An Evening with Dave Smith | Video Recap | Part I

On November 12th, Pyramind welcomed a true legend to our facility. The one and only Dave Smith, founder of Sequential Circuits and Dave Smith Instruments who is often referred to as the Father of MIDI.
During An Evening with Dave Smith, which you can watch in it’s entirety, you will get to hear what the new Sequential Prophet-6 synth is capable of in the hands of it's creator. The Prophet-6 is Dave Smith’s tribute to the analog polyphonic synth that started it all-the Sequential Prophet-5. But it’s not simply a reissue of a classic. Rather, as Dave puts it, “It’s the result of our effort to build the most awesome-sounding, modern analog poly synth possible.” The Prophet-6 takes the best qualities of the original Prophet-5-true voltage-controlled oscillators, filters, and amplifiers-and adds enhancements such as studio-quality effects, a polyphonic step sequencer, an arpeggiator, and more. The result is pure, unadulterated analog tone with the stability and reliability of a state-of-the-art modern synth.
For more information about Pyramind events head to our blog: hubs.ly/H01Pj5Z0
Timestamps:
01:00 - Hardware vs. Soft Synths - real synths cost more than soft synths (hardware competes with FREE)
02:48 - What inspired you to start building equipment?
05:03 - Talks about the way he developed his synth to work, and what didn’t work for other companies
05:58 - Where do you start when designing your instruments?
09:30 - Talks about the Prophet 6 (voltage controlled oscillators)
12:18 - “Slop Control” feature
14:00 - Analog distortion
16:00 - Story about the new name - Sequential
18:20 - Starts demoing the synth (focused on sequencer)
19:24 - Talks about factory presets and why they’re made the way they are
21:10 - Arpeggiator
22:00 - Effects
24:30 - Analog synthesis has passed the test of time
26:18 - People used to just want to emulate real instruments
28:05 - Inspiration behind the Prophet 2000
30:30 - Why didn’t they quantize oscillator frequencies?
31:40 - Why he likes constrained designs
34:08 - You can know nothing about synthesis and still make cool sounds with these synths
34:58 - USB integration (it’s just midi over USB)
35:20 - Presets
35:48 - Analog gear market
37:30 - Appealing to different clients / genres
38:28 - Taylor Swift Custom Prophet 12
41:14 - What did the sound designers bring to the synth?
42:16 - Hearing presets being used / modified

[@mnemonicdevices1497]

What a legend. Rest in peace.

[@PyramindSF]

Absolutely!

[@derekfernandez7701]

19:58 This man had such taste - this sound is so simple and achingly beautiful. RIP Dave we owe you a lot 💙

[@Fervillasmil]

The best of western civilization in a video. To me, this is genius in all forms an existencial way possible. Dave Smith. Full stop.

[@davebellamy4867]

Absolutely. Now sadly, he's gone.

[@PinkBoardProducts]

@@davebellamy4867 sad he’s left but such an amazing legacy both as inventor and person, he will live on long after most of us

[@noiselabproject9659]

This Guy is prob my Biz hero, actually cares about the stuff he makes instead of just looking for a quick buck, tries to provide employment for people within his own country instead of outsourcing to the other side of the world. Doesn`t specialise in disposable crap, is satisfied with a nice personal income in a niche market and has no plans to become a sociopathical power hungry Corporation that wants to beat the rest of the planet into submission. If only there were more Biz people like this in the world eh ?

[@davebellamy4867]

Absolutely. You nailed the truth there. It is something about Dave. He's obviously a businessman and a marketer for his products because he's proud of them but he keeps it all in perspective. He is in an enviable position, like Tom Oberheim too who linked up with Dave on the OB-6 when he is about 80 years of age and said in 2015 that polyphonic synthesis was where his heart was. That's wonderful to have a career like that.

[@edsknife]

IKR, why would you want anything less? I love Dave because he cares about his products.

[@dawsonaaron3260]

i guess im asking randomly but does anyone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account?? I was stupid lost the password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me.

[@gordonvincent8856]

@Dawson Aaron instablaster =)

[@dawsonaaron3260]

@Gordon Vincent i really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now. Takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@thomasrizzi1470]

Dave is an example of the American dream! He is a great innovator and a great example of what you can do if you really work hard. He is also an example of us all getting along. He even has the respect of Roland & Yamaha etc. I wish we could have heard the audience questions better.

[@horowizard]

Rest in peace, Dave Smith.

[@ronaldwild]

Thank you Dave. Rest in Peace.

[@stillphil]

To Mr Smith’s great point about the cost of one of his instruments which you would certainly want to keep/learn/grow with for years...$234.00 x 15 (years) = $3510.00 roughly the cost of a Prophet 6. Versus Fifteen years of buying software subscriptions, soft synths and plug ins for about the same amount. It does make one ponder. I appreciate both real and virtual synths but of course physical instruments connect more with your body and soul. Dave Smith remains an important innovator and creative inspiration. The Prophet 5 ALONE would have been a lifetime accomplishment. I’m glad Mr Smith kept dreaming and designing. Thank you Dave! Take your rest.

[@subc1576]

Love all the knobs, what a sexy board!! massive shouts Dave Smith & Pyramind!! Best of all Made in USA.

[@TheOmanJam]

10:31. Well done Dave for finally giving us an explanation of the real difference between a VCO and a DCO! I could never find a straight answer to that question before!

[@Mojack001]

All Hail Mr. Smith, who gave us MIDI, things and stuff !

[@davebellamy4867]

13:18 when he switches the preset button back, he gets sound. I love it when you can just change the patch on a synthesizer in the middle of playing a keyboard and itthere is no gap. That is so massively musically advantageous.

[@laurencevanhelsuwe3052]

Superb video... so nice seeing the designer talk about his creation in such depth, without the need to rush. Impressive machine.

[@silvermyth2119]

Thanks Dave! Enjoyed the Prophet 6 discussion. Keep up the great work! :-)

[@Orieus]

Thank You Dave Smith one of the greatest synths ever!

[@damiensmith371]

thanks for this fabulous interview Pyramind and Dave!

[@BaseMosquito]

Thanks Dave. Absolute true. Played over 30 synths....big sounds, EFX, splits and layers and I love all those....and guess what'I walked out with Prophet 6 , which I have used already 150% on my new album. There is something about analog...that is simple but original, and stays forever.

[@crominion6045]

Dave is one of the great old school guys. I'm still having a blast with my pair of desktop Evolvers all these years later and even still experimenting and figuring out new stuff that I didn't know was possible. 👍

[@javiceres]

20:00 -> feels like organic as a cello !!!!

[@padlockbeats151]

AWESOME!!!!!!

[@seattlebeard]

Such a beautiful smile Dace has. :o)

[@therealborischang]

A friend and I had a two-man electronica band in the eighties. I had a DX7 and a Rhodes Chroma Polaris (a product that came out of ARP before it went belly up), and my friend had an E-MU and a Prophet5. Not exactly the Thompson Twins, but we had a blast doing the electronic music of that era for fun.

[@kiickinballistics]

Now I want a Prophet~6 to pair with my Pro 2. There’s some overlap, but they are distinct from one another and have their own identity/personality. Dave has a great company doing really fun stuff. The knobs per function is so immediate. Very little menu diving on the Pro 2 by example, and it has excellent modulation. And that SEQUENTIAL name. Yeah baby 🕺🏻😎🕺🏻

[@AllanLoboVST]

10:54 "A lot of people don't realize it: a digitally controlled oscillator is 100% analog, the waveshape coming out of it is analog, it's not digital. The only thing that's digital is determining the pitch"

[@mixerinc]

Great Video

[@jayunito]

I’m surprised there wasn’t more talk about his most controversial and unique instrument sitting right next to the Prophet - The Tempest. That thing is groundbreaking and definitely going to be the next 909/808!

[@antagonizingusername]

There will be no next 808/909.

[@GNeuman]

So pleased with my Prophet 6, it's got more Mojo than Austin Powers...

[@akamrkris]

Miss you Dave.

[@Dyaxxis]

I'm the 2nd owner of a Rev.2 Prophet-5 dated 1978. Not too sure if Dave Smith would know exactly it's date, however it makes it somewhere around 37 to 38 years old. Can't believe it's almost 40 years old, and I've owned it for almost 28 years. Btw, had some work done and it's stable and sounding proper.

[@lprophit]

wow really cool dude, amazing story

[@steveforce2822]

Love the video! I did have one complaint when first watching it (via a link to the video), where you you;don't hear the question. That irritated me. However, once I actually saw the youtube video page (this page) I see where the questions were thoughtfully posted, with helpful timing markers. Thank you!

[@PyramindSF]

+Steve Force Sorry about that! We try to have the audience use a microphone when questions are asked, but sometimes the mic doesn’t get around the room fast enough. Glad the timing markers helped you :)

[@WhoresOfBabylon]

Great Vid by Dave. Getting back into Analog after owning a Jupiter 6 many moons ago. Knob control far outweighs Mouse control. Midi Controllers, Soft Synth, Desktop modules n Rack Synths are alright but can`t believe that almost no one makes user overlay templates for these Midi controllers, I`d consider them essential. Currently have a Pulse 2 Analog amongst digital and VA stuff. Would love a Prophet 6 but way outta my budget at the moment, doh ! I had an M1 back in the day and although it was very good for the type of records that I was making at the time ( no good now though I`d need to use an Orchestral engine in the Kontakt Sampler instead for that type of stuff ) I couldn`t understand why it didn`t sound like a `real synth` to me and the utter lack of knob controls for Hawkwind type of stuff etc. I knew nothing of Synthesis back then and there was no internet so I was totally in the dark about that until more recent times

[@WhoresOfBabylon]

I hope DSI release a one voice Sequential Prophet to replace the now discontinued Mopho . . . . . . I`m betting that they will . . . ..

[@Massproduce201]

Love the sound of this amazing instrument, would this double as an ideal master controller?

[@javiceres]

In a well made analog synth, each knob is like a mod wheel. That's it.

[@SPAZZOID100]

Javi G ??????

[@clubboy4790]

wow!

[@TheOmanJam]

Does anybody or any website do a kind of serial number watch to find out how many of the analogue synths have sold to compare with the number of old Prophet-5s (7,000), Minimoogs (13,000), etc? It would be interesting to know what the serial number is on the latest Prophet-12s for instance and how many Prophet-6s they have shifted in the 2015.

[@ryananthony4840]

But but but..... the drift is part of the flavor lol!!

[@PyramindSF]

LoL

[@fredrikw1447]

Thanks for this but when is the 61 key prophet 6 coming out?

[@michaelbauers8800]

+Fredrik W Use a controller keyboard and the P6 desktop version

[@fredrikw1447]

+Michael Bauers That is two pieces of gear instead of one. There's a reason why people buy desktop synths and that is to save space and some cash. What I'm saying is for a quality and expensive synth like this I expect to be able to have that full 61 keyboard and the knobs right in front of me where they should be. I don't want to fiddle with some custom setup. I want the full design of the instrument to be able to harness it's potential, not a half measure. I'm not sure I understand Dave's decision here. A 49 key poly? To me as a keyboardplayer it doesn't make sense. But i respect it. Mad props to Dave Smith for realeasing these amazing instruments. But nonetheless I don't feel it justified for me to invest in this kind of form factor.

[@chrisstrobel3439]

+Fredrik W I agree 100%

[@SPAZZOID100]

Fredrik W use OCTAVE BUTTONS.

[@ultrajayme]

still such a weird and unfortunate realization that he has passed. damn.....

[@MrSuperdave75]

Rip

[@harleydunn6893]

"No one really wants to play synthesizer with the guitar" Plays Hendrix with the synthesizer

[@piano2657]

techno man

[@AdamBorseti]

I love Dave, but I'm gonna have to disagree with him on his quick dismissal of soft synths. I've got my share of hardware and software. They have their strengths and weaknesses that go way beyond just cost. I've got an ARP Odyssey and a Yamaha CP-20 and I love them both to death, but I also love my Sonic Projects OP-X Pro II (Oberheim OB-X emulation). They all sound great and have different qualities. Soft synths don't go out of tune, don't break down and have infinite possibilities as far as routing and studio sequencing stuff.... I never thought I'd be taking a stand against analog, and I'm really not.... but must we be limited to one or the other? That seems a bit facile.

[@noiselabproject9659]

Many of us use both of course depending on budget and situations. I`ll also add that modern Analog Synths are reliable and don`t have to cost too much plus the fact that they always have a good resale value especially if you bought it second hand in the first place so on reflection it`s really not that expensive either

[@therealborischang]

Soft synths are great for learning subtractive theory, but I wouldn’t want to actually try to play one live. Not only just for the same reason I detest DJ’s that play music off a laptop, but also for reliability and spontaneity. A laptop really isn’t a musical instrument. It is a software emulator.

[@SPAZZOID100]

Adam Borseti VST’s are tethered to an OS, and therefor temporary at best. 🤖

[@freebreeze9042]

Don't be a traitor (I know you're really not)

[@mcblahflooper94]

It's in his best interest as an analog hardware producer to dismiss the value of softsynths. I agree with your points though. Softsynths are really key for bringing music to the masses

[@videosuperhighway7655]

LOL BOOM! Softsynths. I have a collection of them paid ones, but the real deal blows them out of the water.

[@TimeLimey]

While Dave is right about soft synths not being as good, I would have to seriously think long and hard to give up Spectrasonics Omnisphere over one of his instruments. But hey, I can have both.

[@StefanoPapaleo-TS]

+TimeLimey It's more of a matter of attitude, physical experience and mindset at the same time. It is hard to explain. It also depends on your age, I guess. Omnisphere is amazing and so are many other softsynths, including free ones but I guess much of the "charm" of hardware synths is, compared to a piece of software, is that everything is embedded, the thing makes the sound and it comes out of there, whereas with software it is detached (which is also an advantge in many ways, ironically). It sort of... feels more "alive" in a way...

[@TimeLimey]

Stefano Papaleo This is why im about to buy a DSI very soon. I love Omnsiphere, it give's me the sound I want and then some to get the job done and I will defend it to the day I die as being just a piece of software, but your right about it being detached. I want to feel it too. Maybe Spectrasonics and other companies should get on the case with that.

[@StefanoPapaleo-TS]

TimeLimey in part two he talks a little more about that. I guess to a certain extent it is like book vs ebook or anything real vs virtual

[@SPAZZOID100]

TimeLimey you might have to. Vst’s rely on an OS. Temporary at best.

[@joachim595]

He’s a salesperson and he has a company and he wants to sell his synths. Easy as that. I think it’s quite obvious that that’s the reason he wants to talk about how softsynths get outdated etc. It’s not really true the way he’s talking about it, but I for one enjoy analogues more (that is until they can be replaced by emulsions if that ever happens).

[@chrisstrobel3439]

They would sell a lot more of these if they had a proper 5 octave keybed. I would have bought both this and the newer OB-6 in a split second if they had 5 octave boards. They gave the Prophet-12 5 octaves and proper side wheel placement, I don't understand their logic on these :(

[@SPAZZOID100]

Chris Strobel use the octave buttons!!!

[@archologyzero]

Extra octaves are kind of bleh with 98% of all synth patches to serve a utilitarian purpose. If you need more than whats offered either your voicing is obnoxious, or you obsessively noodle instead of crafting something worth the keys you are playing.

[@modularcat5743]

you cant not pry my Prophet 600 away from me.

[@WARDISWARD]

26:10 Yes we do FM rules

[@SPAZZOID100]

Ward de jager nope. Only if it has knobs....

[@SPAZZOID100]

Ward de jager wavetable synths sound better.

[@patrikboij7560]

Vintage digital is the new analog

[@tahiro1121]

This guy’s mind doesn’t age, does it?

[@PyramindSF]

Knowledge is ever lasting :)

[@badinibeats5939]

Taylor swift lolz

[@DiscolorBlind]

Not really it isn’t necessarily better than any soft synth. I’d advise anybody to get zebra over Dave smith if they were limited to one. You could say they sound “richer” different, better in some applications but come on better than something like zebra... you know Dave smith can’t compete. I mean it could it’s just different but soft synth is more advanced technology pretty much... zebra is so much cheaper for instance and it does so much more.

[@DiscolorBlind]

And plus according to what Dave smith says then tetra is not an instrument either... soft synths are more stable and reliable than something like tetra. Tetra was 800 dollars.

[@MCEEZR]

Which Sequentials have you played?

[@DiscolorBlind]

@@MCEEZR I have a tetra. and it's very good. i have a doepfer and moog too. i know why analog is better.generally in most application subtractive beats anything to me and yeah analog subtractive is superior to digital subtractive. My point is that if you were limited to one I'd say digital because simply it does more. And also mostly as a composer too because of compatibility with the DAW.

[@TheCleansingx]

The reason the analog market isn't huge is because the prices are sky high

[@Deeplycloseted435]

It was just four years ago Dave said that a VCO poly just wasn’t practical in todays world. Now they are everywhere. $3000 today is less than $1000 in the early 80’s. Prophet 5’s cost as much or more than a new car when it came out.

[@SPAZZOID100]

TheCleansingx Well, Dave & Moog are doing quite well.

[@SPAZZOID100]

TheCleansingx not true, especially compared to what analog synths cost in the 70’s/80’s.

[@freebreeze9042]

If moog can bring back the model d then Dave can bring back the p5!?

[@SPAZZOID100]

Free Breeze he is not interested in re-issues.

[@freebreeze9042]

I doubt he could if he tried. No wonder he is "not interested."

[@thegreaterconundrum]

@@freebreeze9042 Proved you wrong. RIP Dave.

[@user-rh2jj8xj8j]

Dave said :"software doesn't have personality" So where he is recording his instruments? That's a lie what he said about soft synth

[@bozosaurus666]

idiot

[@theboofin]

Jesus, get a stable tripod.

[@valentinaaj2777]

Englisch ist die leichteste Sprache ever du senior people

[@valentinaaj2777]

Du Katzen Killer ist ja was her oder wo dat passiert ist würde niemals kostenlos bei dir aufnehmen nicht mal Milliarden wert

[@valentinaaj2777]

Oder evt auch mal passiert überfahren oder sonst was Katzen haben 7 leben aber wenn man die einfriert nicht baby Katzen erst recht nicht da kannst du noch so ruhige Melodien machen aus deinen Instrumenten bringt nichts habe ich mein Leben lang probiert kling Glöckchen klinge linge ling.......

[@arvfur]

1. Plugin 2. Prophet 3. Plugin 4. Plugin 5. Plugin 6. Plugin 7. Prophet 8. Prophet 9. Plug

[@VanHau5]

Lmao there is so much good software out there that sounds better than this thing 🤣🤣🤣

[@SPAZZOID100]

Van Hau5 BULLSHIT. And vst’s are not tangible and usually work for about 5 years.

[@TROGULAR10000]

dead wrong on that ridiculous filter on that weird overpriced pioneer machine. dead wrong on the nord electro range being limited to cover bands. dead wrong on comparing his synths with that sort of board. dead wrong on the tempest interface, total fail on what promised to be the best drum machine ever. comes off as some haughty SF guy living in a bubble. a rare case of not enough drugs, seems like.

[@Deeplycloseted435]

TROGULAR 10,000 Dave invented MIDI and the polyphonic synthesizer....so his opinion counts.......more than yours anyhow.

[@TROGULAR10000]

I never questioned a second his opinion counted, and more than mine, that's probably why I reacted in the first place. I'm criticizing a public figure that's putting his opinions out there, presumably not with an agenda that they not be challenged. you're criticizing me, whom you do not know, on a strange basis. everyone's got opinions and the damn right to air them out. in case you're not a Trump supporter, should your opinion have been silenced because it was in the minority on election day. Is that what "not counting" means, not being in the majority??? That does seem pretty representative of the way attitudes are evolving. MIDI is clever and useful, almost inevitable, but his contributions and vision in synth design are far more impressive as far as I'm concerned. I wonder what place the ultra-vague "his opinion counts more than yours" holds in a forum. you're entitled to your opinion about the hierarchy of opinions based on success and fame. Upon closer examination you'll find things are not so neatly organized.

[@tripppayne8777]

Bitter

[@mauricelabbe518]

He designed a polyphonic syntheziser and creared MIDI and thanks to MIDI you can have all these pug ins you are so mesmerized about. A synth is like a piano. You can copy it, but you can't equal it.