Sequential Prophet VS - my favourite custom patches

[@claudioricci431]

It is one of the very best synths. It can sound fat and "analog", or cool and "digital"... or both together or something between. Wide sound palette and great quality. Strings Pads are incredible, even better than many analog polysynths.

[@vintagesynths]

Claudio Ricci yes that’s true. It is also my favorite synth. When I want to program a similar sound on another synth, I can’t match it.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Great patches! Shows off the range of the instrument.

[@yuufeternal5837]

Hearing this makes me want to cry. So beautiful and powerful

[@vintagesynths]

Yuuf Eternal thank you very much for this positive feedback!

[@Lemke68]

this synth is gorgeous. Definitely in my Top 3. It's really great to have someone of your skill know their way around this thing to make some awesome patches for us to hear! Dave Smith Instruments has gotta reissue this one again!

[@vintagesynths]

Lemke68 thank you very much, nice words

[@rg2027x]

agree on the reissue 👍 yes.

[@theamateurfurry4735]

That sound at 6:52 is just so heavenly it legit makes me tear up and get goosebumps every time, my goodness!

[@argiraselene7907]

Awesome one if the best synths of all times

[@vintagesynths]

Argira Selene thank you very much, I also think it’s one of the best. It’s my favorite synth though

[@blankspace0000]

There's a softness to these super old digital keyboards

[@whenvioletsturngrey9597]

I sure hope Sequential decide to build an updated version of the VS. nothing sounds like it! #whenvioletsturngrey

[@vintagesynths]

That’s true. The new Super-6 reminds a bit on the bell like sounds. But choir and pads/strings are very hard to beat.

[@dirkkeersmaekers4343]

I have the Prophet XL,And what most of the people don't know is that in the X included in the Sample library are all of the single- cycle waveforms of the classic prophet VS.Mapped to a different midi note/key.You choice a wave and press the 'sample strech'button of the X(L).The wave is now mapped to the entire keyboard.The sounds are impressed.The sounds are sound verry,verry close to the real one.

[@vintagesynths]

dirk keersmaekers this sounds great. What kind of filter has the X? In the Prophet VS the unique Sound lives from lofi waves, which are also Sound a bit unstable in tuning ( in my keyboard) and the quite aggressive Curtis filter. Would be very interested if you program a typical vs sound like string or choir and demonstrate it. I can imagine that the X is capable of much more than it is demonstrated on you tube.

[@dirkkeersmaekers4343]

The filter is a classic,4-pole,resonant low-pass filter,the filter has a stereo signal path.There is a resonant high-pass filter avaible in the effect section of the X@@vintagesynths

[@TheodoreBreaux]

Well done with this excellent demo and the patches. The two synths that I have been unable to part with for the past 30 years are a PPG Wave 2.2 and Prophet VS. The dark, hauntingly beautiful textures inherent to the VS have always seemed to me as being especially well suited for horror film scores. Fortunately, the Sequential engineers avoided the temptation of borrowing from PPG's wavetables when developing it, as layering the VS and PPG can bring about absolutely ethereal soundscapes.

[@vintagesynths]

Thank you very much. I recently got a ppg 2.3 for an incredibly low price, so I couldn’t resist. Now it’s on repair for PSU and keyboard. Soon I will do a demo with it as well. I love the PPG very much. I agree it’s not like a VS, but another fantastic instrument to create beautiful textures.

[@torroidal7545]

Agree. I also have the VS (since 1986?). But instead of the PPG I have the "poor man's" equivalent; the Microwave I. :)

[@Psychlist1972]

This, with your patches, does a pretty convincing string machine. Edit: I see you mention that later :)

[@TroutmanRoger]

Man thanks a lot to take your time to give us opportunity to see how works those synth !

[@GallagherMichael]

Nice programming. I have a VS, amazing instrument. Leans towards a sort of otherworldly, melancholy sound that is very much evident in your demo. Through something like a Roland Space Echo it can be heartbreaking. Your simple saw pad from around 3 mins - how is this set up? Are the saws all just detuned or are some at octaves? This should be simple in theory, but I've done this kind of patch myself and never managed to it sounding quite as nice as yours! Are you using custom waves? Or LFOs to modulate wave frequencies slightly? With the VS, Dave Smith seems to have hit the sweet spot between complexity and simplicity. It's simple enough to program but has masses of depth too. The 128 waveforms can be a bit mind boggling - sometimes seems like too much to choose from. But 4 oscs and 2 LFOs feels like just the right amount. I do find it a bit fiddly to program with just the single slider. The original LCD screen which is not the easiest to read. It's not terrible, but things like the envelopes are a faff having to do each time and level value one by one. Maybe I should get a software editor. If Dave Smith does a reissue with one knob per function and some added features like chord memory and a more flexible mod matrix it could be a massive hit. If you look at the Prophet 6 and OB6, surely a VS update is a logical next step. As well as the aliasing in the waveforms, part of the unique sound comes from strange artefacts produced through the use of multiplexing to mix the 4 waves - this was an inventive way of reducing the cost I believe, and a weak point too (the chips tended to die), but it lends sonic character. Try setting all four oscs to a sine wave and then playing up and down the keyboard - it sounds nothing like a sine at all! And different notes sound different.

[@vintagesynths]

Michael Gallagher Thank you for your nice comment. The patch at around 3 minutes is also one of my favourites. I have my Prophet not at home right now, so I cant check it out. As I remember its consisting of saw waves. But I have this bank on my Mac as sysex file. I can send it to you via email. You only need vector surgeon editor and library program to load it. Before you can safe your Programm on Vektor surgeon via sysex and a midi interface. Please write me a pm and I will send the file to you.

[@aslegu]

@@vintagesynths Really enjoy that. Have just got my self a VS, but the previous owner has filled it with bell sound and I feel a little lost. Any chance of you sharing those patches?

[@TheArchiveOfWonder]

Awesome sounding Synth! Has a wonderful analog sound despite being a hybrid, I would definitely prefer one of these to a DX7 any day, even if they really don't quite do the same thing.

[@thebreathalyzer]

wow, some amazing sounds!!!! Quite the range of tonal capabilities!

[@rg2027x]

it's cool, the stereo imaging this synth

[@stevemccoy_1]

Nice! I got one when it came out instead of buying a mate's Prophet 5! This is the synth that I lost the most sleep over... the tweaking was endless!

[@mark12011972]

One of a kind personality. Warm. Sad. And loving. Lovely. It clears away the confusion so I can again feel... isnt that what an instrument is all about, a vehicle for expression and I don't know how to explain how this one does it well, except for what I hear.

[@vintagesynths]

Mark Jennings thank you for that nice words

[@kemek3000]

Beautiful synth and beautiful demo.

[@vintagesynths]

Kemek thank you my friend

[@vampolascott36]

I think the VS has a similar legato glide function as my Prophet Rev2. Watching you play gave me a better understanding of how it works. Thanks for a great demonstration.

[@vintagesynths]

Scott Vampola thank you. I Sm happy that I could help you!

[@OscillatorCollective]

My LOVE for the Prophet VS has been vindicated ‼️

[@BetinhoSM]

Gosh, the Prophet VS sounds awesome

[@JohnMoser66]

Superb! I own a Prophet VS that I purchased from a collector who never played it. Not as much as a nick on the instrument. If only I could find a RAM cartridge :-)

[@robertobasarte2959]

Hello Rüdiger Very sensitive programming. Your patches sound very good. Lot of poetry in them, especially the pads. I bought a VS one week ago and was really excited about it. Unfortunately the guy who sold it to me had only some poor presets, mainly fx, not very useful for me. I thought it would be easy to find some presets for the vs on the net but it turned out that it’s not easy at all. I can’t even find the factory ones. I’ve installed the Vector Surgeon on my mac, working fine. May be you would accept to send me some of your patches and maybe you know some good links. It would be for me quite a relief to hear some good sounds plus I could learn how they are made and start to make my own. Be sure I’ll be happy to send you mines as soon as I get more advanced in VS programming. Roberto

[@vintagesynths]

Roberto Basarte Hi Roberto, thank you for your feedback. I can send you some sounds, also the factory patches. You just need vector Surgeon free downloadable. I need your email adress. You can send me a PN.

[@aslegu]

@@vintagesynths Any chance you can share with me those patches Rüdiger? See no option to pm in youtube anymore, though. :-(

[@simonburns1055]

Stacked to the rafters !

[@AdamBorseti]

Was there any reverb on this? I know you said there were no effects, but some of these sounds feel like they have some real atmosphere! Fantastic synth!

[@vintagesynths]

Adam Borseti no effects. No plug ins. In the VS only the internal Chorus

[@tommymandel]

How does this instrument relate to the Korg Wavestation and Wavestation AD? Also, if you have an opinion of Korg's legacy plug-in of the Wavestation, how would that relate. PS. real nice sounds here!!!

[@christ5826]

the VS is a lot more raw with more charisma a more biting sound far more aggressive than the Wavestation, its a beautiful synth but a lot more better for ambient work, VS is far more versatile and chunky

[@HydeBaker]

Please build this Synth again!!! So many of us want one. With availability dwindling & prices skyrocketing, most of us are left with only these Videos. There are lots of great albums, still to be written/made with this gem.

[@SPAZZOID100]

Hyde Baker Dave Smith does not do re-issues.

[@EverettDudgeon138]

Hyde Baker All of the VS Waves are in the new Prophet X and Sequential is said to have something new by the summer. With the discontinuation of the Prophet 12, we are likely to see a new digital oscillator based synth.

[@kaiwetronic]

There is a wavetable with all the VS waves, free downloadable, ready to use on a Blofeld... So what...? Anyway, I really believe Uli will clone the VS after the Prophet 5... Time will tell... Cross fingers...!!

[@Bigger-Circuitry-Bigger-SOUND]

great job with those patches 👌! do you share or sell this patch bank ?

[@hemibass]

I love that Mission patch. How did you make it? I hear some choir but there is loads else going on. Great sounds on one of the best synths

[@vintagesynths]

Thanks. I don’t know exactly. I think 2 or 3 saw waves and something else, I don’t know. Maybe some choir wave

[@KurtFuller]

What a wonderful sound! No dude that this is in my 10 favourites synths list ever.

[@vintagesynths]

I Love 80s thanks a lot. Yes, it can sound awful, but if programmed nice, so powerful and beautiful

[@ME-ru4hv]

These patches are amazing! I dont really like the exponential sounding glide tho. Is there control over that?

[@vintagesynths]

Thanks a lot. As I know there’s is no control for it

[@theamateurfurry4735]

This is in my top 3 list of synths I hope to one day own! My list is this one, the Roland Jupiter 8, and the Oberheim OB-Xa! Genuinely would love to own one of these! Those raw tones are just… I can’t get enough of them! The possibilities for compositions truly are endless with one of these! You can go from a solo piece to playing a whole orchestra at your very own fingertips!

[@vintagesynths]

Great comment and collection. This and the OB-Xa can seen as the best Poly synths ever. The Jupiter 8 is great as well but a bit overhyped these days.

[@theamateurfurry4735]

@@vintagesynths fair enough! I personally have a soft spot for the Jupiter-8 as it was one of the main synths used in Queen’s Radio Ga Ga, but to each his own!

[@vintagesynths]

@@theamateurfurry4735 the Arpeggio line of radio Gaga is quite difficult to match. I tried it. It’s the random Arp with 2 octave range.

[@theamateurfurry4735]

@@vintagesynths Oh I know, right?! Still awesome tho

[@EverettDudgeon138]

Curious. What Wavetable number is used for the choir sound? Trying to recreate some VS patches on my Prophet X as all the wavetables are in there.

[@torroidal7545]

75 and 76 are the best ones, preferably a mix between them. 75 on two oscillators and 76 on two, all slightly detuned, evenly mixed and not layered. Cutoff around 60. You can't go wrong then in creating typical VS-voices/choir. :)

[@EverettDudgeon138]

@@torroidal7545 thank you.

[@marcbrasse747]

It's a very versatile and beautifull sounding instrument that wipes the floor with the DX's as far as warmth goes. Must be those analog filters. I however always expected it to have more of character of it's own. Here it'd say; bit of analog , a bit of DX and a bit of PPG Wave but no surprises. Well progrmmed anyway though.

[@vanmichelgeliss8674]

une machine incroyable ... merci pour la démo de patches ... :-)

[@BlakeFoster050]

is it true the aftertouch sticks when you apply too much pressure?

[@vintagesynths]

Blake Foster yes. In Some sounds the Aftertouch was too sensitive Programmed. You can adjust it in the vs

[@AnalogAudio1]

Das sind wirklich coole Sounds, obwohl ganz ohne Effekte! Analoge Wäre gemischt mit digitalen Wellenformen. Übrigens: Dieter Bohlen und Matthias Reim haben bzw. hatten auch einen Prophet VS ;-)

[@vintagesynths]

AnalogAudio1 autsch, sind ja nicht gerade meine Lieblinge. Rush hatte den auch, whitesnake ua

[@AnalogAudio1]

ich weiß, ich meinte es auch mit einem Augenzwinkern :-) In den Jahren bekommt man so einiges mit, wenn man sich alte Studiobilder ansieht...

[@midiguy4u]

One of the best synths ever made. I had the rack version, and what I dug about it the best was that it merged well with other synths, especially FM. One of the many synths I deeply regret selling. Now these are going for $4-6K but be warned, getting proper service on these will be tough indeed, and you WILL need to service these as they are apt to breakdown.

[@vintagesynths]

Yes, you are right. The sample and hold cem chips often die. Fortunately you can get them now again.

[@midiguy4u]

I also had severe crashing problems and the the data slider would break often.

[@mineralsound]

Beautiful condition!

[@EverettDudgeon138]

What was the Wave number you used for the DX7 piano?

[@EverettDudgeon138]

At 4:50

[@vintagesynths]

A 118 planetarium B 52 bright wave 1 C 32 sine D 52 bright wave1

[@АлексйУваровъ]

Now I've got it why she's worth of £4000.

[@discodivo9045]

would you consider selling these patches?

[@fluosobre]

[@RayyMusik]

6 Jahre später: Hast du diesen Super-VS noch? Wenn ja, möchtest du ihn zufällig verkaufen? * hüstel *

[@vintagesynths]

Hi den nicht. Aber ggf das rack. Das ist allerdings mint ohne einen Kratzer und mit Display neuem PSU und recapped professionell mode modernisiert.

[@RayyMusik]

@@vintagesynths Hmm … mint ist ja nicht verkehrt, aber recapped? Hat das irgendeinen Einfluss auf den Sound? Und möchtest du verkaufen?

[@vintagesynths]

@@RayyMusik recapped ist alte Kondensatoren ausgetauscht. Sound ist identisch. Er klingt exakt wie mein Keyboard. Alles weitere persönlich

[@Psychlist1972]

That string pad at 30:23 is super fat.

[@vintagesynths]

Pete Brown yes the vs produces one of the greatest pads I ever heard. Maybe the OBXa is also a great competitor

[@iSirTaki]

Really?? Your favorite Synth from all you have at home? I mean i can understand that :-D

[@vintagesynths]

Sir Taki Seriously it is very difficult to decide, which Synth is the best. Soundwise I prefer the VS most. And also at an equal level plays the Modal 002. Concerning best sounding VCO for great pads and strings definitely it is the OBXa.

[@navienta]

28:00

[@klaasj7808]

Do you know those buttons are still produced by Omron. With led, without or 2 leds and in ivory, yellow, orange, black and blue. One of the last kind of nice buttons, its now al chaotic disco led madness.

[@johnnyv673]

yes

[@1vootman]

I think I like the Modal 002 bass better, butthe pads and strings on the VS are something else.

[@toddwalton3431]

Sounds like a Casio.

[@HH-Thorsten]

Peinliche Antwort. Du hast also wirklich überhaupt keine Ahnung.

[@snuppssynthchannel]

You are clueless, or a troll.

[@SPAZZOID100]

Todd Walton you have no idea what you are talking about.

[@kaiwetronic]

Hey mates, the Casio CZ range is more capable than you may expect... Todd's sentence makes sense to me... When you power on a CZ, the first sound you can play is an EXACT recreation of the brassy hook from 'Babe, we're gonna love tonite' (Lime)... originally made with a P5, and difficult to achieve with other synths... And that's because Casio engineers digitalized the basic waveforms of the Prophet to get the best analog feel from their CZ digital synths... Wise choice...!! On the other hand, the last CZ synths lets you stack two patches, and each patch can have two separate layers... so, you can get really huge and complex sounds...! The only downside is the chorus: useless for my taste... That's the reason I've modded my MKS50: let the CZ 3000 acces its fantastic and pleasant chorus ... The only thing that makes the VS so exceptional is the clever vector evolving feature... I love all the Sequential stuff, and think that the VS was ahead of its time... a real pioneer of things to come, like the P5 in the 70s... !!