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Prophet 12 gets linear FM synthesis, and more

Dave Smith Instruments has released a new operating system for the Prophet 12 hybrid digital/analog poly synth, adding several requested features.

The new OS 1.3 now ships with newly purchased instruments, and is of course also available for download from the company’s website for users wishing to upgrade instruments equipped with older versions of the OS. The upgrade is compatible with both the keyboard and the desktop version of the Prophet 12.

The new features include:

  • Classic linear FM synthesis
  • Support for up to 16 alternate tunings (a set of 16 popular tunings is included)
  • MIDI note output from the arpeggiator
  • Assignable voice stacking in unison mode
  • New modulation destinations

The addition of linear FM synthesis is a key feature of the upgrade, significantly expanding the tonal palette of the Prophet 12. Linear FM (frequency modulation) was originally popularized in Yamaha’s classic DX-series of instruments and allows creating a wide range of sounds, from percussive bell-like timbres to hard-edged industrial effects and more. According to Smith, the advantage of the Prophet 12’s hybrid architecture is that the digital part of its sound engine can keep being enhanced while preserving all of the analog warmth of the original filters – so, are further developments to be expected? Time will tell…

The Prophet 12 has a MAP of $2,999. More details available from www.davesmithinstruments.com.

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