Restoring TWO Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 synths and stacking them with MIDI (40 Oscillators)!

[@kohlemainen]

The world is a better place because of people like you, restoring these wonderful instruments. Love it!

[@gordon7462]

The drones sound better than the shite on bandcamp.

[@Fopenplop]

if i send you my parents can you make them into vintage wurlitzers thanks

[@BellToneSynthWorks]

thank you for your perplexing comment

[@alanhaynes418]

@@BellToneSynthWorks When you see how difficult it is to find a beige/red/green Wurlitzer 200, and how expensive they are, you can understand why Fopenplop asks this question.

[@hot88s23]

@@alanhaynes418 I had a red Wurlitzer. Are you saying it was valuable?

[@eddievanheinous666]

@@hot88s23 Heavens no. And if anyone else has any in working condition they need getting rid of, just PM me and I'll "haul them to the dump" for you for free.

[@Tadesan]

@@BellToneSynthWorks I feel like they were trying to say they liked you... Now I'm perplexed...

[@sasarasa88]

great to see someone who can FIX vintage synths and also PLAY them. It seems to me that there's a lot of passion in this work and I highly respect that

[@buckdiablo7907]

I worked at SCI from 1978 to 1987, this was a trip down memory lane! I built, tested, tuned and repaired quite a few P10's. Compared to SMT electronics in use today, these were a lot easier to work on - you can actually see the components! Now I solder under a microscope down to 0201 size components. (smaller than a grain of sand).

[@blimolhm2790]

That's so cool. I have a SCI MAX here in Australia with a few spare CEM3394s. Much respect to anyone who worked at SCI, I've been meaning to get a hold of the book which explains the history!

[@Denver_Risley]

Holy moly! 2 Prophet 10's in the same room? I considered myself lucky to see two in the same decade.

[@BellToneSynthWorks]

believe me, so do I!

[@LonnySarao64]

chief tp I wish I could get my prophet to make a sound

[@davebellamy4867]

Someone in the UK also has two. Not me!!

[@natevizzi2901]

Dude … that outro was like legendary …. You are unbelievably talented

[@philipclayberg4928]

Now I can see and hear why Prophet synths were such an integral part of Robert Rich's early to mid-1980s sound palette. Thank you for restoring these two synths. I hope that they get used for many years to come.

[@fedesartorio]

It’s so conforting to know there’s people out there who know how to fix these things! Great video!

[@ZTAudio]

I played a P10 for about 30 minutes back in the day. The idea of having TWO of them blows my mind.

[@Wayne_Robinson]

That was a great troubleshooting story! Your mention of Curtis chips got me reading a bit about them and made me notice how similar some Prophet sounds are to Oberheim OB-Xa and probably other users of those chips. As a complete amateur I'm happy with soft synths triggered from a controller with knobs because they fit my music-gear budget but I really admire vintage hardware. Thanks for demonstrating those sounds which got me to crank my speakers up.

[@wa4aos]

Simply amazing. As an engineer, I am very aware of how early power regulator circuits could fail and pass the source voltage b4 regulation and fry many components. That and Tantalum caps add to the headache. I hope you have some good desolderIng equipment like a Hakko or my favorite is Air Vac.. What a headache it must have been to FINALLY clear all of the faults.. Thank you for the persistence, knowledge and labor to allow this instrument to be played for years to come !! Bravo !!

[@bogdan449]

That drone at the end is the greatest thing I've heard. It's elemental.

[@globalgulag5586]

I had my 1964 Farfisa Compact restored recently. It was in the shop six months. Thanks for explaining how difficult this kind of work is. Labor of Love ❤️

[@davebellamy4867]

In UK or USA?

[@ssssssssssss885]

Love DIL/DIP IC's. Thanks for showing these holy monsters from the inside to those that will never afford them.

[@PaulDonnaErik]

Great work. So nice to see equipment like this lovingly and professionally restored. Also enjoyed the 40 oscillator drone - bonus.

[@holdenapplegate7080]

Fixing and playing synthesizers: the best job in the Universe! I'm amazed by Your enthusiasm.

[@ZOOTSUITBEATNICK1]

Ahhh...thanks so much for reminding me of the great time I had with my SC Pro One all those years ago. Wish I still had it.

[@molochlight]

Good information thanks for posting. I always heard about the problems with prophet 10's. That's a real labor of love getting to those up to working order again.

[@FransvandenBergeMuziekschuur]

Just love the way you explain these very complex instruments.

[@discodave6153]

Incredible restoration, beautiful synths and lovely playing. Thank you

[@peterbronez1188]

Solid Tame Impala vibes around 10:00!

[@vocoloco8731]

Currents 💜

[@adrianreyes4702]

You are such an excellent, well versed instructor! Thank you for sharing!

[@thefool2007]

This is fantastic. You’re an awesome person. Brilliance meets art.

[@soarornor]

I played my friend’s Prophet 10 many, many years ago in the 80’s. Loved it. Made a cassette recording while playing that I still have. Wanted to buy one but in those days way out of my range. Was very disappointed that Sequential didn’t make the new Prophet 10 more like this. Would have bought one. They missed the entire idea of being able to play two distinct sounds on two key beds. Even putting out a limited edition of this synth would be awesome.

[@crolodon8024]

Awesome and very nice job. Would love to hear more and see more synths!

[@hidude1130]

Great video! I'm glad i found this channel as an audio enthusiast and electronic engineering student.

[@wajobu]

The foundation of Tony Banks's sound all through the 1980s and into the 1990s. Amazing--Pratt-Read keyboards used to be made in my little village!

[@cotton7960]

There's a moment in his music video for This Is Love where he nearly drops his Prophet 10 and it's terrifying to watch

[@TryptychUK]

That would be Ivoryton, Connecticut? I used to deal with Pratt-Read a lot. They made all the keyboards for the American synths, SCI, Moog, ARP, Oberheim, EMU

[@arcsound]

You must be in southeastern CT, once the ivory piano key industry hub.

[@arcsound]

rowan cotton I would carry mine up and down a spiral staircase, praying I didn't lose my grip or stumble. Not fun.

[@mathumphreys]

Wow - two prophet 10s in one room!!

[@davebellamy4867]

10:07 That keynote! Bzzzz! Gorgeous

[@boombap28]

They worked wonders on my SP-12 a few years ago!

[@SGMGRecords]

Thanks so much for taking the time to share some of this arcane knowledge. Amazing work as always!

[@pablofarago]

Such a wonderfull synth!!! Vangelis used to play one of those, thank you!!

[@tonaltti]

That drone sounds really good. I wish I could replicate it with VST stuff.

[@tears_of_heck]

Allison you are awesome!

[@davebellamy4867]

Wonderful job! Replaced almost everything!

[@superphatal]

Ace repair shop. Made my Juno sing!

[@Godzilla2k69]

Reminds me of my days at EV in Buchanan repairing mixers, amps, EQ's, x-overs and so on. Yes. The IDC ribbon cables cause many problems. That was a wonderful time for music and hardware development.

[@guitarstringman7403]

Very, Very Impressive. Well done!

[@ConstantinPhillipou]

Great play but whatever you did at 11:00 and after is 5 stars! What settings are these, I need that sound ;)

[@matthewghere7765]

This video is my exact niche. I would love to see much more of your work!

[@fallingmanjutsu]

Thank you for this video and for posting videos again in general. I am very much looking forward to more content from your channel! I'm at a loss for words for 2 prophet 10's in the same room. I really believe instruments have some kind of weird destiny thing where they are alive and seek out the right owners and doctors, in this case.....Wizards!

[@michaell431]

Very cool video, and how awesome these Prophet's sound. I'm very much into synthesizers and the "tech stuff" for decades.. BTSW, You really know your sht.! Thanks for sharing video's about it, much respect.

[@synthdude7664]

Would love to see more videos on these synths! Do you still have them ?!

[@mschorer]

Excellent repair job! I once repaired a Polymoog where one broken UA741 took down the whole synth. Its those repairs you‘ll remember forever 😅

[@flippinguitars6566]

Love the technobabble on the repair!

[@kevinnolan3592]

Absolutely amazing work and a magnificent video - thank you. I've just received my restored and (Winecountrysequential MIDI-fied) Prophet 10 back from Kent Spong. Owner of two T8s too. Passed through some chorus and a modern reverb, they are all immense.

[@officialmikethompson]

2 T8's eh? Wow. I hosed mine last year while re-socketing chips on the digital board... :-(

[@zazoomatt]

What a Project !

[@maker-matt]

I actually met Dave in the early years. He was building the "Programmer" the "sequencer" and the P-5 was JUST in production - San Jose in 1976 If I remember correctly

[@pauldncn1]

Thank you it's great to see Inside one of these. I did wonder how they put them together Thank you from the UK

[@samikalastaja]

Very cool to see inside of this synth and thanks for telling about the restoration process.

[@subtropical-yearning]

I'm so glad to see this amazing channel posting videos again! I know it probably gets in the way of your actual work, but it does make my day.

[@BellToneSynthWorks]

Glad you enjoy it! We're trying to find time to do more.

[@jcamp3606]

Huge thumbs up! Amazing restoration!

[@RandyPiscione]

Wow! I feel like I'm a teen in the 1970s again, amazing stuff! Thanks!

[@joselares9031]

Very nice Sound...¡¡¡ Stunning reverb...Great Job...YEAH...

[@Zinfidel1]

That is a beastly synth! You could add some wheels and drive it around. "Honey, I'm taking the Prophet to work.' "Okay! Don't forget the camping gear in the trunk!"

[@melodikmusic]

Wow! Just wow!

[@plp9894]

Sounds like the sounds they may have used on "blakes 7" an old British Sci fi show from the 70's.

[@raheemhosein-isolate333]

I was wondering what it reminded me of- Yes good call mate.

[@stationlightyears1532]

@@raheemhosein-isolate333 Yamaha GX1 used extensively by Dudley Simpson on that show! Not sure about P10, but definitely big Yamaha sounds in there. Great soundtrack to those shows!

[@GNeuman]

Haha... Spot on! Great music but the worst not-so-special effects and wooden acting in BBC scifi history. 😂😂😂

[@leukostad1592]

Such a distinct sound. There was so much wrong with that instrument, I admire the work that went into it.

[@Pauleyh2]

Not only do you have awesome knowledge your also an amazing keyboardist wow!!

[@Rhythmicons]

Absolutely loving this, especially after 10:58.

[@skarajmusic]

Absolute heroes.

[@blackwatch_TV]

extraordinary tech work and descriptive breakdown! judging by the views, reactions and likes this video has well deserved momentum - Subscribed

[@mattjbyron2010]

that bit at 1145 is insane. great work.

[@deadscenerecords]

Congratulations on the restoration. Very cool to see what went into that. Really dig the drone at the end of the video!

[@alisonstout9454]

thank you!

[@davidfreeman4808]

WOW! Thanks for bringing TWO P10s back from the other side :-)

[@clutchbasket5764]

Please make more videos of your work. This was outstanding!

[@Skootavision]

Got to be my dream job! I enjoyed this very much, thank you. Have never even seen one of these in person but TWO whaaa?! Awesome

[@expandingknowledge8269]

Only saw one, Prophet 10, in a vintage guitar 🎸 shop in Keene N.H., And it was in rough shape. Sure love 💘 the old analogs. 😃

[@edda673]

Great video, fine explanation of that what must have been a real lot of work!! I did quite some work on my P10 (the version with the later type of cassette at the front, never used that)) from 1986 till recently, like exchange Op Amps in the sample & holds (CV's) and CV summers, exchange Curtis chips, soldering broken J-wires and replacing bushes, tuning procedures in that special calibration mode:-) Oh and for a P10 customer made 10 individual CV gate Inputs, and later installed a MIDI kit. So I know! :-) And also made some mods for myself: it turned out that when I by-passed the programmable EQ the waveform outputs were much richer (to my ears and on the scope), so I did that as standard. Also, on the back when you connect CV gate output to the P10 own inputs, you get a single two-voice sound (on the upper only) which is different to the 5 voice unison sound (hardwired it to a switch). The last mod I made was to be able to use (via a switch) the mod wheel as dc source to the filters for expression (inspired by the Pro One). I've tried to add my great wish for chord memory (as there is still space in the ROM's) but never found the people that could help me:-) (pre internet:-) Finally I've always played this great instrument with cv pedals, gives a lot of expression especially in a multi-keyboard setting!! Many musicians tend to forget pedals nowadays! During all these years, each time I turn it on and let it warm up and hit the auto tune button a few times, the P10 sound is so much singing and inspiring. That can be heard in this video too and also shows that those two are tuned very well, great! many Thanks and success with this great work! best from The Netherlands

[@BellToneSynthWorks]

Thanks for sharing your Prophet 10 experience! I noticed as well that the EQ section has no "neutral setting," and is always altering the sound somewhat. So I understand why you might opt to have the option to bypass it. You're definitely right that people don't play much with CV pedals anymore, or really, many keyboard "accessories" at all! For the most part, people don't gig with synths this big and heavy anymore either, but one of these Prophet 10s belongs to a former professional keyboard who performed with it all over the world for over 25 years.

[@edda673]

@@BellToneSynthWorks Thanks for your reply! I've just got back to this video, inspired by the restoration vids of Synth Chaser of a Prophet 5, and thought of my 10 again..I'm now sure that putting work in restoration of this fine instrument would really benefit! I still have some CEM ic's spares but no J-wires..Can they still be found ? And that chord memory option, do you think this is feasible on the 10? I have a read out of the ROMs and there is still a lot of room..Happy to hear your thoughts! Seeing this video again only gained my respect for your work! :-) Just keep on doing it! Thank you! btw, one additional mod I made was a x-mod option via a switch of the upper and lower LFO:-) That's fun as well.

[@pianicolas5896]

What an amazing work! it sounds sooooo good!!

[@robarkskillie960]

Thanks for the walkthrough, I appreciate the tenacity required to wrap your head around the circuitry let alone coming up with a strategy to tackle the repair. Ever use an IR camera to determine the problematic IC's/ discrete components?

[@BellToneSynthWorks]

I would love to get an IR camera, I've seen Markus Fuller use one in one of his videos and I was jealous!

[@ELEKTROGOWK]

Great work!!!

[@MelissaAtwell]

Absolutely fascinating! Thank you for sharing this. Congratulations on the restorations!

[@devaux1904]

Thanks so much for sharing the inside and out... Amazing!

[@jhowe5571]

You just made the jaws drop and eyes go crazy for every synth afficiano, geek and nut who instantly clicked on the vid link!!! 😱😵😜🎉🎊

[@brianostube]

VERY cool, appreciate all the techie details you provide showing how these keyboard instruments were put together! Great work - I know who to contact if I ever need any synth repairs!

[@goodun2974]

Your fellow You Tuber Fran Blanche of FranLab is also in Philly somewhere; she builds guitar effects pedals and all kinds of other unusual repairs, builds and rebuilds. When this insanity is over, perhaps you two should meet. Kindred Spirits?

[@Petertronic]

I was wondering if she knew Fran

[@johnforguites4800]

nice work and great trouble shooting

[@MrBatraaf]

Excellent vid. In a future video could you provide some insight in how you actually go about desoldering IC's?

[@BellToneSynthWorks]

a good idea for a future video!

[@BluePlanetMedia]

If you need help with that you should be studying more basic repairs and leave synths alone, thanks.

[@goodun2974]

I assume she uses a vacuum operated, pistol type solder-sucker with separate vacuum pump, like a Hakko or similar. I was an audio repair tech for a number of years; the Hakko desoldering guns at the shop were getting finicky and parts are difficult to find, so we switched my bench rig to a relatively inexpensive "AOYUE" (pronounced Eh-You) desoldering pump, which actually works very well. The pistols or guns are a bit cheesy, but they're very inexpensive, so buy a couple extras (easier to swap out the entire gun than changing the heater core). Their newer-style desoldering tips with a pipe-nipple or tit on the end are long-lasting and work well. Model number is " Int-701a++ " if I remember correctly. It includes a pencil-type soldering iron as well. Unlike our aging Hakko units, I've not had to do any repairs to the vacuum pump after 5 years of daily use. The solder collection chamber/ filter works best with steel wool and a felt filter, like the old Hakkos used, as the sponge filter and springy solder collector provided with the AOYUE unit don't work very well .

[@goodun2974]

@@BellToneSynthWorks , yeah, I second the motion! Also see my other post on the subject....

[@marienbad2]

Please make more videos, this was ace! Also, "Spooky Gary Numan sound" was spookily accurate!

[@OPTIONALWATCH]

Very entertaining. I also loved what you played.

[@ghavinga]

Very impressive, really good to know, see and hear it is possible to repair the 'old' electronics inside a classis synth.

[@Transterra55]

Super Cool....such resonance!

[@davidbanner9001]

Oh Jesus, two of those beasts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kentxx12]

Wow...this is just so good and i/we want to here more pleas,next two CS80s in midi together ;)

[@notahat]

That’s some very impressive restoration work!

[@yaniv-nos-tubes]

love those hypno sounds!

[@mathieupe666]

The drone in the last minute is sample gold.

[@SPAZZOID100]

Better to program it from scratch.

[@albertoduran1955]

Amazing work! Congrats! :D

[@VimyScout]

Lovely to hear

[@robertsyrett1992]

I love how they printed little drawings on the circuit boards of those old prophets.

[@danbient]

Great work Alison!!! And a lot of it!

[@johnthrob2486]

You are seriously cool. Cheers. More please!

[@jaybird3636]

these are truly vintage beasts - also i expected captn Kirk on the chimney bridge at any moment

[@kenny.maytum]

Brilliant! Dave Smith would be proud.

[@thegreaterconundrum]

Brilliant!

[@dougsignorovitch1493]

Yeah, I did that same thing on highschool 😅😅😅 Way cool 👍👍👍

[@DreamlordRecordings]

Wow ! That reminded me of Blake's 7 !! Awesome !

[@eeddingt]

“A digital-side apocalyptic event the likes of which we’d never seen before.” Lol. Oooo, this is getting good!

[@dvamateur]

Nice keyboards. I've been to Philadelphia last year (for Hiromi performance); however, I didn't know about this store. I went to Liberty Bellows, and there were some music stores near by, but there were rather small, not much in there. It would be nice to visit this one with the Prophet-10 machines.