The monologue is a nice synth, i am a bit interested in it has its own character, but is not so overwhelming. The question is how the extra osciallator section is controlled then. ? Not to obvious from the front panel?
It’s almost like a physical version of DeeMax (Gadget IAP)
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Interesting to see other synths adopt the idea of self-patched presets like organelle, Nord g2 modular. The extent of limitations of what can be done with the RAM, the editor etc will be the making of it.
Ehh… looks nice enough and I’m absolutely sure someone more talented than me (not that hard) will do something fantastical with it I’m instantly jealous of, but yeah, no real GAS for this. I have a Minilogue and totally happy with it for what it is and the price. Prologue… I’m gonna pass.
I want an A4 MKII and a DeepMind 12 desktop until I see something significantly better than those in both function and overall value.
Prologue is a must buy with one caveat (Elektron do not release a new Analog Keys 8 or more voices)
If Elektron don’t its a green light for Korg, Korg will own the poly market for the near future.
But life is not black and white --Korg might be in for a shock on Jan 25th with competition.
If you need a hybrid with keys, save up for a Prophet 12 keys.
Incredible instrument.
Otherwise in a desktop, the Peak offers a lot more than this also.
For analog only, the Prophet rev2 is a much better option as well.
All of these have huge modulation possibilities, allowing much deeper sound design.
This thing isn’t cheap, and you really should be getting more for the money they are asking.
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Me too - first thing that jumped out at me from the list of features.
One of the voices on the Prologue, there are eight or sixteen of these depending on the model.
Very similar to the Minilogue except for the addition of the Multi Engine, instead of the noise source.
So Ring-Mod and VCO1->VCO2 FM, and Osc Sync is the same and is included. The Multi Engine is not shown to have any control of the analog circuitry, but i am thinking (and hoping) it probably has some control not shown here, such as the tune-up and things like adjusting the FM Cross Mod and the VCO and VCF control, etc.
There has been some comment earlier on the need for more than one LFO and this seems reasonable given that this diagram shows you have to pick one destination for the LFO between the Oscillator, Wave Shaper and VCF. But also as said earlier, this is the same as the Minilogue, so if you don’t miss it there you won’t miss it here.
Regarding LFOs another thing should be considered as well, the User functions that run on the Multi Engine would allow you to put an LFO (or multiples) in software that would affect the output of the Multi Engine. And if someone is sneaky with their code, and my guess that the processor that runs the Multi Engine also control parts of the analog circuitry, than potentially other things could be done.
All this looks fun. (That a technical term.)
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Doesn’t korg often use the term VPM to describe their FM synths? I’m guessing its just FM… Just how far into the edits one can get with the VPM remains to be seen though - or is there no editing of the VPM engine? You just select a preconfigured VPM ”patch” and that’s it?
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Here’s a block diagram of the VPM (Variable Phase Modulation) oscillator, one way the Prologue Multi Engine can be run. This of course is run in software – meaning it’s digital.
There is an awful lot here (i am trying to get my mind around it), but it looks to me that this is capable of a wide variety of sound generation. Like for instance notice the drive at the end. The little circles with the X’s in them are valves, where you can adjust levels and amounts. The manual says in addition, “Sixteen oscillator types are available for this VPM oscillator.” Not sure what this really means but that sounds nice. Not sure how difficult this will be to program, if it’s some sort of gnarly thing where you change one parameter a little, and something strange and unexpected happens, or if it’s one of those things where you have an idea, and you can go in and dial just what you thought of.
So beyond the multiple separate User programs there will be a variety of settings for the VPM on the Multi Engine. Should be a very interesting beast.
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The manual says above the VPM diagram above, “This engine is a VPM (Variable Phase Modulation) oscillator that was developed especially for this instrument.”
Perhaps that’s just hype. I think VPM is like FM but different.
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I owned both Novation Peak and Prophet 12 both were good but not special or aweome so i sold them. I still have the DSI Poly Evolver Keyboard PE Edition and AK ----now these two synths are both awesome and special. DSI Poly Evolver is Dave Smiths finest hour 
never to be repeated
I also love the Monologue but a big bonus for it is cost to performance ratio vs other options in the market.
The Prologue, however, on paper at least, I am not convinced.
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The 16 osc types could be referring to 16 different algorithms?
Yeah, I see quite a bit to love here - feedback, various waveforms for the carrier, proper FM ratios and modulation indexes for making nicely behaving FM, modulator has its own Atk and Dcy… I mean, it doesn’t look like a full-fledged FM implementation but still way more than just switching ”presets”…
My GAS stays… If only Korg would tell us whether or not a desktop version is coming! If not, I’ll have to choose between ”too big” or ”forget about proper layering” 
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Big upset to the Prologue coming on Jan 25
yeah! I am starting to feel like Korg is deliberately limiting users’ options in this synth, for better or worse. This will be a synth that is fast to work with… Perhaps not too dissimilar to using a DT? (when talking about the philosophy behind the DT as compared to other elektrons, not necessarily the tech itself)
A software developers kit would sure be nice for the Digitakt!
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Ahh yes, that would make me buy a DT 
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Audiofanzine has posted something about it already:
i don’t understand french but I know audiofanzine’s relatively decent reputation, so will certainly be Google translating this.
EDIT: Read up until the point they state ”most internal parameters run at 1024 step resolution”… dayum. the article does seem to verify alot of positives on the beast.
EDIT2: MIDI CC resolution still the old 127-step affair… Some hires NRPN woulda been nice.
EDIT3: One of the audio clips in the article (prologue 1 audio 10 - hybrid) sounds very much like my beloved CZ-5000! Really digging the hybrid sounds of the Prologue. Actually the article states VPM ”Casio CZ” ??
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Yes, as far as musos are concerned, VPM has been Korg’s way of implementing FM synthesis without violating Yamaha’s patent, at least until Korg released the Volca FM, which playfully emulates the color scheme of the DX7 as well as the sound engine. I read somewhere that VPM is the equivalent of 4-op FM, except the MOD-7 engine in Kronos has a more powerful “6-op” VPM.
Maybe they chose to call the VPM section of the Multi-Engine “VPM” because it’s got a VPM structure rather than Yamaha’s FM.
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