Prophet X bread and butter

[pebre]

I know this has been asked a few times, but I haven't read a answer (anywhere).I would like to use it (also) to play in a live band. I know It's not the real intention of this synth, but surely the oscillators must be usable to create every bread and butter synth sound, right? (pads, leads, synth strings). Do you think the internal samples suffice in pop brass, pop strings and some rhodes and acoustic piano? I also have a Nord stage 3 so I have some coverage but sometimes I need 2 synth to play all parts (dont want to buy an extra Nord stage). I want my live sounds to be as good as possible. If the internal sounds wouldn't be perfect for i.e. pop brass, I suppose I could sample them (from kontakt or my Montage) with samplerobot, but I want to focus on playing rather than messing with software ;-).

Many thanks for answering yet another guy who wants to use it like a 'workstation/rompler.'

[LoboLives]

I know this has been asked a few times, but I haven't read a answer (anywhere).I would like to use it (also) to play in a live band. I know It's not the real intention of this synth, but surely the oscillators must be usable to create every bread and butter synth sound, right? (pads, leads, synth strings). Do you think the internal samples suffice in pop brass, pop strings and some rhodes and acoustic piano? I also have a Nord stage 3 so I have some coverage but sometimes I need 2 synth to play all parts (dont want to buy an extra Nord stage). I want my live sounds to be as good as possible. If the internal sounds wouldn't be perfect for i.e. pop brass, I suppose I could sample them (from kontakt or my Montage) with samplerobot, but I want to focus on playing rather than messing with software ;-).

Many thanks for answering yet another guy who wants to use it like a 'workstation/rompler.'

Absolutely. I’d recommend playing the Rhodes and Piano parts in 32 voice mode and the synth parts in 8 voice mode. The internal samples are very good but as you said, you can always sample more sounds if you need to. I’ve loaded some Fairlight, Emulator III (which has some excellent Pipe Organ, sitar, pop brass sounds) D50 and Synclavier sounds into mine.

[pebre]

OK, I'm going to reply to my own question, so other readers can use it if they like. I bought the prophet XL eventhough a lot of people told me it was no workingstation. That is correct. It is not. But in that respect, neither is a Nord Stage (which I also have). After playbing with it for a whole week almost everyday, I do not regret the purchase. With the digital oscillators all synth bread and butter sounds are easily created (synth brass, strings, leads,...). I have programmed (nothing fancy) a few 32 voice piano's, rhodes,wurly and clav sounds. I have not come accross note stealing. So polyphony is good (i do se the sustain pedal). There are also a few pop brass patches (brass with synth brass) which are very usable in a live band. Not the most authentic acoustic pop brass, but it cuts through the mix.
I'm goign to buy the sample robot stuff so I can sample some brighter pop strings and brass sounds for live use. And maybe add some dx-type of e-piano sounds, but with 50Gb of room, that should be easy. 
I also heard the 8dio was going to launch acoustic sample sets, now that all the synth stuff is finished. So maybe that's promising too.
All in all I'm blown away by the sound quality of this beast. It's expensive, but so is a nord stage. For me it's bread and butter sounds are super. So if you don't need accordeons, which you also could sample) it's got most of it inside. The piano's are more ballad, chill, cinematic than bright rock piano's and the hammond is not as flexible as the nord. I have used a neo vent with the basic hammond sound of the prophet and it does sound very capable when you don't need to many variations in your song. 

So for what's it worth. I like my purchase and it also has allowed me to do the more cinematic ambient stuff as well. I'm going to buy me a modal argon8 as well to use it together with  the prophet. I think this will be a very good combo.

[kimu]

i have a Prophet XL and for many years i have played in live band (prog metal) using different korg workstation (i am a big fan of korg) and a v-synth for some times.
Personally i won't use the PX / PXL for a live band, there are no quick patch recall, effects are not comparable with workstation one, split and layering of patches is basic and with very low polyphony. Further my impression is that PX is quite difficult to put in a mix.
While it is a great gear for studio and sound design i won't rely on it for live playing.

[kimu]

I also have a Nord stage 3 so I have some coverage but sometimes I need 2 synth to play all parts (dont want to buy an extra Nord stage).

would you spent some words about NS3 vs PX ?
i mean, i know are totally different beast, i am not totally conviced of keeping my PXL and had an offer to trade it for a NS3 88 and wonder if it worth or not 

[pebre]

about the NS3 VS Prophet
I think there are more simularities then one would expect. Of course the piano's and organs of the NS3 are more multifunctional out of the box. The synth/rompler is also quite capable. To be honest the Nord sounds great. Personally I have to come across a synth that sounds so good in a live environment. I also have a Montage and the piano has more velocity layers than the nord but doesn't sound nearly as good as the nord in a live setting. No workstation can touch the organs of the Nord. I also have a crumar mojo and the organ/rhodes sounds are more authentic/better than the nord but compared to the real competitors (yamaha, korg, kurzweil). Nord is better. I like the amount of controllers and buttons on the Nord, simular to the prophet. Having a small screen is not an issue when you have knobs for almost everything. To be honest a touch screen for live playing, i don't like it. You can't use in on a 2-tier stand as bottom keyboard because you almost can't read it, it's too far back. Sweaty fingers hate it. So I love the approach of the prophet and the nord, lot of knobs and a setlist function.

I must admit  for instance a kurzweil has a lot more flexibility than nord or prophet, with all the layers and splits you can create (assignable sliders, buttons. But in my kind of bands I do not miss this. I usually do it with a split or a stack. A nord also has limitations when it comes to splits and stacks.

On the positive side of the prophet, I think the synth sounds more 'juicy' than the nord. I admit I haven't used it live but the warmth of the synth strings and pads is phenomenal. I can only suspect it sounds powerful in a live band.

I know it's not always possible for us musicians but I would keep both. Try to use them both for what they are best at. (if your setlist allows). I'm going to buy samplerobot and sample the pop brass of the montage and a few discostring sounds (use 32voice mode) and enjoy the synth sounds from the prophet and piano's and organs from the Nord. I also have a neo vent so I'm going to test this on the prophet organs which I think have a good base sound.

On the down side of the nord. It's user memory is nothing compared to the prophet. Although I can't understand why they have made everything fixed (150gb with fixed samples and presets, I don't get it). With nord you can throw out everything if you like. I would love that on the prophet

also downside nord : still a lot of use for the shift button (you get used to that but nevertheless)
splitpoints are fixed (you have a few but sometimes you want another splitpoint, especially when you use you own samples)
The prophet allows you to create a sound with 4 saw waves (2 samples and 2 oscillators) On the nord that's impossible. 2 saws is max.

That means that for synth/sampled sounds the prophet is better. But if you want to stack piano's (acoustic + dx7EP + string + pad) with lots of polyphony, the Nord wins.

hope this helps.
If not, feel free to ask.

I also have a Montage, a kurzweil PC4 , Crumar Mojo and a Korg King Korg

[kimu]

Great answer, thanks. It clears a lot 👍🙏