DSI (Dave Smith Instruments) Mopho

Overview

Mopho is a compact and affordable—but powerful—monophonic analog synthesizer. The voice architecture is identical to a single voice of the Prophet '08, but with a couple of unique twists to distinguish it from its award-winning sibling. We have added two sub-octave generators—one per oscillator—for additional girth and crushing basses. It also has an audio input that lets you process external audio and mix Mopho's own audio output back in pre-filter for feedback effects that can range from subtle distortion to extreme skronk. The Push It button is a manual trigger that lets you play a specific note or latch notes and sequences on. It can also step through a sequence to play short melodic lines without a keyboard. Of course, Mopho can also be used with a MIDI controller or external sequencer.

Mopho is fully programmable and all the parameters can be tweaked from the front panel. The four Assignable Parameters controls are assignable per program for optimum performance control. A free editor is available for Mac OS and Windows to facilitate programming. (And, if you already have a Prophet '08, most of Mopho's parameters can be controlled from the Prophet's front panel via MIDI!)

Mopho is perfect for people who want to learn the ins and outs of real analog synthesis without spending a bundle, DJs looking to add some old school sonic spice to their setups, and musicians who will appreciate a great-sounding, very portable mono synth.

• Affordable, fully programmable mono synth with a 100% analog signal path.
• Classic, real analog sound—including legendary Curtis analog low-pass filter.
• Process external audio through the filter and envelopes.
• Just 7.5" x 5" (19.05 cm x 12.7 cm).
• Free editor for Mac OS and Windows.

Specifications

• 100% analog signal path
• Two oscillators
• One classic Curtis low-pass filter (switchable 2- or 4-pole)
• Analog VCAs
• Three envelope generators (ADSR plus delay)
• Two sub-octave generators (one octave down and two octaves down)
• External audio input with feedback
• Four assignable performance controls per program
• Gated 16 x 4 step sequencer (one sequence per program)
• Arpeggiator
• Fully programmable (includes free downloadable software editor for Mac OS and Windows)
• 384 programs
• I/O: MIDI In, MIDI Out/Thru, Audio In, Left and Right Audio Out, Headphone Out
• 7.5” L x 5” W x 1.4” H (19.05 cm x 12.7 cm x 3.56 cm)
• 1.5 lb. (0.7 kg)

Download the manual: Mopho Operation Manual [PDF, 1.5 MB]

Audio

Special thanks to Dave Polich, Stefan Trippler, and Nate Tschetter!

Multitracked Audio Demos

industrial_electro-rock.mp3 [2.15 MB]

All sounds are Mopho with a little EQ used on individual tracks and some limiting in the mastering.

gangstakid.mp3 [1.25 MB]

Just multitracked Mopho and some light limiting used in mastering.

oh_snap.mp3 [1.93 MB]

Nothin' but Mopho.

mozzarella.mp3 [1.55 MB]

Mopho with lots of processing (reverb, delay, compression—mostly on the drums—and EQ) and extra cheese.

hadroncollider.mp3 [1.55 MB]

Some EQ and a little compression from plug-ins, plus light limiting used in mastering.

sonofa.mp3 [1.28 MB]

Just multitracked Mopho and some light limiting used in mastering.

badmopho.mp3 [956 kB]

Thirteen (or so) tracks of Mopho, drums courtesy of Logic, and no processing.

mophinet.mp3 [1 MB]

A clavinet part recorded as a MIDI sequence, split onto separate tracks, and multitracked with a single Mopho.

Individual Program Demos

mopho_sequences.mp3 [2.2 MB]

A selection of the factory programs and their associated sequences recorded and edited together.

mopho_basses.mp3 [2.6 MB]

A selection of the factory bass programs recorded and edited together.

percussion_sequences.mp3 [1.3 MB]

A selection of factory drum and percussion programs and their associated sequences recorded and edited together.

mopho_leads.mp3 [3 MB]

A selection of factory melodic and lead sounds recorded and edited together.

hiphop_r&b.mp3 [1.5 MB]

A selection of factory programs suitable for Hip Hop and R&B recorded and edited together.

synth_fx.mp3 [1.1 MB]

A selection of factory programs featuring synthesizer effects recorded and edited together.

tunedperc_bell-like.mp3 [1.6 MB]

A selection of factory programs featuring tuned percussion and bell-like sounds recorded and edited together.

Other Fun Stuff

drumprocessing.mp3 [2.47 MB]

This just one example of how Mopho can be used as an audio processor. A drum loop from Stylus RMX is synced to Mopho's step sequencer and processed through Mopho's filter via the Audio In. Initially, the filter's cutoff, resonance, and audio mod are being manipulated. Then the cutoff is turned down and the envelope amount is turned up so you hear the drums rhythmically filtered by Mopho's step sequencer. Mopho's Input Gain is increased, causing distortion, and then oscillator 2 is switched on to play a melody from the step sequencer, in sync with the drums. Whew!

mophodrums.mp3 [1.39 MB]

Electronic percussion sounds created in Mopho, then sampled and played from Native Instruments Battery.

Video

Video demos from The Keyboard Wizard, Michael Walthius. Watch in high quality.