Toasted Dolphin

The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the new wave scene in the late 1970s. The band originated in Boston, Massachusetts in 1976, with singer, rhythm guitarist and songwriter Ric Ocasek, singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, lead guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson.

Hawkes pushed the limits of available technology and sequencing[citation needed] helping to forge the sound of the 1980s. While The Cars were known commercially as a rock and new wave band, he had the biggest impact on the synthpop and new wave sound of The Cars hits such as "Drive." His signature sounds include the Prophet-5 "touch sync" sound heard on "Let's Go" and "Hello Again" as well as arpeggiated and syncopated synth lines such as on "Shake it Up" and "Heartbeat City."

Sequential Circuits Prophet-5

The Prophet-5 is an analog synthesizer that was designed and manufactured by Sequential Circuits between 1978 and 1984. With five voices of polyphony, the Prophet-5 is one of the first polyphonic analog synthesizers with patch memory

Manufacturer Sequential Circuits
Dates 1978–84
Price US$4,495 (Rev 1, 2)
US$3,995 (Rev 3)
Technical specifications
Polyphony 5 voices
Timbrality Monotimbral
Oscillator 2 VCOs per voice
LFO 1
Synthesis type Analog subtractive
Analog FM (Poly-Mod)
Filter 4-pole resonant low-pass
Attenuator ADSR envelope (2)
Aftertouch No
Velocity sensitive No
Memory 40 patches (120 patches on later units)
Effects None
Input/output
Keyboard 61 keys
Left-hand control Pitch and modulation wheels
External control CV/Gate