I think it's a great synth, but really annoying that the LFOs can't be synced to midi!

[fabriziobarrera]

I want it!!!! Fabulous!!! 350$??? GREAT!!!

[stoffenl]

I recognise a LOT of sounds from the Proph there, so it's a whole bunch of defaults, and also a Memory Card-patch.

[baronsimms]

i could`nt be without mine!!!

[DaisyDenHaag]

Nice, sounds great but how much does one of these korgy's cost?

[kimsacramento]

About $350 used on eBay

[zoomckng]

yea the prophecy is a cool little synth. love it

[akyaziMKAYAIOO]

:) ... Prophecy is a good; i have a prophecy and i love it!

[kimsacramento]

I've never programmed it, just used the default settings. I was blown away by what this guy makes it do: Jexus at video GcWIuGYG4io

[albedoshader]

@kimsacramento: What a shame. It's a pain in the butt stepping through the menus but play around with the parameters. You will be surprised that the Prophecy can do a lot more than the factory presets make you believe.

[albedoshader]

@kimsacramento: You're missing 95% of the Prophecy's real potential. You have to program it yourself to get the most out of it. The factory presets are nice but rather "dull". But they're a good start for learning the modulation possibilities and for playing around with the parameters.

And you're right, WC Olo Garb aka Jexus is a really good sound programmer. He teases interesting sounds out of the shittiest machines :)