Moog Music Forum

Is it just me or is the exaggerated space used for the mod/pitch-wheels a waste of place? Couldn't Moog just have made the entire keyboard-casing slightly longer, and cramped together the wheels - and giving us the same keyboard range (or nearly) that the minimoogs has. When having the Voyager, I really found the last 0.6 (C-F) octave in the bottom very convenient.
Of course 3 octaves were enough for Hancock, Corea etc., but since there is all that empty space, wouldn't some more keys be better? I want more keys, darn it!!

That's pretty much the only real negative thing I can think of in an otherwise great design.
IMHO of course...

you can use the space to scribble notes, set an ashtray, or put the next generation nanomoog on.

It's definately an ashtray space. Just think how cool you'll look, wisps of smoke drifting in front of your face as you sit hunched over your Phatty in the black and white studio pics that unfold, grainy and huge, from the sleeve of the vinyl LP: "In a Phatty Way."

WHAT'S THIS! SMOKING WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT! SMOKING IN THE STUDIO!
ARGH!

yeah smoke is bad for gear, might not be such a good idea to rest ash trays on your synths.

That was a hmm..original idea, but I don't smoke!

Yes, smoking and electronics don't mix (no pun intended), and in any case, smoking will only curtail the length of time you'll have to play your synth. Here endeth today's lesson.

You could probably line up a couple of shot glasses on that empty space, too. And really knock 'em back while you lay down some 2 wycked new age tracks.

who said anything about smoking? please don't smoke, it's very bad for your health.

apart from that i think it looks ok with the space. i just hope for a nice-looking stage model... ideally with wood.

also, how about...

-jeans edition (side panels with jeans fabric)
-station wagon edition (with fake wood)
-see-thru edition (plexiglass side panels?)
-xmas edition (with colorful fairy lights for buttons you can set to different blinking actions)
-artists' edition (set of 3 pairs of exchangable side panels you can paint yourself according to your own style - including a paint by numbers option for different pictures, a pony, a bee or whatever)
-sportscar edition (side panels open like sports car doors)
-chinese year of the dog edition with chinese art on the sides
-usa edition with a usa stars and stripes theme on the sides

the possibilities are endless

you forgot the
Little Phatty Bling Ice Edition, with inlaid diamond ornaments in golden side panels.
Little Phatty Hugh Heffner Tribute, with pink side panels and a white, furry backside.

oh well, this thread turned out to be quite interesting...

KarnEvil wrote:Is it just me or is the exaggerated space used for the mod/pitch-wheels a waste of place? Couldn't Moog just have made the entire keyboard-casing slightly longer, and cramped together the wheels - and giving us the same keyboard range (or nearly) that the minimoogs has. When having the Voyager, I really found the last 0.6 (C-F) octave in the bottom very convenient.
Of course 3 octaves were enough for Hancock, Corea etc., but since there is all that empty space, wouldn't some more keys be better? I want more keys, darn it!!

That's pretty much the only real negative thing I can think of in an otherwise great design.
IMHO of course...

Actually, I was wondering about the wheels themselves. They look as though they are lit on the inside, but have some kind of rim (a layer or coating?) on the outside edge. I would be great if this was a rubbery, grippy surface. This is something I've always wanted on the Voyager. I've considered trying a wheel mod on the V'ger, but never figured out a satisfactory way to do it.

The best wheels (IMO) are the ones on the Alesis Ion synth. They have a rubbery surface that feels great, a finger trough with a generous and comfortable length, and just the right amount of stiffness in the pitch wheel. Also, the wheels themselves are wider than the Voyager's, which lends to the comfort and feel. And the Ion has three of 'em: one for Pitch, one for Modulation and one that's User Programmable.

Too bad they aren't interchangeable with the Voyager.

Greg

I agree with you GregAE, regarding the surface of the Voyager's pitch wheel. However, my favourite is without a doubt the pitch stick that Clavia has on their keyboards.
I just tried out the Nord Stage the other day, and I was instantly in love with it.
The pitch stick is great for both vibrato and pitch bending, making the mod wheel always free to do other stuff than vibrato. It also has a much more smoother feel to it, because it doesn't have the dead zone in the middle. A moog synth with a pitch stick would be awsome. That would be the ultimate mod for me!

KarnEvil wrote: I just tried out the Nord Stage the other day, and I was instantly in love with it.
The pitch stick is great for both vibrato and pitch bending, making the mod wheel always free to do other stuff than vibrato. It also has a much more smoother feel to it, because it doesn't have the dead zone in the middle. A moog synth with a pitch stick would be awsome. That would be the ultimate mod for me!

The Nord pitch stick is AWESOME. And to make things even better, its made of wood! Unfortunately its design is patented by Clavia, so it won't be on any Moogs anytime soon.

From Clavia's website:
"Wooden Pitch Stick, designed to change the pitch continuously without any dead spots. It gives you complete control of the pitch and allows you to make true and natural vibrato. The effect increases exponentially as you move it further from the center. Patent pending for the "Pitch Stick"."

i can picture the rubber on the little phatty mod wheels rotting after 20 years

GregAE wrote:

KarnEvil wrote:The best wheels (IMO) are the ones on the Alesis Ion synth. They have a rubbery surface that feels great, a finger trough with a generous and comfortable length, and just the right amount of stiffness in the pitch wheel. Also, the wheels themselves are wider than the Voyager's, which lends to the comfort and feel. And the Ion has three of 'em: one for Pitch, one for Modulation and one that's User Programmable.

Too bad they aren't interchangeable with the Voyager.

My favorite thing about the Ion is the 3rd wheel; it really allows you to experiment with some weird stuff with the mod wheels. In fact I'd gladly give up the pitch bend wheel for a second mod wheel on just about any synth. (As a guitar player I don't have much repressed desire to play the blues on a keyboard).

The rubber on the wheels is a very comfy, grippy surface ! YAY !!