Demo- MoPho Keyboard DSI Dave Smith Instruments

[@Rolbista]

O like the fact that it is the person who designs the synths who shows it!

[@normdurkin6425]

..exactly..🔥

[@normdurkin6425]

..I watched this many years ago.. nothing better than watching the person who created the synth demonstrating it.. thanks Professor..

[@V-Pee]

This is Dave Smith?

[@normdurkin6425]

@@V-Pee ..yes it is.. the man the myth the legend Dave Smith and the father of MIDI.. if you find a good price on a Prophet 08, Morpho or Tetra buy it.. I have each and 2 Morpho's.. I prefer the bright clean sounding DSI oscillators to boring bland moog oscillators..

[@Matt-zp1jn]

Didn’t Dave Smith & a Japanese guy, named Takahashi or something invent MIDI together ? I am pretty sure 2 guys were involved, so credit to both on varying levels, right??

[@DaYoda191]

just bought one and I have to say, for the money nothing touches it, the sounds is amazing and it is filled with features. a sub phatty would be comparable in terms of sounds but holds less presets, no ARP or sequencer, and not nearly as many mod possibilities. and midi implementations on DSI is always second to none. and on top of that all, it was 300 dollars less than a sub phatty. if you find one now, buy it, for the discounted price they are an unreal value!

[@mishadoumnov]

hey can you have the internal sequencer running whilst using the keyboard to play another module by midi at the same time?? thanks. thinking about buying one of these...

[@MarctheDarc]

@VcoLabs It's a Mopho, it's supposed to be yellow! People put off by the color needs a good slapping! Awesome work Mr. Smith! It looks and sounds great!

[@VcoLabs]

All I can say is thank you! Finally picked this up this week, you guys put a lot of thought & care (metal chasis, good keys) in creating this little beast. And to anyone who is turned off by the color, you're missing out!

[@yomi0ne]

the sequence on 4:32 sold me this synth, now i'm waiting for it to arrive to start making some ill yet relaxed downtempo beats! thanks dave! you have one new customer on board!

[@justinredington8016]

Just bought one yesterday!!this thing is so awesome. I’m super happy with it, it’s exactly what I was looking for. Highly recommend to everyone!

[@SequentialLLC]

@Viseual1 The keys are semi-weighted. It's the same keybed used in the Prophet 08 and they feel quite nice.

[@Steril707]

I have more than enough Synths in my studio, but after trying out the Mopho Keyboard, I am really tempted to buy one. Awesome interface, good build quality, nice encoders, and everything in a "punk package"... Love the crazy yellow. Good job, Dave.

[@andivax]

My first analogue synth 💛💙

[@mortonrotta5078]

@DaveSmithInstruments Thank you, yes, thats what the manual says, too. I spended last night with mopho and a boddle of redwine and looked under mophos hood. THAT WAS A NIGHT!!! This synth is worth every penny, thank you, Mr. Smith, thank you so much for building this synth! Best regards Martin

[@bode7164]

Good job David, what an instrument you created! And I love your presentation and the fact that you make your synths in San Francisco, good man.

[@amaurythewarrior]

i dont' know much about synth, but DSI seem to me like the coolest, for some reason. these and moog.

[@SequentialLLC]

@meninrevolt Typically analog mono-synths have audio inputs. The MoPho and the MoPho Keyboard both have an audio input for processing external signals.

[@SequentialLLC]

@V19torrent The MoPho Keyboard has a built in sequencer with 4 sequencer sources, so 1 for each oscillator and 1 for each sub-oscillator makes 4 total sequences that can run simultaneously.

[@SequentialLLC]

@Goth108 Correct. Digitally controlled voltage. The audio signal path is still 100% analog. Sound characteristics are different for every instrument, it's like comparing one car to another. Search wikipedia for DCO for more info. The oscillators are free-running like pretty much every analog synth, meaning they are always on and when you gate the envelope it allows the signal to pass through and you hear it.

[@levinsonl]

Still my favorite Mopho demo on KZbin

[@SequentialLLC]

@peasant2general That's right, arp and sustain are 2 completely different things. Now that you mention it, we are in fact adding an "arp latch sustain" setting in the new OS update so you'll be able to latch the arp with the sustain pedal just as you're asking :)

[@SequentialLLC]

@HelasTV BPM is selected by a dedicated knob on the front panel. It can also be synced to external clock.

[@SequentialLLC]

@PlateauEast There is no separate "user" program bank area. There are 384 program slots you can write to, and it does overwrite the factory programs. You can choose any of the slots for any program you want to save, and using the Compare feature you can even see what program you're overwriting first. You can always download the factory sounds again at any time from the support section of our site.

[@SequentialLLC]

@lucadepu The keyboard is more suited for live performance out of the box since it gives you access to many more simultaneous parameters and they're already mapped. It's also a perfect controller for the Tetra if you choose to expand your polyphony later. If space is a premium in your live setup and you already have to bring keyboard controller the desktop takes up very little space. You can also use the MoPho keyboard as a controller for other gear, although its MIDI output is fixed.

[@SequentialLLC]

@BitSnapper You can set the PushIt mode to "Toggle". In this mode one press of the button or a key will start the sequencer and it will keep playing until you press the button or a key again. You can transpose sequences simply by pressing another key while the sequencer is running.

[@SequentialLLC]

The arp can be turned on/off on any program. It has the standard up, down, up/down, down/up, random, and key assign modes in 1, 2, and 3-octave ranges.

[@SequentialLLC]

@Nillerbabsen The feedback range is directly proportional to the feedback gain, which can be often overlooked on the MoPho module because it is in a menu. The feedback range is very wide on the keyboard and the module if you simply adjust the feedback gain setting first and then play with the feedback volume.

[@SequentialLLC]

Absolutely. The Mopho Keyboard can be connected to the computer through a MIDI interface or with USB. You can set up an "External Instrument" plug-in in Ableton. Consult Ableton's support information for more details.

[@SequentialLLC]

@lukuntri hongdekong is correct, and I'll also point out the "square" wave is a Pulse Width wave, user selectable from 0-99, with pulse width of 50 being a square.

[@SequentialLLC]

@lucadepu The keyboard and the desktop are identical in terms of voice architecture and functionality with the exception of the Feedback Gain parameter. The desktop has a manual feedback gain knob on the front panel, and the keyboard has a digital pot that controls the feedback gain. The advantage is the keyboard can store your feedback gain settings in program memory. Not a huge deal either way, but a nice addition.

[@RobertFantinatto]

I've just finished restoring my Pro-One and went out and bought one of these lovely units...the Pro-One is too darn fragile for the road while the Mopho is just a super-solid build, great sound with loads of modulation possibilities...great product!

[@SequentialLLC]

@peasant2general Some of the presets are the same as the tabletop version, but many of them are different. The keyboard presets can be loaded into the tabletop, the Tetra, and the Prophet 08. The voice architecture is identical to the tabletop version so they sound the same. There are a couple new features on the keyboard version like sequencer slew rate for acid sounds and extended arpeggiator modes/ranges. These features will be added to the tabletop in the next OS revision- out soon!

[@mattsynth]

Very cool synth. Great job Dave.

[@SequentialLLC]

@faderfab Not sure what you mean by double precision. The pitch wheel changes the pitch between a range of 0-127 values and you can set the Pitch Bend range in the Misc Parameters. You can extend the range even further by assigning Osc All Frequency to the pitch wheel using one (or more) of the 4 Mod slots.

[@SequentialLLC]

@faderfab There's a signal-flow diagram for all our instruments in their respective manuals, downloadable from our site. Go to Support, then under the Downloads section find the MoPho.

[@mastersbyiggy]

I'm very keen on getting one with a tetra for school in September at LIPA. Problem is my country, Singapore, overcharges DSI stuff. And thanks for the reply. I'm quite happy to put money in great customer service.

[@SequentialLLC]

@androidophanium The MoPho Keyboard and the Module arethe same in terms of functionality with the exception of 1 parameter- the feedback gain. The Module has a manual pot (white knob on the front) to adjust feedback gain, while the Keyboard has a digital pot for the feedback gain. This allows the Keyboard to store the feedback gain setting in its presets. The parameter control via the front panel is the only other difference, the voice architecture is identical as are all other functions.

[@SequentialLLC]

@imme12356 They're solid. Not sure what kind of benchmark we could give you to compare, but the parts we used to build the MoPho Keyboard are quality.

[@SequentialLLC]

The Mopho Keyboard does not have CV out. However, there is a CV input that can be assigned to numerous functions. Download the manual from the support section of our website for a list of CV input functions.

[@SequentialLLC]

@aw5omeFRAZA Poly chaining is for extending the maximum # of simultaneous notes you can play. It works with the Tetra, MoPho, and Prophet because they all share the same voice architecture. Of course, you can still use the MoPho Keyboard to play any other MIDI instrument.

[@SequentialLLC]

@armalyte Sorry, no plans to do so. However, the MoPho Keyboard is the perfect controller for the Tetra! All parameters except for Multi and Combo (which the MoPho doesn't have of course) are mapped for direct control over it.

[@SequentialLLC]

@numanuma20 Yes. It's a mono-synth (one voice) so it excels at lead and bass sounds.

[@SequentialLLC]

@PlateauEast You should receive a confirmation for registration, using your French address is fine. It is not necessary to register to use the included editor software- it is downloadable from SoundTower.

[@SequentialLLC]

@docBOSS1444 They have a regular line-level output, so you can hook them up to anything with a line-level input.

[@SequentialLLC]

@009relic1 Yes, it works both ways so the MoPho patches can load over the Tetra patches too.

[@vaspers]

I love the sounds and sequencing, how you can morph the sounds in real time, and it seems better than the Microkorg.

[@meerkatzThe23]

pretty underrated synth!

[@SequentialLLC]

@mattstank It comes in any color you want, as long as it's yellow :) Fortunately, it sounds the same as the black or the white model.

[@SequentialLLC]

@dvamateur The graphics are printed on an overlay (sticker) mounted to the front panel.

[@SequentialLLC]

@vinyljunkie07 Minimum attack is around 1 ms and they are definitely punchy. A lot has to do with the VCAs and filters, and how they respond to the envelopes. In fact you might be able to program in even more snap than that by routing Env 3 to another parameter.

[@SequentialLLC]

Sure, although we don't do any modifications for our products. The power requirements are 13-15 volts DC (min/max voltage) and a minimum of 400 mAh.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

What I find particularly enticing about your product line, Dave (I unfortunately have yet to purchase one of your synthesizers) is your incorporation of digital effects with the analog guts.

[@SequentialLLC]

Absolutely. It has both MIDI DIN and USB connections.

[@SequentialLLC]

@ShynAwkward Tetra keyboard is not coming. We tried to make one before the MoPho Keyboard, actually, but it turned out to be too expensive. It would have cost almost as much as the Prophet 08 Keyboard but with 1/2 the voices so we decided against it and made the MoPho Keyboard instead. We've got our eyes on new designs at this point, so be on the lookout for some new cool stuff!

[@SequentialLLC]

@MrKnnknn We already have, it's called the Tetra. 4-voice polyphonic with the same voice architecture as the MoPho. No plans to make a Tetra keyboard at this time.

[@twistedH3L1X]

Great demo, of course. The spirals on your shirt remind me of the movie "Dark City."

[@SequentialLLC]

@MrKnnknn Indeed it is monophonic. The voice is made up of 2 oscillators and 2 sub-oscillators.

[@SequentialLLC]

@numanuma20 If your electronic drum set can sample audio from an external source, yes.

[@chiefie11]

Love it. Quite simply EPIC!

[@SequentialLLC]

@MadeInGreatBritain If you mean the power supply, then yes. All our instruments come with a universal supply. There is a difference in tonality between VCOs and DCOs, but that is beyond the scope of characters KZbin allows for a reply. It is sufficient to say DCOs stay in tune :)

[@hongdekong]

@lukuntri full analog, 4 waveforms saw, triangle, a mix of the two, and square but the filter does self-oscillate so you get like a sine wave but its hard tune...

[@SequentialLLC]

@faderfab The MoPho sends standard MIDI pitch bend messages, they aren't NRPNs.

[@SequentialLLC]

@skinnypuppy1 Yes. 2 oscillators and 2 sub-oscillators.

[@1point5]

sounds incredible!

[@teknokont]

This little monster is almost like a modular synth but you should spend time with it . Filter is great and with multiple lfos and mods it can produde mind blowing things , self oscilation caracter is so lovely and you can do sci-fi stuff easily , envelopes are fast and all four lfos reach to the audio range . At that price point Mopho is a true bargain .

[@dvamateur]

Holy Mopho! This thing seems to have multiple bandpass filtering, I hear some serious formant shaping starting from 2:19. One would have to shell out some serious cash for a couple of Cwejman modules to get that kind of sound.

[@trigun6188]

Now that the MoPho's are retired....what will be coming next?

[@SanMantraNetwork]

Mopho with the tempest! Game over! Can I get a game over indeed!

[@larrymcqueary]

Well, someone must have been listening to you... a few months after you posted your comment, they gave him a Grammy for exactly that (inventing MIDI). Not quite a Nobel but I have a feeling he (rightfully) feels pretty good about it :-)

[@MrKnnknn]

@DaveSmithInstruments So one key a time, but a full sound. Are there plans to build a polyphonic model of similar characteristics?

[@speedsol]

@armalyte i "polychained" tetra with mopho keyboard - works great!

[@JasonChamberlain]

wow that second beat you put on was pretty awesome ! So does that mean that keyboard has some kind of drum machine capabilities?

[@vinyljunkie07]

@DaveSmithInstruments Thanks for the reply Dave :-) Regarding the routing of Env 3 to another parameter you mean things like the pitch of a oscillator right? I'll get one of these puppies one day

[@SequentialLLC]

@gretschoogie The new OS with the arpeggiator modes should be out within 2 weeks :)

[@SequentialLLC]

The Mopho Keyboard requires more power than a USB port can provide. USB is 5v max and the Mopho Keyboard requires anywhere between 13-15 volts DC and a minimum of 400 mAh. You could setup a battery pack that meets these requirements but the laptop won't do it alone. You can absolutely use the Mopho Keyboard as a MIDI controller in Logic, and it does send polyphonic MIDI data so you will be able to play chords over MIDI.

[@ShynAwkward]

I really want to buy the tetra, but the table-top form factor is no good for me. Any chance the Tetra could be made into a keyboard version? I'd definitely buy it & I know others who would buy it too :-)

[@SRDhain]

@DaveSmithInstruments ok...i thought id ask nonetheless. My studio is choc a block with synths for all the scores, idents and remixes i do , and a p8 would be a bit much, but a keyboard this size with 4 voices and the multi-timbrality would be nice with the voyager, system 100, system 100m et al.

[@PlateauEast]

hey I bought this keyboard a few weeks ago and it's a real pleasure to use; however, i've been having one problem in particular... sometimes i find that the synth sounds are inexplicably out of key. i'm playing an A but it sounds more like a B or somenote close to it but not exactly. it's very noticable and it seems that restarting the machine is the only way to clear up the problem, though this wouldn't be possible if i were in the middle of a performance. advice?

[@PatrickDiAngelo]

SSSSSSooooo GGGrrreeeeat...!!!!! The only one that can get close to a moog.. (just IMO, of course..). Amazing instrument...!!!

[@evil999]

@Fagleboo if in a band situation wouldnt you want more than the 2 octave? how about sticking to the motif or a roland kb mate

[@DIGITALSCREAMS]

Lovely looking and great sounding analog synth. Excellant price point too. Do these synths use a variant of the CEM3396 chip? In what way have they been 'tweeked/modified' ? Its great to see you're using POTS on your synths now - they feel better on analogs...

[@PlateauEast]

hey. great machine. i just bought it. i have a question though... i've been wanting to save some of my modifications to the preset synth sounds, but i don't want to lose the original preset. how can i do this? it seems that to use the "write" function necessitates that i write over something. sorry if this is a relatively dumb question... but i'd really like to know.

[@invisibletenants]

I wished it had cv/gate ins and outs so that I can interface it with my humble setup (Yamaha CS5, CV/Gatified Korg 770 and MFB Microzwerg all controlled by a Multivox MX8100) CV/Gate just seems snappier to me than MIDI. Call me old school but that's how it feels to me.

[@fabioz91]

i now have it..but there is a one big thing missing: delay/reverb

[@mastersbyiggy]

@DaveSmithInstruments My bad for not being precise. I'm using the Mopho as a midi controller as well. Just wondering if the Pitch Bend was sending out just an MSB or an MSB and LSB. Like from $E( ) $00 $00 to $E( ) $7F $7F. Thanks!

[@Funbia]

! I use my mopho module as "a guitar synth" and it sounds fantastic¡

[@lukuntri]

@DaveSmithInstruments cool!

[@BruceCastillo]

I got this keyboard and it kicks ass, im just wondering what the best way to hook it to the rest of my stuff. I have an er-1, kaoscillator pro, casio ct670, and i have a ddm4000 mixer. Any suggestions??

[@Sean_Wick]

thinking about getting this or the korg ms20, would love to hear someone's opinion on the two. I'm leaning more towards the mopho.

[@Goth108]

@DaveSmithInstruments does DCO only mean it's digitally controlled in the voltage/pitch or does it mean it has another soundcharacter than a usual VCO? Does the synth have to calculate for each step like a digital synth or does it just run through based on voltages? thanks :)

[@numanuma20]

@DaveSmithInstruments I also want to know if I can plug my electronic drum set to a tempest and get the sound out of a tempest into my electronic drums.

[@MoeShinola1]

Damn, I want one of these.

[@mortonrotta5078]

I´ve got my mopho kb today, it has a VERY different sound to the moogs, but it´s ok and has fantastic mod-possibilities. BUT: Is there no "real" hold-knob? The push-it always holds on a fixed note (i know, i can change this note in the menu, but thats ugly to do in live sessions....). I can open the VCA via the menu, ok....but the best would be a hold-knob. Is this funktion hidden? And: Can i transpose the sequences? Do i always have to press a key for let the sequencer run? Cheers Martin

[@mastersbyiggy]

Is there any documents that I can see the routing of the synth internally? And thats an awesome backing at 0.42

[@sikdelphi303]

@armalyte pro 08? surely would cost nearly as much im guessing

[@kevindietz6470]

The sequence you start at 0:45...I'm sold right there. Was that a preset or something you prepared before? Love it. I'm looking at getting a Mopho and/or Tetra in the very near future.

[@SequentialLLC]

+Kevin Dietz It's a factory preset :-)

[@SequentialLLC]

Yes, all our instruments have line-level outputs.

[@roxanaagustina3645]

Mopho x4 has the same sound effect that sounds at 0:11? I love that effect!!!!

[@SequentialLLC]

Yes! The voice architecture is identical between the Mopho Keyboard and the Mopho x4 so you can acheive the same sound. The Mopho Keyboard sounds can also be loaded directly onto the x4.

[@roxanaagustina3645]

Amazing!

[@beyondfirstclasstravel]

Is it possible to use this Synthesizer in combination with Ableton live?

[@deathlove13]

@Fagleboo You can also take your arse to the stores and play it yourself..?

[@CalebCromb]

Where can I buy a nice small one like this? All I see is the full size keybaord ones...

[@vinyljunkie07]

What's the Attack time of the envelopes on the Mo'Pho Keyboard? Are they punchy and quick like on a old analogue mono synth?

[@edwardpozuelos]

i want to buy one!