Sequential Circuits PRO-ONE
Category: Products / synthesisers / analog synthesisers
Added: 19-Dec-98 | Author: admin
New price: discontinued | S/H price: £1200 or more
Company Link: Sequential
Sequential Circuits PRO-ONE
Released February 1981 for an initial UK price of £416 GBP, the Pro-One was Sequential’s first mono synth and was essentially a single voice from the Prophet-5, but also featured its own sequencer and arpeggiator. The Pro-One was a very successful synthesiser and has found its way onto countless recordings, both at the time of its release and onwards to today.
The Pro One is a two Oscillator VCO synth with Pulse Width modulation & Oscillator sync. The 2nd Oscillator can be switched into Low Frequency option to function as a modulator giving the synth Frequency Modulation ability. The 3rd wave source can be either a Noise generator or an external audio input, meaning you can process external audio with the Pro One. All three wave generating bits are mixed together at the desired blend in the Mixer section and then fed to a 24dB/Octave Low-Pass filter.
The Pro One offers a very comprehensive selection of Modulation choices via its clever Modulation matrix switching section which allows Modulators to be fed to destinations directly on buses or via the Mod wheel. All of this allows the Pro One to deliver warm and fat all the way to hard as nails & metallic sounds. In summary, this synth can really Spank!
The Pro One has a crafty Glide control which offers standard Glide between notes with a speed control to adjust transition time, while the 'Auto' setting yields Legato transitions when a note is played before the previous note is released, but other wise stays out of the way allowing normal staccato playing. The Pro One also features a basic 16 step sequencer which clocks to the LFO speed & has two banks, A & B with all notes having the same step duration. The arpeggiator is also decent. play two or more notes on the keyboard, and the Pro-One plays them in The arpeggiator can function UP or UP/DOWN and can be latched by playing a chord and moving the sequencer Play/Record switch to Record. Switch back to Play & it un-latches again. The Pro One also has CV and Gate inputs and outputs on the back, and the Gate input will trigger the Sequencer or the Arpeggiator.
Do you want one? Well you're in luck because Behringer (yes, them again) make a tweaked faithful reproduction which is as cheap as chips & sounds right on the money, so now there's no excuse.
From www.winecountrysequential.com - They specialise in selling and dealing with old SCI gear, spares, parts etc... check them out for SCI goodies!
The Pro One keyboard was introduced at the 1981 Winter NAMM Trade Show by Sequential Circuits as the world's first synthesizer for under $1000, carrying a list price of $745. Its monophonic voice architecture was modeled after the Prophet-5 Revision 3 and Prophet 10 by incorporating the exact same VCOs, VCFs, VCAs, & Envelope Generators into the voice cell design. Between 1981 and 1984 several thousand Pro One keyboards were manufactured and sold by Sequential Circuits.
The Sequential Circuits Pro-One is by many held as one of the most powerful sounding monosynths together with the MiniMoog and the Arp Odyssey. Although most people think the MiniMoog is unrivalled when it comes to deep bass sounds, the Pro-One is more versatile having a small modulation matrix with two busses. With the modulation matrix the filter envelope, oscillator B and/or the LFO can modulate oscillator A/B frequency, oscillator A/B pulse width or filter cut-off. The modulation can be routed either direct or via the modwheel. This may sound complex but is really straightforward to use.
The Pro-One was brought out on the market as a scaled down and cheaper version of the Prophet 5. The build quality is not in league with the Prophet 5, lacking the beautiful woodwork etc of its big brother. Its keyboard is notorious for its bad action and for being in constant need of service. This is much worse with the later versions using the membrane type keyboard. The membrane keyboard was used in the Pro-Ones with serial number over 8500 and seems to be very hard to service. The small membranes used as contacts for every key usually start producing double trigged notes or lost notes when getting old. Most Pro-Ones however (roughly 10 000 were made) have the much better J-wire type keyboard. The J-wire keyboards are pretty common in other synths and are pretty easy to fix when starting to act strange. Another concern with many of the earliest Pro-Ones, serial numbers under 1500, is that the power supply is mounted on the main board. The weight of the power supply can damage the main board if the synth is dropped etc. Many of the early ones were sent back to the factory for a fix and the ones produced later have the power supply mounted on the chassis instead.
When I bought my Pro-One the pots were very noisy from oxide and its keyboard was in pretty bad shape. I opened it up and cleaned the keyboard, fixed the keys so they were at the same height and started turning the bad pots back and forth to remove some oxide. Now it works very well with only some noise from some pots that I don't use that frequently. The keyboard also works well even though it still feels very plastic and clicky. The amplitude sustain pot is broken off, but it still works.
The sound of the Pro-One can be described as very raw and gritty but still warm. The lead sounds often have a certain brassy quality to it. It's not as bass heavy as the Waldorf Pulse but capable of producing really deep and solid bass. With some added EQ I think it is in the same league as the Pulse. The oscillators sound very alive and with PWM they are really massive! Comparing it to the Pulse again, it sounds so much more interesting when fully opening up the filter. The oscillators sound more physical and life full than the Pulse's DCO:s. The filter can self-oscillate and produce interesting seagull like sounds when on the edge. The envelopes are well known for being extremely fast and snappy, which makes the Pro-One ideal for percussive sounds.
Perhaps the most famous user of the Pro-One is Vince Clark. He used it on Depeche Mode's first album Speak and Spell (1981), but it was on the two album with Yazoo (1982-83) he really got the most out of it. In particularly the first album Upstairs at Eric's the Pro-One dominates heavily with several songs solely made with the Pro-One. At least the first single Only You is well known to be an all Pro-One song since Vince published the patches in the Electronics and Music Maker magazine. In fact you can replicate most of the leads and bass sounds from this album with your Pro-One. Listen to the short MP3 demo where I have copied the sounds from the other single Don't Go. On this page you will also find the patches I have used. It should be mentioned that the drums probably were made on another system [ARP 2600], other than that it is an all Pro-One song. You may judge for your self.
Other Pro-One artist are Nitzer Ebb, Bronski Beat, Front Line Assembly, Tangerine Dream and Die Krupps.
(from: www.unease.se/proone.htm - They also have some audio demos of the unit in action, so go and check out their excellent pages!
Product Videos
Sequential Circuits Pro One
Running through the various functions of the Pro One. Not a keyboard wankery video, or musical state...
Pro One
Sequential Circuits Pro One short demo...
Product Manuals or Files
no user manual
Product Resources
Audio demo?
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Category: Products / synthesisers / analog synthesisers
User Comments
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Splitpoint
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 03-May-99
Great synth. Built in sequencer is good for creating loops. Can be sync'ed to any click (like rim-shot on your drum machine or metronome on your PeeCee software). Very good for strange noises and basslines. Pretty reliable and easy to fix (if you can find parts).
Product rating out of 5:  |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: skul
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 13-May-99
i had one for a while and it was a alot of fun. sound is very nice. you can do some cool things with it like cycle thru the oscillators. it has an audio input (phone jack) but mine was noisy as fuck - almost useless. the modulation routing is pretty neat as well.
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Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Dean Nye
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 04-Nov-99
I got my Pro One back in 1892. It was my first synthesizer, and what an introduction to synthesis it was! Two analog VCO oscillators (yes, they drift), a forty note sequencer, an arpeggiator, killer modulation and filter control, and an audio in as well! It's just the thing for faaaat (or phaaat) bass lines, single note string lines or just plain wierd effects. It's great for making squelchy 303 type sounds. I recently had the chance to trade my Pro One for a TR909 and I turned it down! I must really love this old beast.
Product rating out of 5:  |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: H
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 05-Nov-00
Bass in your face.
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Stefan M.
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 08-Jan-01
Right!!! Bass in ya Face! What the Hell is Virtual Analog, He He...Try this one!
Enough said!
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: vember
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://vember.net
Activity: part-timer
Date: 09-Jan-01
Totaly nasty sounds can be made with this beast.. I only tried it in a shop but i love it. :)
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Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Jerry
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 09-Jan-01
I swapped one for a delay pedal in 1986. I wish I was dead :(
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: vember
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 10-Jan-01
I wish I was the dude who got rid of a delay pedal in 1986.. ;)
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Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Digger Penbrook
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 20-Jul-01
Wicked sounds. Strikes me as a bit less than sturdy on the manufacturing, but I don't gig so I don't care. The glide on mine is a little hard to tame, tho...
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Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Villy
Email: Email supplied but hidden
www.mp3.com/danice
Activity: part-timer
Date: 20-Jul-01
I have mine for about 10 years now.
and i never going sell it!
i only whish i could control my Pro-one
from my TB-303 via CV/Gate but it not works.. my Moog Rogue worked fine!
anyone who knows how to do?? please let me know!
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: your mom
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 20-Jul-01
ha ha i can do it no problem with my future retro 777...
Product rating out of 5:  |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Your dad
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 20-Jul-01
Wow i'm very impresed!!
Product rating out of 5:  |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: geoff
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 08-Jan-02
storming synth, with 2VCO - one of which can be used as an LFO, hard sync, 2 ADSR, LFO, noise, splendid modulation control/options, frustratingly simple but fun sequencer/arpeggiator. absolute classic analogue sounds, with splendid filter. pretty good at staying in tune. no MIDI!
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Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: ac
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.ftg.co.uk/studio
Activity: Professional
Date: 15-Jan-02
This synth screams. It has a really raw ripping quality to it. Great modulation possibilities for some off the wall analog noises. Great fun to play.
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Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: RogerRoger
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 30-Apr-03
Some of the meanest basslines you'll ever hear(early Nitzer Ebb & Skinny Puppy), and the high end with the filter fully open makes for some ripping screamin' leads. Hours of fun, and amazing versatility in a mono synth. -----------*******-------*******
Somebody wanted to know how to sequence it with a TB-303. To get it to gate with some synths, you have to bypass the 'RING' connection of the audio-in and use the Pro-one's envelope follower as the gate input instead, and the synth's audio output as the trigger. Get an adatper from R@dio Sh@ck that is male stereo 1/4" headphone on one side, and a pair of mono plugs on the other(usually RCA, so get ONE RCA male to female mono-plug adapter too). Connect ONLY the TIP connection (colored white on the RCA female kind). Use the CV from your controlling synth, and its audio out into the Pro-One's Audio-In via this adapter.
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Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: pieter kaboem
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 09-Jul-04
The pro-one rules, with its raw sync sounds and dirty FM. It's a synth that's quite available on the american side of the ocean, but in Europe it's less there, and therefore also more expensive.
Very good learning synth, although the MS20 rules for that purpose even more. Its applicable in a wide variety of elec.music, since it can sound very nasty to ultra schweet, and everything in between. Very recommendable, only thing I got against it is it's lousy KB.
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Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: kendall
Email: No email added
Activity: part-timer
Date: 09-Jul-04
Have had two in the past but just wanted to offer a repair tip as my first post to this
site.
If things start not to work or work erratically... Look inside for the grounding wire
going to the frame. If I remember correctly, the paint has not been removed so well
and a good ground for the power supply can be marginal or lost giving funky results
and odd voltage readings through-out the unit. Simple fix... just remove the lugs
from the little screw and sand the metal then replace snuggly. Wahla...
And while there on the inside... notice the emblem of the Buda on the PC board.
Nice touch.
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Randy Smith
Email: No email added
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 28-Mar-05
This was my first synth as well and for a monosynth it was the best! I no longer
have my manual but I still have the synth (stored away) badly needs a tune up
and the power cord replaced might have to fix it up and sell or trade it.
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: SCARYTHORNMEISTER
Email: Email supplied but hidden
www.myspace.com/thornfielduk
Activity: part-timer
Date: 12-Jan-07
Mine was one of the last ones ever sold brand new in the UK and is in totally immaculate new condidtion (only ever gigged twice). Had loads of offers for it during the past 25 years, but will NEVER part with it. Used it on two albums as a lead/bass synth and simple sequencer and have never found anything digital that can get anywhere near it's beautiful raw analogue sounds. LOVE THIS MORE THAN ANY PIG!!
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Retrosound
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.retrosound.de
Activity: part-timer
Date: 23-Oct-07
The best monophonic analog synth!
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: RetroSound
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.retrosound.de
Activity: part-timer
Date: 31-Oct-07
One of the best analog synth ever. Deep basses and fantastic sync sounds! Used from Yazoo ( don`t go, only you)
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Mark
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 05-Aug-08
I have my very first Pro-one that I purchased back in '84 from Goodman Music when they were on Lankershiem Blvd in No.Ho. Mine had the god-awful contact strips which went bad quickly and the replacement strips I got from Wine Country were shit. I found a parted out Pro-one with the J-wire keyboard that married nicely to my Pro-one. It still works awesome and I am going to sell it as soon as I figure out what it is worth since its condition is beautiful.
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: The Pain Machinery
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.myspace.com/thepainmachinery
Activity: part-timer
Date: 11-Feb-09
LOVE this machine. Been using it since late 80's..
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: steve
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 15-Jul-09
I have a nice j-wire (#0144 serial) Pro One for sale if anyone is interested. Pics available. Shoot me an offer at md11foanc@hotmail.com.
| Product rating out of 5: |
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: Max Bogdanov
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 20-Feb-11
Anyone in NYC wants to trade a pro-one for a MBP 15' laptop? email me.
| Product rating out of 5: |
Last added comment
Product: Sequential Circuits - PRO-ONE
Name: jonathan
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 12-Feb-12
hi i bought a pro one its in mint condition, my question is, is the audio out
stereo or mono it just i have my stereo speekers connected to it with a stereo
cable but only one speaker works, theres nothing wrong with the speakers
because they work fine on my other synths ??
| Product rating out of 5: |
'Sequential Circuits PRO-ONE'
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