Nice to join the community. I just received a model D, and despite being an old instruments lover, I’m kind of struggling with it right now. I’m located in Europe, bought it from this guy in Chicago, IL, and just plugged it in after adjusting the 110/230 switch. The beast powers up, and I let it warm up for 30 min. I’m using the high output on a yamaha monitor.
First thing i tried was using some patches i found online to get a first impression. Awful result : no musical sounds came out of the Mini.
I thought I should tune it before expecting anything. I found a user’s guide describing the procedure. But I’m very confused with tuning Osc1 at this point : pressing the A440 reference does play thru the speaker (all knobs set properly), I’m pressing the high A (which is silent), but tweaking the high end adjustment screw has not effect whatsoever. I do not understand how to perform this “zero beat method” and I’m basically stuck at the beginning.
Should I play another note along the high A while tweaking the screw ? (Tried that but all keys are silent anyway). What am I missing ? Does this Mini sound healthy to you ?
Is there anything I can try to make sure all osc are alive?
Sorry guys for the very basic questions. I’m just getting started and I hope to learn fast with your kind help.
What’s the filter setting? If the filter is turned down, that could be the reason there is no sound. Otherwise, it sounds like a case of dead keyboard.
Yes i did turn it on. There is a weird mod about this mini : a switch has been added in the controllers section. It switches from ‘normal’ to ‘fast’.
I set it to ‘normal’ and now all keys play the same (uggly crunchy high pitched) note. Switching it to ‘fast’ makes the entire keyboard silent, as described previously. All osc act the same, and filters, lfo, modulation etc all seem to work though.
I just can’t play music. Just the same weird note throughout the keyboard… As I’m a newbie I’m either missing something, or this Mini is just not healthy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
First you should fine out what the additional switch is actually doing.
Then get to know how to set up a very basic patch. I think it is explained in the minimoog manual you find at several places online.
If the pitch is still not only detuned, but real strange, then check everything inside. Are the contact busses OK? are all oscillators doing strange things or all three? Check for modulations occurring. Maybe there was someone modify ing the minimoog a little bit too much.
Check the oscillators individual signal just before they go into the mixer section. All these things should not be done by unexperienced, otherwise, you may damage the minimoog or harm yourself, while working on an opened and running minimoog.
If the Minimoog is doing fine, except for the actual pitch, then you may tune the instrument.
Please only do this yourself, if you know what you are doing. Although the process is described, some major basics are needed. Like to know what a zero beating is.
After all, I would not try to adjust a thing on my car’s engine, before I know what I am doing.
I think the “normal/fast” switch is in relation to the envelopes. Try switching it to fast and increasing the release. You should hear it go from no sound to clicks to actual notes. As far as the keys not responding, im not sure if the mini has this feature but my micro does, there is a switch to turn the oscillators from “normal” , “drone” (which sounds like what yours may be set to if there is such a switch) or to turn the osc “off”.
I would definately recomend taking it to a good tech for a check up. Its very old and traveled a long way. Who knows what could have happened on its journey. Hope this helps.
+1 any old Mini like this needs a regular checkup and tuning by a qualified tech anyway. Just reserve your judgement for after the tech gets done putting it in good working order for you. Wherever you are in Europe, there should be someone within a train ride or drive who has a good reputation and qualifications, and is honest and reasonable. That should be your first question: Any European Moog forum members care to refer your tried-and true tech?
And, no I don’t think the seller from the ebay transaction should be involved at this point. You bought it on ebay.. Time to take ownership and let an expert put it into great shape and play it.. Like taking a car into the shop and getting everything done to it.
As suggested, I had my Minimoog checked by a qualified tech. Without even opening it, he recommended a full restore (but refused to do it). Just by tweaking it, he admitted the Mini has aged A LOT, and cannot play nor sound decently unless fully restored. All functions do respond, but I am very upset as this unit was advertised as “best condition, everything works, phat raw monster, etc” and it is nowhere near that. It’s more like a good looking piece of junk to me.
A “full restore” sounds like an extremely intrusive, heavy, and expensive procedure. What should I expect ? Any of you guys went through that phase?
I already paid the high price for a Mini that was supposed to sound and play great. Now I feel more like returning it than paying extra $$ to restore it.
But yes I bought it off eBay. The Mini was described as a phat raw monster. It was stated that everything worked, with unstable osc that needed tuning (which was acceptable to me).
The seller seems to be understanding though, and is willing to help me fund a full restore. I am just extremely disappointed because i already paid the high price, and am not quite sure which tech i can turn to. The one I just talked to refuses to go through this heavy procedure. Although he is reliable and qualified. I have to find someone else asap now.
I’ve always maintained my vintage gear myself, and always had straight deals off eBay or around the corner. But my first analog experience is a failure so far, and I don’t think I can handle it myself. Damn I wish i could get my $$ back…
That is what I meant, if you boughtit from an online store selling vintage synths or from ebay.
Sounds like the seller really ripped you off. I would give the seller a bad review, publically share with us who this ebay ripoff artist is and hopefully we can keep other people from being ripped off by this guy.
Can we ask you how much you paid for it? Was it over 3 thousand?
Don’t let this guy get your money and then try to rob youa second time.
If I list a synth as in working condition but with a detuned Osc, and you get it and come to find out it needs a full restoration then to me that smells fishy.
A quick update on what happened. I had the Mini fully checked and finally fixed by a great tech over here in Paris. It turned out the “normal/fast” switch was just messing the whole thing up. The tech removed it and wired everything back to original. He also cleaned everything and put the bus bar back in shape as some keys were gliding like crazy.
It was a 3.5 hour work. What a relief… Now the Mini just plays and sounds amazing. No cracks, no hiss, no hum, it’s unbelievable. And surprisingly stable. Being #4589, I was expecting much more tuning duty… So it actually IS a monster. The first tech I asked was clearly overdramatizing the situation.
Thank you all for the input on all this. I’m now a VERY happy Moog owner!
Thank you for your support! And I think I just found out the external instrument input is not working properly either.
I plugged a D6 Clav in that input yesterday, and although the Mini overload light works fine when playing the Clav full volume, i can barely hear a sound coming out of the Mini (even with an open filter).l
I guess the problem could be in a gazillion places, but is there any typical component i should check ? (Everything else works 100% on this Mini)
If it is anything like the Voyager, the VCA of the Mini has to be open in order to just let sound pass thru. Normally this is done automatically when you press a key, but I am not sure if there is a switch that opens the VCA up like there is on the Voyager.
Hold a key down when you play your clavi through it and see if your sound is coming through.
Even if the filter is wide open, if the vca is closed, nothing is going to sound. Just a quick fact, VCO’s are always vibrating as long as power is applied. So its the VCA opening that lets you hear it. I used to think that the oscillators would fire when you pushed a key and then stop, but thats just not how it works.
