Matia Simovich, from the band INHALT, is one of the sound designers for the factory bank of the Dave Smith Sequential Prophet 6, a 6-Voice Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer. Semovich shared this long-form demo video of some of the upcoming Prophet 6’s sounds.
Simovich related some additional information about the sounds you hear in the demo:
“From the Prophet 5 rev 2 style SSM filter (it’s a discrete take on this design) to the brand new, discrete voltage controlled oscillators, the new high pass filter, dual fx engine, and output distortion, the Prophet 6 builds upon everything good from the 5 and then goes much, much further. Coupled with a fully polyphonic step sequencer and standard issue arpeggiator, the Prophet 6 is the perfect, discretely analog, polyphonic synthesizer. And it’s as much at home on a stage as it is in the studio.
“The sounds that you hear are from the factory bank patches we’ve submitted to Dave Smith Instruments/Sequential. We intentionally focused on more standard, instantly usable sounds, rather than ones that showcase some fancy programming trickery. Reason being is that the Prophet 6 is all about immense raw sound quality and immediate, tactile programmability. Everything you are hearing was performed using the onboard facilities of the Prophet 6. There are absolutely no external FX or sequencers used. If you hear a reverb or a delay, it’s coming from the built in dual FX engine on the 6. We simply recorded the stereo output via a Precision 8 mic pre amp into Pro Tools HD, normalized the clips and bounced the track.”
More information about Dave Smith Instruments’ Sequential Prophet 6 is available at the DSI website.
For more info about INHALT, check out their Facebook page.
Sounds FANTASTIC. I own a couple of DSI synths (Tetra, MEK, Tempest) the synth engine on the Prophet 6 sounds much more organic. Maybe it’s the VCOs, and while I cannot imagine spending that kinda cash on this thing, it’s definitely a winner for anyone who doesn’t already own something analog)
I agree with you for the most part, except that I get really amazing organic and analog bass sounds from my Tempest. Just as good if not better than the bass in this demo.
It does indeed sound lovely, but for the price I would rather get an MS-20m and a Sub 37 (to complement my crusty old Juno 106). A bit too rich for my blood.
ms20’s analog ring modulator sets it apart from everybody.
6 voice with complex fm and pwm tho, nothing to sneeze at.
I’m sorry but these patches really sound rather mediocre to me. Nothing you couldn’t do on a P08 or even a digital machine. The patches on the Sequential website are far better but still don’t convince me. I’d love to get my hands on a new P5 kinda synth, but I’m not sold yet. Please someone give us the P5 brass patch and other classic sounds we’ve all heard a million times in the last 35 years.
You took the words right out of my mouth. Would love to hear that brass sound! These patches were really quite uninspiring to me. Did not feel that full either.
I agree here, sounds like a nice synth but the demo is uninspiring. I can see what they are trying to do in pulling up some classic vibes, but the vibe is all a bit stale and dated. We can hear they maybe got wrapped up in making boring old sounds for that demographic they are marketing to but I’d like to hear what a good modern synth can do in the right hands, and not what a good synth could do 40 years ago by putting it in the wrong hands of someone today.
even the first sound is a nicer lusher strings than i’ve ever heard from p08. overall there is a noticeable increase in the ‘gut impact’ in almost all of these. built-in effects is a great rig simplifier too.
it may be up to taste and intention whether the VCO gives you ‘that sound’ you are looking for. To me I usually get a more immediate, somewhat surprising, and more ‘electric’ feeling from a vco. It just does ‘that thing’ for me. it sounds ‘like a synth’ to me. I sifted through so much content and tried to listen in person to synths whenever i could as i learned about all the components and it OFTEN came down to the vco difference with whether or not i got the feeling ‘THIS is an alive synth sound’.
Can someone please use this synth to make some funky sounds? The sound at 4:38 semi-convinced me that this synth is nice. But anyways, enough with the John Carpenter sounds.
Yawn. Kind of run of the mill. Does this guy actually know something, or is he just creating patches because he’s in a band?
Sort of like how some guitarists get endorsement deals even though they actually suck as musicians.
i guess some people just pressed play without reading any of the accompanying intentions behind the presets. They’re supposed to be generic.
Who wants generic?
I’d rather have a Prophet 12. Now there’s a new sound creation machine. Arguably the best poly synth ever made.
I think they read the notes, yet he didn’t say “generic”, “boring” or “old”. But he does say, “We intentionally focused on more standard, instantly usable sounds, rather than ones that showcase some fancy programming trickery.” He uses the word “usable”, and they are “usable”, I could see them getting instantly used for some 70-80’s retro vibes. Just sad to see a demo of a very good modern synth, doing what any old synth does. And to say, “…rather than ones that showcase some fancy programming trickery…” is an odd statement in comparison, like how a detailed deep patch is just gimmickry and not “usable”, so it sounds like a excuse to me.
don’t exactly have a clue what you’re talking about. most of the sounds we’ve made for the 6 and showcased in the video can be used in any number of productions not something pinned to an explicit era. I don’t know how many times I’ve been starring at a big desk mid way through some production and someone is asking for a pad or string sound … here you go … problem solved.
if you want to see a more elaborate approach to programming a synth feel free to take a look at some of the Prophet 12 or Pro 2 patches we’ve made for their respective factory banks. consequently the architectures of those synths allow for more elaborate modulation and more complicated sequencing.
Yeah, twice my reply to goat monster was moderated away. Perhaps goat monster is a moderator or is in the band INHALT.
There’s a glitch in the page that doesn’t show your posts after you’ve posted but it is there. This happened to me yesterday, I thought I’d been moderated out but when I returned to the page fresh a few hours later I was there.
Garak & Socko
There’s no ‘glitch in the page’, your comments were flagged for moderation by the comment spam filter.
When this happens, the comment will show up for you, in your current visit to the site, with a note that the comment has been flagged for moderation. If you come back later, before the comment is moderated, the comment won’t show up until it has been moderated.
Ok, sorry if I said something wrong.
It certainly sounds nicer than the more digital products, but yeah I don’t find much variation between these sounds or anything usable for me. I’m not hugely surprised, I have never loved the dave smith sound.
The thing is a lot of these sounds are exactly like the presets in my Korg polysix and poly61 and I know I can make them sound good, and I assume the prophet is more stable and I know it has more tricks than either of my ancient Korgs.
So I’d say this wasn’t a great demonstration of the synths potential. I’d like to see it go crazy, I’d like to hear some bass and filter sweeping. Because these are the things I need to know an analogue synth can do well before I buy.. The stuff it’s doing is the bare minimum I’d expect it to be able to do, and I agree the sounds are a little dated.
I can get lush pads and strings anywhere these days but this synth has much more potential Than that surely.
Sounds like a softsynth.
DSI always had the wrong factory propgrammers. i´m so sorry.
i´m shure the P6 can make P5 sounds, brass, funky, strings, sync etc.
with the propper people who are able to programm this P6 well.
please visit my website to hear my polyevolver with its analog classic sounds
even what a polyevolver can sound like.
http://www.thexcee.jimdo.com
Wow, lot of discontent it seems. I personally think it sounds great. Those patches do a fine job of giving you a nice classic sound of the P5. Anyone looking for a true VCO synth to end all synths will be disappointed. The modulation and sound creation options are limited vs a P08 and P12. But what you get is true VCO, a classic filter from the P5 and some other nice features like FX and Seq. However the lack of modulation options will be the #1 complaint. Buy it for what it is.
I prefer the analog tone of the Roland JD-XA. Cheaper and way more range, loads more features and enough modulation to back up the premise.
The JD-XA analog can actually sound more vintage (DCO) than prophet 6 does. I think its the DSI sound that always makes his modern synths seem less musical.