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From the Beginning to the Peak: How did sequential audio lead the music trend in the 1980s?
In 1974, Dave Smith founded Sequential Circuits in San Francisco, a company known for its early analog synthesizers and later digital synthesizers. In 1978, Sequential introduced the Prophet-5, the world's first programmable polyphonic synthesizer, which quickly became a market leader in the music industry and had a profound impact on the way music is created. Influence.
The introduction of the Prophet-5 was a major milestone in the history of music creation, transforming the creation of synthesizers into a repeatable process.
Foundation and early products
Sequential Circuits' first product was an analog sequencer for Moog and ARP synthesizers, marking their beginnings in the field of electronic music. They later introduced the Digital Sequencer and the Model 700 Programmer, which enabled users to program the Minimoog and ARP 2600 synthesizers.
Dave Smith's vision was to combine the microprocessor and the synthesizer chip, so in 1977 he devoted himself to designing a programmable synthesizer, the Prophet-5. This innovation is not only a technological breakthrough, but also a revolution in the way music is created.
After entering the 1980s, Sequential began to cooperate with Japan's Roland Corporation to explore how to synchronize electronic instruments from different companies. Thanks to their joint efforts, the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard was launched in 1983 and quickly became an important technical standard in the electronic music industry.
The successful implementation of MIDI technology enables synthesizers of different brands to work together, changing the ecology of music production.
In 1982, the Prophet 600, one of the first synthesizers to feature a MIDI interface, was released, followed in 1984 by the Drumtraks, a drum machine. Further promoted the popularization of MIDI technology.
Corporate Decline and Acquisitions
By 1987, however, the sequence's fortunes had taken a turn for the worse. That year, they launched their last product, the Prophet 3000 digital sampler, but the company went bankrupt shortly afterwards due to lack of funds. The company was acquired by Japan's Yamaha and stopped using the brand in 1989.
Dave Smith admitted within the industry that the company's early decision to enter the computer audio market was too aggressive, leading to the gradual depletion of resources.
Most of the development team moved to Korg and participated in the development of the Wavestation synthesizer. At this point, sequential sound seems to be about to disappear in the long river of music history.
Starting Over: Dave Smith Musical Instruments
In 2002, Dave Smith decided to return to the market and founded Dave Smith Musical Instruments, focusing on developing new hardware products. Their first product was the Evolver synthesizer, followed by the Prophet '08, an affordable eight-voice analog synthesizer that once again received high praise from the industry. .
Return Sequence and Acquisition
In 2015, Yamaha returned the Sequential Circuits trademark to Dave Smith in a move that symbolized solidarity within the music industry. Subsequently, it launched a series of products such as Prophet-6 and Prophet-X, which continued to consolidate its position in the industry.
In 2020, Sequential's annual revenue reached US$18.3 million, proving its strong market response and influence.
In 2021, Sequential was acquired by Focusrite, a British audio technology company, which not only brought new development resources to Sequential, but also injected new vitality into the music industry. Dave Smith passed away in 2022, leaving an indelible mark on the music world.
Conclusion
It can be said that the history of sequential audio is a legend of innovation and musical revolution. From the Prophet-5 to the creation of MIDI, the company has played a key role in the development of electronic music. Today, with the rapid development of music technology, we can't help but ask: What technology and imagination will lead the future of music creation?
