Your thoughts on the Prophet 12

Razmo

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Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #20 on: November 16, 2015, 03:46:32 PM »
Thank you guys for all the information shared here. It just reinforces that I really do want a P12!

In the end, I can't hear the difference between the filters because one is just capable of being a bit brighter than the other.

It's nice to know that the 12 can have some of the analog mojo of the 08. I'd love to hear that though... videos on YouTube show me that it can't, at least not without any effects. If I could test it (which I can't), and heard that, I'd sell the 08. I just can't even think about it right now. I like the 08 and I'm not willing to sell it. I'm also in a bit of a pain to discover what to do space-wise - maybe the 12 module is inevitable.

In the end, I think I miss hearing what the 12 is really capable of. I've heard only a few of good demonstrations of the Prophet 12, and even fewer where it had an analog feel to it. Even so, almost enjoy a lot of what I hear from the 12.

Cheers! Thank you all once again!!

I also have my P08 besides the P12... I'm not ready to give up on analog oscillators to digital ones, I want them both... the analog oscillators simply sound more full, and especialy in the higher registers they're clean... the P12 has aliasing as any other digital synth when you go there... so it's nice to have analog oscillators in that case... I can certainly hear the difference between the two... the P08 is simply much fuller, more beefy, creamy... less sterile...
If you need me, follow the shadows...

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #21 on: November 23, 2015, 08:08:28 PM »
It's been about a year since I dove in and purchased my P12 and I remember asking many of the same questions myself before I eventually decided to take the plunge. Now that a year has passed I must say that I'm very glad that I chose to purchase this synth.

My musical interests are fairly diverse and perhaps this is one reason why having the P12 has been the right fit for me. Currently, I'm working on a solo electronica project as well as playing piano in a jazz duo and a five piece jazz/rock band. I also recently got to work with a couple of other bands playing in a variety of styles from cacophonous free jazz to funk and soul. I don't mention all of this to toot my own horn here (no pun intended), but to say that in all of these projects the P12 has found a place in the music.

When I first got my Prophet I focused mostly on crafting solo pieces at home. At one point our band had a gig where we intended to do an entire set of improvised electronic music that featured our bass player on modular synth. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to get the P12 out of the home try it out at a gig. The group was pretty enthusiastic about its sound and so the next week I started bringing it to to practice sessions. More and more it's become a regular part of our set.

It's also worth saying that the P12 is my primary synth. The only other hardware synth I own is a Novation Ultranova - which was my first synth and I still use regularly. I'm not particularly interested in the esoteric debates about digital vs analog or whether this synth is more suited to this style of sound than another. I don't have lot of money to spend on instruments (though I'd happily collect a few more if I could :) ) and what I'm looking for is a versatile, professional quality instrument that sounds good to my ears. The P12 checks all of these boxes for me. For everyone that claims it can or can't create a certain sound there's sure to be someone that disagrees. I will say that for pretty much I every musical role I've needed it for I've been able to coax the sound I wanted from it. Big basses; funky leads; rich, evolving pads; weird glitchy mayhem; etc.. Can other synths do the same or better for certain roles? Probably. But for me the P12 has done these jobs quite well. To put it simply; I enjoy listening to the sounds this thing makes.

Really quickly, I wanted to touch on the question about the musical usefulness of the tuned feedback. I've used it on a few patches either at a static setting or with gentle modulation to get some edgy, slightly dissonant sounds. I'm by no means an expert on all the ways it could be used, but that feature really comes into it's own for me when performing live. During intense moments in improvised sections of songs the wild, almost out of control tones that can be pried from the synth with the feedback controls can really push the music into a chaotic territory that raises hairs. Those two knobs get a lot of action some nights :).   

What I'm trying to offer here is less of an in depth technical review -- for that I'd check out Sound on Sound's review, but rather to share the more difficult to quantify impressions that come from getting to know an instrument. To sum it all up I'd say that my appreciation of the Prophet 12 has only increased with playing it. The people I've been playing with have really appreciated it's sound. It's a cool feeling getting to know an instrument and I'm psyched that I've had the opportunity to play a wide variety of music with this synth and I look forward to incorporating it into future projects.

-Adam

http://madebyrobotsmusic.com

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #22 on: November 27, 2015, 11:21:59 AM »
I'll just say that I love it for the seamingly endless possibilities. I often don't have any specific sound in mind but just try things. You can experiment in ways not possible with many other synths and happy accidents happen.

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #23 on: December 05, 2015, 03:09:03 PM »
I've had my eye on the P12 for about a year now and just pulled the trigger on a P12 module.  Did a ton of research but with 4 OSC's, 4 LFO's, & 4 envelopes per voice and the absolutely insane modulation matrix, there was no other competition that came close to clicking all the features I wanted.  Can't wait for the FedEx truck in a couple days :-)
Mutiny in Jonestown, Progressive Rock Since 1987:

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Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #24 on: December 06, 2015, 09:19:15 PM »
Sweet! Let us know how it goes once you start diving in.

-AP

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #25 on: December 07, 2015, 12:03:22 PM »
Sweet! Let us know how it goes once you start diving in.

-AP

Thanks, I will  ;)
Mutiny in Jonestown, Progressive Rock Since 1987:

Website: https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown
Bandcamp: https://mutinyinjonestown.bandcamp.com/

Steven Morris

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Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #26 on: December 14, 2015, 01:30:14 PM »
Did anyone else see this tweet?

https://twitter.com/dsiSequential/status/673931334843170816/photo/1


This is truly an amazing thing for P12 owners IMO. I was very much considering getting a P12 when they came out, but ultimately decided not to because of the lack of linear FM capabilities. Once again, I have become super interested in it!

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #27 on: December 16, 2015, 02:50:04 PM »
Did anyone else see this tweet?

https://twitter.com/dsiSequential/status/673931334843170816/photo/1


This is truly an amazing thing for P12 owners IMO.

In the other forum we have been testing the linear FM since a few months ago. It is great, gives a totally new sound palette to the synth. I am impressed that the P12 can sound oberheim like in one patch and in the next it makes this DX7 piano-like sound, and in the next one you get this totally crazy digital and evolving landscape... There is no other machine that truly comes close. Well, maybe my Korg Z1 has also this wiiiiiiide and crazy sound palette (from Virtual Acoustic, realistic electric pianos, virtual analog, FM) but soundwise the P12 is more interesting.

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #28 on: December 16, 2015, 09:06:51 PM »
That's pretty exciting. I'll have to study up on FM synthesis. I've only really ever tinkered with software FM synths so the rabbit hole that is the P12 is about to get much deeper.

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #29 on: December 16, 2015, 10:23:22 PM »
To answer the original question: it's awesome. By far my favourite synth. Really solid build, great keyboard, instant access to almost every parameter from the front panel. The modulation capability is huge and easy to assign and tweak. The timbral range is immense, and you can layer and split for even more complex stuff. Now with linear FM coming it's only getting better. It's my desert island synth.

Razmo

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Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #30 on: December 17, 2015, 02:39:46 PM »
Personaly, I find that the FM is a nice addition to the P12... very handy, but I find it more confusing to use than a REAL FM synth to be honest, and the fact that it does not have feedback options is a bit saddening, as soe of the most nice bass sounds I know from FM is only obtainable with feedback... those rubbery techno-style basses (kind of like how the Lately Bass sounds, just a bit more extreme).

But as an FM atmospheric synthscape, I think the P12 doubles tenfold with the linear FM... absolutely superb addition.

Now I'm only waiting for the official release, as some mod destinations do not work on the beta.
If you need me, follow the shadows...

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #31 on: December 17, 2015, 07:25:24 PM »
the fact that it does not have feedback options is a bit saddening, as soe of the most nice bass sounds I know from FM is only obtainable with feedback...

Correct me if i am wrong, I thought that using an OSC as a modulation source of another OSC in the MOD matrix acts like FM feedback between operators? I think in the other forum we posted the original algorithms from 4OP and 6OP FM synths and most (not all) of them could be achieved.

But maybe I am just confused, my only experience with FM is the TG77 which is an awesome machine that I sold to fund my P12's purchase.

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #32 on: December 17, 2015, 11:55:49 PM »
Thank you guys for all the information shared here. It just reinforces that I really do want a P12!

In the end, I can't hear the difference between the filters because one is just capable of being a bit brighter than the other.

It's nice to know that the 12 can have some of the analog mojo of the 08. I'd love to hear that though... videos on YouTube show me that it can't, at least not without any effects. If I could test it (which I can't), and heard that, I'd sell the 08. I just can't even think about it right now. I like the 08 and I'm not willing to sell it. I'm also in a bit of a pain to discover what to do space-wise - maybe the 12 module is inevitable.

In the end, I think I miss hearing what the 12 is really capable of. I've heard only a few of good demonstrations of the Prophet 12, and even fewer where it had an analog feel to it. Even so, almost enjoy a lot of what I hear from the 12.

Cheers! Thank you all once again!!

I also have my P08 besides the P12... I'm not ready to give up on analog oscillators to digital ones, I want them both... the analog oscillators simply sound more full, and especialy in the higher registers they're clean... the P12 has aliasing as any other digital synth when you go there... so it's nice to have analog oscillators in that case... I can certainly hear the difference between the two... the P08 is simply much fuller, more beefy, creamy... less sterile...

Are you sure it is aliasing?

I have checked the oscillators on the P12 carefully with a spectrum analyser,  I do see seem high frequency noise on the P12 but it isn't aliasing as far as I can see.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #33 on: December 21, 2015, 08:34:27 AM »
I'd love to hear complex layered - but musical - pads on the Prophet 12.  I've been listening to Roland JD XA videos lately, and, although it certainly doesn't rise to the level of high-quality instrument that the Prophet 12 does, still, it can make some very beautiful complex evolving pads.  For whatever reason, it's easy to find such demos of the Roland, but not of the P12.   
« Last Edit: December 21, 2015, 08:38:40 AM by Sacred Synthesis »

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #34 on: December 21, 2015, 09:28:59 AM »
Personaly, I find that the FM is a nice addition to the P12... very handy, but I find it more confusing to use than a REAL FM synth to be honest, and the fact that it does not have feedback options is a bit saddening, as soe of the most nice bass sounds I know from FM is only obtainable with feedback... those rubbery techno-style basses (kind of like how the Lately Bass sounds, just a bit more extreme).

I'm finding the FM a lot more rubbery once you push the envelope limits a bit more with duplicated mod slots - try three or four simultaneous slots of Env3 127 Osc1FM  8)

If you go mad and create eight Env-to-FM slots, low notes sound like elastic bands on steroids! ;)


Martin

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #35 on: December 21, 2015, 12:02:54 PM »
I'd love to hear complex layered - but musical - pads on the Prophet 12.  I've been listening to Roland JD XA videos lately, and, although it certainly doesn't rise to the level of high-quality instrument that the Prophet 12 does, still, it can make some very beautiful complex evolving pads.  For whatever reason, it's easy to find such demos of the Roland, but not of the P12.   

What about these? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IzyHt-VY24

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #36 on: December 21, 2015, 01:57:22 PM »
Yes, I've heard that one.  Not bad, but I think the depth comes more from the Strymon Bigsky than from the instrument.  I mean rich layered pads, rather than just dreaminess.  I found the JD-XA to excel at these, without too much processing.

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #37 on: December 21, 2015, 02:00:51 PM »
Yes, I've heard that one.  Not bad, but I think the depth comes more from the Strymon Bigsky than from the instrument.  I mean rich layered pads, rather than just dreaminess.  I found the JD-XA to excel at these, without too much processing.

Gotcha. I was just thinking of these, since the JD-XA is rarely heard without its internal effects.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #38 on: December 21, 2015, 02:03:21 PM »
Gotcha. I was just thinking of these, since the JD-XA is rarely heard without its internal effects.

That's true, but I haven't heard it yet with nearly as much reverb as the previous video. 

eXode

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Re: Your thoughts on the Prophet 12
« Reply #39 on: December 22, 2015, 01:53:12 AM »
Have you seen (or rather, heard) this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3La5LE3kvA