Prophet 12 Features Overview- Dave Smith Instruments

[@RockyMountainSounds]

RIP Dave. This was my sought after synth and am so glad I own it. My first patch is simply called Dave- will never change that now.

[@cybernitemusic]

This synthesizer is one of the most beautiful things I've ever played on. I am hereby starting a fund to one day afford this sexy beast. DSI is making a name for themselves with this! Having played with Doepfers and Moogs I would still prefer this synth over any other I've ever used. AMAZING WORK DSI. :)

A rev2 of this marvel as you've done to the prophet 8 will be really awesome!!

[@mattsynth]

Dave you really know what musicians need. When other companies keep copying old analog synth you come up with something completely different. Very innovative, thanks Dave your the best.

[@jonasness]

Whenever Dave demos a synth, he always dials in such wild sounds that I hear in harsh industrial music and ambient. He always seems to be excited by the features which take the instrument into some wild soundscape like that. I love it. My music is total synthpop and I have eight DSI units which make the sounds that I want to hear for my music. But man, by a quick turn of a knob, you can totally lose control and go off in another sonic environment right away. Still can't believe he has left us. Such a legacy he has left through his talents and design. Happy to still have a part of him with me through my instrumentation. I gotta get a P12 now... It was his favorite synth.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Hear hear. He also really loved the Prophet X. And imo it’s one of the best sounding poly synths of all time. If you can afford the X it is an absolute beast due to the gorgeous stereo filter designed by original Prophet filter designer Dave Rossum.

[@tomelwich49]

Breathtaking...Dave Smith is a national treasure! Thank you for all you have created and I cant wait to get my hands on this beast!

[@samueladams7]

You can tell that a lot of thought and work went into designing and making this synth. Hats to Dave for his efforts

[@thefxbip315]

Beautiful machine.Underrated.

[@Zhevros]

This is one of the most versatile synths I've seen in a long time. So many possibilities.

[@laurajenkins780]

You are a wizard, Dave.

[@amos922]

Makings of a classic synth! Wish there were a couple more waveforms, but can't wait to get mine!!!

[@SunsetRC]

This is how a synth demo should be.

[@Screaming-Trees]

Prophet 08 was my first synth having come back after some time off music. This was 2011. It travelled the world with me for a bit eventually settling in the UK. After that I bought pretty much all the other poly synths they had at the time. The Poly Evlover (both keys and rack). The Tempest and The Mopho x4. I really wanted to buy the Prophet 12 when it came out. I saw Sequential demo it at Juno in Camden but the synth continues to elude me to this day. I think it's time to amend that. It's a shame they decided to discontinue it. It sort of offers a unique proposition and it has a pretty nice sound. My P08 sounds amazing after all these years. I would dare say a little sweeter than when new even. But the P12 offers so much. The DX7 style FM for example. That's crazy. Definitely worthwhile grabbing while the prices are still sort of reasonable. Thanks Dave.

[@1vootman]

I played with one of these at guitar center in SF last week...and I really liked it.

[@synth4ever]

Certainly an impressive synth, looking forward to trying one and making some demos in the future. ;) Keep up the great work and innovation Dave!

[@quantum470]

Just awesome! Best synth I have seen/heard in a long time! Thanks for a short but informative video!

[@television321man]

Another brilliant synth!

[@Korgi_Polymer]

I need to buy this eventually... Its magical!

[@Madslau1]

So stoked for this!

[@stevemecca6805]

I love the shot glasses in the background! Party!!!

[@darrengoodenough8064]

Fantastic demo what an amazing instrument i have a prophet 08 I love it sounds awesome looks beautiful thanks dave what a genius A true legend my hero thankyou sir

[@auld_boy]

Holy sh*t. This thing can go from lush, warm pads to face melting distorted tones...and everything in between. Absolutely amazing. Can't wait till you begin shipping. I've cleared a large space ready :))

[@richreaves1792]

I really liked the shot glasses and the Schnaps in the background, too :-)

[@neonether]

My favorite of the Prophet series!

[@sinqlogue]

Is there still another synthesizer manufactures that makes synths of this epicness? Holy smokes! I own a Prophet '08 and still get amazed every time I use it. Nice move Dave,....nice move!

[@progrockcoffee]

First the glorious Prophet '08, and now a beast Prophet 12! I'm excited to see if there'll be a Prophet 16 in the future for DSI!

[@Candyshaver]

Dave Smith, you sir are a badass!

[@nogoogleplus]

The "Girth" knob! Awesome

[@aviolentpurple9925]

Such a killer synthesizer... just the right amount of features... well thought out oscillators, analogue filters, and that feedback and delay, that really sets it apart. This is definitely one of the best analogue synths on the market right now... Absolutely BRILLIANT

[@chaparralandrewhodge]

I have been happy with my Yamaha DX7 for 30 years, I made my own sound world by writing over 250 voices for it and was proud that few engineers could tell what Synth I used. After checking out the new synth scene carefully there was really only one contender - The Prophet 12. I am not interested in other peoples sound and have already created 50 original voices, and the way I use 4 pedals effectively makes my sound quadraphonic. I will not be buying another synth (unless it's a second Prophet 12 for backup) and look forward to the next 30 years of music making. I am somewhat of an expert in polyrhythm and have already been tinkering with the four LFOs to create some 'Autopolyrhythms' (I hope I'm not making my 15 years of polyrhythm practice redundant). I am also looking forward to creating some complex sound manipulation in the modulation matrix with strings of parameters modulating one another. Thank you Dave Smith for making a machine capable of fulfilling all of my sonic requirements and inspiring me to greater creativity.

[@zerix01]

chaparralandrewhodge I know this is an old comment but maybe you could help out. I see the Prophet 12 is listed as having "DX style" linear FM synthesis. I have yet to see any demos on this. Can you actually create FM sounds with the same complexity as a DX synth? Mainly I'm looking at multi function synths that can substitute for buying an old DX or the new Reface DX synth.

[@SequentialLLC]

zerix01 Any day now, we're releasing an OS update for the Prophet 12 that adds linear FM. Once that is released expect to see DX-style demos popping up!

[@zerix01]

Dave Smith Instruments Sweet! I didn't realize that was an up and coming feature. I just saw it on the DSI web page.

[@SequentialLLC]

zerix01 The Prophet 12 already has FM. The FM style the Prophet 12 shipped with is exponential FM. Linear FM is what the DX used, and that option has been added in the upcoming OS update. The Prophet 12 will now have both exponential and linear FM capabilities.

[@chaparralandrewhodge]

I am building up courage to change my OS - my cynical views of updates have so far deterred me from changing - in the past with other (not DSI) devices I have lost work after updates. I lost 18 months of music recordings once after an Akai update. Paradoxically - the update was to allow me to back up work...

[@AlistairMaxwell77]

rip dave . this was your greatest synth

[@katelynbrokaw9016]

damn!!! I've been a guitarist for 20 years and it's like...I've gotta have this!!

[@markaprill]

Hey Mr. Smith thank you for being awesome. Just got the prophet 8 and its a dream come true. This new thing looks and sounds amazing. What a great set of features. As to digital or analog criticism. I really think people should trust Dave Smith the most respected living expert on this subject in the world. If he says digital is the way to go on this that is the end of story. Period. Can hardly wait to hear the cool music people are going to create with the prophet 12.

[@stefanoianneproject]

thanks Dave for all

[@indiefilmcomposer]

I love the adult beverage cameo in every DSI video

[@adamborseti5515]

I feel that the analog-digital argument is rather old now. I think that people tend to overlook the most important thing.... THE SOUND! Analog sounds great, that's never been disputed, but what Dave has done here is blend the two realms smoothly! I believe that if a digital oscillator can sound analogy and rich, than... well... mission accomplished. From what I heard here, we've got the best of both worlds.... analog sound enhanced by the precision and flexibility that only digital can offer!!

[@moliver_xxii]

the microKORG might be digital but already sounds great so i can't doubt this one Prophet 12 will.

[@moliver_xxii]

and yes analog VCOs are awful to make reliable

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

People bitching that this doesn't have VCO's need to get over it and just buy a Prophet-6 or OB-6. But anyone with open ears and an open mind can easily hear there's a reason Dave said this was his best synth yet, and Sequential's flagship. It's an absolute monster at incredibly diverse sound creation. Some of that sound can be very analog sounding, and 99.9% of the people won't tell, or care that it's from DCO's. If you're in that .1%, I do get it, I've been around a long time and once owned a Pro-1 and Prophet-600, there is a space for analog purity for certain. Just don't criticize this incredible synth for trying to be something it's not.

[@philipvandeusen2490]

The will be my third Dave Smith Instrument, P08, OB6, and the P12 will be with me soon. This beast is otherworldly and feasibly priced! I’m in love with my Nord Lead 3 for the multitimbrality and the FM, im hoping this baby will cut through the mix a bit better.

[@AndrewLeSynt]

ive just ordered the p12 to switzerland, he joins the evolver keyboard and the mopho keyboard..... frgn awsm

[@cecinestpasunepipe]

Great video, Dave and team! :)

[@supercompooper]

I love my prophet 12!

[@Lewp77]

dope! thank you Dave

[@cranleyful]

Superb synth, that doesn't sound like anything else.

[@mattlaws1]

Would love something this complex with a vst editing front end - live the virus TI live control :)

[@lucidextract]

Beautiful!

[@ZethKeeper]

Please sell this again, it's a great synth!

[@pepecocastube]

I didn't like the Tempest, but this deserves some credit. AMAZING! Loving the VCO section!

[@SequentialLLC]

It does! There are almost 400 user preset slots.

[@pcuimac]

Of course! What I meant was the sound of some of his tweaked patches. Would like to try this beast some time in the future. I like his usage of DCOs. The real action is in the filters. That´s where analogs sound really different because of all the nonlinear responses to signals.

[@apeironishome]

this is like the rolls royce of synths as far as I can tell. you can stack the filters, play in unison and add distortion. I WANT TO HEAR THAT

[@VincentPresley]

8 years later and it does so much more than the current 5, 6, and 10 Prophets.

[@SequentialLLC]

If you think that's wild, you should check out the Poly Evolver!

[@VincentPresley]

@@SequentialLLC I'd love to but they're real hard to find and selling for over $3000 used. I also have a Prophet X, Pro 3 Special Edition, Pro 2, Mopho (that I use as a nice touring synth that fits in an overhead compartment) , and a mint original Pro One.

[@philipvandeusen2490]

@@SequentialLLCwant!

[@1vootman]

I've almost completed a two case Mattson modular system and this will complement it nicely.

[@SequentialLLC]

Yes, all sound parameters can be saved on a per-program basis.

[@michaelbauers8800]

Someone used the term DCO. This does NOT have DCOs. DCOs are generated with analog circuity linked to a timer circuit ( oversimplification perhaps.) These are fully digital oscillators, with no attempt to call them analog. But it's a hybrid synth. I would guess a lot of people could not hear the difference in a blind test between a raw high quality digital and an analog sawtooth, or would find it hard. Then it's sent through analog filters, and will have it's own character

[@Auxinelectro]

man I love this thing

[@TheSnowballEarth]

Damn, I saw your name on the day program for Moogfest 2014, Mr. Smith. Too bad I may not be able to spring for a ticket(s) because it would be great to see you, Buchla, and Oberheim, not to mention Giorgio Moroder and the Pet Shop Boys to name a few. Have a great time there!

[@ThrashAndBurn7]

You're a fucking mad man! Great stuff!

[@alienorbiter]

The arrangement of the knobs and controllers reminds me more of the JP8000. I had the K5000s a while ago (and I stupidly sold it) but now I have a V-Synth which reminds me of the K5000s a lot.

[@astrophonix]

This is THE synth!

[@firebird95driver]

I would really like one of these. You should look into a domestic producer of power adapters though.

[@bbssimpson]

Hey, are there any videos where someone breaks down each feature of the synth? For example, initializing presets, how to apply filters, etc.

[@auld_boy]

I'm sure girth and air are high and low shelf EQs..you have a bit crusher, sample rate reduction, tuned feedback, analog distortion and a four tap delay (which you could use to create reverbs, delays and chorus effects). So really it does have a great bunch of effects. To me I

[@jjhcw]

Very Awesome Vid!!! Thank You!!

[@mattsynth]

Sarah, you need to hear this synth in person before judging it's sound. Digital oscillators allow a multitude of options in sound compared to analog OSC. Remember the popular Ensoniq ESQ-1? That had the same set up and became a legendary synth. The prophet 12 is one of the best synths out there today and it is proudly made in the USA. Dave is not trying to fool you he is giving musicians what they need, more options, modern interface and one hell of a instrument.

[@SequentialLLC]

Press the Write button, choose your memory location, press Write again. Download the manual from our site or email our technical support for further instruction!

[@EverettDudgeon138]

I always look at this as more or less a modern version of the Prophet VS which was Sequential's first digital synth. It just sounds different, not better or worse, just different. I have a Prophet 6 and Moog Sub 37 for my analog needs (and will probably get an Oberheim Two Voice Pro at some point). It's nice to have a digital synth with analog filters. I would never use the P12 for anything other than it's Wavetable/FM/VS type sounds anyway.

[@infestedalien]

This is a synth I hope to see a re-issue on. I think it would sell very well today since we have too many VCO based machines on the market right now :).

[@dariusmidi]

Best of the best!!!

[@kidgloves2]

Sweet. My favorite is El Tesoro

[@edsknife]

More demos, please

[@indiefilmcomposer]

Dave I recommend Baluarte Reposado only available in Mexico or duty free at airport

[@steefdroid]

Hi Dave Smith Instruments, the Prophet 12 looks so tempting :) Any chance you guys are considering implementing the "super" waveforms and the "BBD" delay from the Pro 2 on the Prophet 12? Would that be at all possible through software updates?

[@SequentialLLC]

We're limited by code space, so unfortunately even though it would be great to add those features we just don't have the room. We're currently working on an OS update which will include some other cool stuff though, watch our social media channels or our website over the next couple weeks for the announcement.

[@steefdroid]

Dave Smith Instruments Thanks so much for the quick response! Found a P12 with 20% discount due to some blemishes but still full factory warranty. It's mine now and should arrive tomorrow! Can't wait :) This machine sounds amazing.

[@chicoandtheman7599]

+steefdroid I'm finally getting my P12 module next week. I can't wait! :-D

[@steefdroid]

+Gerry No I love my P12 - I'm sure you will love yours too! Enjoy!

[@xchump]

Such amazing sounds. Any recommendations for plugins that can achieve similar sounds as the prophet?

[@SRDhain]

Pure class! I should get my name down for one , so i can grab one in july

[@madbaldscotsman]

Got my mono, now it's time for a poly. It's going to be this one

[@XconsigliereX]

How does this compare to the Rev2? What are the main differences is there anything the 12 can do better or vice versa?

[@SequentialLLC]

They are quite different, with the most notable being the Prophet 12 has 4 digital oscillators per voice and the Rev 2 has two analog oscillators per voice. You can see our synth comparison chart here for further detail: yo41t1y5gos9jw8f3lptw0xo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sequential-Synth-Comparison-Chart-4.8.pdf

[@bbssimpson]

I have dyslexia, and have been trying to read the P12 manual, but can't seem to grasp the concepts. Can someone please make a video on how to use the synth? There aren't really any useful videos out there on sound design for this machine. It would make a huge difference. Thank you

[@bond4177]

You should run a pdf of the manual through a text to speech program. It could be read out loud to you.

[@dalecharlesphoto]

4 Osc.. plus sub! 4 LFOs per voice! Great work Dave.. what I'm in to are those great sort of 80's poly / pad / soft sounds - how about a video of those as well? All the demos I've heard are hard leads and brash tones. How's the strings , pads and polysynth patches? thx

[@rozz3r]

"Stay tuned" - I see what you did there Dave ;)

[@bghnv123]

yo what synth the other guy playing?? That sound on the bass solo. gohd dayum

[@gruvie]

Yeah and take a look on to the T8 to see how he gets the "spirit" for designing those instruments ;-)

[@apertureburn]

the "slop parameter" around the 2:44 mark sounds dead like free-running analog oscillators to me. also, non-linear functions in the analog filters and VCA's is where you often get your "warm" sound. analog purists that discount this as a "VA" or say they can hear any aliasing from the oscillator section may consider doing some research on confirmation bias and marketing hype in the audio industry. This is a kick-ass, versatile, hybrid that could sound warm OR harsh depending on whats needed.

[@allanyamaha]

Awesome!

[@MilesBader]

Agree, but notice the first demo of PWM near the beginning of the video... it sounds really rich, richer than PWM does on the P'08 I think... "PWM" of things like triangle waves seems hugely promising for soft pads!!

[@MadelnMachines]

Do the LFOs assign as easily as the mod strips shown here. Can you just select an LFO, touch the destination parameter and it's done?

[@GlitchComputer]

id love to hear this in person

[@momentum748]

I'll wait for the sequential Prophet 6 :)

[@momentum748]

+fartz My real name is Dave :)

[@AndrewLeSynt]

the p6 is a whole different story,

[@ThaRealChuckD]

Yeah, but does it have the classic Prophet-5 "touch-sync"?

[@sinqlogue]

The patch on 04:25 sounds like the bass used in Autechre's Kalpol Intro.

[@Timecop1983]

Damn, that soind in the beginning was so loud, it made my ears bleed!

[@Fluidstructure]

Curious how this stacks up against a prophet vs, soundwise. I've played with this at GC, am non-plussed. A hybrid synth is not necessarily a bad thing, but how does it Sound? & how much do you have to work at it to get some good functional sounds + things you never heard b4? This synth will either bomb royally, eternally or bomb today only to become a classic 10 years from now

[@alienorbiter]

I like Dave's voice.

[@politesociety]

I've always wanted a synth that can give me more girth.

[@edsknife]

I've always wanted a synth that can give me more Dave Smith

[@futurebeats898]

Can someone enlighten me. How do the workflow compare with the rev2?

[@shatnerhasselhoff]

Does he ever demo the ribbon?

[@celticprogeny1569]

I haven't used mine for a good 12 months but started it up today and just get awful distorted sound from it. Tried everything to no avail. As a last resort I decided to unplug the 13.5v DSI power supply and tried the 12v virus and it works great.

[@SequentialLLC]

Sorry to hear you're experiencing trouble with your Prophet 12. It sounds like the PSU may have failed. If so that's an easy fix. Do not use a 12V PSU, it is not enough power for the P12 and you risk damaging your instrument. Please contact our dedicated tech support for assistance: support (at) sequential.com

[@deladonics]

People keep saying that these things have DCO's. Do they, or are they purely digital?

[@borjamaldonadoasensio2439]

How many multitimbral parts or layers has prophet 12??

[@67ES335]

Hey Dave, I'm having trouble finding info on how to save settings as a preset. Would you go over that?

[@Mr_ToR]

A DCO is an analog sound producing oscillator. It's frequency is controlled by a clock signal rather than a voltage control as in VCO. Both produce the same exact analog wave without any stepping, aliasing etc. You don't have tuning problems with DCO but it is possible to add controlled detuning if needed. Yes normally all digitally controlled OSC's wave cycles start at the same time but that is controlled by a simple phasing algorithm. So what's the big deal? However, wavetable oscillator is a real digital oscillator and there has to be a digital to analog conversion for each digital oscillator for it to work with the rest of the synths analog signal path.

[@verve92]

To be clear the P12 has DO's digital oscillators, not analog (DCO,VCO), but the filter and amp are analog. The DO's in this unit have 6 SHARC chips so they are the best possible. I don't mind at all the P12 has DO's no biggy to me and does not take away from this monster synth!

[@Mr_ToR]

Yea i know, i guess i forgot to update my post :-)

[@Saskiequelle]

Is this the best poly hardware synth out right now?