Ok, having owned my Voyager since 03’ I’m really interested in getting into modular expansion, i.e. Foogers, CP-251 etc. The problem is I have no idea, other than CV, how to connect, patch or direct stuff. Is there a “newb” guide somewhere, as I have no one locally to bounce questions/ideas off of…only you fellow chums here on this forum. Feel free to flame, but I’m no idiot, just a guy without synth peers (everyone plays the effin guitar nowadays!!).
I feel like I’m missing a great wealth of sounds and exploration without the additional MFs & Controller. Don’t get me wrong the Voyager has never even sniffed a boredom level, I just want to continue and enhance my sound journey.
There’s no hard and fast rules about device order. I guess the general idea is to think about the function of each type of effect and determine how you want to use those functions. Filter the ring mod or ring mod the filter. The various manuals offer a lot of suggestions about chaining MFs’ audio and CV fuctions and the forums here offer many more. When I read a creative application I save it to Notepad and then print out the results and store them in a notebook. I don’t have the time to try them all out there are so many.
A somewhat overlooked aspect is running other stuff through the Voyager audio input. The oscillators provide modulation effects unattainable any other way that I am aware of. Clean sounds work best for this application. Do a search of this forum for a couple good threads about using the audio input.
As far as patching, the CP-251 only processes CV. MF audio outputs go to audio inputs, the insert on the Voyager, or to your mixer/amp. Expression pedals are a must, and an MP-201 provides CV automation and MIDI/CV conversion and control. The MP-201 would allow you to control CV parameters with MIDI CC’s while your sequence plays on a DAW.
You’ll also want to get an insert cable with 1/4" stereo on one end and a pair of 1/4" mono on the other to use the insert on the Voyager.
One approach in understanding modular is to take the first Minimoog ‘apart’ to see what the [minimum] components were all about; then map it to modular modules which are available today (have a look at what Synthesizer.com sells).
Forget (for the moment) about your Voyager and all of the menus which are hidden behind the back-lit LCD; just look at the basic building blocks of what made up the first Mini. Now insert various ‘features’ that affect the Control voltage (either as applied to pitch, envelope, a slow modulation, etc).
Know that absolutely nothing happens until a Gate is triggered upon keypress, and it’s the path that various voltages take that shape the sound.
You can do quite a bit with your Voyager and a VX-351 (which brings some more of the ‘out’ 1/4" ports to the external world) and the CP-251. And if you wish to stick with [shipping] Moog products exclusively, grab yourself a FreqBox, and a Lowpass Filter.
I have all of the above plus a Little Phatty with CV-outs and a few more pieces including a MultiPedal (which I highly recommend). It takes you somewhat fast-fwd from a Modular point of view since it can do things as generated from Software and Microprocessors that you won’t be able to achieve without a lot of gear, but you can generate some pretty complex envelopes from it (including the addition of a “Delay” or “Hold” parameter which is prior to ADSR) in addition to the usual LFOs of various types.
What Moog doesn’t sell is an instrument interface which may or may not be important to you. Synth.com sells one that can be used as an envelope follower (similar to the function on the MP-101 or Freq) but also allows you to set a trigger point that will send a pulse which you can use to trigger an external envelope or a gate on your Voyager, etc.
It goes on from there…
I’ve done strange things like use the LittlePhatty to send a Midi Note on to the MP-201 which sets off a envelope (out of one of the CV channels) that controls Cutoff of the Filter within the MF-101. Integrating Midi and Control Voltage is a worthwhile pursuit (especially when using Midi CC’s from external controllers to map via MP-201 to CV) but the basics of CV will be plenty to keep you busy for a while.
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Ok, this is a great start. I have 2 moog exp pedals. I’ll do some searches here on the forums. I was hoping for a diagram-type blueprint for basic patching. Sort of an illustrated example of “how to” for beginners. I have some cash to begin the expansion process, and was hoping for few tips/guides on where best to begin.
The Moog documentation itself shows Block diagrams but as a Voyager owner, I don’t have to tell you that.
Maybe get your hands on the Moog Modular VA software. I don’t have it but I bet it’s handy and as I mentioned above, the synth.com modules are [largely] modeled after the vintage Moog gear.
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The faceplate of a minimoog or arp 2600 or odyssey will give you the general ‘standard’ east coast flow.
LFO’s to modify oscillators. Oscillators to mixer to filter with and envelope for the filter and then to a VCA with and envelope for the VCA. This flow is obviously very useful and musical. But with a modular you can set the flow anyway you want it. (Even if it doesn’t work!) I like to feed the output of an osc back into the oscilator phase delayed and then out through a VCA to overdrive then to a filter and out through any of several paths.
If the Wiki is back up at Synthesizers.com there are tons of patch recommendations. There are also good explanations of modules and functions on each individual modules doc page.
Just a word of warning: I started out with one CP-251 because I needed it to do some filter control I could not do without it. I’m up to 2 CP’s 1 VX, 9 MoogerFoogers and a full 44 space modular now. And getting ready to add anothe 22 space cabinet.
