Anyone know of a Prophet 08 VST (to control the Prophet 08?)

[Steve Force]

I searched the interwebz but didn't immediately find anything.

 

Anyone stumble across a Prophet 08 VST that can control the DSI Prophet 08?

 

I already have the Soundtower "Prophet '08 Editor/Librarian Software" from DSI.

Thanks.

 

[mate stubb]

Doesn't it have real knobs? Why do you want to control it with software knobs?

[Steve Force]

I have the Rack-mounted Prophet 08. Certainly I can twist the knobs to my hearts content but I am seeking a VST for Cubase 5.

[Synthoid]

Doesn't it have real knobs?

 

Sure does:

 

http://cdn.mos.musicradar.com/images/Future%20Music/Issue%20194/FMU194.rev_dsmith.prpht_det2_prev-850-100.jpg

[Tonysounds]

I've never heard of a VST to control a hardware device but my nomenclature might be wrong; I thought VSTs were the actual sound generating plugins: VSTs

 

That said, I use Native Instruments Pro 53 which completely rocks.

 

NI has discontinued the product, but you can still find it (and they still support it):

PRO53

[Steve Force]

I've never heard of a VST to control a hardware device but my nomenclature might be wrong; I thought VSTs were the actual sound generating plugins: VSTs

 

That said, I use Native Instruments Pro 53 which completely rocks.

 

NI has discontinued the product, but you can still find it (and they still support it):

PRO53

 

Why can't a VST control an external MIDI device? Cubase can control my Motif ES6 via VST..

 

I understand Waldorf Blofeld has such a VST.

 

BTW: I have NI Pro53 (have had it for years, Tassman as well) but just curious if there is a VST to control a Prophet 08.

[Tonysounds]

I guess because they would have to assign midi transmit to each controller? Which shouldn't be a big deal as you can assign midi receive to same, but who knows? Just seems clumsier to do it this way. I personally hate mousing drawbar and knob changes.

[mate stubb]

Sounds like what you want is more of a midi remote control. I doubt there is a dedicated one for P8, but you could probably make a template to control it from a more generic program.

 

Svengle came up with this:

http://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_RemoteControl/

[Steve Force]

Sounds like what you want is more of a midi remote control. I doubt there is a dedicated one for P8, but you could probably make a template to control it from a more generic program.

 

Svengle came up with this:

http://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_RemoteControl/

 

Thanks for the Svengle; however, as previously stated I have the Editor/Librarian from DSI: link

 

Not sure if it is even available but I seek a VST that I can control via Cubase. If not, no biggie.

[Sven Golly]

I have the Rack-mounted Prophet 08. Certainly I can twist the knobs to my hearts content but I am seeking a VST for Cubase 5.

 

I think the problem is your use of the term "VST" ... that's normally used to refer to the instruments and effects themselves.

 

What you actually want is what is referred to as a Device Panel for Cubase that's customized for the P'08.

 

These can be created yourself, or you can do a search to find one. I found a reference to one on Cubase.net, but the link is no longer valid (it was from Sept 09).

 

There are a few tutorials online on how to create these, and Bob's yer mother's brother.

[Steve Force]

Yeah, I see what you mean, Sven, and how it could be confusing. I do not see where it specifically states that VST components all have to be in software but if Control Panel is a more common term then I can accept that.

 

Thanks all for your input!

[Jim Alfredson]

If you wrote one you could probably sell it.

[Brad Kaenel]

It's kind of a new idea, but there are a few synths that work this way. The Korg MicroX, X50, PS60, for example; you can play them standalone, or load a VST into your DAW and play them as if they were a software instrument.

 

Sorry, I don't know of anything that supports the P'08...

[richwhite9]

You might want to send an email to Soundquest

 

http://squest.com/Windows/MidiQuestXL/MidiQuest-About.html

 

They support over 600 synths. MidiQuest is the full system and UNiQuest is for one synth.

 

At the bottom right there is a link to email a request for synth support.

 

It works standalone or as VST.

 

http://squest.com/Windows/Instruments.html

[DanS]

Why can't a VST control an external MIDI device? Cubase can control my Motif ES6 via VST..

 

Cubase is also using the sound source from the ES6, and in this scenario, like Sven said, the editor in Cubase is acting as a control panel for the hardware.

 

One of the great things about the XS series stuff is it's ability to control soft synths in Cubase from my S70XS.

 

Depending on which version you have of Yamaha's VST editor, you might be able to create your own control panel to twiddle the parameters on the P'08 from your ES6.

The version I use for my S70XS does this.

Bonne chance.

[Mididude]

I have the Rack-mounted Prophet 08. Certainly I can twist the knobs to my hearts content but I am seeking a VST for Cubase 5.

 

If you were to find or write a program for that purpose, wouldn't there be a concern about possible audible 'zippering' if it used m.i.d.i. to control for example the synth's filter cutoff parameter? My understanding is that's one of the primary things that sets analog synths apart from digital ones; that voltage values are changed 'infinitely', rather than discretely. I read just yesterday that's why the midi spec for pitch bend was developed with such high resolution (our ears & brains, ostensibly, are capable of detecting fine changes in pitch over time so 'zippering' there would be undesirable)...I've read before that not all midi controllers send the high-res info; some which are often cheaper in cost send pitch bend at lower resolution (don't ask me to explain hexadecimal theory; I concede that I cannot)... Btw, I'll allow that I could have read or understood wrongly though.

[Steve Force]

Hi Mididude,

 

If I understand your post correctly I gather you think the Prophet 08 is 100% analog controlled. Actually, it digitally controls the analog values(and that is really all I know about it...) so there shouldn't be any data loss issues at all. In fact I can already do what I want to do via the PC-based Editor I mentioned but not within the Cubase itself.

 

[Mididude]

I wasn't trying to be didactic. In fact I mentioned a few times that my comments were according to 'my understanding'. You didn't need to take that (sarcastic) tone and put the hand-waving 'hello?' icon. I'm not interested in a pissing contest over college degrees either. If you can send those values through midi, USB, whatever, and it works for you; more power to ya.

[Steve Force]

I wasn't trying to be didactic. In fact I mentioned a few times that my comments were according to 'my understanding'. You didn't need to take that (sarcastic) tone and put the hand-waving 'hello?' icon. I'm not interested in a pissing contest over college degrees either. If you can send those values through midi, USB, whatever, and it works for you; more power to ya.

 

I'll edit my response since it wasn't intended to be anything other than a reply. Sorry you took it that way.

[Mark Schmieder]

VST is nothing more than a protocol and format standard; it doesn't imply Virtual Instrument or Plug-in Effect. There are even some notation programs written as VST's, so what forceman is looking for may be available, if only in a generic way vs. Prophet-specific. You might also look into whether Novation supports a Prophet template with their innovative control software.

 

I find the SoundTower editor frutsrating due to all the bugs on the Mac, which I did report, but I also haven't checked for recent updates. As the knobs do affect the actual synth (depending on how you've set things up), I guess I'm a little confused about what you're looking for.

[mcgoo]

I would think Cubase would have some kinda utility to build what you're looking for. I use Sonar, which has Studioware (I think that's what it's called- I haven't used that tool in a long time). Seems Sonar & Cubase are always trying to keep up with each other, so you may look for such a utility.

[Steve Force]

VST is nothing more than a protocol and format standard; it doesn't imply Virtual Instrument or Plug-in Effect. There are even some notation programs written as VST's, so what forceman is looking for may be available, if only in a generic way vs. Prophet-specific. You might also look into whether Novation supports a Prophet template with their innovative control software.

 

I find the SoundTower editor frutsrating due to all the bugs on the Mac, which I did report, but I also haven't checked for recent updates. As the knobs do affect the actual synth (depending on how you've set things up), I guess I'm a little confused about what you're looking for.

 

Good info here. Thanks!

 

Basically, I am looking for a VST to control my Prophet 08 via Cubase, for example patch select, etc (like Master Mode in my Motif ES6.)

 

A bonus would be the ability to be able to use Cubase automation for controlling Prophet control parameters.

 

Thanks all for your solid information. This forum rocks.

[JeffLearman]

I do not see where it specifically states that VST components all have to be in software

VST is a software interface. It always involves software. However, there are VSTs that are used to insert hardware effects inline.

 

The case here is different: it's for a VST plugin that's used only for control purposes -- i.e., a control panel. Definitely not typical, but certainly possible.

 

[JeffLearman]

If you were to find or write a program for that purpose, wouldn't there be a concern about possible audible 'zippering' if it used m.i.d.i. to control for example the synth's filter cutoff parameter? My understanding is that's one of the primary things that sets analog synths apart from digital ones; that voltage values are changed 'infinitely', rather than discretely. I read just yesterday that's why the midi spec for pitch bend was developed with such high resolution (our ears & brains, ostensibly, are capable of detecting fine changes in pitch over time so 'zippering' there would be undesirable)...I've read before that not all midi controllers send the high-res info; some which are often cheaper in cost send pitch bend at lower resolution (don't ask me to explain hexadecimal theory; I concede that I cannot)... Btw, I'll allow that I could have read or understood wrongly though.

This is an issue, even though the Prophet 08 is digitally controlled.

 

Even the shabbiest sequencer software should be able to send pitch data in full resolution. That's not the problem.

 

The problem is when you're actually turning a knob while playing. MIDI can't send a "ramp", it can only send settings. So, it ramps by sending a number of messages, each with a new value, approximating the ramp. If the sequencer can send them fast enough (minimum time interval between each update), our ears are unlikely to hear the difference. If not, the steps would be audible. (How fast is fast enough? Fast enough not to hear the steps! So, that varies a lot depending on what the knob does.)

 

Note that most of today's keyboards (whether digital or digitally-controlled analog) use MIDI internally -- they send MIDI messages from the keyboard/controller module to the sound generator. MIDI is also of course used when using one controller to play another synth. So, the problem isn't limited to use of sequencers. However, since a DAW might be doing a LOT more (running software instruments, software effects, and playing lots of tracks) it might not be able to send updates as frequently as a "hardware" controller. (Hardware in quotes because it's software inside that hardware controller generating the MIDI messages.)

 

[Steve Force]

Interesting. Great discussion (initiated by Mididude, whom I hope I didn't piss off..)

 

I am running fast CPU's loaded with RAM so the latency shouldn't be an issue; however, I can see where for many systems it might be.

 

 

[mate stubb]

All you want to do is record some midi CC messages in the track, right? Then they control the P8 when you play back the track?

 

 

[Steve Force]

All you want to do is record some midi CC messages in the track, right? Then they control the P8 when you play back the track?

 

In a nutshell--yes.

 

Certainly that would be straight-forward with a simple MIDI track in the project.

 

But if there was something on the market that would emulate the Editor (visually and functionally)I mentioned previously that would be cool.

 

[JeffLearman]

You can do that with just about any DAW or sequencer.

 

However, the controls won't LOOK like the Prophet's.

 

I don't know what Cubase has, but presumably you can enter conroller changes (without entering evey MIDI event explicitly).

 

[ManInTheBox]

Thread necromancing...

 

I just got a Prophet 08 & I too am looking for such a VST. However my reasoning for it is a bit different. I like all the knobs with their little hash mark indicators, but they mean next to nothing... ok, they mean absolutely nothing when wanting to look at them to figure out what's going on.

 

I'm having to turn each knob to see where it's at. Luckily the Prophet shows me the stored value, so if I want the little hash marks to mean anything, I've got to tweak each one then sweep it from min to max (to get the pointer to line up with the displayed value) then turn it back to the previous value.

 

I can do that, but if I had a VST that could pole the machine & update the knobs... it'd save me quite a bit.

 

The Soundtower VST appears to be the only game in town so far, so I guess I'll be going that route.