SEQUENTIAL CIRCUITS PROPHET 5【DEMO】PART 1

[synthartist69]

Awesome!

[sadalite]

This must have been the synth that Gary Numan used on "Cars"

[ulujain]

@sadalite He used the Polymoog on the Pleasure Principle album.

[sadalite]

@ulujain ahhh ok well it had a similar sound in this video, thanks for the correct information.

[TheProudamerican56]

what do you call it at 2:16?

[TheProudamerican56]

Nice, you should try to do shock the monkey synth part, peter Gabriel btw

[FrankNFurter1000]

Very John Carpenter.

[LaugermanPROductions]

Is this a Rev 2?

[hdprice]

These patches are beautiful. To my ear the early ones sound like they have a Numanesque tone. Is he an influence?

[HighTreason610]

I spend long amounts of time working with an MU-80, SC-55 and DX-100, but if I could afford it I would take these analog synthesizers over the digital ones any day, there's just something more honest about the way they sound and the possibilities for sounds that you can get out of them are almost endless.

Listening to this I feel that they didn't really take full advantage of this synthesizer when it was around.

[culturaleyes]

Very very cool. I wonder if you can play the X-Files opening theme on this.

[dinoblackgrape]

i want one

[FDKYMO]

I love Prophet 5 !

Prophet 5 is Number one !

[overnationmusic]

sounds just like a yamha an1x synth ? i have both and they sound perfect to each other when programed right. you just cannot notice them apart. but the yamaha an1x as better options with effects and much more control

[hondafan83]

I realize you must've made this long ago, but that melody that comes in at 2:16 is so good and haunting, it's like time stops whenever I hear it... Any chance you could tell me how you programmed that? I have a P'08, not P5, so mine won't sound as beautifully drifty and characteristic as your P5, but anything helps! Thanks!!

[caddood]

The filter sound at 1:12 is the beginning of a song called 'Why Me' by Planet P. I know I heard that same sound used on other songs...can anyone help my memory and tell me where else that sound was used?

[pianoham]

Nice demo!

Funny prophet story; I make my bread and butter in Broadway-type pits, and am currently playing a production of La Cage Aux Folles. It's got great songs. If you like that style, they're some of the best.

Anyway, in the piano score are cues for Prophet patch changes all over the place. It's not in any way a synth-y score, but I guess at the time (1983) there were no real romplers/samplers, and so the keys part emulated real instruments with the Prophet.

Kinda neat, I think.

[maccagrabme]

Love the intro sounds like The Fog

[dominich4962]

nice pads

[maccagrabme]

Forgive my ignorance but why can't someone develop an analog filter to run soft synths through to make them warmer and grittier? Maybe soundcard manufacturers could include something like this?

[DIGITALSCREAMS]

All comes down to cost + there are too many people out there who are happy to make do with sub standard gear.

If it were up to me....all modern digital synths/va's should come with a pack of analog filters aswell - I really hoped the Waldorf Q+ would set the trend....but it never took off.

I wanna see Roland, Korg, Yamaha produce a real analog synth - they have the resources. I wanna see Moog release a new polysynth. I wanna see Dave Smith release an 8 voice PolyEvolver keyboard etc etc

[divyx]

@DIGITALSCREAMS That truly is unfortunate for many of us. I had prophet08, Alesis andromeda A6 and like nord lead 2x. Personally i think A6 Andromeda was best analog synth ever made, but the price was pretty huge. Back in the days, importers wanted over 6000 $ from it here in Finland. That synth also got Alesis bankrupted. Now we don't have any 16 voice poly analogs with such filters and modulation possibilities around which truly is a shame.

[sirfreddielee]

spectrasonics trilian samples original synth sounds from all eras with no filters and then has the option of adding a filter digitally. Kinda the opposite of what you've suggested but sounds soooo warm because of the sampling....

[maccagrabme]

@DIGITALSCREAMS I think the obvious way forward is if plugins ran through a dedicated audio chip like the Plugiator. It produces a much more thicker and fatter sound and takes weight off the pc cpu. The plugiator gets very close to the real deal to my ears. If roland did that then we could all have their back catalogue, synths and drum machines sounding just like the real thing but for very little money. I'd pay £1000 to have the lot in one box and I'm sure 90% of vintage synth fans would too.

[DavePerry2012]

@DIGITALSCREAMS Dave Smith has the Prophet '08, which is 8 voice. You are right that these companies could make analog synths, but digital is cheaper and they probably don't believe they would sell enough units to make analog worth the extra cost. I agree there should be someone making a great analog poly synth these days. IMO, Roland, Sequential, and Oberheim were the last to do it. The great analog stuff is all modular now, and very expensive when you put together a whole system.

[ScorchinBeats]

@maccagrabme Ok I'm gonna be the one to say it.

You can program a soft synth to sound 90% like the original. Which is by far close enough when you hear it in a mix.

Still, hardware is so much better for the fact that it's all there with real buttons, etc

[ScorchinBeats]

@maccagrabme Because software synths already sound 90% there

[djgambitron]

external filters have been around a LONG TIME! sherman's filter bank was one of the first well over 10 years ago. i KNOW i've seen a few others since then and nowadays you can even get that TRUE moog sound with their external filters & effects.

you just haven't been searching in the right place. you can also fatten digital synths with tube distortion & analogue chorus. all you need is a soundcard with ins & outs.

[djgambitron]

after a little bit of research, i cam across all of these outboard filters sherman filterbank - "crazy effects" mutator - creamy & soft (warmer, very useable & stereo) MAM warp - has bite waldorf 4 pole Jomox M-Resonator MFB Multifilter Cjewman MMF-1 (rack mount doepfer compatible) VCEQ 3 (rack mount doepfer compatible) Analogue Systems MS20 (mono) Electro-Harmonix Bi-filter with the mutator being highly favored by many

[imapaintballa]

@maccagrabme

I usually add an l.f.o., some low pass filters, and other odds and ends and I get the sound that you love. It isn't all that difficult. Let me know if you need help.

[cprostudio]

@maccagrabme ??? theres tons of analog filters to run softsynths through. Doepfer, analogue solutions are probably your cheapest options. Other than that get a filterbank, sherman, akai _ theres plenty more. Moog have a filter also. You MUST bear in mind that a filter just subtracts the signal thats feed into it. Its the oscillators where the sound really is. Soft synths are terrible sounding oscillators, you really need to save up for an analog.

[TheMightyHartley]

I agree, they sound magical.

I first heard the Prophet 5 on XTC's album English Settlement and have liked it ever since.

I also love the atmospheric analog synth soundtracks too. I remember reading that John Carpenter's father was a professor of music, so no doubt JC had some good guidance there!

Happy New Year to you, and thanks for uploading your great vids.

[TheMightyHartley]

I'm addicted to your analog synth videos DIGITALSCREAMS.

I was going to ask if you were a John Carpenter fan then saw your tags!

Excellent stuff, as always.

[DIGITALSCREAMS]

Thanks for the nice comments - the Prophet 5 is one of my all time favourite synths. John Carpenter actually used a Prophet 10 on The Fog and Escape From New York scores...and as you know the P5 was used heavily on most popular songs between 1978-1985.

There really is something magical about analog synth...esp the old ones. Im not a fan of the ultra stable modern analogs, they sound somewhat less interesting to my ears. Circuit boards with lots of tracers, wires, components sound BETTER.

[prophetate]

I love this synthesizer! fantastic sounds you've created! Is it a rev 3 you have?

Best regards

/prophetate

[NischoMueller]

hm looks a bit like NI Pro-53 :P

[tekkentool]

*facepalm*

[jimmybrite]

lol, where do you think the NI pro-52 and pro-53 came from.. it is modeled after the prophet synth.

[NischoMueller]

haha ok

again learned something^^

[zenmachinefilms]

VA synths are fine. The Zebra, Titan and others sound great. But they simply can't fully match real analog.

There's also something about having real hardware, not only the fact that all the circuits are dedicated to sound production, but also having knobs, buttons, sliders you can put your hands on. Nothing matches that interface for creativity.

[ShakerCuda71]

1:15 sounds alot like the beginning to ' moving in stereo ' by the Cars.

[PurpleSkyz]

2:19 Gorgeous.

[DonJuanDeMarco2]

Analog - Its alive !

[MANGSCHEUONiCS]

where can we get a download

[nexusdawn]

p.s. It's often the fine subtle details we don't consciously hear in passing by, that contribute to the overall feel (Especially within a mix)

It may not seem like a large difference analytically speaking, but contributes -greatly- to a track.

I use both analog and digital, and even though you can emulate certain ranges of the analog sound in VA's. It's at the very extreme or very subtle settings where analog is superior in subtractive sound.

It's the sound that matters, not the syn.

[DonJuanDeMarco2]

You are spot on.

[hdprice]

Pure Numan - Telekon era - We sleep by Windows and we look out over a field of Prophets...

[DIGITALSCREAMS]

If only plug-ins did sound as good....it would make my bank manager happy.

Sadly, they never will sound 'as good' - its just not possible. I dont mind using digital synth emulations such as FM8, Wavestation, M1....the differences between their counterparts are negligible. But for real analog sounds....I have to use real analog. There can be no compromise. If your honest about it....you know im speaking the truth :)

[sacredgeometry]

i dont think the sound has much to do with it to be honest...even though analogue does have an edge that digi doesnt have like the difference between solid state and valve guitar amps or vinyl and cds. i think its more the response of analogue when you are playing it than the output because i would be hard pressed telling the sounds apart...and so would most people...the only way to tell is by doing a blind test and being honest :)

and i have met noone that has yet

peace

brian

[nexusdawn]

I promise you the its not just the placebo effect. And if you've conducted blind tests, perhaps with people who are'nt musicians or audio engineers.

You might get away with passing a softsynth as an analog in a track burried within the mix. But in most cases you will not fool those who have a fine ear in a 1 on 1.

It's the subtle qualities that define analog sound. Although it may make out %10 difference from an analytical point of view, those 10% make out a %90 difference in quality.

[sacredgeometry]

thats the thing, most synth lines are found buried in a track they are found amongst other lines and drum tracks vocal and instrumental parts....it is rare that you will find a case where that extra analogue sound will make it through alive and make the difference. I used to think that this wasn't true and that the analogues cut through the mix more but its just not true anymore. some of the biggest synth manufacturers and patch makers also have converted.

its just the way things are now

brian

[nexusdawn]

Not precisely this will only work if the -rest- of the mix is of high quality, acoustic, top level digtal. If you start adding one medicore softsynth sound over another, the entire mix will sound medicore compared to what it could sound if high quality intruments where used.

And high quality Softsynths are far and few between. Count them on one hand.

Some people -want- VA's to be as good as top analog. They're not, not yet. And if one is to be honest towards oneself, one would know.

[sacredgeometry]

i completely agree i could count the high quality soft synths on one maybe two hands there are very few ...but the fact that they exist at all means that there is nothing but code standing between us and no fuss analogue comparative sound. Yes ok top analogue does sound better but show me an example of top analogue and ill show you tuning issues oscillator odditied and inconsistencies.

....

[discothief]

you are so right. These VST instruments are ok for some sounds but when I use a Pro 1 for bass and then compare it to a sound from something like Rob Pappen synths it is always much fatter. Analogue can not be emulated by a computer, it is not possible.

[albedoshader]

It can, but not without very much effort.

[angie4josh]

well it's getting pretty close, but yes I agree, thats why I am switching back to basics.

[jimbotron70]

Prophet 5 sounds are gorgeous.

[moogme68]

if I won the lottery I'D BUY THEM ALL..then spend the rest of my life locked somewhere trying to figure out how the heck to play all my fav songs and die a happy but moog crazed hermit....

[Twilight1964]

having listened to this loas of times it kinda reminds of across between Gary Numan and Jean Michel Jarre...

[Twilight1964]

OMG i love the sound.. being an early 80s fella i was heavily into synth music.. do some more fella as its class

[aorphia]

I thought that sounded to good to be true. $3000 is still a good price.

[ams1725]

yes, buying a vintage Prophet V is around

30,000 + (mint condition). moog opus is pricey too

[aorphia]

Are you serious about the P5 costing 30,000? I have one of those stored in an attack in South Louisiana.... LOL!

[archon687073]

A clean Prophet 5 with MIDI retro fit and in decent cosmetic condition should cost about 3,000. not 30,000

[flannelking]

yeah Buchla's aren't even 30,000

close enough though.

[ProducerSV]

P5 = so expensive =[

I wish I could afford it!

[DIGITALSCREAMS]

I don't know......it was something I made up on the spot for that particular sound.

[clusterchord1]

hey Digital Screams, greatdemo. all sounds you made are fanastic, esp the metalic ones and.. that sweep on arround 1 minute is just beautiful.

btw i like the small ambiance/room you used, it complements rev3 prophet so well. do u remember what it was ?

im inspired now to perhaps make a similar video with a pic, and compile some of my rev2 demos.

cheers

tom

[rokuez]

we need prophet 5 rev 2 demos. I've searched on youtube and see none :(

[DIGITALSCREAMS]

Hi Cluster - I used my friends Lexicon MPX550 the day I recorded this. It would have been one of the factory presets - I can't recall the patch names though :(

Pretty good (cheap) effects unit.

I'd be interested to hear your Prophet demos....

cheers buddy

[alpsalish]

That sound at 2:17 hit me good. Love that sound. I noted that you programmed these settings. Would it be too much to ask how you produced what my ears hear from 2:17 to 2:43? Any hints? Much appreciated.

[DIGITALSCREAMS]

From memory I'd say the sound only used one oscilator (triangle waveform). The amp and filter envelope settings are pretty crucial to get right....all I can say is experiment. I created abit of vibrato by routing the LFO to osc pitch.....

Its an incredibly simple sound.......the reason it sounds nice is because the old analog hardware imparts an organic quality. I've recently tried duplicating that sound on my Nord Lead 3....and I can't do it. The N3 is just too clean/precise.

[civ1002]

this is THE synth to get to get that new wave spooky sound-

vst's are cool, but I am getting tired of looking at a fucking computer screen

I want a REAL synthesizer

fortunately good analog ones are being made again- shame that prophet-08 cant quite measure up to the p5

[robj200735]

I wouldn't mind getting my hands on an Andromeda, I heard those are pretty badass.

[NEILVANCE]

Why can't dave smith not rebuild it just like the minimoog was remade in the late 80's/early 90's?

[californiabass]

see below neil.

[svenroser]

After all,it´s just a pity most of us haven´t lived those days actively as musicians like Nick Rhodes,Alan Wilder,Gary Numan,and other synth heroes of that time.Of course these synths were classics,and opened doors to new music,like new wave,cold wave,new romantics,industrial,etc...

You just had to be lucky enough to have been there in that electronic revolution.Prophets,Junos,Jupi­ters,Korgs and Yamaha; All at their best and unfortunately irrepeatable...

[furyplum44]

You forgot Richard Barbieri in that list of Synth Heroes!

Nick Rhodes used to copy his keyboard settings apparently

[svenroser]

Really?Look,I didn´t know that!Thanks for the info; seems like everybody gets its´fair share ´o mustard from one side or another!

[furyplum44]

lol, its ok, but Richard was in a band called Japan who duran duran where certainly inspired by!

[GNeuman]

Yep, it's a classic.

I've tried to warm to the new Dave Smith Prophet 08 but I don't think it holds a candle to this original.

What does everyone else think?

[californiabass]

The 08 's not supposed to be a replica of the 5 and dave smith has said as much as plenty of times - it's a mixture of new synth and prophet. There's still plenty of p5s on the used market if you want the earlier sounds..

[gothicsakura82]

just wonder why arturia sells this so expensive ?

[hturtkaeps]

5 voices of unstable crappy sounds you can get a digital synth with 256+ of the same sound and way more programmbility why do dumbass pay so much for this crap I bought 1 in 1993 for $400 and it wasn't really very good and it always broke down so ditched it for a reliable digital module that sounded better and did the same and more.

[moguetricky]

You're lying. I know. Trolls usually lie.

[Watcher3223]

So, in 1993, you purchased a synth that was made anywhere between 1978 and 1984.

An analogue synth that old is going to require circuit-level service if it had not been done (and it likely was not).

Resistors and especially electrolytic capacitors can fall out of spec over time and use, so they may require replacement after a number of years and the instrument would then need to be properly tuned.

You can't call it crap if you have failed to realize its needs, kind of like a used car.

[jfiore777]

Is this p5 a rev 2 or rev 3?

I'm in the market to buy a p5. I have my mind set on a rev 2 but if a rev 3 sounds like this I will consider a rev 3.

[DIGITALSCREAMS]

This is a Revision 3.3

:)

[supravista]

the sounds and melodies at 2:16 should be on Legend of zelda

[PhotoAnimationGuy]

Prophet 5 is a T-rex!

[ikazlar]

I just love the resonant sweeps at 1:18, listen how smooth they are..

[haxsource]

HEADACHEEEEEEEE

[discothief]

Anyone have a demo of the earlier Rev3.1 or 3.2?

This 3.3 is amazing and sounds as if it has just travelled through time, awesome!

These were curtis chips and not spencer chips right? Or was it the other way around. I have heard that the earlier ones were even warmer. Hard to believe that they can get better than this.

Best prophet 5 demo on YouTube so far!!!

By the way, the best thing about most early 80's video films was the analogue synths being used for the scores.

Digital is shit.

[girus0485]

I think the first two revs used SSM chips instead of Curtis. Don't know about Spencer. Anyone else care to comment?

[vistasug]

WUhuu! Beverly Hills cop 2!

[Tegenaria]

Has the same effect on me as that Cathedral City cheese, you see it you want it!

Oh god yes!

[carriersignal]

John Carpenter and Alan Howarth used the Prophet 5, 10 and the ARP Avatar on the Season of the Witch (Halloween 3) soundtrack. It is probably one of the best demonstrations of this synths dark ambient analog tone. A true classic analog machine. The people at Curtis Electromusic and Solid State Microtechnologies must have sold their soul for that filter sound.

[pauleyh]

exucse me thats my other prophet, the prophets 3.2 and up have midi and cassette interfaces i was thinking bout the early one i own LOL

[rg2027x]

Tangerine Dream used P5 all over the Risky Business soundtrack

[steadfastcoward]

Maybe they should have resampled it's star ; )

[dairycurl]

Showing the way to harness the P5.

[diddlesdiddles]

Gladiator is right these early synths have an awsome spooky sound, and yes Numan used them to their max

[robj200735]

John Harrison did too on Creepshow, awesome score

[carriersignal]

Yes, I am a big fan of Harrison's work. He was a very underrated composer. I also think he did the score for Day Of the Dead and some of the music for the Tales from the Darkside episodes. He had a the most beatiful sounding detuned piano sound I've ever heard. (not sure if it was a prophet or not)

[robj200735]

Yeah same here, I loved his Day of the dead score. Also, check out his score for the obscure movie Effects (his first score). Really awesome! He had a Prophet 5, i think with a curtis chip

[carriersignal]

Obscure Movie Effects? I'll have to Google this and see what I come up with. I'd be interested in hearing more of his music. I'm thankful Dave Smith smith and Tom Oberheim got into the avenue they chose. They were truly talented.

[pauleyh]

what rev is your prophet mines is a rev 3

[DIGITALSCREAMS]

3.3 with kenton midi

[pauleyh]

mines is still pre-midi its a 3.3, i dont wana add midi to it, i got kurzweil contorllers and i use my jp 8000 and sh 201 for midi controllers but all my synths i own are premidi i leave them to thier original state

[GladiatorsFan1]

Check out some of Gary Numan's work on a song called: A Dream of Siam off of "I, Assassin".

This song probes the depths of the Prophet 5's ring modulation. Very scary sounds!

[carriersignal]

Gary Numans's music is a favorite of mine. I actually have the record I Assassin somewhere, but I've never really listened to it. I bought it in a lot with some of his other records years ago and somehow it got put aside. Maybe I need to find it and give it a spin.

[mogoduc]

Do you work for John Carpenter?:-) Great sounds!

[is0lkc]

...endless !

[classof77]

Neat. The sounds at 1:20 are straight up J.-M. Jarre.