MATRIXSYNTH: Meet the New Moog Grandmother


Friday, May 11, 2018

Meet the New Moog Grandmother


Update: official announcement with videos here.

This one in via MATRIXSYNTH reader, mario.

Update: Two new stock pics, and one in the box via JMP in the comments.

$899.00 List $999.00

"Limited-edition design created exclusively for Moogfest 2018.

To celebrate Grandmother’s debut at Moogfest 2018, the first 500 units have been marked with a limited-edition Moogfest 2018 badge and include a custom denim jacket from Moog. Get your Grandmother Moogfest 2018 Edition before they're gone!

Retro looks, cool vibe and a sound that's all Moog. Grandmother is a direct reflection of Moog's modular heritage, where the journey to creating sound is as much fun as the end result. There are no presets, so you'll have to rely on creative exploration and a basic understanding of synthesis to achieve any desired results, but nothing can compare to the joy and satisfaction of creating your own custom sounds. Just like its vintage predecessors, Grandmother's sound engine, modulation engine and onboard spring reverb tank are 100% analog. Want proof? Just give the desk a bump and listen to its springs rattle inside. With Grandmother, what you see is what you get. No menu diving, no recall, nothing to get in the way of you and your sound.

The Grandmother is a semi-modular synth, which means you can start playing it right out of the box without any patching. But if you want to experience the full creative potential of Grandmother, just use any of its 41 patch points to override its internal circuitry and create your own complex signal routing. Choose from 21 inputs, 16 outputs and a parallel-wired 4-jack mult. The options are only limited by your imagination, and with the ability to integrate Grandmother into other modular synths like the Mother-32 or DFAM, or even into larger Eurorack systems, the possibilities are infinite.

Analog Architecture
All the basic building blocks of a modular synth are included in the Grandmother's design, and even some welcomed extras. There are two analog oscillators each with their own selectable waveforms including triangle, sawtooth, square and pulse, with a hard sync button to align them appropriately. The analog LFO is perfect for adding some movement to your sound and with its audio-rate capability, it can act as a third oscillator for bigger, more aggressive sounds. There's also a classic Moog 4-pole 10Hz-20kHz Ladder filter, patchable 1-pole high-pass filter, and an analog ADSR envelope generator ready to sculpt your sound.

Beyond The Basics
The Grandmother would be an excellent machine with only the essentials, but Moog innovates further by adding in an analog hardware spring reverb tank that can add a subtle shine, while taming any harsh frequencies. The reverb tank can also be used to process external sources as a standalone effect. Grandmother also has a built-in arpeggiator that's easy to use and an onboard sequencer that can store up to 3 sequences with up to 256 notes each.


Vintage Vibe, Modern Connectivity
Despite its vintage-inspired design, Grandmother has all of the connectivity needed for a modern production environment. There's a 5-pin MIDI In/Out/Thru as well as MIDI over USB for instant integration with your host computer. Grandmother also features 1/4" main output and a 1/4” external audio input for guitars, drum machines, and more. Grandmother's 32-note premium Fatar keybed makes this a premium standalone synth but will also work perfectly as the front end to an existing modular system. No matter how you decide to use it, Grandmother will give you a lifetime of sound exploration.

Features
100% analog synthesizer with 32-note Fatar keybed
Semi-modular design, requires no patching to play
All normalized connections can be interrupted for full modularity
Hardware Spring Reverb can be used to process external sounds
1/4” External audio input for guitars, drum machines, and more
Easy to use Arpeggiator and Sequencer
Store up to 3 sequences with up to 256 notes each
2 Analog Oscillators with selectable waveshape and hard sync
Classic 4-Pole 10Hz-20kHz Ladder filter
Patchable 1-Pole High Pass filter
Analog ADSR Envelope Generator
Analog LFO with audio-rate capabilities
DIN MIDI In/Out/Thru and USB MIDI
Patchable bipolar attenuator
Works with Mother-32, DFAM, Eurorack modular systems and more
41 patch points with 21 inputs, 16 outputs and a Parallel-Wired 4-jack Mult"

The look reminds me of a POLYSYNTHI meshed with a Moog Rogue.

Follow-up to Future Moog Synth to be the GRANDMOTHER of Them All - Update: and a Moog One

16 comments:

  1. It seems that Moog has been all over the place the last few years--reissuing modulars, kits, rack mounts, specialty stuff like the Grandmother, and then DIScontinuing a lot of these products.

    It would seem from user feedback that everyone wants a polysynth, or how about supporting those reissued items, but they all seem to fall on deaf ears.
    Where is Moog? Where are they going?

    Make up your minds, guys...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Disagree - you missed the 70s when they did drum controllers, foot pedals, poly synths, lead synths. You also missed the Piano Bar, Moogerfooger pedals, theremins, Animoog app, Vo Guitar and LAP STEEL?

      You're saying Moog should not be concerned with analog synths? Hmm....

      Delete
    2. Brian:
      Not so--quite the opposite--sorry if I didn't make myself clear. During the 70's I sold everything Moog made for years--Satellite to Polymoog, even modulars if a customer had the cash. My beef is that new products (as you've listed) come and go, making it (to me at least) that Moog has a shotgun approach to their product line...
      For years, there have been many who want Moog to bring out a successor to the Memorymoog. Crickets. I know the old one had issues, but if Dave Smith could do it, why not Moog? Reissue the sample and hold and ribbon controller. One look at eBay prices tell me there's a market.
      And then there's my complaint about how Moog has handled the modular reissues. It would appear that there's a market for individual modules, as well as parts for customization and expansion. When I contacted them about the possibility, their response was downright hostile--a product specialist even got called on the carpet for forwarding my question. Not a great example of customer service.

      So I really think we might be in agreement.

      Delete
    3. I think this goes with the mentality and workmanship of Moog. Of course there stuff is going to come and go. They are not trying to mass produce a gimmick, although that sounds like how you think they operate. Most of their stuff is hand built. Don't get me wrong, they aren't below a few money grabs though such as the minimoog reissue, and a memorymoog reissue would fall in the same vein. But to the topic at hand, Thiiis grandmother does seem a little off their mother line or at least a little outside of what modular is now a days. It is self contained, I can't replace anything, modify anything, just a few patch points :( I am excited for the Subharminicon hopefully releasing end of the year/early next. I will wait to hear samples from this thing before I pass judgement, but it doesn't look good.

      Delete
  2. It seems like Behringer has been all over the place this last year -- making clones, original designs, desktops, synths with keys, and then DIScontinuing a lot of these products.

    It would seem from user feedback that everyone wants a 2600 clone, or how about a VC340 with the proper number of keys, but they all seem to fall on deaf ears.
    Where is Behringer? Where are they going?

    Make up your minds, guys...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness".

      --Oscar Wilde

      Delete
  3. Looks like its real! :

    https://i.imgur.com/SVlI7Oq.jpg

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BipenN7nW1b/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Here is a 2600 clone, I have played two, and helped tune and calibrate a third, and I assure you you want it.

    http://www.wutierson.com/inicio/sintetizadores-modulares/antonus-2600-arp2600-replica-detail

    ReplyDelete
  5. Awesome, we are in a truly new golden age of analog synths, I was hesitating in getting the subphatty since it came out, but not this one, definitely buying it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very 70's look, like the realistic. Really nice looking...GILF!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is really interesting, i hope to see more original synths come from everyone. >3

    ReplyDelete
  8. Finally, a front panel that gives a synth a True Color Palette.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's beautiful, very retro :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I sincerely hope Moog is working on a modern MemoryMoog synth and stops re-hashing the mono synth versions of the Mini Moog! Enough is enough!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are...they'll announce it this week.

      Delete

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