Prophet-5
| Prophet-5 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Manufacturer | Sequential Circuits |
| Dates | 1978-1984 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Polyphony | 5 voices |
| Timbrality | Monotimbral |
| Oscillator | 2 VCOs per voice |
| LFO | 1 |
| Synthesis type | Analog Subtractive Analog Frequency modulation via Poly-Mod |
| Filter | 1 lowpass |
| Input/output | |
| Keyboard | 61 keys |
| Left-hand control | Pitch & modulation wheels |
| External control | CV/Gate Optional factory MIDI kit |
The Prophet-5 was an analog synthesizer manufactured by Sequential Circuits in San Jose, California between 1977 and 1984. The Prophet 5 was groundbreaking in that it was one of the first analog synthesizers to implement patch memory, a feature which stored user settings of every parameter on the synthesizer into internal memory. It is also one of the first polyphonic synthesizers, with a maximum polyphony of 5 voices, meaning that up to 5 notes can sound at the same time. Like the Minimoog, the pitch wheel was not spring loaded, but had a detent mechanism which clicked every time it was centered.
The Prophet-5 was also known for its modulation capabilities. The "Poly-Mod" feature routed the output of the filter envelope generator and the second oscillator in each voice through two mixer knobs, which could then be connected to the pulse width and pitch controls on the first oscillator, to the filter cutoff frequency control, or all three at the same time. Since the second VCO was not limited to being an LFO, this allowed the Prophet-5 to generate 2-operator FM synthesis and ring modulator-style effects, as well as complex sweeping sounds.
Three revisions were produced, the first two (commonly referred to as Rev 1 and Rev 2) using oscillators manufactured by Solid State Music (SSM), and the last one (Revision 3) using Curtis CEM chips from Curtis Electromusic Specialties.
SSM vs. Curtis
The Revision 1 and 2 Prophet-5s used SSM oscillator and filter chips while the Revision 3 instruments used the CEM chips. There is still much debate about whether the earlier SSM oscillators produced a richer, more musical timbre. The instability of the early SSM-based Prophets, however, renders this debate moot for all but owners who are either technical enough to tweak or maintain their own Revision 1 or 2 instruments, or wealthy enough to pay a dwindling breed of analog synth technicians to do it for them. The most common and stable of the three revisions was the Revision 3. The last of the rev 3.3s were available with MIDI-IN and MIDI-OUT ports.[1]
Users
The Prophet 5 is prized by amateurs and professional musicians alike for its lush washes, textural sounds, as well as the classic polyphonic sweep. It is also capable of synth brass sounds, as well as bell-like and atonal sound effects. The characteristics of Sequential Circuits signature sound quality was a result of the interplay of oscillators and filters in Sequential's poly-mod section.[2] The Prophet 5 has been used by many famous artists including Gary Numan, Pink Floyd, Richard Barbieri of Japan (band) and Porcupine Tree, Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, Joe Zawinul of Weather Report, Lyle Mays of the Pat Metheny Group, Philip Glass,[3], Kraftwerk, Vince Clarke, Paul Carrack of Squeeze (and with Roxy Music), Dieter Bohlen of Modern Talking and New Order,[4] who toured with 5, in case of breakdowns.
One of its best remembered appearances is probably in "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes.[5] The Prophet 5 was also used by Keff McCulloch during the late 1980s, who compared it to a "real keyboard."[citation needed] George Duke used the Prophet 5 on stage as well. Several Prophet 5 synthesizers were used in the original London and Broadway productions of Cats, and its signature Prophet sounds have been sampled into current equipment for use with subsequent productions.[citation needed]Wally Badarou was nicknamed "Prophet" for his most exclusive use of the Prophet 5 on all Compass Point All Stars productions in the 80s (Grace Jones "Warm Leatherette", "Nightclubbing" & "Living My Life", John Carpenter was also another person who used the Prophet 5 and also the Prophet 10 in Halloween 1 (1978) and Halloween 2 (1981). Paul McCartney used the Prophet 5 to produce the well-known riff in his 1979 holiday hit, "Wonderful Christmastime". Singer/Songwriter Paul Davis owned 2 Prophet 5's. You can hear it on his 1980 album Paul Davis & 1981 Cool Night . Kevin Barnes Singer/Songwriter "Of Montreal" uses the Prophet 5 extensively. The Prophet 5 can be heard on the album "Hissing Fauna.. You Are The Destroyer" Tom Petty used the Prophet 5 In the 1980's. You can hear it on the albums Long After Dark & Southern Accents. Men Without Hats used 3 Prophets even on the road. A-ha used the Prophet 5. It was the genius behind their biggest hit ever - 1985's Take On Me.[4]
Tony Banks of English progressive rock band Genesis (band) used the Prophet 5 on the Duke and Abacab albums and toured with the prophet 5 on their respective tours as well as the latter "Mama" tour, where it was used for the song "Who Dunnit?". Tony also used a Prophet-10 in later recordings. Phil Collins used the Prophet 5 on his solo work. The pad sound on his mega hit "In the Air Tonight" comes from the Prophet 5.
Richard Barbieri used the prophet 5 with rock band Porcupine Tree on numerous albums and tours. He later replaced it with Native Instruments Pro-53 and Propellerhead Software's Reason as it became too risky to take the Prophet 5 on the road.
The Japanese label Kaerucafe released an album called "Cosmic Prophets" by Richard Barbieri and Jan Linton in 2001. The words "Prophet 5" appear on the front cover in parentheses after Barbieri's name, indicating it as one of the instruments used.
Other versions
Sequential Circuits also manufactured a double version of the Prophet-5 called the Prophet-10, which featured 10 voice polyphony and two keyboards, stacked on top of each other.
Software Clones and Emulators
Analog Synth Lab have released the Prophecizer 5, a Prophet 5 emulator for PC.
Yamaha developed and manufactured a daughter board known as the PLG150-AN which was based on the Prophet 5. It is a 5 note polyphonic Analogue Physical Modelling Plug-in board for expansion of the sound set of many of Yamaha's synthesizer keyboards such as the Motif and sound modules such as the MU128.
Arturia developed and markets a "virtual" version of the Prophet 5 called the Prophet V which also includes the Prophet VS. In this version, characteristics from both synthesizers can be used simultaneously in a "hybrid" mode.
Native Instruments developed and markets a Virtual Studio Technology (VST) version of the Prophet 5 called "Pro-53" (previously released as "Pro-52"). This software simulates the look and sound of the Prophet 5, and is programmed similarly.
Creamware developed and manufactures a "virtual" version of the Prophet 5 called the "Pro-12". This version has an SSM filter emulation. Creamware has also developed and manufactures a hardware version of the Pro-12 called the Pro-12 ASB.
Dave Smith Instruments in order to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Prophet have developed the Prophet '08, an 8-voice analog synthesizer. Dave Smith was the original developer of the Prophet 5 and the owner of Sequential Circuits, until it went out of business in the early to mid 1980's when the rights were bought by Yamaha and later sold to Korg. Dave Smith now manufactures his new instruments under his own name, as the Japanese manufacturers will not release his original Sequential Circuits Brand back to him.
References
- ^ Peter Forrest, The A-Z of Analogue Synthesisers Part Two, Short Run Press Ltd, 1996, p. 114
- ^ Julian Colbeck, Keyfax Omnibus Edition, MixBooks, 1996, p. 123
- ^ as can be seen on Peter Greenaway's documentary "Four American Composers: Philip Glass"
- ^ a b Peter Forrest, The A-Z of Analogue Synthesisers Part Two, Short Run Press Ltd, 1996, p. 113
- ^ http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/about.aspx?id=13119