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Sequential Prophet XL


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User Sample Import

 

[video:youtube]

 

Features:

 

Price: $FREE

Public BETA

Official Prophet X Series Mapping Utility

Use your own samples with the Prophet X series

Program custom sample sets

Mac/PC Compatible

8MB Download

Direct download / Cloud Server System

Product only available as Direct Download

Prophet X or XL Hardware Synth Required

** Not compatible with Kontakt

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I'm seriously thinking about getting one of these. I have Omnisphere, which does similar things sonically, but without the immediacy of a hardware synth.

 

In addition to its internal capabilities, the Prophet X/XL also appears to be a great control surface for Omnisphere, as demonstrated in this video (jump to 32:17):

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

My Prophet XL was delivered today. I got a great deal on it (15% off) from Alto Music.

 

I really like the keybed. It is a very firm semi-weighted action and works well for piano or synth. It feels solid.

 

It is definitely a firmer action than the Roland VR-730 that I replaced. It's also worth noting that the keys are full-sized piano keys rather than the slightly shorter (front-to-back) organ keys that are common on many semi-weighted keybeds.

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My Prophet XL was delivered today.

Hey Steve, maybe we can get you to bring that bad boy to the next MAKCFH (Mid-Atlantic Keyboard Corner Forum Hang). Stay tuned. :D

 

In the meantime, enjoy the new toy. :wave::cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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Enjoy! I'm glad the early feedback on the action I've seen is positive from several people. I found the keys on the pre-production unit I played far too stiff for my taste but these things are always incredibly personal.

Acoustic: Shigeru Kawai SK-7 ~ Breedlove C2/R

MIDI: Kurzweil Forte ~ Sequential Prophet X ~ Yamaha CP88 ~ Expressive E Osmose

Electric: Schecter Solo Custom Exotic ~ Chapman MLB1 Signature Bass

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  • 3 months later...

The Prophet X / XL may not be a hot topic in these parts but I might as well spread the word here, too. I'm delighted to announce that PXToolkit, my sample preparation utility for the Prophet X, is now available to anyone interested in working with the beta. It should be in good shape but doubtless a few issues will get identified and shaken out over the weeks to come. Many thanks to the alpha testers who have provided feedback in its earlier state.

 

Here's a quick overview of what you can expect from the app:

 

* Per-key sample mapping, fine tuned in cent increments

* Automatic sample key and loop detection from .wav metadata

* Up to 20 velocity layers per key

* Up to 20 round-robin samples per velocity layer

* Undo/redo support

* macOS and Windows support

 

... and in video form:

 

 

There's a dedicated page with download links here. Enjoy, and don't hestitate to get in touch with any bug reports or questions. Before the obvious one gets asked: yes, the application is completely free for personal use.

Acoustic: Shigeru Kawai SK-7 ~ Breedlove C2/R

MIDI: Kurzweil Forte ~ Sequential Prophet X ~ Yamaha CP88 ~ Expressive E Osmose

Electric: Schecter Solo Custom Exotic ~ Chapman MLB1 Signature Bass

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  • 1 year later...

I have a line on one nearby and am sorely tempted, as I was super-impressed by the synth engine (more so than any of the other DSI/Sequential offerings from the past few years) and absolutely love the semi-weighted Fatar action and the overall form factor.

 

I am not generally a fan of 8DIO's sample libraries, but will now listen to some demos of whatever was put in the Prophet XL (I didn't have time tonight to go beyond the analog synth engine part).

 

As I brought nothing with me on my 3100 mile trek to the east coast and don't want to duplicate anything or get anything semi-redundant while here, and as I've been without a main board for a few years now (since selling my Kurzweil PC3X), I'm thinking this might be a great gigging board too, due to the sampling engine part and the 76 semi-weighted keys.

 

I have turned against the Jupiter X series from Roland, and am not a fan of general ROMplers anymore. I'm kind of sold on the Prophet XL, now that I've tried it. I also loved the Moog semi-modular and Subsequent 37 but those are semi-redundant with my Voyager back west, and also wouldn't be versatile gigging keyboards for bands I am hoping to audition for soon.

 

There's a lot of demand for keyboardists in this area and little for bassists plus exactly zero for clarinet and woodwinds (regardless of genre). Maybe due to the times. But it's looking like this might be the right time to shift back into live keyboard playing, as gigs will be light for some time and keyboard skills seem harder to come by, plus the keyboards are in demand to (unfortunately) replace horn players etc.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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I was super-impressed by the synth engine (more so than any of the other DSI/Sequential offerings from the past few years) and absolutely love the semi-weighted Fatar action...

 

As I brought nothing with me on my 3100 mile trek to the east coast and don't want to duplicate anything or get anything semi-redundant while here...I'm kind of sold on the Prophet XL.

Go for it. Do not over-think or 2nd guess it. That KB has enough under the hood to keep you busy and it's capable of covering the bases if you decide to gig. :thu::cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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Thanks; it is highly doubtful I will pass up this opportunity. Realistically, during this extended COVID period and being away from all of my music gear in CA for whoever knows how long, a super-good keyboard is going to satisfy me a lot more in solo mode in a house share where I can't really make audible noise, than any other option (i.e. it's just as well that I didn't bring a clarinet, but I was afraid of theft mostly).

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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On second thought, the Yamaha P-515 is only $1500 and has a built-in scratchpad sequencer for working off-line from the computer, so may be a more practical choice, if only I could find one to try so that I know if I like its keybed. I swore when I sold my P12 that I would never buy another polysynth or ROMpler and stick just to computer-based sounds and acoustic instruments from now on, alongside my B3 clone and Moog Voyager. But that was based on my needs at the time, and needs are subject to change, especially during COVID.

 

As even a Digital Piano's built-in sounds would be for off-line practice only (and maybe gigs) due to VSL Synchron Pianos and C. Bechstein being my choices these days, there's still an advantage for the immediacy of working off-line on a well-rounded keyboard such as the Prophet XL. It could also transport in my teeny tiny car back to CA if I skip this town; the P-515 might not fit easily amongst the other stuff I'd have to car the 3100 miles back home.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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On second thought, the Yamaha P-515 is only $1500 and has a built-in scratchpad sequencer for working off-line from the computer...there's still an advantage for the immediacy of working off-line on a well-rounded keyboard such as the Prophet XL.

From an offline perspective, compositionally, the Prophet XL offers more creative options than a DP.

 

The Prophet XL allows for digging into sound design using analog synthesis and samples which in turn can spark ideas that might not spring from the traditional approach to composition. :cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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Good points, ProfD. Everyone I talk to says go for the Prophet XL.

 

I wrote some of my best instrumentals on the Prophet 12, but did end up re-orchestrating everything afterwards.

 

The Prophet X (and later the XL) intrigued me when it came out, then I eventually forgot about it for some reason!

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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I paid for it over the phone tonight ($2600) and will pick it up after work tomorrow.

 

I'm going to try to find an Ultimate IQ-3000 stand (or order one), and a Gator 88-slim gig bag.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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I paid for it over the phone tonight ($2600) and will pick it up after work tomorrow.

 

I'm going to try to find an Ultimate IQ-3000 stand (or order one), and a Gator 88-slim gig bag.

Awesome. :thu:

 

I hope the Prophet XL arrives in perfect working condition and looks great. I think you made an excellent choice.:cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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It seems to be in fine condition. Serial number is quite low, so probably I'll need to do a firmware update right away. I think it had just gone on the floor the day I visited the store earlier this week.

 

8DIO has a sale today but it doesn't cover their Prophet XL sound banks. I didn't think many of the audio demos sounded good anyway; after all, they are sample-based snapshots of synths!

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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8DIO has a sale today but it doesn't cover their Prophet XL sound banks. I didn't think many of the audio demos sounded good anyway; after all, they are sample-based snapshots of synths!

With your music background and knowledge, I expect you'll be able to manipulate those Prophet XL samples and synth parameters in ways beyond what the P12 could do. :cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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Congratulations on your purchase! I've had a Prophet X from the start and it fills a unique niche, blending a really sweet nostalgic filter in an unusual stereo configuration with a sizable modern sample library. There are some wonderful samples available for the Prophet X / XL from sources other than 8Dio. Several kind members of the community worked with me to create the VCO Pack, a free collection of samples that capture the unique qualities of a variety of analog oscillators. GoldBaby's Bluewave pack of PPG Wave samples is also excellent and very reasonably priced.

 

I got tired of waiting for the official sample preparation tool to show signs of evolving to support everything the Prophet X is capable of, so I wrote my own. PXToolkit is freely available for your personal use, and the page linked also includes links to several other sample packs that have been prepared with it, including Goldbaby's. There's a massive pack of Deckard's Dream samples freely available, and a piano that was sampled for the Pianobook project that I quite liked.

Acoustic: Shigeru Kawai SK-7 ~ Breedlove C2/R

MIDI: Kurzweil Forte ~ Sequential Prophet X ~ Yamaha CP88 ~ Expressive E Osmose

Electric: Schecter Solo Custom Exotic ~ Chapman MLB1 Signature Bass

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I picked it up after work tonight, along with a perfect-fit Road Runner gig bag, and immediately updated the firmware and explored the additional tools and sound banks. Pretty impressed by the whole package, and also loaded the 9000 foot piano recorded outside of Denver CO.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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The 8DIO packs are $21.60 apiece during the new 55% off sale that started today.

 

This does change the value perception for me a bit, but I'm not yet sure how much.

 

I for sure am buying the Jupiter4 set as that synth is rarely emulated and I like the demos.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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