Camilo Sánchez / Monokoi

Photo Credit: Andrés Acosta AFAC

Camilo Sánchez is a Colombian artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer based in Los Angeles. Sánchez has collaborated with artists including Latin Grammy and Grammy winners like Manuel Medrano, Diamante Eléctrico, Walt Anderson of Kool & The Gang, and Mireya Ramos of Flor de Toloache. His musical journey has taken him to stages across the Americas, Australia, and Europe, including Coachella, Vive Latino, Austin City Limits, Estéreo Picnic, and Cosquín Rock.

Monokoi is Sánchez’s solo project, where Latin rooted sounds meet alternative soul-pop, R&B, and analog experimentation. His forthcoming debut album, Geometría del Universo, features eleven songs written and produced entirely by Sánchez. The new single “Planetas,” created around the sonic world of the Prophet-6, is out on all platforms, ahead of the album’s release on October 1, 2026.

We chatted with Camilo on how the Prophet-6 was used in his music:

What made you choose the Prophet-6?

My relationship with Sequential began long before I ever touched one of their instruments. Growing up in Colombia, synthesizers like these were very difficult to find in music stores, so I discovered the brand through magazines, music store catalogs, videos, and anything else I could find. I was fascinated by Dave Smith’s story, not only as an instrument designer and the founder of Sequential, but also as one of the key architects behind MIDI. When I was studying music at university, artists such as Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, The Chemical Brothers, and Radiohead opened an entirely new world of synthesizers for me. Massive Attack, in particular, had a profound influence on the way I understood electronic sound and texture. So many of the artists and records I admired seemed to have a Prophet somewhere in the creative process.

My first Sequential instrument was the Dave Smith Instruments Tempest. I used it to create beats and explore the incredible sounds inside its banks. Later, when the Prophet-6 was released, its connection to the legendary Prophet-5 immediately drew me in. It felt like the perfect bridge between that history and a modern instrument I could make part of my own musical language.

I bought my Prophet-6 in Los Angeles shortly before performing at Coachella in 2017 with Diamante Eléctrico. I remember opening the box, reading through the manual, and being so eager to hear it that I connected it to a guitar amplifier because I didn’t have headphones with me.
Years later, after moving to Los Angeles, I met Dave at NAMM and shared a tequila shot with him. For someone who first discovered Sequential through catalogs in Colombia, that relationship feels very full circle.

How have you used Sequential instruments in your productions?

Sequential has been present in my productions since I first started working with the Tempest. Today, the Prophet-6 is my go-to, an essential part of my studio and one of the first instruments I reach for when I want to explore a new sonic direction.

Almost every synthesizer sound on my new Monokoi single, “Planetas,” was recorded with the Prophet-6. I used it for pads, a sequenced and panned arpeggio, melodic leads, layered synth basses, atmospheric sounds, and subtle textures. Some parts were doubled, while others were processed through analog pedals and additional effects to push the original sounds into entirely different spaces.

The ending of “Planetas” is one of my favorite moments on the album. I reversed some Prophet-6 textures and placed them alongside samples taken from NASA recordings related to planets, stars, and other elements of the universe. I tuned, edited, cut, and transformed those recordings until the organic imperfections of the samples and the analog character of the Prophet felt as though they were communicating with each other. The Prophet-6 is also present on many songs of my album, Geometría del Universo, so it has become a defining part of the record’s sonic identity.

What is one of your favorite things about the Prophet-6?

My favorite thing about the Prophet-6 is its immediacy. Everything feels one knob away. I can turn it on, find the beginning of an idea, and start transforming it without interrupting the creative process.

Understanding concepts such as oscillators, filters, envelopes, and LFOs opens many more possibilities, but the instrument never feels like it is standing between you and the music. It invites you to experiment and makes it easy to move from selecting a sound to manipulating it and recording an idea.

I also love its physical design. the wooden sides, the construction, and those classic red lights.

What does it give you that other synths might not?

The Prophet-6 gives me a very particular combination of heritage, character, and speed. It has the warmth and personality I associate with a classic analog synthesizer, while offering the reliability and immediacy of a modern instrument. More importantly, it changes the way I make creative decisions. Working with hardware allows me to respond physically and intuitively to a sound. I can reach for a knob, change a filter, alter an envelope, or introduce movement without leaving the musical moment. Those small physical decisions often take the production somewhere I would not have reached by looking at a screen.

Even after I layer a sound or process it through pedals and plugins, I can still hear the Prophet-6 at its core. It retains its own identity while adapting naturally to the world of the song.

Any interesting Prophet-6 tricks or techniques you would like to share?

One technique I use frequently is to begin by playing a part freely and capturing the musical information as MIDI. I can then refine or sequence the pattern, send it back to the Prophet-6, and manipulate the sound in real time while it plays. I use this approach often with arpeggiated parts because it allows me to focus on movement, filtering, modulation, and performance instead of having to play every note again.

I also like recording several layers and variations of the same sound. I may process one version through analog pedals, keep another more natural, and transform a third with plugins. Afterward, I cut, reverse, edit, and blend small fragments from those different recordings.