4000 with SCI Prophet 600 Midi ?

I just picked up a SCI Prophet 600 and I'm trying to figure out the midi. This is my first vintage synth and I was hoping someone might be able to help me out. Up until this point i have only used the 4000 by itself and don't have experience with midi.

The issue I'm having is tracking individual programs on my 4000. I was able to record a sequence on my 4000 and it played back fine. Then I went to the next track on the 4000, and on the 600, and recorded another sequence. When I played it back, only the current program from the 600 could be heard. Here are the steps I took.

1. Connect midi out from 600 to 4000 in
2. Connect midi out from 4000 to 600 in
3. Power up both units
4. Hit 'Record + Program Select 1' on 600 to enable
5. Select 'On' for midi sync on my 4000, Sync in:Midi In-I
6. Out1:Midi-A Ch:1 Device:Device1
7. Record sequence 1, track 1 on 4000
8. Playback on 4000 (sounds as it should)
9. Go to next track on 4000
10. Out1:Midi-A Ch:2 Device:Device1
11. Select new program on 600
12. Hit 'Record + Program Select 9 + Tune' on 600 (to go to next midi track)
13. Record sequence 2, track 2 on 4000
14. Playback on 4000 (only the current program being used can be heard, same programs for both sequences)

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance!

Is the Prophet multi-timbral?

I doubt it. I'm guessing that the Prophet will only play back one voice at a time and therefore only responds to one MIDI channel at a time.

I mean, it's a 6 voice analog from about 1981 isn't it? If you send everything on one MIDI channel to the Prophet it will play it all depending on the polyphony limit which is 6 notes at a time.

I think you'll have to record it in a DAW/Multitrack one track at a time, or sample some of the parts into the MPC.

"The first commercially available synth to implement MIDI...Models with the newest software will enjoy polyphonic MIDI implementation"

http://www.vintagesynth.com/sci/p600.php

This implies that models without the newest software respond to only one midi channel at a time.

I always do my homework before buying a vintage piece, its essential you know what to expect. Remember the midi spec grew and developed into what it is today; in the early days it was pretty basic but that was amazing back then.

Thanks for the help guys! Found it in a local shop for $200 and couldn't pass it up. Everything seems to work so far and it looks in a lot better shape after cleaning it up. Recording one track at a time is no big deal, an easy work around. I just thought I was doing something wrong or there was something wrong with the midi on my 600. Thanks again...

That's a great deal on a synth like that!

I do think it's mono-timbral in that you can't split the polyphony over more than one sound or patch. It wont play a bass sound in the lower octaves at the same time as a string pad sound on the higher octaves?

If it can do a split it's then another step to get different MIDI channels to control the two sounds, although you could still send the MIDI notes for both parts on one channel.

MPCdawk wrote:That's a great deal on a synth like that

If I were you I'd go back to that shop every week, some places don't know the true value or significance of what they are selling. Which is a good thing for us.

@discodevil77

Pics or it didn't happen

Best $200 buy I've seen in a long while, looks like you have some nice toys in there..

Why is it that never once in my lifetime have I ever found a bargain like that
Is it some kind of Karma for my previous life or something...

Great find OP. It gives me hope that some day I might find a bargain like that

Rhythm Ace and Bozack in your studio - nice!