Dave Smith: Synth Prophet
‘Legend’ can be an overused term, often diluting its status, but there can be no argument when applying this description to synth pioneer Dave Smith. Here we trace his influential career…
Words by Dave Gale
Prophet-5: an enduring example of what happens when a product is crafted with love
Synth family tree
If Bob Moog is described as the Grandfather of modern subtractive synthesis, then surely Dave Smith would be right alongside him, as a Great Uncle. Dave founded his fledgling startup in 1974, out of San Francisco. His day job involved working with micro-processors, an emerging technology of the era emanating from the Silicon Valley area of Northern California, where Dave lived.
He had purchased a Minimoog in 1972, but wanted a sequencer to use alongside, so exploiting his talent and expertise for design, built his first analogue sequencer, the Model 600. This was the first in a run of similar sequencer-based products, providing the obvious branding for Smith’s new enterprise, Sequential Circuits Inc.
The Model 600 was quickly followed by the Model 800 Digital Sequencer, offering the capability of storing note patterns in banks. This was a revelation on release in ’76, sealing the brand’s identity.