Jim Alfredson Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I am totally buying one of these when I get back home at the end of the month. http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/products/mophokey/mophokey_specs.php Frickin' sweet! Quote Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomkeen Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 It looks awesome indeed and I really want one too.. But there are other things that need to be bought first though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanS Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I was GASing for the Tetra a while back. Quote What we record in life, echoes in eternity. Yamaha Montage M7, Nord Electro 6D, Hammond XK1c, Dave Smith PolyEvolver & Rack, Moog Voyager, Modal Cobalt 8X, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Yeah. But how are the piano sounds? Quote "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomkeen Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Yeah. But how are the piano sounds? The most realistic ever, but they're monophonic.... You'll need to get a shitload of Tetra's and polychain the whole bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Hey waitaminnit, did the Mopho table-top edition already have four LFO's? I don't see the LFO's listed on its spec page; just on the keyboard edition. I thought I remembered it having two LFO's. Wow, this is a gorgeous keyboard. It would look nice next to an Evolver keyboard, wouldn't it? :-) Quote 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDP Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Hey waitaminnit, did the Mopho table-top edition already have four LFO's? I don't see the LFO's listed on its spec page; just on the keyboard edition. I thought I remembered it having two LFO's. The tabletop MoPho has 4 LFO's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I hope the MoPho sounds better than it looks. These colors are getting more ridiculous every year. D*mn kids, get off my lawn. Quote PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted May 11, 2010 Author Share Posted May 11, 2010 I think it looks cool! Quote Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I think it looks cool! Yeah, it does in a funky way. I'd just have to wrap my brain around the idea of dropping LH bass bombs from something that looks like a big a** block of cheese. Quote PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanS Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I think it looks cool! Yeah, it does in a funky way. I'd just have to wrap my brain around the idea of dropping LH bass bombs from something that looks like a big a** block of cheese. People got used to the fire engine red...... Quote What we record in life, echoes in eternity. Yamaha Montage M7, Nord Electro 6D, Hammond XK1c, Dave Smith PolyEvolver & Rack, Moog Voyager, Modal Cobalt 8X, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 yeah, so why not fire engine yellow? btw, i never understood that term until i saw some in arizona. Quote 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nillerbabs Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Meh, it looks a little toyish. Also, I would've preferred it with 37 keys. It loses some points to the Little Phatty in looks, not having that Moog sound and in having an externl wallwart IMO - but on the other hand it's more lightweight, has aftertouch, has some audio features not found in the LP and will cost quite a penny less than the Moog. Considerations... I for one have to try it out before settling on anything. Quote When in doubt, superimpose pentatonics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted May 12, 2010 Author Share Posted May 12, 2010 It's a different sound than the Moog. The Curtis chip sound. I already have a Voyager, so this will be a nice alternative. Plus pair it with a Tetra, and you've got a 5-voice synth that's a lot like the Prophet 5. Quote Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDP Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 .............Plus pair it with a Tetra, and you've got a 5-voice synth that's a lot like the Prophet 5. I suggest that if your goal is to link the Mopho keyboard to a Tetra to get close to a Prophet 5, you might consider this: Prophet '08 The '08 is about the same width as a Nord Lead, you can control it all real time from the panel (Tetra really requires software), 5 octaves and no wasted space at the ends, Killer sound (watch the demos), 8 voices, and the price difference is negligible. Oh, and the P'08 really does look cool as well! Just a thought...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomkeen Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 .............Plus pair it with a Tetra, and you've got a 5-voice synth that's a lot like the Prophet 5. I suggest that if your goal is to link the Mopho keyboard to a Tetra to get close to a Prophet 5, you might consider this: Prophet '08 The '08 is about the same width as a Nord Lead, you can control it all real time from the panel (Tetra really requires software), 5 octaves and no wasted space at the ends, Killer sound (watch the demos), 8 voices, and the price difference is negligible. You don't need software for the Tetra if you hook it up to a mopho keyboard... Also, the prophet doesn't have the suboscillators and feedback functions that the mopho and tetra have. Makes a big difference in sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDP Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Yup, there are trade-offs...it was just a suggestion...but the Prophet 5 didn't have these features either (I don't think). I have a Tetra and am thoroughly pleased with it. I just don't understand how the panel on the Mopho keyboard can control the Tetra when linked. I mean the knobs on the Mopho are hardwired to itself, right...how does this work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 I just don't understand how the panel on the Mopho keyboard can control the Tetra when linked. I mean the knobs on the Mopho are hardwired to itself, right...how does this work? Check your manual for Poly Chain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Oh, that's cool that Dave implemented Poly Chain on these cheaper models as well! Apparently the MIDI implementation of these models is different enough from the P'08 that it isn't possible to Poly Chain with that model, correct? I could see how a firmware update to the P'08 might make this possible if it ignores irrelevant information. Quote 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Apparently the MIDI implementation of these models is different enough from the P'08 that it isn't possible to Poly Chain with that model, correct? According to the Tetra page: Expandable: poly chain with other Tetras, Prophet '08, and Mopho for expanded polyphony Given that the Tetra is, in Dave's own words, "four Mophos, or half of a Prophet '08", I don't see why it (the Mopho Keyboard) wouldn't or couldn't expand to the P'08 as you suggest, Mark. Not sure why someone with a Prophet'08 would also buy the Mopho keyboard instead of a Tetra, though. Edit: Well, I suppose I can surmise that someone would want to take just the Mopho K to a gig and leave the big brother at home... and want the Poly Chain functionality at home... but would be a rare occurrance, in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 After a moment downloading the Mopho Keyboard manual, found this: Mophos Poly Chain output enables it to be connected to other DSI synths for up to 17-voice polyphony. Products that can be chained include the Tetra, Prophet '08 (module and keyboard), desktop Mopho, and a second keyboard Mopho. It will not chain with the Evolvers and Poly Evolvers due to the different voice structures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Not everything I post is in self-interest. :-) I like to promote DSI products (past and present), so I tend to pay more attention to the possibilities with DSI gear, whether it is of personal interest or not. I bought the Mopho tabletop module when it came out, and resold it to a forum member. I simply determined it was mostly-redundant for me, and that I prefer Mono Evolver for the grittier stuff. Yet a Mopho Keyboard probably would have held more appeal going out of the gate, and I might have kept it had that been what I bought. But I don't personally think I'd poly-chain a Mopho and a P'08. Right now, I have my eyes on Tom Oberheim's Two-Voice and the possibilities of that architecture for basses/leads. Quote 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Hughes Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 "It loses some points to the Little Phatty in looks, not having that Moog sound and in having an externl wallwart IMO" Yeah, my stratocaster lost a ton of points for not having that saxophone sound. a TON. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahZark Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 I think it looks awesome (although I might've preferred a slightly darker colored stain for the end caps). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted May 13, 2010 Author Share Posted May 13, 2010 I was thinking that, too. Which is why if I get one, I'll probably make a custom set of end blocks for it! Quote Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nillerbabs Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 "It loses some points to the Little Phatty in looks, not having that Moog sound and in having an externl wallwart IMO" Yeah, my stratocaster lost a ton of points for not having that saxophone sound. a TON. It's not that every synth I come across should have the same sound as a Moog - now, that would be boring. But where I am right now, the sounds I need would simply sound ideal through that moog filter - when I tried out the LP I was wowed 'til my pants dropped - which is why this otherwise odd comparison is valid for me. Quote When in doubt, superimpose pentatonics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Yup. A lot of jazz and rock players are really looking for that Moog ladder sound in a synth. They should get a Moog and not compromise. Yet Jo Zawinul managed to inspire a generation of synth players without much Moog. The DSI instruments have a different character and ... should be given a chance to speak in their voice. I love their oscillator sync sounds. I don't think anyone else quite does it the same way. There is something beautiful about a Curtis chip snarling that way.... Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zahush76 Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Apparently the MIDI implementation of these models is different enough from the P'08 that it isn't possible to Poly Chain with that model, correct? According to the Tetra page: Expandable: poly chain with other Tetras, Prophet '08, and Mopho for expanded polyphony Given that the Tetra is, in Dave's own words, "four Mophos, or half of a Prophet '08", I don't see why it (the Mopho Keyboard) wouldn't or couldn't expand to the P'08 as you suggest, Mark. Not sure why someone with a Prophet'08 would also buy the Mopho keyboard instead of a Tetra, though. Edit: Well, I suppose I can surmise that someone would want to take just the Mopho K to a gig and leave the big brother at home... and want the Poly Chain functionality at home... but would be a rare occurrance, in my mind. If you actually read the Tetra's specs - you would have seen that (with respect to Dave's own words) it's not just "half a prophet 08". If you look into the osc section - you have 2 osc per voice, plus 2 sub osc. That's 4 osc per voice. Four voices makes it a total of 16 osc. On top of that you also have the feedback that can create distorted sounds that are impossible on the prophet 08. So a Tetra isn't just half a prophet 08. It's all on Google, dude. Quote Vermona Perfourmer mkii, Nord Stage 3 76 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 If you actually read the Tetra's specs - you would have seen that (with respect to Dave's own words) it's not just "half a prophet 08". If you look into the osc section - you have 2 osc per voice, plus 2 sub osc. That's 4 osc per voice. Four voices makes it a total of 16 osc. On top of that you also have the feedback that can create distorted sounds that are impossible on the prophet 08. So a Tetra isn't just half a prophet 08. It's all on Google, dude. You really need to get a different hobby, Z. Watch this for the first 12 seconds, and if you have a problem with this, talk to Dave Smith. You know, the guy that designed these things. [video:youtube] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDP Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Well, I think you are both correct.....Dave S. is establishing that the Tetra is versatile and can be used in various ways and applications. Minimally, it is 1/2 a P'08, but it also has other features as Z points out. More importantly, when chaining the Tetra with a Mopho keyboard or a P'08, there are other issues with each scenario that should be considered. 1.) The Mopho keyboard does not have the voice layering feature present in the Tetra....Mopho cannot do splits or stacks. As a control surface the Mopho cannot control these features in the Tetra. 2.) The P'08 does not have sub-oscillators or the feedback routing capabilities present in the Tetra, again as a control surface the P'08 cannot control these features in the Tetra. At a minimum these limitations should be considered when deciding on your setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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