Synth wizard Casey Young (Gary Wright, Yes, Madonna, TOTO, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner) recently donated a vintage, white Moog Liberation keytar synthesizer to the Bob Moog Foundation Archives. This rare instrument was used by Gary Wright in live and recorded performances, including the music video for the 1981 song "Heartbeat." Wright, who composed the 1976 hit song "Dream Weaver," personally gifted the synth to Young.
“Getting to work with Gary Wright was one of the best gigs I ever had.
He did so much to jump-start my musical journey.”
--Casey Young
We plan to fully restore the Liberation, which has been in storage for decades, to its former glory so that we can share this instrument at the Moogseum one day. None of our efforts are possible without the support of our donors. Please consider supporting the Foundation today so that we can restore and preserve this and many more historical vintage electronic instruments!
“We are honored by this very special donation to the Bob Moog Foundation Archives. Gary Wright’s Liberation is a part of synthesizer history. We are deeply grateful to Casey Young for this important donation, and we look forward to sharing this historical gem once it has been restored.” --Michelle Moog-Koussa
For an insider's insight on the design of the Moog Liberation, check out our one-on-one interview with former Moog Music designer Rock Wehrmann, available to read on moogfoundation.org.
This music was created without the use of sequencers; all of the background music was recorded in real-time on reel-to-reel tapes. I used a Kawai K1 synthesizer, a Siel DK-80 synthesizer, and a Roland TR-505 drum machine. A Peavey AddVerb II was also used for effects. For this show, I was loaned a portable Casio Midi Controller, which I connected to the Kawaii synth to use for the song "Destiny's Flight."
Notes from Craig Padilla: This was my first public performance on June 8, 1990. It was at the Shasta College Theatre in Redding, CA, and it was my college final project for my Creative Sound Design class. Many people involved with the theater department helped out with this project.
I came from a theatrical background, and I had been used to facing the audience, which is why I performed while facing the audience during this show. My Uncle Joe saw this video and suggested that I should perform sideways so that the audience can see what I'm playing. Thanks to that advice, I've been performing that way ever since. This concert is the only time that I've performed while facing the audience.
This music was created without the use of sequencers; all of the background music was recorded in real-time on reel-to-reel tapes. I used a Kawaii K1 synthesizer, a Siel DK-80 synthesizer, and a Roland TR-505 drum machine. A Peavey AddVerb II was also used for effects. For this show, I was loaned a portable Casio Midi Controller, which I connected to the Kawaii synth to use for the song "Destiny's Flight."
Please be mindful of the visual quality of this video. It has been remastered from standard definition and upscaled to 1080p HD with audio remastered from a chrome stereo cassette tape. I am fortunate that it looks and sounds as good as it does.
The original broadcast video aired on Redding Community Access TV in 1990 and 1991. It was shot on VHS tapes from two camera angles and edited on a Super VHS tape. Unfortunately, the audio on the broadcast video was recorded from the main onboard camera microphone, which had a muddy sound. (At the time, I thought that it was better to use that audio than to have no publicity for my music.) 35 years later, thanks to current technology, the stereo audio from the master cassette tape has replaced the original audio track. It has been pitch-corrected to sync up with the video, which is something I never thought would be possible! The video was also enhanced to brighten some of the shots.
There is a small black bar on the second camera angle, and that was to cover up a graphic date that was imbedded in the video of that camera. I had decided that the black bar was less distracting than a graphic on the screen whenever I switched to that camera.
I am fortunate that I knew people who would loan me their cameras for this performance, and equally thankful to my friends who offered their time to operate the cameras!
Matt Denton, a long time friend from high school, was the main camera operator. I met Bryan Arnold while attending college. Bryan loaned me his Kawaii synthesizer for the music, and was the second cameraman who had to briefly step away to perform a song. T. Owen Smith designed the light show, and he suggested that I throw a flame out of my hand at the end of the last song. I had known Dwight Husted since high school, and he was the lighting operator who ran the light-show. My college friends, Jeff Yarnell, Karen Wodsack, and Dale Gipp, were the stage crew who also contributed the idea to use actors in body bags and dress as aliens for a song. And Dale Kilpatric helped me produce the show, and he performed with his amazing classical guitar for a song. (More people helped, and their names are listed in the end-credits of the video.)
Over 100 people attended the performance which was a benefit for the Shasta Summer Theatre Festival. I give many thanks to DJ Ron Dare for hugely promoting my music on his radio show, "KCHO's Music for A New Age" in 1989 and 1990 (and years beyond that). Also, thanks to Robert Soffian, the head of the theater department, for allowing me to not only act in his plays, but to also have me record many songs for the various theatrical productions during that time. And many thanks to everybody who helped to make this concert possible so many years ago.
Extra big thanks to everybody who supported my music then and continues to support it now.
Song list: 00:00 - KCHO DJ Ron Dare Announcement 02:30 - Shanda's Song 08:05 - Waltz of the Planets (dedicated to my friend Derrick Guderian) 14:15 - Spanish Journey (featuring Dale Kilpatric on guitar) 19:50 - Destiny's Flight (dedicated to my Grandmother) 30:43 - Path of the Falling Stars (featuring Bryan Arnold) 36:00 - UFO Theme 42:05 - Other Beings (featuring many theater friends) 47:45 - Journeys through Space
A 24-bit download of this performance will be available at www.CraigPadilla.com [https://craigpadilla.bandcamp.com] in November 2025."
Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.
"In good physical condition, but untested as no connecting cable available. Note, this requires a Rev 3 prophet 5 - to have the interface connection. Please assume not working."
0:00 Intro jam
0:57 Keytar History
2:30 Musical Interlude
3:24 What is The Liberation?
7:23 Impact and Summary
7:57 Sample Pack
8:20 Outro jam and Patron Shoutout"
"The only model currently available for sale in Australia! This vintage Moog Liberation 44-Key Dual Oscillator Keytar Synth is the coolest Keytar ever made, and one you can wear over your shoulder with pride (think DEVO)! [see bottom pic] A fully functional and reliable instrument, perfect for any musician or producer looking for the classic Moog analogue sound. With its filter wheel, touch pitch slider, built-in modulation, two oscillator monophonic or 10 voice polyphonic options (to name a few highlights); this keytar synthesiser offers endless possibilities for sonic exploration.The Moog Liberation features CV out and Trig out ports, allowing for easy integration into any studio setup, and an extra long cable to connect the synth to the original Moog Interface/power supply (IEC/"kettle cord" connector, 220V/50-60HZ/20Watt). Do you have an Uncontrollable Urge to be as cool as DEVO? The this is the Girl U Want. Don't miss out on the chance to own this piece of musical history. PS Keytar weighs 7kg; power supply/cable 4kg. Oh and strap mount lugs are fully intact for strap on! Includes pdf manual also."
"Step into the spotlight with the legendary Moog Liberation, one of the first and most iconic keytars ever made. Released in 1980, this vintage analog synth gave keyboardists the freedom to break away from their rigs and take center stage alongside guitarists and vocalists. With its dual oscillators, rich Moog filter, and onboard modulation controls, the Liberation delivers that unmistakable, fat, and expressive Moog sound in a package designed for performance. The left-hand grip houses ribbon style pitch bend control, modulation, filter, and volume controls, allowing for real-time expression while you shred like a synth god.
This unit comes fully equipped with the Moog synth interface/power supply, the original manual, and strap mounting hardware for attaching your favorite guitar strap. If you'd like the straps mounted before shipping, just let us know! The Liberation connects to its external interface via a 20-foot cable, keeping your synth tones clear while letting you roam freely on stage. It features a classic Moog low-pass filter with resonance, a white noise generator, and polyphonic mode, making it versatile for both thick monophonic leads and layered textures. The build quality is rock-solid, with a sleek black design that screams vintage cool.
If you're looking to own a piece of synthesizer history, this Moog Liberation is your chance. Whether you're a collector, a synth enthusiast, or a performer looking to channel some serious 80s energy, this keytar delivers in both sound and style. Vintage Moogs hold their value incredibly well, and the Liberation is a rare find in such complete condition. Don’t miss out—grab this Liberation and break free from the keyboard stand!"
This one is in via Jos who had the following to say followed by an English translation of the article.
"Years ago, I sent you information about Mario Mathy (I think 2019).
You published it on your blog. [you can find it in previous posts featuring Mario Mathy here]
Afterward, Mario Mathy's 'Jumping Dance' went viral and achieved cult status.
Since your blog has become the most comprehensive and important documented synthesizer resource online, the attached article should also be saved for future history. It would be cool if you could share it with the rest of the synthesizer community. I translated it from Dutch to English using Google Translate.
Notice in the picture below the article that the photo was taken during the period when Mario endorsed Korg.
All I can see in the picture is Korg equipment. The song 'Love Dreams' is from his first album.
I expect most of the songs from his first album ‘Hello This is Mario Mathy’ were created using Korg synthesizers (in contrary to what you would expect from the album cover showing only casio).
After his first album, the single 'Jumping Dance' was released in Belgium. 'Jumping Dance' was from his second album, 'Music-Land'.
On his second album, you can hear a noticeable difference in his sound.
This likely resulted from switching from Korg to Casio synthesizers.
Mario was my piano teacher when I was about 15 years old."
You can check out Mario Mathy's releases on Discogs here.
The following is the tranlation of the article pictured in this post.
Click CC in the player controls, bottom right for subtitles.
"This Video is about and for the Moog Liberation from 1981. It's the first Keytar - but with about 6,5 kg not really a lightweight. There are so many features in this Analogsynthesizer!!!
Don't miss to see how many different sounds you can make with this Synthesizer.
Have fun with Keyboards!"
"Using two keyboards from the Reface series as sound modules for the SHS-10 to play via MIDI. The SHS-10 has a MIDI out only, which can be connected to the Reface keyboards via a standard MIDI cable.
The pitch bend, sustain and vibrato controls on the SHS-10 all map to controls on the Reface. On the CS, vibrato controls the LFO depth, switching to its highest setting when pressed. Since the LFO can be assigned to pitch, filter, amp, there are a number of possibilities for sound design here. On the CP, vibrato controls modulation, which is a feature unavailable from the front panel of the CP itself.
Big thanks to @musicbroth for the loan of the SHS-10. They're a fantastic community music resource in Glasgow, UK, lending instruments and running workshops with a mission to provide access to music for everyone. https://www.musicbroth.org
"@catbeatsofficial jammin his brand new commissioned Hultén MIDI axe!
The guitar includes a built-in NESpoly synth, a detachable dome for avatar replacement and a custom strap made from extraterrestrial skin 👽 Based on the YouRock MIDI guitar #midiisback"
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"A complete (with owner's manual, service manual, case, power supply/interface, modern replacement interface cable) and functional example.
Our keyboard associate in the shop spent a couple hours testing every single key, switch, slider, wheel, pad, etc. (Yes, we pay him to have fun!) His only notes on playing condition: "Switches in modulation section took some working back and forth to get consistent operation. 'EMPHASIS' slider only seems to have audible effect at the top quarter of its travel range."
This is a 2-op FM synth in the form of a mini-keytar, with pitch bend wheel and vibrato in easy reach of the left hand on the neck. It has a MIDI Out port, which allows you to use it to control other instruments.
The lead line uses voice 32 Horn, making use of the vibrato and portamento effects and the pitch bend wheel. The main drum pattern used was 03 Fusion 2. The track starts with 01 Rhythm and Blues 2, and 02 Fusion 1 is used for a fill-in at the middle and end of the final solo section.
Big thanks to @musicbroth for the loan of this keyboard. They're a fantastic community music resource in Glasgow, UK, lending instruments and running workshops with a mission to provide access to music for everyone. https://www.musicbroth.org"
I don't think I ever knew these were made in Poland. This is the first post to mention it.
"This Junost-21 synthesizer is a vintage piece of equipment that is made in Poland. It comes in its original box and includes all manuals. The synthesizer has 37 keys and is a keyboard type with synth keys. It has a MIDI (DIN) Out port and two pedal inputs. The Junost-21 is an analog synthesizer that features a modulation wheel, arpeggiator, and built-in effects. It is a great addition to any collection of synthesizers or pro audio equipment. This synthesizer is in working condition and is sure to provide hours of musical enjoyment."
Synth wizard Casey Young (Gary Wright, Yes, Madonna, TOTO, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner) recently donated a vintage, white Moog Liberation keytar synthesizer to the Bob Moog Foundation Archives. This rare instrument was used by Gary Wright in live and recorded performances, including the music video for the 1981 song "Heartbeat." Wright, who composed the 1976 hit song "Dream Weaver," personally gifted the synth to Young.
