Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Minimoog Prototype. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Minimoog Prototype. Sort by date Show all posts
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Abbey Road Institute: The Moog session - The synth that shaped musical history
Streamed live on Dec 1, 2017 Abbey Road Institute
"On the 1st of December we are featuring another historic instrument that shaped musical history: The MiniMoog!
How did it become such an icon?
What makes it so special?
And why does it sound so massive?!
We got you covered. Tune in on the 1st of December.
Shaping musical history:
The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of synthesizers in rock/pop music.
Jazz composer Sun Ra was the first to use a prototype of the Minimoog in his music and Keith Emerson (musician and composer) was the first musician touring with a Minimoog, demonstrating some amazing pitch-bending techniques for the first time with many keyboard players following his example afterwards. Just like the Hammond organ (as shown in our previous event) the Moog became a serious competitor to the electric guitar, making guitarist looking for eleven on their volume control as the only way to compete. Because of its fantastic and cosmic sound, it soon was embraced by the gods of the new progressive rock with bands like Yes and Emerson Lake & Palmer.
As keyboardist of Yes, Rick Wakeman said the instrument 'absolutely changed the face of music.'
Besides progressive rock, Jazz legends like Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock added the Minimoog to their arsenal, delivering devastating jazz solos and Bob Marley introduced the Minimoog when the band first played in the UK on the BBC.
After taking the progressive rock and jazz world by storm, it made its way back towards the synthesizer’s roots, in electronic pop and experimental music. One of the most well-know band using the Minimoog for this purpose was Kraftwerk on their albums Autobahn and The Man-Machine. Shortly after that, the characteristic sound of the Minimoog became an important part of the synth-pop era and inspired an entire generation of electronic musicians like Brian Eno and Ultravox.
Since then the Minimoog transformed the music landscape of every musical genre, from the R&B/Soul of Earth Wind & Fire and the most successful recorded album of all time, Thriller from Michael Jackson, till the West-Coast sound of Dr. Dré and the industrial music of Trent Reznor.
But a major transition occurred when electronic music was slightly forced back into the underground and analog synthesizer started shaping the sound of House Music, Techno and all other genres of electronic music. This is where the Minimoog found a new homebase in the hands of producers and bands like Carl Craig, 808-state, Portishead and many more leading to the iconic sound in today’s electronic music and the production of new Moog synthesizers and soundalikes.
The original Minimoog is a true classic. But what makes the sound so special?
On the 1st of December, MarcoAntonio Spaventi (music producers, mastering engineer, analog synth evangelist and Abbey Road Institute lecturer) will give a Masterclass about the Minimoog and it’s unique sound at Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam. In order to share his love for the Moog, this masterclass will be live streamed through Facebook Live.
MarcoAntonio will talk about the differences between the original Minimoog Model D and the Minimoog Voyager, the unique features of both instruments and the technical aspects that makes it sound so special. But most important, you can hear them live including a jam with an hardware sequencer at the end of the session!
Next to the above mentioned synths, we will have a variety of other Moogs to explore the different sounds and flavours of Robert Moog’s legacy. With one very special model…
The Memorymoog!
Many say the Memorymoog is like having 6 Minimoogs stacked in one machine! While thats not entirely true it does sound like no other poly synth with a very specific and massive character. Just like the Minimoog, the Memorymoog gets his monumental sound due to certain imperfections of the instrument. A perfect example of finding perfection in imperfection! MarcoAntonio will explain you all about the different features that makes this synth so unique."
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
The End of an Era - Moog Voyager to be Discontinued
It's hard to believe it's true, but the Moog Voyager, Bob Moog's first synthesizer after getting the Moog Music name back, is being discontinued after 13 years.
I was fortunate enough to pick up a Signature Series Voyager, brand new in the box, on clearance years ago when the last ones were being blown out. It never left the studio and I never sent it out for updates. I wanted to preserve Bob Moog's Voyager exactly as it left the factory, as he signed off on it.
I also have a Minimoog Model D, a Minitaur and the Sub Phatty. What set the Voyager and Model D apart of course was that third oscillator. It makes a difference. I'm curious if Moog will replace the Voyager with another three osc synth. Perhaps a re-issue of the original Model D? Owning both, I have to say each stands on it's own and is different enough to warrant both. The Voyager is refined, yet exudes power. The Model D is wild, aggressive, rough around the edges, but can be tamed.
Whatever Moog comes up with next, I'm sure it will be great. All of their synths to date have something special to offer.
An interesting side note is Bob Moog's Moogerfooger and theremins, released before the Voyager under the Big Briar name, will live on.
The official press release from Moog Music with a tribute video from Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor follows below.
The Minimoog Voyager is the foundation of the modern Moog synthesizer. When it went into production in 2002, it signaled the rebirth of Moog Music, and the re-emergence of the analog synthesizer as a viable creative tool in our increasingly digital world. The design philosophy behind the Minimoog Voyager set the pattern for all of Moog’s subsequent work: where beauty, high mechanical quality, and sonic excellence are equally paramount in the service of musical ideas. The Minimoog Voyager is an embodiment of this ideology, and a wellspring of inspiration for Moog’s instrument design now and into the future.
Most importantly, the Minimoog Voyager is the last synthesizer that Bob Moog designed from start to finish. His DNA is in the circuits of this machine, and it is the culmination of Dr. Moog’s life’s work, which was dedicated to electronic musical instrument design.
Recently, Moog had the honor of sitting down with Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, the genre-defining music innovator, master synthesist and Academy Award winning composer. In the interview, Reznor recounts his intimate relationship with the Minimoog Voyager, which he feels “is the archetype of what a synthesizer is and should be.” Through personal stories, Reznor reveals his decades long history with the instrument and how it has shaped the way he views and creates music. The video is set to an original score by British electronic music producer, The Haxan Cloak, co-producer of Bjork’s Vulnicura. Befitting the occasion, the artist used a Minimoog Voyager and a prototype Mother-32, Moog’s newest synthesizer, to create the score.
Over the course of its 13-year production run, the Minimoog Voyager has become one of the most iconic analog synthesizers in history. Its impact on modern music can be heard on countless records and seen on stages around the world with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Dr. Dre, Radiohead, Herbie Hancock, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Daft Punk, Bjork and many more.
As a thank you to existing Minimoog Voyager owners, Moog is offering 20% off on all Minimoog Voyager upgrades, modifications and calibrations to domestic customers until the end of the year. Contact techsupport@moogmusic.com for more information.
The Minimoog Voyager is still available in limited quantities at stocking dealers in Performer and Electric Blue versions while supplies last. For pricing and availability, please visit www.moogmusic.com/dealers."
Please check with MATRIXSYNTH sponsors on the right of the site. They help make this site possible.
Trent Reznor | Archetype of a Synthesizer
Published on Sep 30, 2015 Moog Music Inc
"Through personal stories, Trent Reznor recounts his relationship with an iconic analog synthesizer and describes how it has fit into his creative process over his storied career.
Original score by The Haxan Cloak, co-producer of Bjork’s Vulnicura. Befitting the occasion, the artist used a Minimoog Voyager and a prototype Mother-32, Moog’s newest synthesizer, to create the score."
http://www.moogmusic.com/news/end-voy...
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Minimoog Change List - Minimoog Versions
via Brian Kehew of The MOOG Cookbook:
"Minimoog MODEL "D" Changes:
At first look, all Minimoogs seem alike. It seems that the Minimoog is something unchanging that we all know and recognize. They are similar to each other, but there are many features that changed over time. You may already be aware of a few differences, but most people will be surprised at how many variations there really are.
One of my main goals for this site was this very page: to show the developments in the main Minimoog design (MODEL D), and give an idea when the changes happened. To my knowledge, this type of listing has not been done for the Minimoog. Once you see it - you should be able to tell what is "original" on a Minimoog. In some cases, you will even be able to guess a Minimoog's serial number quite closely after only a quick glance! Like "trainspotting" (identifying nearly identical trains by small distinguishing features) this is trivial, but fun.
The process was simple - I compiled a database of over 100 Minimoogs. By asking owners detailed questions, I was able to determine the commmon developments. Cross-referencing this data to known dates of production, it becomes easier to see WHEN things might have happened. Note: This is by no means foolproof, and there are individual Mini's that do not fit the pattern. For now, we will assume that they are mutants/modifieds, and simply note the main trends.
The Changes:
Read through these links first, so you will be familiar with the details. Then, I have arranged a timeline of the changes below for clarity. In the future, I will have photos of the changes, a helpful visual reference...
* The Badge
* The Factories
* The Front Panel
* Graphics
* Wheels
* Left-Hand Switches
* Panel Switches
* Oscillators
* Octave Buffer Board
* Rear Cover
* Power Cable
* Pointer Knobs
* The Wood Case
* The Questions used to make the database.
* TIMELINE of Changes
THE BADGE
(This is the "logo plate" above the keyboard that identifies the company)
* R. A. Moog: When the company began making synths (1964/65), this was the name, carried over from Bob's Theremin business. This metal nameplate is only found on the earliest Minimoogs from (late) 1970 through 1971.
* Moog/Musonics: After Waytena bought the R.A.Moog company, it was merged with Musonics (his own company) and the Minimoogs from this brief period (1971) bear this name. A metal plaque.
* Moog Music Inc. After Moog was sold to Norlin/CBS in 1972, this became the name that would remain until the last Minimoogs were made. MOST Minimoogs have this plate, a vinyl material.
THE FACTORIES
(Moog had several plants during Minimoog production, relatively close to each other in upstate New York)
* Trumansburg: The original factory, built Minimoogs from late 1970 through 1971.
* Williamsville: after the Musonics purchase, operated from March 1971 to 1977.
* Buffalo: a much larger plant, made Minimoogs from 1977 to 1981
THE FRONT PANEL
(Construction of the front panel behind the knobs)
* Metal - A thin sheet of smooth aluminum.
* Metal with Plastic - same as above, but with a thin clear sheet of plastic to cover/protect it.
* Plastic - a heavier vinyl/plastic panel, with a textured surface.
GRAPHICS
(This is the silkscreened labelling on the front panel)
* "VOL." - the earliest Minimoogs (metal and metal/plastic panel) have different designs. The time settings are marked in seconds, the Osc.2 & 3 fine tune knobs have cents/100 divisions, and the Volume knobs say "VOL."
* "Volume" - the design used on all vinyl panel Minimoogs: the knobs say "VOLUME", the times are in divisions from 1 to 10, and the Osc. 2 & 3 tunings knobs are incremented from +/-1 to +/-7.
WHEELS
(On the left-hand modulation section, the wheels and switches underwent a few developments)
* Clear Wheels: the earliest design, a beautiful look.
* Solid White Wheels: same shape as before, but in an opaque white plastic.
* Serrated White Wheels: These have ridged, wavy edges for better gripping.
# Clear Lighted Wheels: same shape as early clear wheels, but with internal lights to show them off. Only on the last series of 25 "presentation" Minimoogs.
LEFT-HAND SWITCHES
* Decay/Glide switches are Red Momentary pushbuttons on the earliest R.A.Moog Mini's. This may be to make the instrument more "performance oriented" as the sound can "change" easier with momentary switches.
* White Mini-toggle switches. Some early R.A.Moog instruments have small toggle switches (NOT momentary) for Decay and Glide. On some, this appears to be a retrofit, as it would be more usable than the buttons. On most, this looks like the original factory issue design.
* White Rocker switches; the standard white plastic rocker switches found on almost all Mini's. Begins during the R.A.Moog period and remains until the last.
PANEL SWITCHES
(These are the colored rocker switches used all across the front control panel for modulation, the mixer, etc.)
* Blue and Orange - the most common color scheme - almost all Minimoogs have this setup. In case you never noticed, Blue is for audio routing, Orange is for modulation routing.
* All White - very few Mini's have this, but there are a few known examples, mostly early Mini's. It looks quite good, actually.
* All Black switches - again, another variation that seems to be original. The factory had them around, as the Power Switch is usually Black. This also looks very cool!
* All Blue - there are rumoured Mini's with all-blue switches (makes sense - it would have been EASY to do at the factory). At least one prototype had this.
OSCILLATORS
(This is an important and controversial point for some Minimoog owners. The Oscillators were changed, at least a few times, in order to make the Minimoog more reliable)
* R.A.Moog - these are the Oscillator circuit boards for the earliest Minimoogs. There may be only about 100 made with these boards - they have "RAMOOG" written on the circuit board itself. The do sound different than the later oscillators, but are relatively harder to keep in tune.
* "Old Oscillators" - a term that is somewhat misleading now that we know about the RAMoog boards! However, most people consider these to be the first half of Minimoog production, almost 6,000 of them made, so they are often called "older oscillators". They are relatively stable, except when switching Octave settings.
On the back panel, one can see a set of 7 small calibration holes behind the Oscillators. This is true for most RAMoog and "Older" Oscillators.
* "New Oscillators" - these were specifically designed to keep the Minimoog in tune, a big complaint for the many performers using the older oscillators. The new oscillators have 17 trim holes on the back panel. They allow for especially precise calibration on the high frequencies, and have the Octave Buffer (see below). Moog began these with #10175 to the end, but many earlier ones have had these retrofitted.
OCTAVE BUFFER BOARD
Apparently, not many people know about this. The Octave Buffer Board is a FACTORY modification to correct a design flaw in the original Minimoog: When Oscillators were switched between octaves, they would often go out of tune. This small board was added inside the Minimoog just under the top edge (behind the Oscillator section, and mounted to the metal with two small black screws)
Beginning with serial number #5000, this was done on ALL Minimoogs from the factory. I have seen MANY of the earlier units (before #5000), already retrofitted by the factory or factory-authorized service centers. When the Minimoog was sent in for calibration, new oscillators, repair, etc., it would have been added as a matter of course. It's a very GOOD modification to have done and will not affect the value of your instrument. It will, in fact, increase the value, as your Mini will definitely be better with it. (It is possible that the early RAMoog oscillators do not need this modification - we're looking into it)
REAR COVER
(This is the removable aluminum cover on the back of the Minimoog)
* Bent - on the R.A.Moog Minimoogs, the aluminum is a flat panel bent into a box shape. It has an open seam where the sides join.
* Welded - on all later Minimoogs, this cover was welded at the seams, to prevent dirt from entering the electronics section (a good idea!)
POWER CABLE
(The power cable changed several times during production)
* The R.A.Moog Minimoogs have power cables that enter to the Left of the Accessory jacks (when looking from behind). 2 prongs (no ground) and usually brown.
* When the Minimoog was made with the new "Moog/Musonics" badge, the power cable moves to the Right of the accessory jacks. It was originally brown, 2 prong. This is also true for early "Moog Music" Minimoogs.
* Later, it became 3 prong, in black or gray.
POINTER KNOBS
(An interesting (but rarely noticed) change in the Minimoogs)
* Most Minimoogs have standard pointer knobs - where one end is pointed and the other end is wide.
* There is a specific period in 1974 where Minimoogs have different pointer knobs, where both ends are the same shape. This may be due to a shortage at the factory, or to keep down costs (Note: these same pointer knobs are found later on the Micromoog and Multimoog). However, they ARE original from this period - many people will assume they have been changed.
WOOD CASE
(An obvious difference, very visible. I'm no expert on woods so I'm going to look into this with an expert. There are a LOT of different styles, some just variations on wood stain or color. Here are the basics)
* Early Minimoogs have dark brown walnut casings, rumoured to have been cut from trees on Bob Moog's property. They are not stained or laquered.
* The next series of Minimoogs seem to have a dark Mahogany wood, also unstained.
* Later, the Minimoog came in a "butterscotch" colored stain, over an light-colored unnamed wood.These will be slightly glossy.
* Finally, the Minimoog came in a wood with very dark brown stain, almost as thick as paint. It's not as natural-looking as earlier Minimoogs, but ALL Minimoogs are beautiful!
These are the questions that were asked of Minimoog owners. These are basic changes (mostly external) that help us identify any Minimoog. (I will get into more detail about the internal changes at a later date)
* Serial number ?
* Front plate - RAMoog, Musonics, or Moog Music?
* Casing - unfinished walnut, light maple (butterscotch), or dark stain mahogany?
* Front panel - metal, metal w/ clear plastic coat, smooth plastic, rough plastic?
* Factory - Trumansburg, Williamsville, Buffalo?
* Wheels - clear, smooth white, serrated (rippled) white, lighted clear?
* Panel engraving - "VOL" or "VOLUME"?
* Decay/Glide switches - momentary red buttons, white rocker, (other)?
* Panel switches - orange/blue, all black, or all white?
* On the top edge (behind the wood, just above the Oscillator knobs) are there two small (black) screws?
* Number of calibration holes in back panel? (total)
* Power cable (looking from the REAR) - right or left of Accessory jacks? - brown, grey, or black? - 2 or 3 prong?
* IF there are paper assembly tags inside - what is the date?"
"Minimoog MODEL "D" Changes:
At first look, all Minimoogs seem alike. It seems that the Minimoog is something unchanging that we all know and recognize. They are similar to each other, but there are many features that changed over time. You may already be aware of a few differences, but most people will be surprised at how many variations there really are.
One of my main goals for this site was this very page: to show the developments in the main Minimoog design (MODEL D), and give an idea when the changes happened. To my knowledge, this type of listing has not been done for the Minimoog. Once you see it - you should be able to tell what is "original" on a Minimoog. In some cases, you will even be able to guess a Minimoog's serial number quite closely after only a quick glance! Like "trainspotting" (identifying nearly identical trains by small distinguishing features) this is trivial, but fun.
The process was simple - I compiled a database of over 100 Minimoogs. By asking owners detailed questions, I was able to determine the commmon developments. Cross-referencing this data to known dates of production, it becomes easier to see WHEN things might have happened. Note: This is by no means foolproof, and there are individual Mini's that do not fit the pattern. For now, we will assume that they are mutants/modifieds, and simply note the main trends.
The Changes:
Read through these links first, so you will be familiar with the details. Then, I have arranged a timeline of the changes below for clarity. In the future, I will have photos of the changes, a helpful visual reference...
* The Badge
* The Factories
* The Front Panel
* Graphics
* Wheels
* Left-Hand Switches
* Panel Switches
* Oscillators
* Octave Buffer Board
* Rear Cover
* Power Cable
* Pointer Knobs
* The Wood Case
* The Questions used to make the database.
* TIMELINE of Changes
THE BADGE
(This is the "logo plate" above the keyboard that identifies the company)
* R. A. Moog: When the company began making synths (1964/65), this was the name, carried over from Bob's Theremin business. This metal nameplate is only found on the earliest Minimoogs from (late) 1970 through 1971.
* Moog/Musonics: After Waytena bought the R.A.Moog company, it was merged with Musonics (his own company) and the Minimoogs from this brief period (1971) bear this name. A metal plaque.
* Moog Music Inc. After Moog was sold to Norlin/CBS in 1972, this became the name that would remain until the last Minimoogs were made. MOST Minimoogs have this plate, a vinyl material.
THE FACTORIES
(Moog had several plants during Minimoog production, relatively close to each other in upstate New York)
* Trumansburg: The original factory, built Minimoogs from late 1970 through 1971.
* Williamsville: after the Musonics purchase, operated from March 1971 to 1977.
* Buffalo: a much larger plant, made Minimoogs from 1977 to 1981
THE FRONT PANEL
(Construction of the front panel behind the knobs)
* Metal - A thin sheet of smooth aluminum.
* Metal with Plastic - same as above, but with a thin clear sheet of plastic to cover/protect it.
* Plastic - a heavier vinyl/plastic panel, with a textured surface.
GRAPHICS
(This is the silkscreened labelling on the front panel)
* "VOL." - the earliest Minimoogs (metal and metal/plastic panel) have different designs. The time settings are marked in seconds, the Osc.2 & 3 fine tune knobs have cents/100 divisions, and the Volume knobs say "VOL."
* "Volume" - the design used on all vinyl panel Minimoogs: the knobs say "VOLUME", the times are in divisions from 1 to 10, and the Osc. 2 & 3 tunings knobs are incremented from +/-1 to +/-7.
WHEELS
(On the left-hand modulation section, the wheels and switches underwent a few developments)
* Clear Wheels: the earliest design, a beautiful look.
* Solid White Wheels: same shape as before, but in an opaque white plastic.
* Serrated White Wheels: These have ridged, wavy edges for better gripping.
# Clear Lighted Wheels: same shape as early clear wheels, but with internal lights to show them off. Only on the last series of 25 "presentation" Minimoogs.
LEFT-HAND SWITCHES
* Decay/Glide switches are Red Momentary pushbuttons on the earliest R.A.Moog Mini's. This may be to make the instrument more "performance oriented" as the sound can "change" easier with momentary switches.
* White Mini-toggle switches. Some early R.A.Moog instruments have small toggle switches (NOT momentary) for Decay and Glide. On some, this appears to be a retrofit, as it would be more usable than the buttons. On most, this looks like the original factory issue design.
* White Rocker switches; the standard white plastic rocker switches found on almost all Mini's. Begins during the R.A.Moog period and remains until the last.
PANEL SWITCHES
(These are the colored rocker switches used all across the front control panel for modulation, the mixer, etc.)
* Blue and Orange - the most common color scheme - almost all Minimoogs have this setup. In case you never noticed, Blue is for audio routing, Orange is for modulation routing.
* All White - very few Mini's have this, but there are a few known examples, mostly early Mini's. It looks quite good, actually.
* All Black switches - again, another variation that seems to be original. The factory had them around, as the Power Switch is usually Black. This also looks very cool!
* All Blue - there are rumoured Mini's with all-blue switches (makes sense - it would have been EASY to do at the factory). At least one prototype had this.
OSCILLATORS
(This is an important and controversial point for some Minimoog owners. The Oscillators were changed, at least a few times, in order to make the Minimoog more reliable)
* R.A.Moog - these are the Oscillator circuit boards for the earliest Minimoogs. There may be only about 100 made with these boards - they have "RAMOOG" written on the circuit board itself. The do sound different than the later oscillators, but are relatively harder to keep in tune.
* "Old Oscillators" - a term that is somewhat misleading now that we know about the RAMoog boards! However, most people consider these to be the first half of Minimoog production, almost 6,000 of them made, so they are often called "older oscillators". They are relatively stable, except when switching Octave settings.
On the back panel, one can see a set of 7 small calibration holes behind the Oscillators. This is true for most RAMoog and "Older" Oscillators.
* "New Oscillators" - these were specifically designed to keep the Minimoog in tune, a big complaint for the many performers using the older oscillators. The new oscillators have 17 trim holes on the back panel. They allow for especially precise calibration on the high frequencies, and have the Octave Buffer (see below). Moog began these with #10175 to the end, but many earlier ones have had these retrofitted.
OCTAVE BUFFER BOARD
Apparently, not many people know about this. The Octave Buffer Board is a FACTORY modification to correct a design flaw in the original Minimoog: When Oscillators were switched between octaves, they would often go out of tune. This small board was added inside the Minimoog just under the top edge (behind the Oscillator section, and mounted to the metal with two small black screws)
Beginning with serial number #5000, this was done on ALL Minimoogs from the factory. I have seen MANY of the earlier units (before #5000), already retrofitted by the factory or factory-authorized service centers. When the Minimoog was sent in for calibration, new oscillators, repair, etc., it would have been added as a matter of course. It's a very GOOD modification to have done and will not affect the value of your instrument. It will, in fact, increase the value, as your Mini will definitely be better with it. (It is possible that the early RAMoog oscillators do not need this modification - we're looking into it)
REAR COVER
(This is the removable aluminum cover on the back of the Minimoog)
* Bent - on the R.A.Moog Minimoogs, the aluminum is a flat panel bent into a box shape. It has an open seam where the sides join.
* Welded - on all later Minimoogs, this cover was welded at the seams, to prevent dirt from entering the electronics section (a good idea!)
POWER CABLE
(The power cable changed several times during production)
* The R.A.Moog Minimoogs have power cables that enter to the Left of the Accessory jacks (when looking from behind). 2 prongs (no ground) and usually brown.
* When the Minimoog was made with the new "Moog/Musonics" badge, the power cable moves to the Right of the accessory jacks. It was originally brown, 2 prong. This is also true for early "Moog Music" Minimoogs.
* Later, it became 3 prong, in black or gray.
POINTER KNOBS
(An interesting (but rarely noticed) change in the Minimoogs)
* Most Minimoogs have standard pointer knobs - where one end is pointed and the other end is wide.
* There is a specific period in 1974 where Minimoogs have different pointer knobs, where both ends are the same shape. This may be due to a shortage at the factory, or to keep down costs (Note: these same pointer knobs are found later on the Micromoog and Multimoog). However, they ARE original from this period - many people will assume they have been changed.
WOOD CASE
(An obvious difference, very visible. I'm no expert on woods so I'm going to look into this with an expert. There are a LOT of different styles, some just variations on wood stain or color. Here are the basics)
* Early Minimoogs have dark brown walnut casings, rumoured to have been cut from trees on Bob Moog's property. They are not stained or laquered.
* The next series of Minimoogs seem to have a dark Mahogany wood, also unstained.
* Later, the Minimoog came in a "butterscotch" colored stain, over an light-colored unnamed wood.These will be slightly glossy.
* Finally, the Minimoog came in a wood with very dark brown stain, almost as thick as paint. It's not as natural-looking as earlier Minimoogs, but ALL Minimoogs are beautiful!
These are the questions that were asked of Minimoog owners. These are basic changes (mostly external) that help us identify any Minimoog. (I will get into more detail about the internal changes at a later date)
* Serial number ?
* Front plate - RAMoog, Musonics, or Moog Music?
* Casing - unfinished walnut, light maple (butterscotch), or dark stain mahogany?
* Front panel - metal, metal w/ clear plastic coat, smooth plastic, rough plastic?
* Factory - Trumansburg, Williamsville, Buffalo?
* Wheels - clear, smooth white, serrated (rippled) white, lighted clear?
* Panel engraving - "VOL" or "VOLUME"?
* Decay/Glide switches - momentary red buttons, white rocker, (other)?
* Panel switches - orange/blue, all black, or all white?
* On the top edge (behind the wood, just above the Oscillator knobs) are there two small (black) screws?
* Number of calibration holes in back panel? (total)
* Power cable (looking from the REAR) - right or left of Accessory jacks? - brown, grey, or black? - 2 or 3 prong?
* IF there are paper assembly tags inside - what is the date?"
Thursday, November 07, 2013
Sun Ra & the History of the Minimoog at The Bob Moog Foundation
The Bob Moog Foundation has a post up featuring Sun Ra & the history of the first Minimoog. Sun Ra was given a prototype Model B. The later Model D was the released production model. You can find a couple of videos of Sun Ra with the prototype Model B here and an audio interview with an image of the prototype here.
"In 1969, a year before the introduction of the Minimoog, Sun Ra became familiar with Bob Moog’s modular studio synthesizer. He was given a demonstration in New York by Gershon Kingsley.[i] Sun Ra first met Robert Moog after Downbeat journalist and Sun Ra acquaintance Tam Fiofori arranged for a visit to Moog’s factory in Trumansburg in the Fall of 1969. [ii] This was most likely October. Bob and his crew were testing prototypes of the Minimoog at that time, inviting Sun Ra to explore its sounds. A recording of this test session was made and, although not originally intended for commercial release, partly released many years later in 1992 as the 'Moog Experiment' (My Brother the Wind, Vol. 2, CD tracks 7-11, Evidence Records.) But more significantly, it was during this visit that Moog loaned Sun Ra a prototype Minimoog (Model B), several months before the commercial instrument (Model D) was introduced in March 1970...
What is perhaps most interesting about this encounter is that the Minimoog was still an untested idea—at least in the mind of Bob Moog. The development of a portable synthesizer was a risk for his small company. But Sun Ra’s enthusiasm was one of the first indications that a veteran live performer found promise in the new instrument."
Read the full post at The Bob Moog Foundation here.
In related Bob Moog Foundation News:
Samoogarai T-shirt Comes to Life
Dr Bob's SoundSchool Expands to Rural Madison County
And don't forget, the 2014 BMF Calendar makes a great stocking stuffer!
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
New Minimoog Model D Now In Full Production
via Moog Music
"Today we announce that after more than 30 years, production of the Minimoog Model D synthesizer has resumed. Introduced in 1970, the Minimoog Model D was the first portable synthesizer and served as the archetype for all electonic keyboards that followed. Conceived as a response to the large-scale modular synthesizers of the 1960’s, the Minimoog’s portability, accessibility, and expressiveness made it the go-to instrument for musicians looking to expand beyond the traditional sounds of the time.
[video just posted here with part 1]
Throughout history, the Minimoog Model D has been used by the most forward thinking artists to design the sound of the future. Bernie Worrell used the Minimoog to establish Parliament Funkadelic’s futuristic funk sound. Kraftwerk employed the Minimoog on the pioneering concept album Autobahn, sparking an entirely new genre. Gary Numan replaced his live band’s guitars with Minimoogs, creating the prototype for industrial music. The classic sound of the Minimoog Model D can be heard on Bob Marley’s Catch A Fire, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and many more.
Each Minimoog Model D is lovingly handcrafted at our employee-owned factory in Asheville, NC. This legendary 3-oscillator monophonic instrument is securely housed in a hand-finished aluminum chassis and locally-sourced Appalachian hard-wood enclosure. To realize the unmistakable sound of the world’s first performance synthesizer, we preserve the component placement and through-hole design of the original analog circuit boards, employing military-spec precision resistors and custom-reissued transistors to complete the circuit.
Though no changes have been made to the original sound engine or audio signal path, the Minimoog Model D now includes a series of functional modifications to expand the instrument’s sonic capabilities beyond the factory specifications of a 1970’s production unit. These modifications include a premium Fatar keybed with velocity and after pressure available via top panel CV jacks, a dedicated analog LFO with triangle and square waveshapes, CV outputs for pitch, gate, velocity and after pressure, basic MIDI integration, and a mixer overload modification, which when engaged, allows the Minimoog Model D to conjure thicker and far more overdriven sounds than before.
The Minimoog Model D is now available for order through authorized Moog dealers world-wide.
*NOTE: Due to the complexity of the build process coupled with the demand for other Moog instruments, we are only able to produce a small number of Minimoog Model D units per month."
Monday, March 26, 2018
Moog Introduces MINIMOOG MODEL D App for iOS
Published on Mar 26, 2018 Moog Music Inc
"Based on the original analog circuit designs of the world’s first portable keyboard synthesizer, the Minimoog Model D App captures the magic of its hardware namesake, inviting you to explore the fundamental elements of sound by setting, shaping, and modulating each aspect of the sonic phenomena -- or jump straight in and play with over 160 included presets.
Available now on all 64-bit iOS devices for an introductory price of $4.99, the Minimoog Model D App places new realms of creative potential in the palm of your hand.
Download the Minimoog Model D app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/minim...
Introduced by Moog in 1970, the Minimoog Model D served as the archetype for all electronic keyboards that followed. It gave users the ability to design their own sounds, translating imagination into reality. The Minimoog’s portability, affordability and accessibility made it the go-to instrument for musicians looking to expand beyond the traditional sounds of the time.
Bernie Worrell used the Minimoog Model D to establish Parliament Funkadelic’s futuristic funk sound. Kraftwerk employed the Minimoog Model D on the successful concept album Autobahn, sparking an entirely new genre. Gary Numan replaced his live band’s guitars with Minimoog Model Ds, creating the prototype for industrial music. The classic sound of the Minimoog Model D can be heard on Bob Marley’s Catch A Fire, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Dr. Dre’s The Chronic.
All sounds in this video, except drums, made with the Minimoog Model D app.
Special thanks to Mason Self (http://www.masonself.com)"
"FEATURES
• Ships with over 160 presets (Hundreds more available in the Minimoog Model D App Store)
• Up to 4-notes of polyphony
• Easily share presets and audio recordings with friends
• Arpeggiator module with note-hold capability• Stereo ping-pong delay effect
• Bender time modulation effect
• Real-time looping recorder with overdub and immediate sharing
• Selectable envelope shapes and triggering behavior
• Effortless MIDI CC mapping
• Seamlessly backup presets to iCloud
• Play mode for easier panel and keyboard interaction
• A new take on the classic feedback/overload path
SUPPORTS
• All 64-bit iOS devices
• AUv3 Audio Unit Extensions (Including GarageBand)
• Note-per-channel MIDI controllers (MPE)
• Ableton Link
• Inter-App Audio and Audiobus
• 7 and 14-Bit MIDI
• MIDI Program Changes
• Bluetooth LE MIDI controllers
• Share over AirDrop, Mail or other iOS applications"
Monday, August 14, 2023
The History of the Minimoog Prototypes
video upload by AutomaticGainsay
"If you've ever been curious about the genesis of the Minimoog, this series found on the Automatic Gainsay Patreon page, Automatic Gainsay: The Wavewrights, is for you. The series explores the history of the development of the Minimoog as well as the individual distinctive functionality found on the prototypes."
"Here is the URL that gives you access to this amazing content: patreon.com/automaticgainsaythewavewrights
The synthesizer music in this video was created with a multitracked 1974 Minimoog."
If you feel like going down the rabbit hole, click here for a search on Minimoog Prototype. You'll find some interesting bits from the archives. Then click here for results sorted by date, most recent to oldest. Unfortunately blogger doesn't support a sort by oldest to newest. Check out this DIY Minimoog from 1975, and Sun Ra's prototype Minimoog.
The first recording with Minimoog synthesizer - Sun Ra – ‘My Brother The Wind’ (1970)
video upload by George Greene
"The first recording with Minimoog synthesizer (Model B prototype) - Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – ‘My Brother The Wind’ (1970)
In 1969, Sun Ra had recorded on Moog Modular synthesizer at the New York midtown studio of Gershon Kingsley. Those recordings were issued on My Brother the Wind, Vol. 1 (although it was not titled 'Vol. 1'— it only achieved that reference after 'Vol. 2' appeared). The following year, drummer Tommy Hunter arranged a meeting between Sun Ra and synth pioneer Robert Moog in upstate Trumansburg, New York. Bob and his crew were testing prototypes of the Minimoog at that time, inviting Sun Ra to explore its sounds. A recording of this test session was made and, although not originally intended for commercial release, partly released many years later in 1992 (My Brother the Wind, Vol. 2, CD tracks 7-11: The Wind Speaks, Sun Thoughts, Journey to the Stars, World of the Myth 'I', The Design - Cosmos II). But more significantly, it was during this visit that Moog loaned Sun Ra a prototype Minimoog (Model B), several months before the commercial instrument (Model D) was introduced in March 1970. Ra immediately added the instrument to his repertoire of keyboards, later acquired a second, and featured the Minimoog prominently on many of his recordings of the early 1970s. Sun Ra sometimes played two Minimoogs at the same time to achieve a duophonic synthesizer sound.
#ElectronicMusic #SunRa #Minimoog #MyBrotherTheWind #BobMoog #Synthesizer
All rights belong to their respective owners."
You can find dditional posts mentioning Sun Ra and the Minimoog here.
You can find Sun Ra – ‘My Brother The Wind’ on Amazon here.
Found this one updating this old post, after posting AutomaticGainsay's The History of the Minimoog Prototypes. Down the rabbit hole I went...
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Moog Celebrates 10 Years of the Minimoog Voyager
"The Minimoog Voyager turns ten. For the next 60 days Moog will release exclusive content, free giveaways, special offers, and big announcements on this timeline.
As the first Minimoog Voyager left the Moog Factory on August 31st 2002, it carried with it a message, that Moog was back and a new era of analog synthesizer had begun. The Voyager is the crowning achievement of one of the centuries greatest minds, and has stood as a testament to Dr. Robert Moog, and his dream to make electronics sing. Ten years later the Minimoog Voyager stands as the world's most iconic synthesizer. To this day each instrument is made by hand with the love and care of Moog's craftsmen..."
Check out the Voyager timeline here.
via Moog Music on Facebook
Update: just wanted to capture the following regarding the prototype Voyager. If you haven't already, be sure to click on the link above for the full timeline. It's fascinating history. I can't see a way to larger versions of the images there though. If anyone knows how, feel free to comment or shoot me an email (icon on the bottom right). That said, on the prototype:
The Voyager was originally envisioned as an interconnected collection of independent circuit boards, however it was realized that this type of hardware architecture would limit the capability to make production model Voyagers. To circumvent this problem and stream line production the smaller modules were combined into larger boards reducing the amount of wiring necessary in the final product.
The original Voyager prototype did not have the white overlay seen on modern Voyagers nor did it have a functioning touch pad. While the touch pad was planned as can be seen in the photos actual functionality was not added until the Voyager went into production. The first touch pads were hand made by Bob Moog and tempered in his home oven."
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Erik Norlander and Galactic Collective Help Celebrate Bob Moog's Birthday
"Asheville, NC - May 2014... Synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog's upcoming 80th birthday was commemorated in grand fashion on May 8th with a "Tribute to Dr. Bob" concert by virtuoso synthesist Erik Norlander and his band The Galactic Collective to benefit the Bob Moog Foundation.
The concert, held at Asheville's Isis Music Hall, featured Norlander, accompanied by bandmates Jeff Kollman on guitar, Mark Matthews on bass, and Nick Le Par on drums. Norlander's onstage rig included three very special, fully restored vintage synthesizers from the Bob Moog Foundation Archives, including a 1967 Moog modular, an early Minimoog Model D, and an extremely rare Moog Apollo.
"The convergence of the Moog modular, the Minimoog, and the Moog Apollo in one performance is nearly unprecedented," notes Michelle Moog-Koussa, executive director of the Bob Moog Foundation. "Not since Keith Emerson toured with a prototype Apollo in the early '70s have they been heard together in live performance, making this "Tribute to Dr. Bob" concert a truly historic occasion."
The 1967 R. A. Moog Co. modular is an iconic synthesizer on permanent loan from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It was built for the first electronic music studio in the state, and hand delivered by Bob Moog.
Norlander used the Foundation's Minimoog and modular for giant bass sweeps and drones, adding weight and atmosphere to his tracks, "Arrival," "Sky Full of Stars" and "The Dark Water."
The priceless Moog Apollo is one of the few of its kind in the world. This 1973 instrument, newly and fully restored by the Bob Moog Foundation, served as a prototype for the production model Polymoog. The Apollo is one of the earliest polyphonic synths, synthesizers that could play more than one note at a time.
Norlander brought the Apollo alive in a stunning solo during his signature piece, "Dreamcurrents," using the harpsichord program to conjure the early days of polysynth performance art with classic, vintage tones. He reprised the harpsichord again in the waltz section of "After the Revolution," normally played on acoustic piano. Norlander later employed famous "Vox Humana" program in his bombastic choral opening of "Neurosaur" and used the Apollo soft analog brass sound for his gentler introductory theme on "Fanfare for Absent Friends."
Drew Heller, guitarist for the African fusion band Toubab Krewe, opened the show for the Galactic Collective, joined by his father, Grammy award winning producer/composer Steven Heller. Bob Moog had a close musical relationship with Toubab Krewe; Steven Heller was long-time friend and musical collaborator. Their acoustic set was marked by stories about Moog's generosity, fearless pursuit of the unknown, and his sense of humor."
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Online Petition to Keep Bob Moog's Archives in Asheville with the BMF
You'll find the petition here. If you haven't heard the news see this post. I'll add this to it as well.
The petition was setup up via Michael Koehler who sent in the following:
"I am not involved with the BMF, but am friends with Michelle. She knows that I am doing this.
I am very passionate about it because I was fortunate to knew Bob for a short while and know that he would not want things to go the way that they are going right now. I am not trying discredit Cornell or say anything bad about them. They are a fine institution. I am just trying to help them see what moving the archives would mean.
There is so much more to this material. It is not simply 'Bob's stuff'. In Bob's work, he always included colleagues and musicians in the development of his works. If we send these notes off to some storage facility where only scholars can reference them, most of this is lost. The BMF is connected with many of the musicians that worked with Bob. They have the ability to connect the information that Bob wrote down from the engineering standpoint and re-connect it with the musicians that worked with Bob to create it. I have witnessed this first hand. I am telling you, this type of documentation and interpretation would be impossible with the items at Cornell. Think of all of the nuggets that have come out of the BMF. Stories, video clips, etc. Remember all of those insights? It is almost as if Bob were still here. Cornell will most definitely have a totally different output. It will be much more sterilized and scholastic.
I saw first hand the work that Michelle and her team have done. There were literally rooms of material laying in in total disarray. One piece of gear that was salvaged by her team was the very last minimoog made from the original factory. The synth was barely salvageable at the time. That was in 2006. Had it laid there, out in the shed, exposed to the elements, do you think it would even be salvageable today? And, even if it were, do you honestly believe that Cornell would even restore it? In the list of items, it most likely would not be on the top of the list. But the reason that this synth was so iconic to save was that back in the day, Bob had the fore-site to know that something like this should be preserved. Remember, this was at a time when you couldn't give analog synths away! Bob was like that, he knew to save things not for himself or his own legacy, but because some day, these things will be important to someone.
Another example, the BMF has restored 100 recordings. I have heard some of these. Amongst them is a recording where Bob sent a minimoog prototype to Sun Ra to play with and asked Sun Ra to let him know what he thought of the synth. Sun Ra used it in a performance the night that they received it. They did not have a user manual or any instructions, they just went with it. Sun Ra recorded this performance and sent the tape to Bob. This was the first recording of the minimoog and it was also an iconic recording of a concert as well. I can tell you that if this recording goes to Cornell, no one will be able to hear it. The licensing rights will never be able to be cleared by them for public consumption. No way a record label will give that away easily. Way too broad of a license. Where as the BMF would be allowed to play these recording during their exhibits and seminars because they would be able to keep custody of the recording preventing broad public dissemination.
I could go on, but I have probably typed your eyes out! :)"
You'll find the petition here.
The petition was setup up via Michael Koehler who sent in the following:
"I am not involved with the BMF, but am friends with Michelle. She knows that I am doing this.
I am very passionate about it because I was fortunate to knew Bob for a short while and know that he would not want things to go the way that they are going right now. I am not trying discredit Cornell or say anything bad about them. They are a fine institution. I am just trying to help them see what moving the archives would mean.
There is so much more to this material. It is not simply 'Bob's stuff'. In Bob's work, he always included colleagues and musicians in the development of his works. If we send these notes off to some storage facility where only scholars can reference them, most of this is lost. The BMF is connected with many of the musicians that worked with Bob. They have the ability to connect the information that Bob wrote down from the engineering standpoint and re-connect it with the musicians that worked with Bob to create it. I have witnessed this first hand. I am telling you, this type of documentation and interpretation would be impossible with the items at Cornell. Think of all of the nuggets that have come out of the BMF. Stories, video clips, etc. Remember all of those insights? It is almost as if Bob were still here. Cornell will most definitely have a totally different output. It will be much more sterilized and scholastic.
I saw first hand the work that Michelle and her team have done. There were literally rooms of material laying in in total disarray. One piece of gear that was salvaged by her team was the very last minimoog made from the original factory. The synth was barely salvageable at the time. That was in 2006. Had it laid there, out in the shed, exposed to the elements, do you think it would even be salvageable today? And, even if it were, do you honestly believe that Cornell would even restore it? In the list of items, it most likely would not be on the top of the list. But the reason that this synth was so iconic to save was that back in the day, Bob had the fore-site to know that something like this should be preserved. Remember, this was at a time when you couldn't give analog synths away! Bob was like that, he knew to save things not for himself or his own legacy, but because some day, these things will be important to someone.
Another example, the BMF has restored 100 recordings. I have heard some of these. Amongst them is a recording where Bob sent a minimoog prototype to Sun Ra to play with and asked Sun Ra to let him know what he thought of the synth. Sun Ra used it in a performance the night that they received it. They did not have a user manual or any instructions, they just went with it. Sun Ra recorded this performance and sent the tape to Bob. This was the first recording of the minimoog and it was also an iconic recording of a concert as well. I can tell you that if this recording goes to Cornell, no one will be able to hear it. The licensing rights will never be able to be cleared by them for public consumption. No way a record label will give that away easily. Way too broad of a license. Where as the BMF would be allowed to play these recording during their exhibits and seminars because they would be able to keep custody of the recording preventing broad public dissemination.
I could go on, but I have probably typed your eyes out! :)"
You'll find the petition here.
Saturday, March 04, 2017
Behringer Considering a Minimoog Model D Clone
Update: renders & initial specs posted here.
This one spotted and sent in via Soviet Space Child.
Thoughts? Is this ethical considering Moog Music has already re-issued the original Minimoog Model D? A cheaper clone would undoubtedly hurt Moog's income, potentially making it more difficult for them to make new products. Does that matter to you? Feel free to leave a comment below.
"Thanks for the great feedback. I certainly respect everyone's opinion and emotions.
Allow me to share my view:
Our loyalty is always with our customers and hence we build what they request. This is what we stand for and this will never change.
The general rule and the law clearly describe that technology is free for everyone to use, provided it is not protected. You may have a different personal view, but that's how our society and every industry works - again why the law has been designed the way it is.
In case of the MiniMoog there is no IP (Intellectual Property) involved as the technology is more than 40 years old and all patents have long expired. As a result, the property is now in the public domain, free for everyone to use. Without this principle there would only be one car or synthesizer manufacturer in the world.
For this exact reason you will find many companies who are manufacturing replicas of all sorts, including the MiniMoog - simply google it.
We believe there are two typical types of customers:
The ones who aspire to purchase the original product and provided they can afford the price, they will buy such a high-priced product.
It is well known marketing knowledge, that lower cost and competing products do contribute to more awareness and hence stimulate both ends of the market.
Many companies such as Tesla, Toyota etc. have now opened their patents to the public domain to allow other manufacturers to enter the same market and actually compete with them.
Open source and open innovation are now trends that you'll find in many industries, simply because the benefit of collaboration outweighs protection of your IP.
https://www.tesla.com/blog/all-our-p...are-belong-you
Our primary customer is not the well-off doctor or lawyer, but the people with much less income. I was a struggling musician myself when I started my business 30 years ago and I made it my mission in life to enable musicians to pursue their musical dreams without financial obstacles.
This is the reason why we work with extremely slim margins and consequentially our focus must be on achieving high volume production as otherwise we couldn't survive.
When you work with such slim margins, aside from research and development, much effort goes into DFM (Design for Manufacturing), DFC (Design for Cost) and production engineering etc.
We employ over 400 engineers in MUSIC Group and we're hiring 100 more. You will find our engineering facilities in the UK, US, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, China, Philippines etc. If you're interested, feel free to drop by at our offices and meet our fantastic people.
Perhaps this synth is a great little project to demonstrate how the design process works and I am happy to involve you in the development.
Since the development has been done 40 years ago, it is a rather minimal engineering effort and once we have a working prototype and a projected price, we can then decide whether we will bring this product to market or not.
Someone here in the forum had a great idea to pack this synth into a compact Eurorack format and this coincides with some of our engineers' ideas. I will have our designers to come up with a quick design draft for you to comment on.
Thanks
Uli"
via Gearslutz.
Monday, July 07, 2014
Keith Emerson’s personal Moog Minimoog THE ORIGINAL spilt system?
Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction
via the seller: "For Sale is likely the only original Moog synthesizer owned and used by Keith Emerson that will ever be for sale. Keith Emerson’s other Moog unit, his massive modular system, will certainly one day wind up in a museum and not be available to collectors.
This incredible and historic Minimoog has some very serious provenance. Keith Emerson owned it, recorded with it and toured with it using it on his most famous 70’s and 80’s tours. Further to that Keith had it heavily modified for his unique purposes making it truly a one of a kind relic of music history.
Robert Moog liked the idea so much he created a prototype of what was to be a factory split system. Photos of that unit are online however I have never known anyone to actually own one or see one..
It was technician Tony Wride, who first acquired Keith’s original Moog Minimoog directly from Keith Emerson in 1992. As the story goes with a bit of help from Will Alexander who handled the transaction. The unit was later sold to a synthesizer collector in Texas via auction. That collector is whom I purchased it from.
A unique opportunity to own a piece of Rock history! This Minimoog was one of the earliest ones owned by Keith Emerson (26 June 1973 date on keyboard) and he had the keyboard and electronics separated so that it could be used in his stage setup. Basically the keyboard was set up to slide into place when required while the electronics section remained out of the way"
Update via Seth Elgart in the comments: "Moog actually did make a split keyboard. I've never seen one in person but they did exist. A bit more polished than Emerson's actually as it's not a modification."
Also this exact one appears to have been previously listed here back in 2012.
via this auction
via the seller: "For Sale is likely the only original Moog synthesizer owned and used by Keith Emerson that will ever be for sale. Keith Emerson’s other Moog unit, his massive modular system, will certainly one day wind up in a museum and not be available to collectors.This incredible and historic Minimoog has some very serious provenance. Keith Emerson owned it, recorded with it and toured with it using it on his most famous 70’s and 80’s tours. Further to that Keith had it heavily modified for his unique purposes making it truly a one of a kind relic of music history.
Robert Moog liked the idea so much he created a prototype of what was to be a factory split system. Photos of that unit are online however I have never known anyone to actually own one or see one..
It was technician Tony Wride, who first acquired Keith’s original Moog Minimoog directly from Keith Emerson in 1992. As the story goes with a bit of help from Will Alexander who handled the transaction. The unit was later sold to a synthesizer collector in Texas via auction. That collector is whom I purchased it from.
A unique opportunity to own a piece of Rock history! This Minimoog was one of the earliest ones owned by Keith Emerson (26 June 1973 date on keyboard) and he had the keyboard and electronics separated so that it could be used in his stage setup. Basically the keyboard was set up to slide into place when required while the electronics section remained out of the way"
Update via Seth Elgart in the comments: "Moog actually did make a split keyboard. I've never seen one in person but they did exist. A bit more polished than Emerson's actually as it's not a modification."
Also this exact one appears to have been previously listed here back in 2012.
Monday, January 06, 2014
Bornhelmser Synth-Assembly Working on Minimoog Clone
On the heels of the Moog Prodigy clone, it appears Bornhelmser Synth-Assembly is now working on a clone of the Minimoog as well.
via Bornhelmser Synth-Assembly on Facebook:
"while the ProdiDesk is in the Works, i have a new treasure for you:
A clone of the MiniMoog Model D with the new oscillator board (CA3046).
All Layouts are ready and the prototype PCB are in progress."
via Fabian on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge
According to Fabian Baumanis, these will feature the newer oscillator circuit board of the Minimoog as the µA726 is hard to get.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Waves of Inspiration: The Legacy of Moog Exibition Updates
"Exhibition features Keith Emerson's Legendary “Monster Moog” Modular Synthesizer through October 18th, 2009
CARSLBAD, CA/ASHEVILLE, NC – The Museum of Making Music (Carlsbad, CA), in partnership with the Bob Moog Foundation, has opened Waves of Inspiration: The Legacy of Moog exhibition, to run through April 30, 2010. The exhibit is the first of its kind, marking the first public display of the artifacts from Bob Moog’s archives and an examination of the impact of his work on the world of music.
MONSTER MOOG INSTALLATION
On August 30th, Keith Emerson's (Emerson, Lake and Palmer, The Nice) mammoth “Monster Moog” modular synthesizer was added to the exhibit after it was featured the previous evening in a musical celebration of the exhibit opening by Emerson and Erik Norlander. Emerson used this remarkable instrument on numerous recordings over the past 40 years, including his solo in “Lucky Man” (1969), possibly the most popular synth solo in history. He also used the synthesizer on countless world tours and is generally credited with pioneering the use of the Moog modular as a touring musician.
The “Monster Moog” began as a modest system, but grew over time as Emerson
requested that Moog create custom additions for his touring instrument, including extra modules, custom sample-and-hold, and several pre-sets, an innovative addition for that time. The synthesizer grew into a massive cabinet of five sections and over 75 modules. It stands more than four feet above its special base – almost 8 feet high. Its sound is noticeably clearer and stronger than any other keyboard Emerson plays – it is an instrument of significance and legend, and arguably the most famous synthesizer of all time.
Bob Moog and Keith Emerson enjoyed a special relationship of toolmaker and musician that grew in to a lifelong friendship. Moog is noted for listening to musician's needs and technical specifications which he then used to improve his instruments: This dynamic is explored throughout the Waves exhibit.
KEITH EMERSON
Monday, April 15, 2013
Mystery Synth - Korg 700s/770 Prototype?
Published on Apr 15, 2013
"I found this "mystery synth" at a garage sale this weekend. It appears very similar to a Korg 700s, but upon closer examination there are clear differences. The second oscillator has it's own waveform and pitch selector, for example. And the style of sliders and controls are certainly different than those found on a 700s.
If you know anything about this instrument, please let me know!
At any rate it's a great sounding synth!"
This one in via via Dan Goldstein who found the synth. Talk about an amazing find.
Click here for a pic of the inside of a Mini-KORG 700. Update: also click here for one more. Note two of the boards appear to match but this mystery synth has one more. I couldn't find any of the inside of a 770 to compare. If you search for KORG 770 or KORG 700s you will see the controls are similar but different. With that we are left with two possibilities, this is either a very nicely done DIY synth composed of vintage KORG parts or a KORG prototype that fell somewhere within the 700 series.
And details also posted on gearslutz: "Here's everything I know about it:
I found this instrument on CraigsList, posted at a garage sale here in Las Vegas. The seller said that he'd purchased it on eBay not knowing what it was, and that he believed it was "built by a guy that worked at Ibanez." That was all the provenance that he was able to provide. The instrument was clearly so bizarre that I had to take it home and find out more about it. It does work, mostly, and it certainly has a unique sound despite it's incredibly strange architecture, which I'll describe below.
I opened it up, eagerly hoping for clues about its origins, but what I found deepened the mystery further. As you can see in the photos below, the circuity of this synthesizer is totally discreet. There are some metal can-style Op Amps, namely 741HC and MN131A, which would seem to date this in the early 70s. There are no markings of any sort on the circuit boards, just hand-labeled numbers by the patch points on the circuit boards. I can't find any sort of name anywhere, though the words "Made In Japan" are on the 1/4" output panel.
The architecture of this instrument is incredibly bizarre. It features two standard oscillators. Oscillator one has triangle, square, and sawtooth waveforms, plus a "Chorus 1" and "Chorus 2" setting that seem to be chorused sawtooth waves. Oscillator two features triangle, square, sawtooth, a thinner square wave, and reverse sawtooth. Then there's a third sort of oscillator, which is switchable between noise and what I think is some sort of ring-modulator that operates on Oscillator One. There's a global tuning knob but no fine-tune knobs for the oscillators.
Things get weird after that. There's an attack-release envelope for the VCA, and that's the only envelope you get. There's a resonant low-pass filter and a resonant high-pass filter, but no resonance knob, so you're stuck with a single cutoff control for each filter. The low and high cutoff filters are sort of "ganged" together so that you can't move the Lowpass cutoff above the Highpass cutoff - they move together once they meet, if that makes sense. There's an LFO that seems to be fixed at a triangle wave, and it can be routed to frequency or filter or both, and there's some sort of vibrato delay switch that doesn't seem to do anything. There's also a Repeat switch and speed control that will cause the envelope to retrigger, which is pretty cool. There are some other bizarre controls too, including a "Bright" switch that makes the sound brighter, an "Expand" switch that doesn't really do much of anything, and a "Bender" switch that causes notes to quickly bend up to the pressed key (I remember a similar feature on the Roland VP330, for example).
There's a 3-position sustain switch that goes from "Short" to "Long" and determines if the envelope continues after you've released a key. It works fine, but as soon as you release a key the frequency of the note played drops to some lower, random value. Perhaps the sample-and-hold is not working right.
The cabinet and design is clearly Minimoog inspired, but it's not a Minimoog case. My first thought was that this was a home-made synth of some kind but I'm very doubtful after spending time with it. The silkscreening is very professionally done, the cabinet is all custom-made with interesting angles. There's even a sort of thumb screw on the bottom that lets you lock down the folding-up synth portion of the instrument for transport. Everything about the instrument seems to suggest it was professionally made. The only outputs are a Low and High audio output. There are no inputs at all, no bend wheel or mod wheel, though there's clearly space for such a thing. The lack of basic features (i.e. sustain & release envelope stages, fine tune, resonance amount, etc.) and the addition of unusual features (repeat, bender, etc.) make for one odd combination. And the fact that I can't find any label anywhere makes this a serious synthesizer mystery.
I've owned an awful lot of analog synthesizers and have read decades worth of magazines and web sites, and I've never seen anything like this. Does anyone here have any insight at all into what this might be? Perhaps it's a kit synth from the 70s, like a PAIA design of some kind? Perhaps this was a prototype for a product that never got built? The components date it to the early 70s, so perhaps some company was attempting to challenge the Minimoog and decided against it? If anyone has any information at all on what this could be, I'd sure appreciate it! I'm happy to answer any questions about this synth."
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Synth Shop Hieber-Lindberg, Munich, Germany
via cheater cheater:
"I thought your readers could be interested that there's
such a nice place in Munich for synths.. it's not exactly Five G but
then they don't have to fly to Japan for it.. :)
Hi guys,
Last Saturday I have visited the music shop Musikhaus Hieber-Lindberg
in Munich, Germany. I was tipped off by Florian, who said it could be
interesting. You can find their website at
http://www.hieber-lindberg.de (unfortunately only in German, but it's
easy to find your way around, and Google Translate works well)
The Shop
"I thought your readers could be interested that there's
such a nice place in Munich for synths.. it's not exactly Five G but
then they don't have to fly to Japan for it.. :)
Hi guys,
Last Saturday I have visited the music shop Musikhaus Hieber-Lindberg
in Munich, Germany. I was tipped off by Florian, who said it could be
interesting. You can find their website at
http://www.hieber-lindberg.de (unfortunately only in German, but it's
easy to find your way around, and Google Translate works well)
The Shop
Thursday, May 05, 2016
The Crowminius Desktop Analog Synthesizer Now on Kickstarter
You might remember Scott Rider's (aka the Old Crow) Crowminius from back in 2015. It is now on Kickstarter seeking funding. Click through for full details and funding levels. The Crowminius is a Minimoog inspired analog monophonic synth.
Some details captured for the archives:
"The Crowminius is a desktop analog monophonic music synthesizer built in the spirit of Dr. Moog's famous Model D.
The Crowminius is a complete desktop monophonic analog music synthesizer inspired by Dr. Robert Moog's legendary Minimoog model D. The Crowminius is constructed from standard components with no esoteric parts and is fitted into a sleek aluminum attache case for easy portability.
The Crowminius features an Atmel MIDI control front-end based on the ATMEGA328P chip, the same as used in the popular Arduino Uno. The open-source firmware supports MIDI note, velocity and aftertouch as well as MIDI pitch and mod wheel support. An optional LCD can be installed to monitor system functions but it is not necessary. In the case of interfacing with vintage pre-MIDI gear such as the classic Minimoog, modular synthesizers and modern instruments that offer the necessary control signals, the unit can be operated from pitch control voltage and choice of voltage trigger or switch trigger jacks.The Crowminius features three full-range oscillators (tone generators) that each can be set via rotary switches from sub-sonic frequencies through a set of "organ stops" (octaves) from 32' (bass) to 2' (high soprano). Each oscillator has six waveforms also set by rotary switch to provide the harmonic spectra used to create various sounds.
Oscillators 1 and 2 each feature individual pulse-width modulation generators--a feature not found on the vintage model D--and oscillator 3 can be set to act as a "control oscillator" to provide vibrato and filter modulation by use of the on-board modulation control or by MIDI modulation commands from a remote controller.
The Crowminius has an on-board white/pink/red noise generator that can be used to create audio effects such as wind and surf sounds, but the noise source can also be used as a modulation source. Another feature included on Crowminius that makes use of the noise generator is a "sample/hold" circuit that uses oscillator 3 in control mode as a clock to trap the noise signal levels and provide a series of stepped random modulation voltages.
These signals are all presented to the 4-pole ladder filter and control amplifer, an all-discrete transistor (no chips!) circuit combination that defined the sound of 1970s progressive rock. The filter has dedicated controls for tracking and modulation, and the filter and amplifier each have their own contour generators to control the dynamics of your sound.
Other features include an external audio input into the filter, a "locking" portamento/glide circuit for moving from note to note in solo style, and a "decay mute" feature which allows immediate muting of notes when keys are released. Both the glide and decay mute functions can be operated by external footswitches if needed.
Finally, two essential performance features are provided. A reference tone at A-440 ("concert A") can be enabled for precise instrument tuning. This tone is created by the microcontroller using a direct-digital synthesis algorithm that outputs a very accurate PWM-modulated sine tone. Secondly, a dedicated headphone jack and headphone volume control allow the performer to mute the instrument, set up a new voice patch, tune up and and un-mute right back into a live session without disrupting the performance.
The entire Crowminius system is powered from a single 12VAC, 500mA wall-pack power supply, with provision to allow the use of two supplies for improved supply operation.
The best part about all this is: the Crowminius already exists! The Crowminius was originally presented as a DIY project to synthesizer enthusiasts in early 2015, but as so many people have asked about a pre-assembled version it was decided to offer a production run with an initial goal of shipping 100 units. To this end the design has already been reworked for surface-mount assembly, with the production prototype being hand-built and fully tested before committing the SMT assembly line to production.
More information is online at http://www.crowmini.us/"
Thursday, September 05, 2019
Custom Prototype Synth Minim00g 1975
Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction
"What you are looking at is a 100% analog prototype synth professionally built by a tech in the 70s who went on to building aircraft for Hawker Siddeley. The prototype was finished in the summer of 1975. The synth side is complete, really unique looking too. Reminds me more of a Sonic Six but does sound very close to the Minimoog. This synth is clearly based on the later. The keys feel nice to play and are in good condition. All knobs and switches are still intact. I had a tech look at it and they found some faults but does not stop this things power! It's a huge sound! E-Mail me if you want some sound examples. The tech upgraded the PSU with new kettle lead input and caps, cost £120 alone. He advised me not to go further with repairs so to keep it's originality. All that was done extra was fixing low output. But is easy to service if you want it done.
The faults found: Osc. 2 waveshape knob not working on wide and narrow rectangle waveforms. However on Osc. 3 they work just fine. Faulty knob on Osc. 2 no doubt.
Please note this is not a fault but; the drum module was never made for it which was a board that slots inside. All the electronics inside were built for the drum module but the board itself was never completed. You could perhaps have a board custom made if you want the drum section. The last lower 5 keys were assigned for this task so do not sound.
I had the synth up for sale before but decided to get some service done to help preserve it. They don't make 'em like this anymore! Full of top quality components unlike new Chinese toys. I've been as honest as I can be with this listing. I am an established musician and not a dealer. Local pickup is also welcome. Courier will be over £20 for full insurance. Worldwide shipping available but at new owners risk. Insurance a must! You also accept in the terms of this sale that the synth does require further servicing and is sold as non-working because of OSC. 2 knob fault. Rest of the synth is working sounds like a monster! It's easily worth over 2k for something like this. To have a custom built one now would run you near 5k easy. I'm in no rush to sell so please sensible offers only (ovno)"
via this auction
"What you are looking at is a 100% analog prototype synth professionally built by a tech in the 70s who went on to building aircraft for Hawker Siddeley. The prototype was finished in the summer of 1975. The synth side is complete, really unique looking too. Reminds me more of a Sonic Six but does sound very close to the Minimoog. This synth is clearly based on the later. The keys feel nice to play and are in good condition. All knobs and switches are still intact. I had a tech look at it and they found some faults but does not stop this things power! It's a huge sound! E-Mail me if you want some sound examples. The tech upgraded the PSU with new kettle lead input and caps, cost £120 alone. He advised me not to go further with repairs so to keep it's originality. All that was done extra was fixing low output. But is easy to service if you want it done.
The faults found: Osc. 2 waveshape knob not working on wide and narrow rectangle waveforms. However on Osc. 3 they work just fine. Faulty knob on Osc. 2 no doubt.
Please note this is not a fault but; the drum module was never made for it which was a board that slots inside. All the electronics inside were built for the drum module but the board itself was never completed. You could perhaps have a board custom made if you want the drum section. The last lower 5 keys were assigned for this task so do not sound.
I had the synth up for sale before but decided to get some service done to help preserve it. They don't make 'em like this anymore! Full of top quality components unlike new Chinese toys. I've been as honest as I can be with this listing. I am an established musician and not a dealer. Local pickup is also welcome. Courier will be over £20 for full insurance. Worldwide shipping available but at new owners risk. Insurance a must! You also accept in the terms of this sale that the synth does require further servicing and is sold as non-working because of OSC. 2 knob fault. Rest of the synth is working sounds like a monster! It's easily worth over 2k for something like this. To have a custom built one now would run you near 5k easy. I'm in no rush to sell so please sensible offers only (ovno)"
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
DISCOVERY: Garaj Mahal and Fareed Haque Present The Moog Guitar
"ASHEVILLE, N.C. (March, 2010) – Take the guitar considered by many to be the most innovative instrument of the decade; put it in the hands of a musical visionary and you’re sure to embark on a voyage of discovery. Moog Music did just that and the soundtrack to this musical journey has been captured on a new CD titled DISCOVERY, Garaj Mahal and Fareed Haque Present The Moog Guitar. DISCOVERY was inspired by Garaj Mahal’s exploration of the Moog Guitar’s sonic palette and the limitless ways that it can be incorporated into traditional and modern playing and production styles. The result is a vibrant, eclectic yet coherent body of work from players at the top of their game. The songs span a range of styles from clubby euro/electro and jazz/rock to traditional jazz and classical. Whether overdubbing seven Moog Guitar parts to recreate a Vivaldi lute concerto or sampling, processing and remixing The Moog Guitar with Ableton Live (by Garaj Mahal keyboardist and Moog synth wiz, Eric Levy), Fareed and company never sacrifice musical expression for technical showmanship.
In addition to his work with Garaj Mahal, jazz, classical and world music virtuoso Fareed Haque has played with a stellar list of top artists including Sting, Joe Zawinul and Medeski, Martin and Wood. Throughout his career he has balanced a love of guitar tradition with a spirit of sonic exploration, making The Moog Guitar the perfect musical vehicle for him.
Introduced at the Summer NAMM tradeshow in 2008, the Moog Guitar has received numerous industry honors including Guitar Player Magazine's 2009 Reader's Choice Award, Electronic Musician Magazine's 2009 Editor's Choice Award, 2008 Summer NAMM "Best In Show" honors, a 2008 “Best of What’s New Award” from Popular Science magazine and a 2009 Mix Foundation TEC Award. The instrument’s unique ability to control string vibration opens the door to another musical dimension without sacrificing traditional guitar tone and playing techniques.
Along with Lou Reed and Vernon Reid, Haque was one of a handful of top musicians given access to The Moog Guitar prior to its launch. During a Garaj Mahal tour, a brief stop at the Moog factory in Asheville, NC led to his first encounter with a Moog Guitar prototype. After a short session in the Moog sound room, the band continued their tour and Fareed’s mind filled with musical possibilities.
By the time they reached Atlanta, plans were already underway to immediately secure a Moog Guitar for recording. When Moog could not ship their only prototype to Atlanta, the band did a 4 hour U-turn back to Asheville. Borrowed the Moog guitar prototype that evening and then drove all night and all day to their next gig in Florida. The song Moog Improv #1 from that session appears on the DISCOVERY CD.
The CD’s extensive liner notes paint a fascinating picture of the many ways that The Moog Guitar’s innovations were used to advantage in the creation of this work. In addition to Fareed’s offbeat performance notes, Moog synth wiz Eric Levy describes how he created many of the electronica influenced tracks by manipulating Moog Guitar recording clips in Ableton Live.
“I have long been a fan of Fareed, Eric and Garaj Mahal – both for their incredible musicianship and who they are as people.” said Cyril Lance, Moog Chief Technical Alchemist and resident blues guitarist. “As the Moog Guitar came to market, I knew Fareed would know what to do with this axe as he was instrumental in its development. I’m extremely proud of this CD by Garaj Mahal. It represents the best of collaboration and the unique link between us as inventors and the musicians who use our instruments. Fareed takes us on a seemingly effortless but breathtaking tour of the sonic landscape of the guitar supported by his colleagues. His ability to explore so many genres and bring new voices to each is extremely gratifying and inspiring.”
DISCOVERY is available on iTunes and other online music sources and on the Moog website at moogmusic.com/booksandmusic.
For more information, visit www.moogmusic.com/moogguitar
About Moog Music: Moog Music and its customers carry on the legacy of Bob Moog, the inventor of the synthesizer. Moog designs and manufactures electronic musical instruments, including Little Phatty® and Minimoog® Voyager® synthesizers, Moogerfooger® effects modules, Etherwave® theremins, Taurus Bass Pedals and The Moog Guitar. Founded by Bob Moog, Moog Music designs and manufactures its products in Asheville, N.C."
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© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
