Sequential Circuits
54Also known as: Sequential, SCI
UnclaimedFounded in 1974 by Dave Smith in San Francisco, California, Sequential Circuits pioneered the programmable polyphonic synthesizer. The company's breakthrough product, the Prophet-5 (1978), was the world's first fully programmable polyphonic synth and the first musical instrument with an embedded microprocessor. It became a defining instrument of its era, used by artists ranging from Talking Hea...
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Founded in 1974 by Dave Smith in San Francisco, California, Sequential Circuits pioneered the programmable polyphonic synthesizer. The company's breakthrough product, the Prophet-5 (1978), was the world's first fully programmable polyphonic synth and the first musical instrument with an embedded microprocessor. It became a defining instrument of its era, used by artists ranging from Talking Heads and Peter Gabriel to John Carpenter, Madonna, and Daft Punk. The company also produced acclaimed instruments like the Pro-One monosynth, the Prophet-10, and the Drumtraks drum machine.
Sequential Circuits played a pivotal role in the creation of MIDI. Dave Smith, along with Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi, developed the Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard, first demonstrated publicly at the 1983 NAMM Show when a Sequential Circuits Prophet-600 was connected to a Roland Jupiter-6. Smith and Kakehashi received a Technical Grammy Award in 2013 for this contribution.
After the original company closed in 1987 and its trademark was acquired by Yamaha, Dave Smith launched Dave Smith Instruments in 2002 and continued designing synthesizers in the Sequential tradition. In 2015, Yamaha returned the Sequential name, and the company rebranded as Sequential in 2018. The modern lineup carries forward the Prophet legacy with instruments including the Prophet-5, Prophet-6, Prophet Rev2, Prophet X, OB-6 (a collaboration with Tom Oberheim), Trigon-6, Pro 3, and Take 5. Sequential is owned by Focusrite and continues to operate out of San Francisco.
Sequential Circuits has 25 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Synthesizers, Sound Modules, and Drum Machines. Their gear is featured by 449 artists, with the strongest followings in Electronic, Rock, and Pop. Notable users include Roger O'Donnell, Richard Barbieri, and Firechild. Sequential Circuits's catalog spans the full price spectrum — from entry-level options to high-end flagships.
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