DSI Mopho Keyboard

[Jim Alfredson]

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!

[Tomkeen]

It looks awesome indeed and I really want one too.. But there are other things that need to be bought first though..

[DanS]

I was GASing for the Tetra a while back.

[ITGITC]

Yeah. But how are the piano sounds?

[Tomkeen]

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.

[Mark Schmieder]

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? :-)

[GDP]

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.

[ProfD]

I hope the MoPho sounds better than it looks. These colors are getting more ridiculous every year. D*mn kids, get off my lawn.

[Jim Alfredson]

I think it looks cool!

[ProfD]

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.

[DanS]

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......

[Mark Schmieder]

yeah, so why not fire engine yellow?

 

btw, i never understood that term until i saw some in arizona.

[Nillerbabs]

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.

[Jim Alfredson]

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.

[GDP]

.............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......

[Tomkeen]

.............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.

[GDP]

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?

[Sven Golly]

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.

[Mark Schmieder]

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.

[Sven Golly]

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.

[Sven Golly]

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.

 

[Mark Schmieder]

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.

[Jonathan Hughes]

"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.

[NoahZark]

I think it looks awesome (although I might've preferred a slightly darker colored stain for the end caps).

 

 

[Jim Alfredson]

I was thinking that, too. Which is why if I get one, I'll probably make a custom set of end blocks for it!

[Nillerbabs]

"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.

[Tusker]

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

[zahush76]

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.

[Sven Golly]

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]

 

 

 

[GDP]

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.