SYNTHESIS INNOVATION FOR EVERY GENERATION
Welcome to a journey through five decades of groundbreaking innovation and musical influence in the world of synthesizers. Founded in 1974 by the visionary engineer Dave Smith, Sequential Circuits quickly became a pioneer in the music industry. From the creation of the Prophet-5, the world’s first fully programmable polyphonic synthesizer, to the development of MIDI technology and beyond, Sequential has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible in electronic music.
1974
The Model 600 was Dave Smith’s first-ever music product, a 16-step analog sequencer. A handful of these devices were sold to electronic music labs, and Sequential Circuits was born.
1977
I was sitting by a pool in Oakland, sometime in 1977. This bloke came over to me and introduced himself as Dave Smith. He said, ‘I’m building a synth’.
-Rick Wakeman
1978
The Prophet-5 was the world’s first fully-programmable polyphonic analog synthesizer. Produced from 1978 to 1984, this groundbreaking instrument was embraced by musicians of every genre.
1981
Released by Hall and Oates in 1981, “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” soared to number one on the Billboard charts. The song prominently features the Prophet-5 synthesizer, which is also highlighted in their music video.
1981
Sequential Circuits releases the iconic Pro-One monosynth, used by Aphex Twin, Brian Eno, Herbie Hancock and other top artists around the world.
The Pro-One. I’ve had it for so long. I like the envelopes on it, and it has really interesting modulation.
-Vince Clarke (Erasure, Yaz)
(Digital Trends interview)
1983
Released in 1983, “Thriller,” the title track from the best selling album of all time, features the Prophet-5 synthesizer in several parts, including the iconic opening chords.
1983
First public demo of MIDI at the NAMM show in California. Dave Smith and Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi collaborated to create a standard protocol for communication between electronic musical instruments. This led to the introduction of the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), successfully connecting a Sequential Circuits Prophet-600 to a Roland Jupiter-6.
1985
Prophet-5 provides the pad sound and appears in the award-winning video for “Take On Me” which topped the Billboard charts in 1985.
1986
Sequential Circuits releases the Prophet VS, introducing vector synthesis to the world, a more flexible and performable evolution of wavetable technology. Vector synthesis went on to form the basis of successful products from several other manufacturers.
2000
“Everything In Its Right Place,” from the album Kid A, was named one of the best tracks of the decade by Rolling Stone, NME, and Pitchfork. This song marked a significant departure in Radiohead’s musical evolution, incorporating the Prophet-5 synthesizer into their instrumental lineup.
2002
After the demise of Sequential Circuits, Dave Smith re-established himself with Dave Smith Instruments. This new company came out swinging, with products like the Evolver, Mopho, and Prophet ’08. A whole new era of synth innovation had begun.
2009
Trent Reznor takes a blistering solo on the Mono Evolver keyboard during “The Becoming” as NIN plays live onstage at the Sasquatch! Music Festival.
2013
Dave Smith is recognized with a Grammy award for his groundbreaking work inventing MIDI, which has become a standard for communication between electronic musical instruments, computers, and even lighting control, facilitating the connection of literally billions of devices around the world.
2014
Taylor Swift performs “Love Story” on the Prophet 12, exemplifying how Sequential’s instruments and influence have successfully crossed over to a wide range of musical genres.
2018
After regaining control of his original trademarks, Dave Smith’s company and instruments finally bore the name Sequential once again. This marked the beginning of a whole new chapter and lead to an explosion in instrument sales.
2020
Sequential comes full circle and recreates the legendary Prophet-5 for today’s generation of synthesists. By utilizing modern reissues of classic analog chips and introducing the innovative Vintage knob, Dave Smith and the Sequential team have captured all the nuances of previous Prophet revisions in the new Rev4.
2021
Sequential joins the Focusrite Group and gets a new CEO, David Gibbons, to help the team carry the torch forward.
2024
This year, we celebrate 50 years of musical influence, and nearly 200,000 instruments sold, honoring the vision of Dave Smith and the entire Sequential team. Where we go next is up to you, so grab your favorite Sequential synth, twist those knobs, play those keys, and make some analog magic.
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