true, there are many ways to genterate the 5v needed. A pot, a switch and a 5v PS can give you instant keyboard, but what I think the fundamental question was can the MT be used in a true “stand-alone” form without using any external gear/software. I quickly looked through the manual and it also doesnt mention an “audition” mode either, so, there is absolutely no way to open the gate without some form of external control (or getting really crazy and soldering a switch between a constant +5v point on the PCB and the KB GATE IN).
How about a cable hooked up to a 9V battery? That’s pretty simple way to get the voltage needed to open the gate.
Bummer, I don’t understand this decision.
Anyway the simplest solution is to tap the ring supply of one of the other (expression) jacks and direct it to tip of the gate jack.
There’s no problem with the voltage… just to be safe a 5k resistor on the Positive side of the battery connection. Or tap the ring of other jacks for a no battery solution.
It’s possibly to allow the gate signal to remain off when constantly plugged into a patchbay (when no signal is patched to open the gate). I’m currently setting up a CV/Gate patchbay for my Phattys, and I need to use custom-soldered dummy plugs in the patchbay Phatty Gate In’s to keep the Phattys from droning constantly when I’m not patching anything into the Gates. It seems if I was setting the patchbay up for the Minitaur, I wouldn’t have to use any custom-soldered dummy plugs.
Regards,
David Smyth
NZ
appreciate everyone’s comments.
@muksys, thanks for clarifying that for me. That’s exactly what I needed. Appreciate it.
Thanks to panaroma1003 for posting and for everyone who replied.
I have always wondered why either the Phatty or the new Minitaur did not include the little switch for Envelope/Organ/On (as found on ancient things like the MG-1 or the newer Vermona Lancet). Or the ancient Odyssey Initial Gain slider.
Makes things hard for drone musicians like myself; I had considered a more recently and portable Moog instrument like a rack LP or the Minitaur, but the lack of that switch makes it of limited use to me.
Oh, well… it’s a beautiful early spring like day in New England… can’t really complain about anything! 
I don’t know if anyone noticed this, but in the user manual on page 19 there is this:
PERFORMANCE TIPS:
• You can use the Minitaur to process any audio signal simply
by plugging into the AUDIO IN jack. To hear the external
audio signal, you will need a MIDI NOTE ON message. To
hear the external audio signal without issuing a MIDI NOTE
ON message, apply +5V to the GATE jack. This will leave
the Gate open, and the Amplifier Envelope will remain at
its Sustain level until the Gate closes.
…
So, I’ve been thinking. It shouldn’t be hard to make a cable that steals the 5V from one of the other inputs to go to the gate, right? Tip to ring on a TRS to tip to sleeve on a TS? 
I think it would rather be, ring (+5v) from a CV IN (TRS) to tip of the GATE IN (TS), wouldn’t it ?
I do believe that’s what I said. Ring on TRS to tip on TS, sleeve on TRS to sleeve on TS. re-reading my post, I wasn’t exactly clear. 
Hahaha! 
Sometimes I’m like that too; it’s clear in my mind but not when I explain it… 
**EDIT:**One thing that isn’t clear, from the user’s manual of the Minitaur, is if the GATE IN is TRS or simply TS ? I would assume TS, if it can only accept a +5V gate signal…
Doesn’t matter if gate on the Minitaur is TS or TRS…even if it’s TRS, the ring is lifted. 
Frodo, NO!
One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all, and with the voltage bind them.
Don’t forget the ring to sleeve consequences ! (unless the ring is really lifted electrically)
If there’s no voltage going to the jack, there’s only two possibilities. A.)the ring is not attached to any voltage or B.) there is no ring. There IS a third possibility, but I’ve never witnessed such a connection, and that is C.) the ring goes to the gate. 
Works— used a 7V battery via gator clips to a 1/4" phono into the CV Gate input of the Mini-T,
drone baby drone. You’ll still have to use a keyboard/controller to change notes. Now, to fab some kind of
small-as-possible external switch/battery box that isn’t too damn ugly.
Just use another battery with a linear POT wired in line and plug it into the Pitch CV. Turn the POT change the pitch.
This much effort just to avoid pressing keys on a keyboard?
You do know that Bob Moog lamented a future where musicians didn’t interact physically with their instruments, don’t you?