Vintage Synth Explorer

ARP • Pro-Soloist

The Pro-Soloist is a thirty preset monophonic analog synth from the early 1970's, originally designed to sit on-top of, and accompany a large Organ. It had 30 preset sounds to choose from, including Flute, Bassoon, Brass, Fuzz Guitar etc. Other features included pitch, portamento, vibrato, growl and wow effects. The keyboard has 37 keys with aftertouch sensitivity for volume, brilliance, vibrato, wow, and even bend effects. A few basic filter (brilliance), envelope and LFO controls allow some tweaking of the preset sounds, however there is no memory to store your settings.

The Pro-Soloist is a compact and basic monosynth best suited to leads. Because of its aftertouch feature, it's simply one of the most playable and expressive solo instruments Arp ever made. It was later followed up by the Pro/DGX in 1977. The Pro-Soloist has been used by Tangerine Dream, Tony Banks (Genesis), Coldcut, Gary Numan, Herbie Hancock, Patrick Moraz, Billy Preston, John Entwistle, Billy Preston, and Vangelis.

The Pro-Soloist was based on the original Soloist (pictured just above). The original Soloist - also designed to sit atop an electronic organ - had its preset sound selection switches located under the keyboard in the same tradition as the Roland SH-1000/2000 and Elka Soloist synths.

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Nick Esposito

Posted 338 days ago

I'm kind of curious about this. All three members of Tangerine Dream from 1972-77 (at least) used an original Soloist, but then TD founder Edgar Froese switched over to something listed in the personnel as "digital Soloist synthesizer." I would think that this really means the Pro-Soloist.

Thomas kenny

Posted 360 days ago

The Arp pro-soloist synthersizer was the one used by tony banks of genesis for all I know it was used one of genesis album "seconds out" recorded live in 1977 & usually he uses the arp 2600 synthersizer on other recorded albums when he first appeared his synth on "Selling england by the pound" back in 1973.

Matt C

Posted 376 days ago

If you want to see Chick Corea using this, just go to this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_FT R0gajhw

He starts using it around 4:37

Micke

Posted 390 days ago

The correct production dates for the Arp Soloist and Pro Solist:
Soloist mk I & mk II - 1971-1973
Pro Soloist - 1973-1977

Chris

Posted 399 days ago

Cool! I knew Billy Preston used the Pro-Soloist, but I had no idea Billy Preston used it!!!

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