Rediscovering the Sequential Prophet 10: A Modern Reissue with a Vintage Soul

Embracing the warmth and character of an iconic analog synthesizer

The Prophet 10 is a wonderful analog synthesizer. However, from tuning issues to dropped notes, there were a few bumps in the road to reach my destination. Follow me on my journey as I explore this amazing instrument!

The Appeal of Retro Music Gear

One thing I love about retro music gear is that it does not need to be vintage. This is certainly true when it comes to the Sequential Prophet 10 — a modern reissue of the original Sequential Circuits Prophet 5.

The Prophet 5 was introduced in 1978 by Dave Smith, an American entrepreneur and founder of Sequential Circuits. The final version (the Rev 4) was reissued right before Dave Smith retired in 2020. Sadly, Dave Smith passed away in 2022, but his legacy lives on.

Watch Alex Ball tell the story of the Prophet like no one else can:

My Journey with the Prophet 10

Now, I would by no means consider myself a keyboard player, but I wanted to introduce some warm, vintage synth sounds, adding another layer and dimension to my music.

While I could do this with software recreations of the Prophet, I would not be able to capture the feel of the instrument and would miss out on the inspiration of having a truly retro experience.

You see, I believe an instrument is more than just its sound. Its look, feel, and even its history affect how I approach, use, and become inspired by an instrument.

The Analog Power of the Prophet 10

The Prophet 10 is a pure analog synthesizer. As the name implies, it is a polyphonic keyboard with 10 voices, each having 2 voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs as they are often called) — you know, the kind that are notorious for tuning issues... we'll get to that in a little bit.

It has a single LFO and both the original Curtis-designed CEM 3320 filter and the Rossum-designed 2140 filter, allowing you to select either the original Rev 1/2 filter or the Rev 3 filter. It has no digital effects and only has a single, mono output. However, what it lacks in modern effects and features, it more than makes up for with its warm, rich sound.

Early Challenges and Resolving Issues

My relationship with the Prophet 10 got off to a somewhat rocky start. The first Prophet I received had trouble staying in tune. After reaching out to Sequential for help and spending hours calibrating and tuning, I could never keep the Prophet in tune. I ultimately decided to swap out the Prophet 10 for a different one.

The tuning issues were gone, but as luck would have it, I faced another issue. If I played the Rev 3 filter and then switched to the Rev 1/2 filter, some notes stopped playing. Again, working with Sequential, they determined this to be a hardware issue.

Rather than swapping out the keyboard again, I decided to replace the main board. This was very easy to do, and the entire process took me about 45 minutes. I recorded the procedure for others who are interested:

A Unique and Inspiring Instrument

I'm happy to say the tuning issues and dropped notes are behind me, and I can finally enjoy the simple beauty of this instrument...

I entered into this  journey just a few short months ago not knowing anything about analog synthesizers. And while I am far from an expert, I have learned that with at least the Prophet 10, you are working with a living, breathing instrument, having its own character and sound.

Every one of the 20 voltage-controlled oscillators and filters has minute differences in tuning and timing due to them being truly analog circuits. All of that sums up to be something magical when played together.

I'm proud to own a Prophet 10. I'm looking forward to years of songwriting, recording, and performing with this amazing instrument.

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