Engineering:Korg Prophecy

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Short description: Synthesizer released in 1995
Prophecy
Korg prophecy.jpg
Prophecy
ManufacturerKorg
Dates1995[1]
Price£1000
Technical specifications
PolyphonyMonophonic
TimbralityMonotimbral
Oscillator7 modeled types, 1 or 2 simultaneous depending on Oscillator Set type, plus additional sub oscillator/noise generator
Synthesis typePhysical modeling
Filter2 per voice, choice of lowpass, highpass, bandpass, bandreject each (plus comb filtering, etc., depending on oscillator type)
Attenuator4
Storage memory2 × 64 locations, 512k RAM card
EffectsDistortion, plus Wah, plus either Reverb or Delay+Chorus/Flanger
Input/output
Keyboard37-key unweighted with velocity + channel aftertouch[2]
Left-hand controlPitch, Modulation, Log Wheel, Ribbon
External controlMIDI (In, Out, Thru)

The Korg Prophecy is considered one of the earliest (mid-nineties) virtual analog (a.k.a. VA) synthesizers, although its synthesis capabilities went beyond many of its VA contemporaries.

Details

Along with its successor Korg Z1, the Korg Prophecy is the offspring of the original, unreleased 1993 OASYS prototype.[3] It was a small three-octave monosynth, a pioneer of the mid-1990s return-to-analog trend, with additional acoustic physical modeling and digital synthesis functions. Offering assignable knobs, a "log controller" (pressure-sensitive ribbon mounted onto an elongated spring-loaded controller wheel) and many other control sources, it invited players to tweak and shape the sound both easily and quickly. However, deep editing wasn't as straightforward, because the sound engine contained 7 DSP-modeled oscillator types arranged into 12 Oscillator Set combinations, each one offering a large number of parameters to adjust. Some of the most used DSP models were the analog model (based on the classic osc+filter+amp scheme, although with many powerful enhancements), the VPM model (a form of FM synthesis which avoided Yamaha's FM patent), and additional acoustic physical modeling algorithms. The latter deserves special mention. In the mid- to late-1990s it was believed that physical modeling, which recreated the sound of acoustic instruments (brass, strings, woodwinds, etc.) using DSP algorithms instead of samples, would eventually replace sample-based synthesis of those instruments, because of its unprecedented realism and expressiveness [citation needed]. As time passed, physical modeling seemed to lose its appeal to both manufacturers (because of the cost of investigation and implementation) and end-users, who complained about the realism of the models and limited polyphony [citation needed]. Also, more complex playing techniques were required to play the models in a convincing way. Nevertheless, the Prophecy's low cost and broad implementation of sound generation techniques earned it a significant place in synthesizer history.

Technically, the Prophecy offered one-note monophony, several effects (including distortion, wave shaping, delay/reverb and chorus/flanger), and 128 memory locations for user sound programs. No sequencer was included, but its integrated arpeggiator was a source of instant gratification, as some magazines put it. A PCMCIA slot allowed for offline storage of patches and banks. Standard MIDI sockets, a special socket for connecting an EC5 pedal bank, a sustain pedal socket, and a pair of audio outputs occupied the rear panel.

Korg made a major breakthrough at the time by incorporating the complete Prophecy sound engine into the Solo-TRI card included in the new Trinity keyboard Plus, Pro, and ProX models (also available as expansion to base model), enhancing the already powerful workstation. Gone was the arpeggiator and some physical controllers (e.g. "Log", five knobs), but Trinity's physical controllers (e.g. pressure-sensitive ribbon, second Y-axis of joystick, two assignable switches, touchscreen Performance Editor function) and longer, higher quality keybed mechanism supplanted those. In addition, the editing was much improved through the Trinity's big touchscreen, and full access to the workstation's extensive effects processing was an improvement over the still-included Prophecy original integrated effects.

A direct descendant of the Prophecy is the Korg Z1 (1997) which is the equivalent of a 12-note (expandable to 18-note) polyphonic Prophecy with additional models, more physical controls, 61-note and higher quality Yamaha FS keybed mechanism, bigger display, 6-part multitimbrality, more preset memory, and two powerful programmable arpeggiators.

Options

  • DS-1 Damper Pedal
  • EC-5 Multi Footpedal External Controller
  • EXP-2 Foot Controller
  • PHC-11 Analogue & Vintage ROM Card[4]
  • PHC-12 Modern Models ROM Card[4]
  • PS-1 Pedal Switch
  • PS-2 Pedal Switch
  • SRC-512 512k RAM Card
  • XVP-10 Expression/Volume Pedal

Notable users

  • Apollo 440[5]
  • Autechre[6]
  • Eat Static[7]
  • Ed Wynne (Ozric Tentacles)
  • George Michael[8]
  • James Asher[9]
  • Jean-Michel Jarre[10]
  • Joe Zawinul
  • Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) from 1996 to 1998[11]
  • Liam Howlett used the Korg Prophecy, for the main riff on the Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up".[12]
  • The Crystal Method used a Prophecy on "quite a few songs", according to member Scott Kirkland[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Korg Prophecy". Sound On Sound. May 1995. Archived from the original on 6 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150606071043/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1995_articles/may95/korgprophecy.html. 
  2. ↑ "Korg Prophecy". Sound On Sound. October 1995. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150609075939/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1995_articles/oct95/korgprophecy.html. 
  3. ↑ "Korg Z1". Sound on Sound. October 1997. https://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/oct97/korgz1.html. Retrieved 6 May 2016. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Korg PHC11 & PHC12 Prophecy". Sound On Sound. August 1996. Archived on 8 June 2015. Error: If you specify |archivedate=, you must also specify |archiveurl=. http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/aug96/korgprophecycards.html. 
  5. ↑ "Apollo Four Forty: Ad Astra". Sound On Sound. November 1999. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150109161826/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov99/articles/apollo.htm. 
  6. ↑ "Autechre: Techno-logical". Sound On Sound. November 1997. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150407134627/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/nov97/autechre.html. 
  7. ↑ "Eat Static: Chart Success". Sound On Sound. January 1997. Archived from the original on 6 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150606105909/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/jan97/eatstatic.html. 
  8. ↑ "Paul Gomersall: Recording George Michael's "Older"". Sound On Sound. July 1996. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150609084348/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/jul96/georgemichael.html. 
  9. ↑ "James Asher: Down To Earth". Sound On Sound. August 1997. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150609075550/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/aug97/jamesasher.html. 
  10. ↑ Jarre, Jean-Michel (1997). Oxygène 7–13 (Media notes).
  11. ↑ "Jonny's Korg Prophecy & 'Lift'". http://thekingofgear.com/post/162102444735/jonnys-korg-prophecy-lift. 
  12. ↑ "Landmark Productions: The Prodigy – The Fat of the Land". MusicTech. 18 May 2015. https://www.musictech.net/guides/essential-guide/landmarks-prodigy-fat-of-the-land/. Retrieved 25 March 2019. 
  13. ↑ "A Studio Tour with the Crystal Method ! (Part 1)". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX0MN_RXgKY/. /|title=A Studio Tour with The Crystal Method ! (Part 1)

Further reading

External links



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