The Prophet of Synthesizers: A Tribute to Dave Smith 

Thank you for such a beautiful tribute to my dad

Rest in Peace Dave. A true synth wizard and legend. My interest in synthesizers wouldn't have happened if the Prophet 5 never happened.

A true Prophet of Synthesis. RIP Dave.

One of the saddest news for me in 2022 that he is gone - a few weeks ago, I stiil saw him at SuperBooth / Berlin - one of the nicest and smartest guys he was out there... 😢

22:04 "The whole MIDI thing" as he waves his hand and says it was a "one shot thing." One of the greatest inventions in the history of music and something that without, I simply would not have been able to produce the kind of music and do the kinds of things I do today without MIDI. My first synthesizer was a Six Trak. My first Drum Machine a Sequential Circuits TOM, my first MIDI interface was the C64 interface for a commodore 64. My first proper music computer, an Atari ST, had MIDI ports built in. I cannot imagine my creative life without Dave Smith and his "one off." He was truly the shining star of inventors in the music industry. What an incredible, humble guy. It hurts to see the great ones pass on.

A few years ago my friend was sitting in a place once and was talking to this guy explaining midi to him and the guy was very interested in his conversation, latter on my friend found out he was explaining midi to was dave smith :D rest well you mega hero dave

He tried to downplay the importance of MIDI. Don't kid yourself. MIDI was a revolution. Young players accept it as automatic that MIDI plugs are on the back of any serious keyboard, controller or sound module these days. Not before Dave. Before MIDI you more less had to buy into a system from one company if you wanted a synth, sequencer or voice module. Also keep in mind that the first Moog hit in 1964 at the price of a new Volks Wagon. So to buy into a complete system was big bucks. After Dave, you could keep saving up until you had a keyboard from each of the big players, Yamaha, Roland, Oberheim, Sequential, Moog etc and they could all be plugged together and played from one of the keyboards and have the sound of any of them from one controller. In fact, that's what brought about the keyboard controller which made no sound of its own, you just got sound modules and plugged them all in. MIDI may have been the most influential invention ever in the world of synths. In todays world of proprietary everything that would be unheard of. But when you think about it, if having to buy all of one companies system had continued, we would never have bought so many of such a wide variety of companies. It helped everyone instead of hurting them. I wish some other manufacturers in the world could realize that. Working together instead of trying to lock out the competition is better for everyone in the long run. But don't buy a Chevy part and think you're going to put it in a Ford LOL!

So great to see some more recent footage of Dave! It's really nice that you folks put this video together and included clips from his friends and colleagues. DSI / Sequential hosted my wife and I at their studio / office and I had my Tempest along and placed it on his desk while we were there, so as to "touch the monolith". Afterwards, we went across to Tony Nik's where Dave and Tom filmed the promo video for the OB-6 and I asked to bartender to make me one of Dave's usual drinks, with tequila of course. I'm so very sad that he passed away. It's still hard to comprehend. But we've still got him with us through the legacy of his work and instruments. I have nine synthesizers in my studio and each of them all say "Dave Smith Instruments" on them, all before the switch to Sequential. So he's all I got... He designed the sounds that I love to use in my music and has done it in such a way, that it is always a lot of fun and keeps me inspired for more. Really glad to see this footage from you guys. Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

I was a salesman in the X-Ray business in 82-83. While covering my territory I walked into Michael Boddicker's parents' music store in Cedar Rapids, IA. There I got to see a MemoryMoog for the first time. While even knowing I wasn't going to purchase it, the salesman grabbed a set of headphones and plugged them into a mixer that the MemoryMoog was also plugged in and told me "take as much time as you want to check it out." I walked out of the store about 2 hours later with a grin. Within 4 months I purchased the Sequential Circuits Pro-One. You always remember your first one.

Dave’s passing was a real heart-breaker. Dave was a hero of mine, as I’m sure many others.

Thanks to Sam and Syntaur to make this video. You will be missed Dave, thanks for all the things you gave us.

Dave Smith was a genius and a legend will be greatly missed. It has been an emotional rollercoaster going from the joy and excitement of the introduction of the OB-X8, the latest fruit of Dave's wonderful collaboration with Tom Oberheim to the sudden and stunning news that we have lost Dave. It was also nice to see that Dave's profound love and respect for Tom and Kakehashi-San was pointed out. Thank you, Sam and Syntaur for such a moving tribute.

Rest in peace and PWM. Thank you, Dave, for all you've added to my life.

Dave Smith was someone that I would consider to have been on my "To meet" bucket list. Every interview showed his passion for synthesizers and technology and doing his part to keep things creatively progressing. Yet, the humility and kindness that he showed everyone that he talked with in interviews impressed me most. Dave is the kind of man that I think treated everyone like a peer or friend in some way. I'm grateful for his work and innovation with Korg. I will remember Dave Smith every time I play my Korg Wavestation. This synth wouldn't exist without Dave Smith and his team at the time. A legend and one of our synth heros. Rest in Peace Dave.

Absolutely gutted by this unfortunate news, wonderful memorial you gents put together for Dave.

Thank you for making this video and uploading it. We are losing the inventors and artists of the late 70's and 80's each month. If anyone reading this knows an artist or inventor who made early, electronic music... no matter how big or small... get their thoughts and memories recorded. You never know how much time they have left, and who they may inspire in the future because you took the time to ask them to tell about their experiences. With how accessible cameras are these days and how easy it is to share, there is no excuse when someone musical passes away and there remain many questions unasked of them.

Fantastic tribute to the man. RIP Dave!

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I'm sure it was a labor of love, but I think it also took a bit of resolve to push through the unhappiness that may have welled up when making this content. Still, you've given your audience such a lovely tribute to Dave Smith and so I express my gratitude for these efforts - RIP Dave Smith

Rest in peace Dave. You will go to heaven for Shure and your Prophet 5 will live for ever. I am one of the lucky persons who have a good old Prophet 5 rev 3. The best synth ever made.

RIP Dave. You are and still will be a legend in many many years to come. I own a Prophet X and I have to admit it is the best synth I have ever owned.

Thank you Syntaur for this great tribute! Dave Smith lives whenever we're using one of the instruments he designed, but even more when using MIDI-equipped devices. Thank you Dave!

A superb hommage to this true pioneer and visionary, passionate about what he did. The fact that synths still use MIDI today is a testament to his genius design. He will be missed. Thanks for sharing this tribute. To quote him "Analog subtractive synthesis is here forever...that's what got us out of the digital dark ages". I agree wholeheartedly. Dave Smith, Robert A. Moog, and Tom Oberheim are my idols, and they are to millions of other people too!

What a wonderful tribute. More people should see this.

What a wonderful person and what a loss to us all that he's gone.

Making it seem so simple while creating some of the more unique and influential ""machines with a soul"" of this kind is certainly a mark of a genius, nothing less than that. Awesome man and engineer. RIP Dave Smith

Thanks guys, very beautiful video of Dave, I have the chance to have one of his creations a P600 back in 1994. Thanks Dave for your legacy.

oh man... I can´t believe he´s not with us anymore... this made me cry again what a lovely tribute Syntaur, you are doing much more than supply us with parts... there is true love behind this

Thank goodness he didn't sell it to Gibson! Thank you, Yamaha! I still have a couple of letters from SC signed by Mr.Dave. Some replacement keys & chip updates for Six Trak and Drum Traks. I remember he hardly charged me for the parts or s&h. Very sad news. RIP Mr. Smith. Your instruments bring much joy to this world.

Thanks for this, Sam. I'm so glad you had a chance to meet him. Wish I did.😞

you can hear the love and respect these people have for Dave ........ thank you Syntaur this was touching and heart felt

Love Dave Smith. 🙏❤️😞 praying for his family and everyone

A pioneer who changed the world, thank you. R.I.P. Dave Smith

A legend has passed but never will be forgotten. Thank you Sam for this tribute.

A great Man of Planet Earth, founder of MIDI and very great Synthesizer.. R.I.P. Dave! 😢

I literally just grabbed my polyevolver a few days ago and while researching one of the newer prophets I found out that Dave had passed. I was crushed. Always enjoyed his products, and was amazed by his demeanor. RIP.

Still can’t believe he’s no longer with us

You guys put together a fantastic tribute vid for a man who deserved our greatest respect. Well done.

That is a really lovely tribute Sam, thank you...

I mentioned this before somewhere but one of the big things he did was 'Reality' by Seer Systems. This was a revolution! Back in the late 90s the idea of a software sampler with filters was really something. To think he invented midi then that. So respect to you Dave. You changed the world!

A man who revolutionized the music world. If only people knew how MIDI is taken for granted. I'm so glad to own a prophet 5 and a prophet 08. The sounds that can be created with a Prophet are endless, Thank you Dave for creating such beautiful universal tool. RIP mr. Smith!!

Truly a sincere, informed, beautiful and moving tribute to a very bright, gregarious and generous human being. Thank you so much for creating this video.

This was a lovely tribute guys.. such a loss and he seemed in such good health. There's never really enough time is there.

Thank you Sam for helping us all grieve and remember Dave through this tribute. A legend has left us, and there are no words. Thank you Dave for everything you've done for music, the synth world and beyond -- you will be forever missed, and your legacy will never be forgotten.

My first ever synth was a Prophet 5 and it totally blew me away. R.I.P. Dave 🙏

2022, what kind of a year.... the loss of so many great personalities is remarkable.

RIP Dave! You changed my life! Respect and condolences to his family and friends. Will be missed indeed!

Sam, thanks for putting this together! It was nice seeing you just a few weeks back when you shot this. It's been very difficult for us.

Thanks for this, Dave was a pioneer and a gentleman. I have two Six Traks to help carry the legacy. As an aside, the $1500 Dave paid for his Model D is now the equivalent of $10,500 in 2022 dollars. That was quite a financial plunge for a fledgling EE, but obviously paid major dividends to us all. RIP.

This was an amazing piece. Thank you to your team for posting this. I am just beginning my synth life of music creating. And when (on RU-vid) I saw a post of the story of Sequential Circuit I was inspired and enchanted. Choosing the Take5 as my 1st synth I can only hope Dave Smith was there for its inception but ultimately, Mr. Smith’s heart and genius will be in anything Sequential, and any company after, in its circuits.

Thanks to Dave Smith, he was part of very important legendary work.

Thank you so much for this. Beautiful tribute.

I remember, as a teenager, hearing about Bob Moog passing, and feeling very down because as remote as the possibility may have been, that moment put in concrete the fact that I would never get to meet that person that contributed so much to the industry and the artistry that I enjoy and have tried to re-create through software. That feeling came back in full when I read of Dave Smith's passing. I look forward to the next wave of people that push the synth sphere forward, and I'm thankful for what people like Bob and Dave and Don did to lay the groundwork for what we have now.

Lot of people have been dying unexpectedly the past couple years. Thank you for making this vid. I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that he's gone. : (

Very sad and such a loss, and Dave wasn't done yet I guess. He would have continued to perfect analog gear for quite some time yet I'm thinking, if not for this sudden change of plan to his journey. I gigged on Rhodes, Minimoog and Prophet 5 from 1980 on. My P5 wasn't without its problems but oh what a sound it had and I was so grateful for the 40 patch memory which the new kids on the block would see as insignificant. My regret is having sold these pieces which played such an important part in my experience and learning. Much heartfelt sympathy to Dave's family and close friends. We all have indeed lost a great man and a key figure in this art we call music. Wonderful too what he did for Tom Oberheim with the re-creation in the OB6. RIP Dave...

Dave Smith created a sound which inspired me as a child, as a teenager and an adult. As a boy in the 80's I experienced a unique sound across songs on the radio and I it took many years to identify what that signature sound was - Sequential Prophet 5. Thank you Dave, your loss is so great and your legacy even greater as a visionary, innovator and inventor. I'm deeply thankful to you.

Dave you were a magician of sound, and you made a true milestone in the history of instrument makers. Your legacy is immense and a source of inspiration for the new generations all around the world. Rest In Peace you wonderful !

Still hard to believe. Rest well, Dave. ❤🧡💛

This was great, I've always liked him

A beautifully done tribute, thanks for making this. I was at the NAMM show, it was magic as it always is, but there was the feeling we lost something. The industry is forever grateful for what Dave Smith has given us.

This is such a bittersweet kiss good bye. But more importantly it celebrates his life and creations. That is what he deserves and that is indeed what we all should do. And in times like this it is always nice to remember this quote by Edgar Froese that says "There is no death. Just a change of our cosmic address." Yes, this tribute really does him justice, showing him as humble and human as he was. And how i will always remember him :')

Many thanks to all of you Syntaur folks. This video is on my save list to watch again and again. This should go into the Smithsonian in the near future.

That's sad. Dave smith= GENIUS. So glad to own a Prophet 6!

Terrible and sad news. Obviously a lovely guy who will be missed. His contribution to music will live on for a long time yet.

Legend: Left a proper legacy and a real mark, what a dude !

What a humble and empathetic guy was Dave, despite (and maybe even because of) the indisputable stance he deservedly gained in the electronic instruments industry. Not only I am the proud owner of a beautiful Rev 2, a vibrant and authoritative keyboard, but my first synthesiser ever was a second-hand and mint condition Six Track, which now I sorely regret to have sold to finance a then very hyped digital module.

RIP to one of the BEST....if not the BEST ever did it. i just saw him few weeks ago in berlin and had a nice chat...what an amazing and humble person he was. life is so crazy!!! Amazing Tribute.... costed me couple of tears.

Totally appreciate you guys doing this tribute! I always looked up to Dave Smithˋs ingenuity and the way he produced very musical tools for us. I always wanted to own a Prophet 6 and I finally was able to buy my own one. It just arrived the very same day when I read about Dave having passed away. Now I always have to think about Dave whenever I switch on my P6. It feels like using an instrument I borrowed from a friend. RIP Dave and thank you.

Wow, just Wow! I can’t think of a better way to honor this man and his work. You created something very special. This tribute will live on along with everyone’s memories of Dave. Well done!

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 I had to see this on my old Fb page to realize a QUADRUPLE MUSICAL OG had passed away.....damn man, I'm truly grateful to have lived in a time to see many Musicians excel and succeed in their fields and inspire young folk like myself. 🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊 rest easy King

R.I.P Dave Smith. The Pro-2 & The Tempest are my favourite instruments in my studio.☹

RIP Dave Smith. I worked for Sequential the last year before they were bought.

I am shocked and devastated. Being at the same time an electronic music producer and an engineer, I know all too well what we owe to Dave Smith: programmable synthesizers, MIDI, and a variety of gorgeous instruments from the Prophet to the Drumtraks to the Tempest and even Eurorack modules, some of which I own, instruments that the world’s best artists, and the most demanding, have happily used. ⠀ But it was only two weeks ago that I met him, at SuperBooth in Berlin, and discovered a kind and friendly person. I didn’t ask for a photo with this legend, because I didn’t want to bother him and I was planning to meet him again when I soon return to California. ⠀ He was so full of energy that when I later heard about his tragic disappearance, I just couldn’t believe it. I hoped it was a mistake or a joke in horrible taste. Yet the Sequential website confirmed it and I had to confront reality. ⠀ I was working on coproducing a documentary targeted at the general public about Superbooth and more broadly the world of electronic instruments. We must have made one of the last interviews with Dave and I will now make sure that this documentary pays tribute to him. ⠀ On Sequential’s booth, I spent time to try in person the Prophet 10 I had my eye on for several months, the pinnacle of Dave’s work, which I since then ordered. Analog instruments bring a human touch to electronic music. I’d like to believe that when use this Prophet 10, which will now carry a particular significance for me, there will be a piece of Dave’s soul in my music.

Thank you so much, Sam and Syntaur crew and to all those who made the time to be interviewed. Moving through disbelief and grief I am sure was not easy but I am so thankful that you did it for our community. I still can't imagine a world without Dave's vision, drive and abilities and, as so many have mentioned, his kindness. But it helps me to think that kindness is similar to MIDI. Dave didn't fancy being the "author". He enjoyed it in application. He left us pretty darned good specs for both. Thank you again, and thank you Mr. Smith 🎹 🥃

Beautiful tribute. I count myself as fortunate that I got to meet and talk to him many times at NAMM, where he welcomed me by name (alright, he read my tag), and now I have a treasured collection of DSI/Sequential shot glasses...!

i envy dave,,,,the man has left behind a amazing legacy

Rest In Peace, Dave. Your inspiration and innovation will long outlive you.

Dave was a GIANT. For many years I’ve blindly used MIDI, not knowing the true history of it. Just a humble benefactor of it’s greatness. At times feeling like a grand maestro in my lab. Using MIDI like veins pseudo connecting machines to my brain. Making the creative inside me come to life. I often think about “impact”. In this arena, DAVE is IMMORTAL. May he Rest In Peace. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾✊🏾

A true legendary innovator... R.I.P. Dave Smith

Dave Smith will always be a legend!

R.I.P Dave Smith you were the founder of one of the most successful synthesizer corporations and created on if the most famous and iconic synthesizers of all time! As well as creating (along with Roland) created the most used technology in playing multiple different synths sounds from different synths on different synths, MIDI! 😔🙏🏻

Thank you for a wonderful tribute to a guy that most of us never had the privilege to meet but whose lives (and ears!) have been irrevocably altered for the better. As someone mentioned in the film about Devo's sound being defined by the Prophet 5, one of my favourite bands, Japan, were similar.

Great video. Thanks to Sam and to all the Syntaur team.

This is excellent guys, really thank you for putting this together. The clips of Dave are great, his enthusiasm for his own work and the industry as a whole is captivating. So much of what I love doesn't exist without his work, and the landscape of my passion would be completely different. I wish the best for Sequential, and the best for his family.

yea - "... a one shot thing but I did it twice ..." - Dave Smith forever

I was 18 in 1983 and started creating electronic music. MIDI was the most incredible thing for people like me. I could save up for a sampler, drum machine and synth and make music without any other costs. I could prepare before going into a studio. It also opened up automation and sequencing. It allowed me to get signed and have a career in music. It was life changing for so many artists and still is. The Prophet 5 is still my favourite polysynth and still in use. He got it right straight away. RIP Dave.

Great Video,what a cleve chap,Where would we be without MIDI,RIP Dave.

Today is the second anniversary of Dave Smith's death. All synth lovers will never forget the PROPHET of the synthesizers...

Thanks for doing this. The legend that is Mr Smith deserves all the tributes he can get. So sad. :( I have a Prophet 10 r4 and OB-6. My 2 faves.

Was great to see Dave get the Sequential name back. Shame it wasn’t the full Sequential Circuits name on the new synths. Such a sad day for the alienated synthesists out there.

A beautiful trubute to a wonderful man.

Thanks you guys for putting this all together for a listen and review of Daves life. Well done. I am proud to have owned numerous Sequential products over the years. FYI for anyone looking for a great “ read “, the soft cover - The Prophet from Silicon Valley - is still available on Amazon but you better hurry. Thanks again Syntaur.

Heartbreaking to watch. RIP David.

Thanks for putting this video together. Dave Smith is one of very few human beings in history who can say: “I changed the world, literally….” he did !

MIDI has always been a big part of what I do musically, originally in live performance in the '80's, followed by my huge use of Pre-DAW software (Twelve Tones Systems Cakewalk etc...), then Full DAW use (Logic Pro etc) using the Daw to record both audio and play MIDI directly to synths, and ultimately today where I do both. If it wasn't for MIDI my love for synths might not have progressed nearly as much. Daves work to create MIDI literally opened up a lot of freedom and ability to create and do things musically that would not have been otherwise possible, that coupled with the fact that MIDI is so good that there has never been a single change to the protocol is a testament to Dave's dedication and work. The only change I can recall to MIDI was only a basically agreed standard called "General Midi" which is simply the organization of sounds/patches so that if you use sound #1 or press patch #1 on a synth, you get that keyboards version of a piano sound, #2 is Bright Piano, and so on. This solved what used to be frustrating to me when I would get a MDI file from someone and all the patches are setup for that persons specific synth that was pre "General Midi" and I would have to go track by track changing the sound patches until they were correct for my non-general midi gear. There is a lot of talk today about MIDI 2.0 but to this day, with all my modern and vintage gear, including my pre-midi gear that I have added MIDI to, I have never had any need whatsoever for any new version of MIDI. It has always worked perfectly no matter what I was trying to do. 128 steps of MIDI volume used in a fadeout? sounds like its stepping toward the end of the fade? maybe so, but today we use DAWs to record, why fade the midi when you can simply fade the track? Midi Volume wasn't meant for full fade in/outs, its meant to set volume levels. RIP Dave, you will be greatly missed.

I think of Dave often. He was an amazing person. So happy I got to hang out with him. I love telling the new kids coming up about him. Lots of love to Dave!!

Thanks for putting together Syntaur. Dave's creativity touched many of us but I am most impressed by his kindness. Thank you Dave.

Mondo respect to The guy who decided to drive with the camera equipment to do this interview. 🙏

Great and emotional tribute. Met Dave at SuperBooth just three weeks before he passed...

A beautiful tribute. Thank you. He seemed such a great person and he will be missed.

Music owes a huge amount to this brilliant man. Thanks for the excellent video guys.