Prophet Rev2 Users Guide 1.2.4
Prophet Rev2 Users Guide 1.2.4
Prophet Rev2 Users Guide 1.2.4
User’s Guide
Version 1.2.4
Feb, 2021
Sequential LLC
1527 Stockton Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94133
USA
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.
For pluggable equipment, the socket-outlet shall be installed near the equipment
and shall be easily accessible.
Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Sound Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Selecting Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Editing Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Comparing an Edited Program to its Original State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Creating a Program from Scratch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Saving a Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Canceling Save. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Naming a Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Working with Stacked or Split Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Moving to the Next Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Global Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Oscillators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Oscillator Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Filter Envelope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Amplifier Envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Auxiliary Envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Modulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Modulation Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Modulation Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Effects Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Arpeggiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Arpeggiator Beat Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Arpeggiator “Momentary Sustain” Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
MIDI Note Output from the Arpeggiator and Sequencer. . . . . . . . . . . 42
Arpeggiator Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Clock Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Sequencer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Changing Presets While the Poly Sequencer is Running. . . . . . . . . . 46
Programming the Polyphonic Sequencer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Editing a Polyphonic Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Copying a Polyphonic Sequence Between Layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Programming the Gated Sequencer.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Using Slew. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Sequencer Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Clock Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Unison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Using Chord Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Pan Spread. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Transpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Hold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Glide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Adding Aftertouch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Exporting Programs and Banks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Using USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Appendix A:
Modulation Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Appendix B:
Modulation Destinations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
To that end, we designed the Prophet Rev2 by enhancing and improving every-
thing we could about the original Prophet ’08 and, in many cases, doubling its
power. We took the classic sound of the Prophet ’08’s DCO and Curtis-filter-based
voice and added powerful new features that the original never had, such as wave-
shape modulation, digital effects, an expanded modulation matrix, a polyphonic step
sequencer (in addition to its original gated step sequencer), a more intuitive user inter-
face, USB connectivity, and more. The result is a modern classic revisited.
Creating the Prophet Rev2 has been a very satisfying adventure in making a good
synth even better. Create some great sounds with it!
Cheers,
Getting Started
The Prophet Rev2 is a 8/16-voice polyphonic synthesizer with analog
oscillators, filters, and amplifiers. The majority of its sound-shaping
controls are located on its front panel, putting a tremendous amount of
power and versatility within easy reach.
This chapter of your user’s guide provides a brief overview of the Rev2,
including such essential tasks as how to edit and save sounds. Later
sections of this manual explain each of the Prophet Rev2’s parameters.
Don’t hesitate to dive right in and start turning knobs and pressing
buttons before you begin reading. Start exploring and let your ears guide
you!
Phones Left Right Left Right Pedal/CV Sustain Sequencer MIDI Thru MIDI Out MIDI In USB AC In On/Off
MAIN/A OUTPUT B OUTPUT
C2
tie
Poly Seq
Write Stack A+B
Only show
GLIDE DESTINATION AMOUNT TAP TEMPO ON/OFF DESTINATION RECORD VALUE BANK CLK SYNC PARAM 1 PARAM 2 ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN RELEASE
RATE Compare Edit Layer B
MISC PARAMS
LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATORS OSCILLATORS LOW-PASS FILTER AMPLIFIER
Triangle
Sawtooth
1 Sawtooth
Saw+Tri
Rev Saw
Triangle
Square
UNISON HOLD 2 Pulse
SHAPE Random FREQUENCY CLK SYNC OSC 1 FREQ FINE TUNE SHAPE SHAPE MOD SUB OCTAVE NOISE CUTOFF RESONANCE ENV AMOUNT VELOCITY KEY AMOUNT AUDIO MOD PAN SPREAD ENV AMOUNT VELOCITY DELAY
3 Sawtooth
SYNC
Saw+Tri
Triangle
4 Pulse 1 2
DESTINATION AMOUNT KEY SYNC OSC 2 FREQ FINE TUNE SHAPE SHAPE MOD OSC MIX OSC SLOP 4 POLE DELAY ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN RELEASE ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN RELEASE
Down Up
PITCH MOD TRANSPOSE
Sound Banks
The Prophet Rev2 contains a total of 1024 programs. Banks U1-U4 are
user banks that can be overwritten. Banks F1-F4 are factory banks that
are permanent. As shipped, user banks U1-U4 are identical to permanent
factory banks F1-F4. Each bank has 128 programs (x 4 banks = 512
programs each). You can edit the programs of either bank, but you can
only save them to user banks U1-U4.
U1 P1 120
Filter Sweep
Global Split A | B
RAMETER Osc 1 Freq PROGRAM ON/OFF SELECT
C2
Write Stack A+B
show
CTAVE
Selecting
NOISE
Programs
CUTOFF RESONANCE ENV AMOUNT VELOCITY KEY AMOUNT
Use the bank and program knobs to select and recall programs.
To choose a program:
2
MIX 1. Turn
OSC SLOP the 4bank
POLE knob to select
DELAYthe bank you want.
ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN
Editing Programs
Because the majority of the sound-shaping controls of the Prophet Rev2
appear on its front panel, editing an existing program is simple: just turn a
knob and listen to its effect. Keep turning knobs and pressing buttons. If you
like what you’ve created, save the program. (See “Saving a Program” on
page 4.)
The rotary controls on the front panel are a mixture of “endless” rotary encoders
(which have no position indicator) and potentiometers or “pots,” which have a position
indicator and a finite travel range from left to right. You can choose between three
different modes that determine how the synth reacts when you edit its parameters with
a pot. For details, see “Pot Mode” on page 16.
1. Edit a program.
2. Press the compare button. It lights up, indicating compare mode.
3. Play the keyboard to hear the saved version of the sound.
4. To disable the compare function and return to the edited sound, press
the compare button again to turn it off. Programs can’t be written while
in compare mode.
It’s also useful to be able to check the value of a parameter for reference.
Normally, to make a parameter value appear in the display, you have to
turn the parameter’s knob — which will change the parameter value. But
there is a way to do this without changing the value:
• In the transpose section, press and hold the down and up buttons simul-
taneously, then press the hold button.
Saving a Program
If you’ve created a sound that you like, you’ll probably want to save it.
Saving a program overwrites a previously saved program. Sound design-
ers often save many incremental versions of a program as they continue
to refine it. These intermediate versions often make good jumping off
points for new sounds.
Saving a program saves any edits to programs on both Layer A and Layer B.
Canceling Save
Sometimes you may want to cancel saving a program before you commit.
• If the write button LED is flashing, press the global button. The write
LED stops flashing and saving is canceled. You can return to editing if
you want.
Naming a Program
You can rename a program when the write command is active.
To rename a program:
The two layers are referred to as Layer A and Layer B. By default, Layer
A is always active when you recall a program. If either the split a|b
button or the stack a+b button is lit, then Layer B is also active.
As you scroll through various factory programs, you can tell which are
stacked and which are split. On stacked sounds, the stack a+b button is
lit. On split sounds, the split a|b button is lit.
All factory programs have a “B” layer, even if that layer isn’t currently enabled.
To hear Layer B in isolation, press the edit layer b button and disable stack or split (if
active) by turning off the stack a+b btutton or split a|b button. Pressing edit layer b a
second time enables Layer A again.
Global Split A | B
PROGRAM
Button is lit when
stack is active
Write Stack A+B
Press to enable
Layer B editing
BANK
Compare Edit Layer B
• If it’s not currently lit, press the stack a+b button. The button becomes
lit. The program on Layer B is stacked with the program on Layer A.
Polyphony is halved since two voices are used per note.
• If it’s currently lit, press the stack a+b button. The button becomes
unlit. Only the program on Layer A is heard.
To edit Layer B:
1. With Stack mode on (stack a+b button is lit) press and hold the edit
layer b button. It begins flashing, indicating that you are in “Link”
mode.
2. Change any parameters. The parameters are changed on both Layer A
and Layer B.
3. To turn off Link mode, press the edit layer b button again. It stops
flashing.
Saving a program saves any edits to programs on both Layer A and Layer B.
1. Press both the split a|b button and the stack a+b button simultaneously.
2. Turn the parameter knob and select copy layer a to b.
3. Press the write button. Layer A is copied to Layer B.
1. Press both the split a|b button and the stack a+b button simultaneously.
2. Turn the parameter knob and select copy layer b to a.
3. Press the write button. Layer B is copied to Layer A.
1. Press both the split a|b button and the stack a+b button simultaneously.
2. Turn the parameter knob and select swap a and b.
3. Press the write button. Layer A and B are swapped.
The specific key that starts the Layer B sound is called the split point,
and is saved with the program.
All factory programs have a “B” layer, even if that layer isn’t currently enabled.
• If it’s not currently lit, press the split a|b button. The button becomes
lit. The left side of the keyboard plays the Layer A sound and the right
side of the keyboard plays the Layer B sound.
• If it’s currently lit, press the split a|b button. The button becomes unlit.
Only the program on Layer A is heard across the full range of the
keyboard.
1. Press both the split a|b button and the stack a+b button simultaneously.
2. Turn the parameter knob and select swap a and b.
3. Press the write button. Layer A and B are swapped.
First, check out the Global Settings section of this manual. Read about
Pot Modes and determine which works best for you when you’re editing
sounds. You’ll also find information about MIDI setup. Read this to more
effectively integrate the Prophet Rev2 into your MIDI rig. To get the
most out of the Prophet Rev2’s live performance capabilities, read up on
using a footswitch or expression pedal.
And finally, be on the lookout for tips and notes scattered throughout
this manual to gain a better working knowledge of the Prophet Rev2.
The better you know it, the more you’ll get out of it. We wish you many
hours of musical exploration!
1 2 3 4 5
12 Connections Sequential
B OUTPUT MAIN A OUTPUT
PEDAL/CV
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
4. MIDI Clock Mode: Sets the synthesizer’s ability to send and receive
MIDI clock messages:
• Off: MIDI Clock is neither sent nor received
• Master: MIDI Clock is sent, but not received.
• Slave: MIDI Clock is received, but not sent.
• Slave Thru: MIDI Clock is received and passed to MIDI Out
• Slave No S/S (no start and stop): Receives MIDI Clock but does not
respond to MIDI Start or Stop command.
In Slave and Slave Thru modes, if no MIDI clock is present at the selected
input, the arpeggiator and sequencer will not function.
5. MIDI Clock Cable: MIDI Port, USB—Sets the port, MIDI or USB, by
which MIDI clocks are received.
NRPNs are the preferred method of parameter transmission, since they cover
the complete range of all parameters, while CCs are limited to a range of 128.
8. MIDI Control Enable: Off, On—When On, the synth will respond to
MIDI controllers, including Pitch Wheel, Mod Wheel, Pedal, Breath,
Volume, and Expression.
9. MIDI Program Enable: Off, On—When On, the synth will respond
to received MIDI Program Change and other SysEx messages, and will
transmit them (when prompted) to the MIDI Out. See “SysEx Messages”
on page 95 for details.
11. MIDI Sysex Cable: None, MIDI Port, USB—Sets the port, MIDI or
USB, by which System Exclusive data will be transmitted and received.
12. MIDI Out Select: Off, MIDI, USB, MIDI+USB—Sets the port by which
MIDI data will be transmitted.
13. MIDI Arp+Seq: Off, On—When On, the synth’s arpeggiator and
sequencer output MIDI note numbers. You can use this feature to drive
other MIDI-equipped devices such as synthesizers and drum machines.
15. Multi Mode: On, Off—Multi Mode allows separate MIDI control of
voices 1-8 and voices 9-16 on 16-voice systems. (On 8-voice systems
this is voices 1-4 and voices 5-8.) This enables independent, bi-timbral
control of the Prophet Rev2.
Note that a program change needs to be sent to each of the two chan-
nels when setting up Multi Mode. Only Layer A of the selected program
is loaded. There are no stacks or splits in Multi Mode. Use CCs or
Layer A NRPNs for automation of parameters. Program Layer B data is
completely ignored in Multi Mode
16. Local Control: Off, On—When on (the default), the keyboard and
front panel controls directly affect the Prophet Rev2. When off, the
controls are transmitted via MIDI but do not directly affect the “local”
synth (that is, the Prophet Rev2). This is primarily useful for avoiding
MIDI data loops that can occur with some external sequencers.
17. Velocity Curve: Curve 1... Curve 8—Sets one of the eight velocity
curves for the keyboard to adjust the velocity response to your playing
style.
18. Pressure Curve: Curve 1, Curve 2, Curve 3, Curve 4—Sets one of four
pressure curves for the keyboard to adjust the aftertouch to your playing style.
In Passthru mode, turning the pot has no effect until after the edited value
equals the preset value (that is, until the edited value “passes through”
the stored value).
Jump mode uses an absolute value based upon the position of the pot
when edited: turn a pot and the value jumps immediately from the stored
value to the edited value.
23. Seq Pedal Mode: Normal, Trigger, Gate, T-G—Selects the mode for
signals received on the rear-panel sequencer jack.
27. Save Edit B: Off, On—When off, disables saving of Layer B when
you save a program. When on, both Layer A and Layer B of the program
are saved .
33. Dump Bank—Transmits the current bank in SysEx format via the
selected MIDI port. (See item 11, “MIDI Sysex Cable.”) Dumped banks
will load back into the same location in memory when imported back
into the synth via MIDI.
34. Dump All Banks—Transmits all four User Banks in SysEx format
via the selected MIDI port. (See item 11, “MIDI Sysex Cable.”) Dumped
banks will load back into the same location in memory when imported
back into the synth via MIDI.
Oscillators
Oscillators provide the raw building blocks of the Prophet Rev2’s sound
by producing waveforms, each of which has its own inherent sound char-
acter based on its harmonic content. The Prophet Rev2 has two oscilla-
tors, plus a sub oscillator and a noise generator, per voice.
The oscillators on the Prophet Rev2 are extremely stable. To emulate the
random pitch drift and oscillator instability of vintage instruments, use the osc slop
parameter to dial in as little or as much drift as you like.
OSCILLATORS
Sawtooth
Saw+Tri
Triangle
Pulse
OSC 1 FREQ FINE TUNE SHAPE SHAPE MOD SUB OCTAVE NOISE
Sawtooth
SYNC
Saw+Tri
Triangle
Pulse 1 2
OSC 2 FREQ FINE TUNE SHAPE SHAPE MOD OSC MIX OSC SLOP
20 Oscillators Sequential
Oscillator 1 can be hard-synced to Oscillator 2 for harmonically-complex
sounds when modulated. Both oscillators feature a fine tune knob for
detuning and thickening sounds.
You can force either or both of the oscillators to start its wave cycle from its
beginning (its zero crossing) each time you press a note on the keyboard by setting
note reset to on in the misc parameters menu. This is can be useful for creating sounds
that have a very consistent sound each time you trigger them.
Oscillator Parameters
Osc Freq: Sets the base frequency of Oscillator 1 or 2 over a 9-octave
range from 16 Hz to 8KHz (when used with the Transpose buttons). Adjust-
ment is in semitones.
The global master coarse and master fine settings affect the pitch of the oscilla-
tors. See “Global Settings” on page 14 for more information.
Shape Mod: Changes the “pulse” width of the selected waveform, which
modifies its harmonic content and timbre. To generate a square wave
when pulse is selected as the waveform, set this parameter to 50.
Oscillator 1
Oscillator 2
Oscillator 1
synced to
Oscillator 2
Oscillator hard sync
Try using the auxiliary envelope to sweep the pitch of Oscillator 1 when it is
synced to generate the classic, hard-edged sync sound.
Noise: 0…127 – Sets the output level of the white noise generator.
22 Oscillators Sequential
Filter
The Filter takes the basic, raw sound of the oscillators and noise genera-
tor and subtracts frequencies, changing the harmonic content and char-
acter of their sound. This change can be varied over time using the Filter
Envelope to produce more dynamic, animated timbres.
The Prophet Rev2’s filter is a classic, resonant low-pass Curtis filter that is
switchable between 2-pole operation (12 dB per octave) and 4-pole operation
(24 dB per octave). The 4-pole filter can self-oscillate when resonance is
set to its maximum.
LOW-PASS FILTER
High levels of resonance can sometimes cause the Prophet Rev2 outputs to
clip. Monitor your outputs carefully to ensure optimal, clean signal levels. If you experi-
ence signal clipping, try reducing the levels of the resonance parameter in the filter.
The cutoff frequency setting may limit the effect of the envelope on the filter. For
example, in low-pass filter mode , if cutoff is at its highest setting, a positive envelope
amount will have no effect on the filter since the filter is already completely open.
To create bell-like FM sounds with audio mod, set the filter to 4-pole mode, set
audio mod to 127, set osc mix to 127, set osc 2 shape to off, and set osc 1 shape to the
desired waveshape. Then turn resonance to 127 and experiment different osc 1 freq
tunings, filter cutoff, and key amount settings. Adjust the filter and amplifier envelopes
as necessary.
24 Filter Sequential
Filter Envelope
The Prophet Rev2 filter has a dedicated, five-stage envelope generator
(DADSR). The Filter Envelope is used to shape the harmonic charac-
teristics of a synthesized sound by giving you filtering control over its
attack, decay, sustain, and release stages (plus a delay parameter to delay
the onset of the envelope).
Filter Envelope
release
sustain
attack
decay
amplitude
delay
time
Attack: 0...127—Sets the attack time of the envelope. The higher the
setting, the slower the attack time and the longer it takes for the filter to
open from the level set with the filter cutoff knob to the level set by the
filter envelope amount. Percussive sounds typically have sharp (short)
attacks.
To give you a real-world example, the main difference between the sound
of the wind and the sound of a snare drum is that they have very different
volume envelopes. Otherwise, they are essentially both white noise.
Wind has a relatively slow attack, a long sustain, and a long decay and
release. A snare drum has a sharp attack, no sustain, and very little decay
or release. But again, they are both fundamentally white noise.
AMPLIFIER
Amplifier Envelope
decay
amplitude
delay
time
Attack: 0...127—Sets the attack time of the envelope. The higher the
setting, the slower the attack time and the longer it takes for a sound to
reach its full volume. Pads typically have softer (longer) attacks. Percus-
sive sounds have sharper (shorter) attacks.
Sustain: 0...127—Sets the sustain level of the envelope. The higher the
setting, the louder the sustained portion of the sound will be. The sound
will stay at this level for as long as a note is held on the keyboard.
To recreate the “gated VCA” effect used on certain classic rock anthems,
choose an organ sound, then set the env amount of the Amplifier to zero, route the LFO
square wave to amp with an amount setting of 100% and hold a few chords.
To create a program in which velocity controls the VCA, turn VCA envelope
amountdown and turn velocity amount up. To achieve the best results, it may be
necessary to set an initial level using Envelope Amount. Just remember that once
Envelope Amount is set to the maximum, no modulation from velocity—or any other
source—will cause it to go higher than that.
Auxiliary Envelope
The Prophet Rev2 has an additional five-stage envelope generator. It
is useful for creating modulation that varies over time according to the
shape of the envelope. Routing an envelope to an oscillator’s frequency,
for example, causes the oscillator’s pitch to rise and fall according to the
contour of the envelope.
As with all of the Prophet Rev2’s envelopes, there are controls for modulat-
ing the envelope amount using keyboard velocity. The Auxiliary Envelope
can be routed to any of the modulation destinations in the mod matrix. In
addition, the Auxiliary Envelope can repeat (loop) using the env 3 repeat
function in the misc params menu. This is useful for cyclical 4-stage modulation.
Actually, any of the Prophet Rev2’s envelopes can be routed to any destination (or
multiple destinations) using the modulation matrix. See “Modulation” on page 33 for more
information.
Attack: 0...127—Sets the attack time of the envelope. The higher the
setting, the slower the attack time and the longer it takes for a sound to
reach its full volume. Pads typically have softer (longer) attacks. Percus-
sive sounds have sharper (shorter) attacks.
4
DESTINATION AMOUNT KEY SYNC
Triangle and Random waves are bipolar. That is, their waveshape is posi-
tive for half of their cycle and negative for the other half. In the case of the
triangle wave, this makes it possible to generate a natural-sounding vibrato
that goes alternately sharp and flat in equal amounts on either side of a center
frequency. Random, also known as “sample and hold,” generates a series
of random values, each held for the duration of one cycle
LFO waveshapes
Frequency: Sets the frequency of the selected LFO from a slow .022Hz
to a fast 500Hz. This is affected by the clk sync (clock sync) parameter
as explained below.
Clk Sync: When on, the LFO synchronizes with the master clock, which
controls the arpeggiator, sequencer, and certain effects.
Key Sync: When enabled, this makes the LFO wave cycle reset when you
press a key (but is not reset if you press a key while other notes are held).
1. Choose a source.
2. Choose a destination.
MODULATION
SOURCE SELECT
DESTINATION AMOUNT
Modulation Examples
Below are several modulation scenarios that illustrate how to use the modu-
lation matrix. The examples provide full, step-by-step instructions for clarity.
34 Modulation Sequential
Use pressure as the modulation source instead of the mod wheel in the previ-
ous example to add vibrato with key pressure/aftertouch.
Use pressure as the modulation source instead of the mod wheel in the previ-
ous example to open the filter (positive amount) or close the filter (negative amount)
with key pressure/aftertouch.
• Route the mod wheel to osc mix and set Oscillator 1 and 2 to different
frequencies and/or waveshapes. Then transition between them with the
mod wheel. Set osc 1/2 mix to 0 and mod amount to 127. This is one
way to simulate a guitar feedback effect, especially on sounds that use
the distortion effect. Oscillator 1 could be the main tone and Oscillator
2 could be the “feedback harmonic.” Set up a second mod path to also
add vibrato with the mod wheel.
Adding a touch of reverb or delay can add a subtle (or not so subtle)
sense of ambience and depth. Other effects such as the chorus and phaser
are useful for adding more obvious tonal enhancement and are also
useful for emulating classic instruments such as string synthesizers.
While the effects themselves are digital, the main signal path of the
Prophet Rev2 is analog. The on/ off switch enables and disables an
effect, ensuring an analog signal path when off.
EFFECT
Effects:
• Delay Mono - classic mono delay
• DDL Stereo - classic digital delay
• BBD Delay - vintage bucket-brigade emulation
• Chorus - vintage chorus
• Phaser High - vintage 6-stage phaser, high feedback
• Phase Low - vintage 6-stage phaser, lower feedback
36 Effects Sequential
• Phaser Mst - emulation of Tom Oberheim’s original 6-stage phaser
• Flanger 1 - vintage through-zero flanger, high feedback
• Flanger 2 - vintage through-zero flanger, no feedback
• Reverb - classic digital reverb with adjustable size and color
• Ring Mod - emulation of Tom Oberheim’s classic ring modulator
• Distortion - digital distortion (analog emulation)
• HP Filter - high-pass filter.
For best performance,run the flangers and high-pass filter 100% wet. (i.e. set
the mix parameter to 127).
To use Effects:
Clk Sync: On, Off—When a delay effect is chosen, this enables syncing of
the timed delay repeats (feedback) to the arpeggiator, sequencer, or MIDI
clock. When clk sync is on, delay time (parameter 1) provides the
following values:
38 Effects Sequential
Parameter 1: Variable, depending on the effect—This knob adjusts
parameter 1 for the chosen effect. Each effect has two adjustable param-
eters, which differ depending on the effect.
While you hold down a chord, pressing any additional notes will add
those notes to the arpeggio. You can change chords and notes and the
arpeggio will continue to play as long as at least one note is always held.
You can also use the hold feature with the arpeggiator. When you enable
hold, you can release the notes on the keyboard and the arpeggio will
continue to play — with any additional notes that you play added to the
arpeggio.
To prevent the arpeggiator from adding new notes to an arpeggio when keys
are continuously held (and instead start a new arpeggio each time you change notes),
turn arp relatch on in the arpeggiator. To do this, press the arpeggiator’s mode button
and scroll to the arp relatch menu item in the display.
Set the tempo of the arpeggiator with the tap tempo or bpm and divide
controls in the clock section. To use tap tempo, tap this button at least
4 times to set the tempo. You can also sync the arpeggiator to external
MIDI clock, or even an external audio signal. When the arpeggiator is
playing, the sequencer is disabled.
CLOCK ARP
40 Arpeggiator Sequential
To use the arpeggiator:
An audio signal connected to the rear-panel sequence jack can be used to control
arpeggiator (and sequencer) playback. This makes it possible to tempo sync the arpeg-
giator to a recorded drum track or other audio source. Audio signals used to drive the
arpeggiator/sequencer should not exceed 5 volts peak-to-peak. See “Seq Pedal
Mode” on page 18 for more information about choosing the appropriate mode for
these behaviors.
1. Press the global button, then use parameter knob to select arp beat
sync.
2. Turn the value knob to select quantize.
3. Press the global button again to exit the Global menu.
1. Press the global button then use parameter knob to select sustain
arp.
2. Turn the value knob to select either arp hold, sustain, or arp hold
mom, depending on your preference. Press the global button again to
exit the Global menu.
1. Press the global button, then turn the parameter knob to select midi
arp+seq.
2. Turn the value knob to select on.
42 Arpeggiator Sequential
To control an external MIDI device:
1. Connect the MIDI or USB output of the Rev2 to the MIDI or USB input
of the external device, depending on which type of connection the
external device requires.
2. On the Rev2, press the global button, then use the parameter knob
to select midi out select.
3. Use the value knob to select midi, or usb, or midi+usb, depending on
how your Rev2 and external device are connected.
4. Press the global button again to exit the Global menu.
5. On the external device, set the the MIDI Channel and MIDI Receive
port to match the Rev2.
6. Hold down a chord on the Rev2 or start sequencer playback. The exter-
nal device should be triggered by the arpeggiated or sequenced notes.
Arpeggiator Parameters
On/Off—This button turns the arpeggiator on and off.
Arp Mode: Sets the order in which notes play when the arpeggiator is on. See
the table.
Arp Relatch: Off, On—Works in conjunction with hold. When hold and
the arpeggiator are on, and arp relatch is off, played notes are held on
and arpeggiated, with additional played notes added to the held notes
and the arpeggio. When arp relatch is on, played notes are held on and
arpeggiated, but additional played notes will restart the arpeggio with the
new notes.
Clock Parameters
BPM: 30…250—Sets the tempo for the arpeggiator in BPM (beats per
minute). The tap tempo LED flashes at the BPM rate. When lfo sync is
enabled on the low-frequency oscillator, or clk sync is enabled in the Effects
section, the BPM rate affects the LFO frequency and/or delay effect. When
syncing to an external MIDI clock source, the BPM setting has no effect.
Divide—Selects a basic note value relative to the BPM. See the table below:
44 Arpeggiator Sequential
Tap Tempo—Tapping the tap tempo button sets the tempo. The LED
flashes at the BPM rate you set. For best results, tap the button 4 times.
Sequencer
There are 2 types of sequencers in the Prophet Rev2:
SEQUENCER
rest
Gated
Poly
tie
Poly Seq
Only
DESTINATION RECORD
The Sequencer
Polyphonic Sequencer
With the polyphonic sequencer you can create sequences that are rhyth-
mically and melodically complex by constructing a repeating musical
phrase with notes, ties, and rests. You can play up to 64 steps with up to
6 notes held simultaneously per step. Use the bpm, divide, or tap tempo
controls to adjust sequencer playback speed.
In addition, you can play along with a sequence (provided there is avail-
able polyphony), making it a powerful live performance tool. When the
sequencer is playing, the arpeggiator is disabled.
It’s important to note that if you switch to a dual layer program (i.e. a
program with Stack or Split engaged) while the sequencer running, the
sequencer automatically starts/plays the sequences on both layers of the
program.
If you switch to a program with Split enabled, and you want to stop
polyphonic sequencer playback, press the sequencer’s play button to turn
off each layer individually. Alternatively, press and hold the edit layer
b button until it blinks, then press the sequencer’s play button. This will
stop playback on both layers.
46 Sequencer Sequential
Programming the Polyphonic Sequencer
For most sequences you’ll probably want to use sounds with a relatively
sharp attack and short release.
When recording a chord as a step, as long as you continue to hold at least one
note down, you can keep adding notes to the chord/step, and even use the transpose
buttons to extend the keyboard range while doing it.
3. To add a rest as you play, press the sequencer’s mode button for that
step, then continue playing. To add multiple rests, press the mode
button once for each rest that you want to add.
4. To add a tie that extends the length of a note, play the note or chords,
then press the sequencer’s destination button repeatedly to extend the
note the number of steps you want.
5. To step back in the sequence, turn the sequencer’s parameter knob
counterclockwise. This will allow you to step backward to the desired
step so that you can rerecord it.
6. When you’re done, press play to listen to your sequence.
7. To save the sequence, save the program and they are saved together.
(See “Saving a Program” on page 4.)
1. Press play. The sequence plays back at the current BPM setting.
2. To stop playback, press play again.
Alternatively, you can start and stop sequencer playback using a footswitch
connected to the rear-panel sequencer jack or using MIDI start/stop messages sent
from a DAW or other MIDI device. See “Seq Pedal Mode” on page 18 for more
information.
48 Sequencer Sequential
Copying a Polyphonic Sequence Between Layers
You can copy a sequence from Layer A to Layer B and vice-versa. You can
also swap sequences between layers.
1. Press both the split a|b button and the stack a+b button simultaneously.
2. Turn the parameter knob and select copy seq a to b.
3. Press the write button.
1. Press both the split a|b button and the stack a+b button simultaneously.
2. Turn the parameter knob and select copy seq b to a.
3. Press the write button.
1. Press both the split a|b button and the stack a+b button simultaneously.
2. Turn the parameter knob and select swap seq a and b.
Gated Sequencer
The gated sequencer provides four 16-step sequences that play in paral-
lel. Each sequence can be routed to a chosen modulation destination.
Each step in a sequence can be set to a different value used to modulate that
destination.
Unlike the polyphonic sequencer, the gated sequencer doesn’t play notes
unless one or more of the sequences are routed to oscillator frequency.
A gated sequence is really just a series of events at timed intervals that
changes the value of one of the synth’s parameters in discrete steps.
The sequencer requires a note to be gated on — that is, played from the
keyboard or via MIDI — in order for the sequencer to run. There is no
dedicated start or play button and it doesn’t respond to MIDI start/stop/
continue messages. But it can still sync to an external clock.
To start the gated sequencer running, simply press the type button to
select the gated sequencer, then hold down a note. Sequencer playback
then begins.
50 Sequencer Sequential
7. Repeat steps 5-6 as necessary to create the rest of the gated sequence.
8. When you’re done, hold down a key to listen to your sequence.
9. To save the sequence, save the program and they are saved together.
(See “Saving a Program” on “Saving a Program” on page 4.)
Gated sequencer tracks are also modulation sources and appear as such
in the modulation matrix. This means that you can route a gated sequencer track to
multiple destinations.
Using Slew
In modular analog synthesizers, a lag processor or slew limiter is used to
create a smooth transition between successive, discrete control voltage
levels. The rate of change is called the slew rate and one common appli-
cation is to create a glide (aka portamento) effect between notes.
In the gated sequencer, Slew sets the slew rate between the previous
step’s value and the current step’s value when the step is gated on.
For example, let’s say sequence 1 is routed to oscillator frequency and
sequence 2 to Slew. Increasing the Slew value for step 4 will cause the
oscillator frequency to glide from the step 3 value when step 4 is gated
on. The higher the Slew value, the slower the slew rate. And the slew
rate can be different for each step. But its not just for oscillator glide.
Slew can be applied to any of the destinations. For example, sequence 3
could be routed to filter cutoff with Slew in sequence 4 used to create a
less abrupt transition from one step to the next.
Sequencer Parameters
Type: Gated, Poly—This switch toggles between the polyphonic
sequencer and the gated sequencer.
Play: On, Off—This switch starts and stops polyphonic sequencer playback.
Normal: Good for melodic and rhythmic sequences. With each step, the
envelopes are retriggered, so works best with shorter envelop contours. Each
new key press/received MIDI note starts the sequence for that key/note at step
one. When programming melodies, the note value you select is relative to the
note/key played, and not the actual note played back for that step. For example,
if you set track one to osc all freq., and set step one to C2, playing Middle C
on the keyboard will produce C two octaves above middle C on step one. A
value of C0 will produce the exact note that you play on the keyboard. A value
of G0 will produce the note a 5th above what you play on the keyboard.
No Reset: Same as Normal, except that new key presses/received MIDI
notes do not begin the sequence for that note at step one. In this sense,
the gated sequencer is free-running in No Reset mode. This makes is less
useful for melodies, but still great for rhythmic parameter changes.
52 Sequencer Sequential
No Gate: In this mode, the envelopes respond to the keyboard/received
MIDI notes, and not by each advancing sequencer step. This mode is great
for complex parameter modulation of sounds with long envelope contours,
such as pad sounds. Each new key press/received MIDI note starts the
sequence for that key/note at step one.
No Gate No Reset: Same as No Gate, except that new key presses/
received MIDI notes do not begin the sequence for that note at step one.
Key Step: Striking any key or playing a note via MIDI advances the
sequencer one step.
Clock Parameters
BPM: 30…250—Sets the tempo for the sequencer and arpeggiator in BPM
(beats per minute). The tap tempo LED flashes at the BPM rate. When lfo
sync is turned on, the BPM rate affects the LFO frequency. When syncing to
an external MIDI clock source, the BPM setting has no effect.
Tap Tempo: 30…250—Tap this button at least 4 times to quickly set the
tempo for the sequencer and arpeggiator. The LED flashes at the BPM
rate you set.
Divide: Sets the note value for each sequencer/arpeggiator step relative
to the BPM. divide works with both internal and external clock sources.
The following table lists the values:
Unison gives you control over not only how many voices to stack, but
also the amount of detuning between the oscillators (with the unison
detune parameter in the misc params menu), and what note gets priority
if you happen to play more than one note on the keyboard. (This is
called the key assign mode or note priority. See “Key Modes and Unison
Mode” on page 56 for details.)
UNISON HOLD
4 Voices
Use this knob to
select the number show
of unison voices Press to toggle on
(or chord memory) VALUE Misc Parameters
MISC PARAMS
54 Unison Sequential
To use Unison:
If you save a program that uses chord memory, the chord is saved with
the program.
1. Press the misc params button and use the parameter knob to scroll to
unison mode.
1. With chord selected as the unison mode in the misc params menu, hold
down a different chord on the keyboard.
2. Press the unison button. The chord voicing is memorized. Play a few
notes to listen to the result.
1. Press the misc params button and use the parameter knob to scroll to
unison mode.
1. Press the misc params button and use the parameter knob to scroll to
the desired mode.
2. Play a few notes to listen to the result.
Key Assign settings are only relevant to Unison mode. They do not affect poly-
phonic playback.
56 Unison Sequential
Master Volume/Program Volume
The master output level of the Prophet Rev2 is controlled by the front-
panel master volume knob. In addition, the volume of an individual
program can be set with the misc params controls. This is useful for
ensuring that your sounds have roughly the same volume from program
to program. Unison sounds in particular can be very loud compared to
other programs.
U1 P1 120
Filter Sweep
Program Volume
127
show
Press to toggle on
Misc Parameters
MISC PARAMS
Program Volume
1. Choose a program.
1. Press the misc params button and use the parameter knob to scroll to
program volume.
MIDI volume can also influence the overall volume of the Prophet Rev2 if you
are controlling it from an external MIDI source.
AMPLIFIER
Pan Spread
Transpose
The up and down buttons in the transpose section transpose the keyboard
up or down in octaves. The LED indicates the current keyboard trans-
position state. Transposing the keyboard also changes the MIDI note
numbers of the keys so that MIDI notes sent are also transposed. Trans-
pose settings are global and are not saved with individual programs.
Down Up
TRANSPOSE
N HOLD
Glide
Up
Glide causes
TRANSPOSE the pitch of a note to glide up or down from the pitch of the
previously played note. Glide is turned on and off using the glide switch,
but the rate must also be set. If the glide button is on, but rate is set to
0, glideMASTER
has no VOLUME
effect.
GLIDE
RATE
To use glide:
3. Turn the value knob to set the mode and play a series of notes up and
down the keyboard to hear the effect.
Fixed Rate:The time to transition between notes varies with the interval
between the notes; the greater the interval, the longer the transition time.
The glide rate is fixed. This is the default glide mode.
Fixed Rate A: The same as Fixed Rate, but glide is only applied when
playing legato. That is, glide only occurs when a note is held until the
next note is played. This effectively allows glide to be turned on and off
from the keyboard.
Fixed Time A: The same as Fixed Time, but glide only occurs when
playing legato.
60 Glide Sequential
Pitch and Mod Wheels
The Prophet Rev2 has a spring-loaded Pitch wheel and a Mod wheel.
You can use these controls to enhance live performance by bending notes
and adding modulation in real time as you play.
In the same way that guitar players use note bends and vibrato to give
their playing expressiveness and character, these two controls can help
you define your sound as a performer and take you beyond just playing
notes on the keyboard.
Pitch Mod
Pitch Wheel
You can set a range in semitones for the pitch wheel, depending on your
playing preference. The range is up to 12 semitones (1 octave). Many
musicians use a range of 2 semitones (a whole step) since this is the bend
range of many acoustic instruments. For guitar whammy bar effects, you
many wish to set a wider range.
1. Press the misc params button and use the parameter knob to scroll to
pitchbend range.
1. In the modulation section, press the source button. Use the param-
eter knob next to the display to scroll to Mod Slot 1 if it’s not already
displayed.
2. Use the parameter knob to select the source field. Use the value knob
to scroll through the various mod sources and choose mod wheel.
3. Use the parameter knob to select the dest field. Use the value knob
to scroll through the various mod destinations and choose a parameter
(such as cutoff).
4. Hold down a note on the keyboard (or press the hold button and play a
note on the keyboard) and turn the mod wheel.
5. Use the parameter knob to select the amount field. Use the value
knob to set the amount to your preference. Higher amount settings add
greater modulation the further you push the mod wheel. A negative
amount setting will apply modulation in the negative direction.
Adding Aftertouch
Aftertouch is a performance feature that allows you to add modulation to
a sound by applying additional pressure to a key after the key is already
down. The greater the pressure applied, the more modulation is applied.
The Prophet Rev2 provides monophonic (or “channel”) aftertouch,
which means that applying pressure to any key within a chord will apply
modulation to all notes currently held.
1. In the modulation section, press the source button. Use the param-
eter knob next to the display to scroll to Mod Slot 1 if it’s not already
displayed.
2. Use the parameter knob to select the source field. Use the value knob
to scroll through the various mod sources and choose pressure.
3. Use the parameter knob to select the dest field. Use the value knob
to scroll through the various mod destinations and choose a parameter
(such as cutoff).
4. Hold down a note on the keyboard. Then, press harder.
5. Use the parameter knob to select the amount field. Use the value
knob to set the amount to your preference. Higher amount settings
add greater modulation the harder you press a key. A negative amount
setting will apply modulation in the negative direction.
The Prophet Rev2 provides four different pressure response settings for your
convenience. The default setting provides a linear response. To choose a different
response curve, use the pressure curve parameter in the global menu.
Osc 1 Note Reset: Off, On—When note reset is off, the oscillators are
free running, which is typically how analog synths behave. That is, the
oscillators are running whether a note is being gated on (played) or not.
When the amplifier envelope is set for a fast attack, this can cause a
soft, but detectable, pop or click at the beginning of a note because the
note might be gated on at a point in the wave’s cycle other than a zero
crossing. The first cycle to play might be truncated. For some sounds,
like monophonic basses, this may actually be desirable. It adds a bit of
randomness to the attack that can make it sound more organic. When
note reset is on, the wave is always reset to zero — the start of its cycle
— when a note is gated on.
Osc 1 Key On/Off: Off, On—When on, the oscillator is controlled by the
keyboard or note data received via MIDI. When off, the oscillator plays
at its base frequency setting and its pitch doesn’t change when you play
notes on the keyboard (although its pitch may be affected by modulation
from other sources).
Glide Mode: Fixed Rate,Fixed Rate A,Fixed Time, Fixed Time A—Sets
the way the oscillators respond to Glide settings. See “Glide” on page
59for more details.
Osc 1 Glide: 1...127—While the glide rate knobs sets the same amount
of glide for both oscillators simultaneously, you can use the osc glide 1
parameter to set an individual glide amount for Oscillator 1.
Osc 2 Glide: 1...127—While the glide rate knobs sets the same amount
of glide for both oscillators simultaneously, you can use the osc glide 2
parameter to set an individual glide amount for Oscillator 2.
Env 3 Repeat: Off, On—When on, the Delay, Attack, and Decay
segments of the envelope repeat. Sustain still affects the level at which
the Decay segment ends, but instead of sustaining at a fixed level while
a note is gated on, Delay, Attack, and Decay loop until the note is turned
off. The Release segment begins when the note is gated off, just as it
does when Repeat is off.
VCA Level: 1...127—Sets a base level for the VCA (Voltage Controlled
Amplifier). This allows the VCA to be bypassed for programs that drone.
If VCA LEVEL is on full, Envelope Amount has no effect. For typical keyboard
playing, VCA LEVEL is set to zero.
Split Point: C-2...C8—Sets the split point for Layer B in Split A|B mode.
In split mode, playing a key on the left side of the keyboard will play the
Layer A sound and playing a key on the right side will play the Layer B
sound. Polyphony is allocated equally between the two sounds, half of
the available voices on Layer A and half on Layer B. The split point is
saved with the program.
Dumped programs will load back into the same bank and program location in
memory when received by the Prophet Rev2 via MIDI.
1. Connect two Rev2 synthesizers together using MIDI cables and the
midi in and midi out jacks on their rear panels.
2. Press the global button on Rev2 that you want to send programs from.
3. On both synthesizers, use the parameter knob to select midi sysex
cable, then use the value knob to choose midi.
4. On the Rev2 that you want to send the programs from, press the global
button (if it’s not already on) and use the parameter knob to select
dump prog, dump bank, or dump all banks, depending on which of
these you would like to do.
5. Press write. The program or bank is exported to the other Rev2.
The Prophet Rev2 is compatible with Prophet ’08 sounds, so you can
import any Prophet ’08’ programs and they will sound just as good, if not
better!
Programs will load back into the same bank and program locations from which
they were originally exported.
Using USB
The Prophet Rev2’s USB 2.0 port enables bidirectional MIDI commu-
nication with a computer. A MIDI interface and MIDI cables are not
necessary, just a USB cable. The Prophet Rev2 is a Class Compliant
USB device. That means it does not require any additional drivers to be
installed to communicate with a Mac or Windows computer. The Prophet
Rev2 transmits and receives MIDI data via USB, but does not transmit
audio.
MIDI In and USB should not be used at the same time, as overlapping
messages from different sources may cause the Prophet Rev2 to respond unpredict-
ably. MIDI Out and USB can be used at the same time and transmit the same data.
USB Notes
Under Mac OS X, “Prophet Rev2 Keyboard” will appear as a MIDI port
when connected via USB and can be configured using the Mac’s Audio
MIDI Setup utility (typically found in Applications/Utilities).
Under Windows, the first time the Prophet Rev2 is connected via USB,
the “Found new hardware” alert appears and it is automatically installed
as “Prophet Rev2 Keyboard.”
From the factory, the Prophet Rev2 ships with 16 preset alternative
tunings ranging from Equal temperament to Indonesian Gamelan
tunings. If you want, you can replace these with other tunings that you
can find on the Internet. These must be in SysEx format. You can down-
load them into the Prophet Rev2 using SysEx Librarian for Mac or
MIDI-OX for Windows.
2. Harmonic Series
MIDI notes 36-95 reflect harmonics 2 through 60 based on the funda-
mental of A = 27.5 Hz. The low C on a standard 5 octave keyboard acts
as the root note (55Hz), and the harmonics play upwards from there. The
remaining keys above and below the 5 octave range are filled with the
same intervals as Carlos’ Harmonic 12 Tone that follows.
4. Meantone Temperament
An early tempered tuning, with better thirds than 12ET. Sounds best in
the key of C. Use this to add an authentic touch to performances of early
Baroque music. C=1/1 (260 Hz)
8. Pythagorean C
One of the earliest tuning systems known from history, the Pythagorean
scale is constructed from an upward series of pure fifths (3/2) transposed
down into a single octave. The tuning works well for monophonic melo-
dies against fifth drones, but has a very narrow palate of good chords to
choose from. C=1/1 (261.625 Hz)
1/1 256/243 9/8 32/27 81/64 4/3 729/512 3/2 128/81 27/16 16/9 243/128
1/1 16/15 10/9 6/5 5/4 4/3 64/45 3/2 8/5 5/3 16/9 15/8
1/1 9/8 8/7 7/6 9/7 21/16 4/3 3/2 32/21 12/7 7/4 63/32
1/1 15/14 9/8 7/6 5/4 4/3 7/5 3/2 14/9 5/3 7/4 15/8
1/1 1/1 9/8 7/6 5/4 4/3 11/8 3/2 3/2 7/4 7/4 15/8
1/1 16/15 9/8 6/5 5/4 4/3 45/32 3/2 8/5 5/3 16/9 15/8
1/1 81/80 33/32 21/20 16/15 12/11 11/10 10/9 9/8 8/7 7/6 32/27 6/5 11/9
5/4 14/11 9/7 21/16 4/3 27/20 11/8 7/5 10/7 16/11 40/27 3/2 32/21 14/9
11/7 8/5 18/11 5/3 27/16 12/7 7/4 16/9 9/5 20/11 11/6 15/8 40/21 64/33
160/81
72 = Cents +1200
• In the global menu, make sure that local control is set to on.
• Check the midi clock mode setting in global to ensure the Prophet
Rev2 is set to master or off. Or if set to slave or slave thru or slave
no s/s, make sure the Prophet Rev2 is receiving MIDI clock.
• In the Global menu, check alt tunings and make sure it’s set to Equal
Temperament. Also, check the mod wheel position. The mod wheel can
do more than just add vibrato. Also, check the midi clock mode setting
in the global menu to ensure the Prophet Rev2 is set to master or off.
Or if set to slave or slave thru or slave no s/s, make sure the Prophet
Rev2 is receiving MIDI clock.
• USB can cause ground loops, so try to resolve any grounding issues
between the computer and the Prophet Rev2. Or use MIDI, which is opto-
isolated.
• This is almost always caused by a MIDI data loop. Make sure that any
MIDI Thru functionality is turned off on the MIDI interface/hardware
or in the MIDI software application. Disconnect all the Prophet Rev2’s
MIDI connections—MIDI and USB cables—and see if the problem
persists. You can also monitor the MIDI traffic with MIDI Monitor
(Mac OS) or MIDI-OX (Windows) to see if the Prophet Rev2 is being
overrun with duplicate messages.
• Make sure that the midi sysex cable setting in the global menu is set
to usb or midi depending on which you are using to transmit or receive
MIDI messages.
• Check the master coarse and master fine parameter in the global
menu. If they seem correct, you may need to retune the oscillators. See
“Calibrating the Oscillators and Filters” on page 69.
• Recalibrate the pitch and mod wheels. See “Calibrating the Pitch and
Mod Wheels” on page 69.
• You may need to retune the filters. See “Calibrating the Oscillators and
Filters” on page 69.
1. Power on the Prophet Rev2 while holding the glide switch to enter
bootloader mode. You’ll see a message in the display.
2. Use a MIDI cable (not USB) to transmit the new OS to your synth. You
must use a standard MIDI cable for this. USB MIDI doesn’t work in
bootloader mode.
3. As the OS loads, you will see the main display count upward from zero
to 99. When it reaches 99, a second count will begin. Do not power
down. The Prophet Rev2 will restart itself when it is done.
If you have not already reset the Global parameters and run the calibration
routines (see Troubleshooting), you should do it before contacting Technical Support.
It’s probably the first thing they’ll ask you to do.
• Your name
• Your return address
• Your email address
• A phone number where you can be reached
• Your Prophet Rev2’s serial number
• The date of purchase and where purchased
If you need to return your instrument for repair, you are responsible for
getting it to Sequential. We highly recommend insuring it and packing in
the original packaging. Damage resulting from shipping a product with
insufficient packaging is not covered by warranty.
MIDI Clock Mode: Sets the Prophet Rev2’s ability to send and receive
MIDI clock messages:
• Off: MIDI Clock is neither sent nor received
• Master: MIDI Clock is sent, but not received
• Slave: MIDI Clock is received, but not sent
• Slave Thru: MIDI Clock is received and passed to MIDI Out
• Slave No S/S (no start and stop): Receives MIDI Clock but does not
respond to MIDI Start or Stop command.
When set to slave or slave thru, if no MIDI clock is present at the selected input,
the arpeggiator and sequencer will not function.
MIDI Clock Cable: MIDI Port, USB—Sets the port, MIDI or USB, by
which MIDI clock signals are received.
MIDI Param Send: Off, CC, NRPN—Changes to the values of front panel
controls are transmitted via MIDI as Continuous Controllers (CC) or
Non-Registered Parameter Number (NRPN). Transmission of parameters
can also be turned off.
NRPNs are the preferred method of parameter transmission, since they cover
the complete range of all parameters, while CCs are limited to a range of 128.
Param Rcv: Off, CC, NRPN—Sets the method by which parameter changes
are received via MIDI. As with transmission, NRPNs are the preferred method.
MIDI Out Select: MIDI, USB—Sets the port by which MIDI data will be
transmitted.
MIDI Messages
See sections below for additional Continuous Controller (CC) and Non-
Registered Parameter Number (NRPN) messages received.
See sections that follow for additional Continuous Controller (CC) and
Non-Registered Parameter Number (NRPN) messages transmitted.
The messages are handled in standard MIDI format using the NRPN CC
commands in running status byte format. Below is the format used for
transmitting a NRPN parameter.
The parameter number can be found in the two tables below, one for
global parameters, and the other for program parameters. The parameter
numbers and the parameter values are broken into two 7-bit bytes for
MIDI transmission; the LSB has the seven least-significant bits, and the
MSB has the seven most-significant bits, though in most cases the MSB
will be zero or one, and never more than two.
Once an NRPN is selected, the synth will also respond to NRPN Data
Increment and Decrement commands, which some controllers utilize.
Finally, it responds to one RPN (Registered Parameter Number)
command, the RPN/NRPN Reset command, which can be handy for
resetting the currently selected parameter to a known state.
4104 0-1 MIDI SysEx Cable 4190 0-1 Layer A/B Switch
0 = MIDI
1 = USB
4105 0-2 MIDI Out Select
0 = Off
1 = MIDI
2 = USB
3 = MIDI+USB
4107 0-1 Local Control*
0 = Off
1 = On
4109 0-2 Pot Mode *Controller received, but not transmitted.
0 = Relative †Controller transmitted, but ignored when received.
1= PassThru
2 = Jump
4111 0-3 Seq Pedal Mode
0 = normal
1= trigger
2= gate
3= trigger+gate
SysEx Messages
Universal System Exclusive Message (Device Inquiry)
Status Description
1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx)
0111 1110 Non-realtime message
0vvv vvvv If MIDI channel is set to 1 - 16, 0vvvvvvv must match (unless MIDI Channel = ALL); always
responds if 0vvvvvvv = 0111 1111.
0000 0110 Inquiry Message
0000 0001 Inquiry Request
1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX)
Status Description
1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx)
0111 1110 Non-realtime message
0vvv vvvv If MIDI Channel = ALL, 0vvvvvvv = 0111 1111. Otherwise 0vvvvvvv = Channel Number
0 - 15.
0000 0110 Inquiry Message
0000 0010 Inquiry Reply
0000 0001 DSI ID
0010 1111 Rev2 ID (Family LS)
0000 0001 Family MS
0000 0000 Family Member LS
0000 0000 Family Member MS
0jjj nnnn Main Software version: jjj - Minor rev; nnnn - Major rev
1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX)
The Rev2 will respond by sending out the program data in the format
described below in Program Data Dump.
The Rev2 will respond by sending out the current program edit buffer in
the format described below in Program Edit Buffer Data Dump.
The Rev2 will respond by sending out the current values of the global
parameters in the format described in Global Parameters Data Dump.
Status Description
1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx)
0000 0001 DSI ID
0010 1111 Rev2 ID
0000 0010 Program Data
0000 00vv Bank Number: 0 - 9
0vvv vvvv Program Number: 0 - 99
0vvv vvvv 2046 bytes expanded to 2339 MIDI bytes in “packed MS bit” format
1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX)
The Global Parameters Data Dump is not recognized when received. It is only
transmitted when requested. NRPN messages are used to change Globals.
1 A7 A6 A5 A4 A3 A2 A1 A0 1 00 G7 F7 E7 D7 C7 B7 A7
2 B7 B6 B5 B4 B3 B2 B1 B0 2 00 A6 A5 A4 A3 A2 A1 A0
3 C7 C6 C5 C4 C3 C2 C1 C0 3 00 B6 B5 B4 B3 B2 B1 B0
4 D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0 4 00 C6 C5 C4 C3 C2 C1 C0
5 E7 E6 E5 E4 E3 E2 E1 E0 5 00 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0
6 F7 F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1 F0 6 00 E6 E5 E4 E3 E2 E1 E0
7 G7 G6 G5 G4 G3 G2 G1 G0 7 00 F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1 F0
8 00 G6 G5 G4 G3 G2 G1 G0
This explains why it takes 2339 MIDI bytes to transmit 2046 Program data bytes.
DSI-10266R