I’m new to this forum. But I have to ask the burning question.
Is it possible the Moog might go back to the modular systems of the past?
I’m sure that the mooger Fooger people have questioned that. Moog already has the circuits. Why not the housing?
I remember an article in Keyboard magazine in the early eighties. It was about the new MIDI systems that were about to borgify the electronic music world. The article said to throw away any keyboard that was not MIDI. Now I’m thinking many of those keyboards were anal’ synths. The canned MIDI sounds can it and it was like everyone lost their power of creating sounds.
Funny thing about those times was nobody complained about synths during the 70’s. They were apart of all the great rock acts of that time. When the new wave came in, I thing many people became disillusioned with the sounds that came with the music. I’m thinking it was not as much about the music as it was the cold MIDI systems that came with it.
When NIN came, Attitudes seemed to change. Suddenly synths were cool and rock synth snobs didn’t seen to mind. I think it’s the analog synths. They were warm and they re-complemented guitar rock.
So why the history? Because there has been a major renascence back to analog synths for the last several years. New companies are now selling modular systems. Why not Moog? Again, the mooger Foogers are already there. This might sound selfish…but I don’t want to by another MF till they are modular. When desperation kicks in I will go to one of those other companies. But right now I’m waiting for Moog to step back to the plate and reclaim their place in the modular world.
Moog CE uses the original parts that the original Moog Music used until modulars were discontinued. The designs are identical to the original modules. A system 15 starts out at the price of a full-size sedan. The option for a true Moog synth is available…for those who can afford it.
The thing is, for Moog to start building modulars again, they will be entering an already saturated market with little to bring to the table as far as offering something no one else has. This has been discussed in several topics here. Welcome to the forum!
It used to be a nice place until Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked it into oblivion.
It wasn’t Chuck Norris. . .
I think Moog Music could bring something different to the table: ie. Freq Box. I think the designers at Moog are very creative and have the resources, but as stated, the market is saturated with small companies putting out some great modular gear. Modular users are such a tiny fraction of the synth market. The smaller modular companies are doing a great job offering a variety of creative and useful components. I don’t think there has ever been a time in the history of synths that a musician has had so much affordable analog modular gear to pick and choose from.
As Voltor07 said, this subject has been discussed at length frequently. Best that you do a search and see what has already been written.
Well,
If you look at the circuits already contained in the Foogers, and the CP251 there already is modular style capabillity. THen there are numerous Mog clone truly modular companies (COTK, Modcan, MOTM, Mos Lab, synthesizers.com)
THese are all very expensive.
I think when the FOogers were invented, this could have very well been way before any resurgence in the modular market, and since then other modular companies have sprung up so is there really any need for Moog to do it again?
In addition to what Mark M said (Modulars are a tiny fraction of the synth market) I think that analogue monosynths are a small fraction of the synth market (which is what moog does best).
Yep, alot of people did dump their analogs in the 80’s and are probably kicking themselves for it today. I think that it was before NIN that people started getting back into electronica, as I know a techno purist who thinks NIN sold out years and years ago.
If you don’t want to buy another Foger until they are modular then I think that is definately your choice. But if you can’t see their advantages also then its your loss. If you think about it a synth module with a single function costs justg about as much as a Mogerfooger does and a FOoger has at least 2 modular circuits inside it. They ARE Synth Modules.
Yeah, Chuck Norris jokes kinda died off after a bit, didn’t they? He must have roundhouse kicked HIMSELF into oblivion. I think I’ll change my profile again.
Ok I give in. I was kind of rash when I said that I would go to another company for modular. It’s just that I’m so impressed with the freq box sounds…what more can i say about that.
Funny thing is I’ve been playing guitar for over twenty years and very little keyboard. I found I like using the freq box more with the keyboard than with guitar. In fact I think I might have found a new voice with the freq box and key-b. It’s pumped new life in my music. That’s kind of why I was wishing for a more modular type system. Anyway, thanks for yoyr replies
Zenhead, welcome to the forum.
Regaurding the moog modular, you can do what many others have done and combine moogerfoogers in a rack mount system and fill in any gaps with other modular moog clones (clipper/rectifiers, filter banks, sequencers etc.) If you deny your self moogerfoogers based on their housing, you are truely missing out. everyday we all discover new uses, sounds, and patches.
He’s very right. And if you go and really look at the specs of the original Moog modules, some of them really have dual functions that aren’t necessarily explained on the panel.
For example, An osc is considered a sound source, but in the low freq range it becomes a control source. A filter is considered a modifyer, but in oscillatory mode, it becomes an audio generator. Instead of thinking about sequencers as simply signal sources, one might think of them as data arrays when multiple sequencers are controlling multiple signal generators.
THe Moogerfoogers are very similar as well. On the surface they look like upscale stompboxes, but the chassis usually contains at least 2 seperate modular circuits from the original Moog modulars.
Filter contains a lowpass filter and an envelope follower.
Ringmod contains a Carrier Osc, LFO and ring modulator.
Phaser contains a comb filter with an LFO.
THe Freq has a VCO with an envelope follower.
THe Cp 251 contains the rest of the goodies that you get on a big system, multiples, another LFO, Lag processor, noise source, sample and hold, and a voltage control mixer.
This is very much a semi-modular setup. There have been many threads on here about having more than 1 of a particular function redundant (like 2 low pass filters. This is simply inaccurate. You can have 2 of every Moogerfooger and you are doubling up on the numbner of “Modules” contained in each housing.
So really, the only difference is that SOME of the things are automatically hardwired, but you can bypass that.
if you really wanted to you coud gasp rip apart your foogers and make
front plates to mount all the knobs and jacks…that would give you a real Moog Modular drop the PCBs in a common sized framework and drop the whole shebang in chassis. power supply should be able to be had “off the shelf” use the nice wood sides for the exterior of your chassis.
all in all the cost would probably come out cheaper than the competitors modulars and it would be genuine Moog not a copy or a 30 year old system. with standard sized modules you could mix and match various vendors to get the maximum system configuration like 2 sequencers and a Bode Shifter to name a couple that dont come in Mogger flavour
BRILLIANT! After I get done with all my other projects, I’ll start on this one! He wouldn’t even have to use a common sized framework. He could create his own, and if he wanted to use a Modusonics module, for example, he could just bolt it to a metal frame the size of the MoogerFooger module.
My two filters, six oscillators and four sequencers worth, with about 200 patch cables.
the patch cords we use in telecommunications have built in tracer LEDs at each end push a button next to the jack on one end and the led flashes on the other end of the patch cord to locate easily in a rats nest of them lol…just a thought
If you want to make a cool patchcord product, make some patchcords with built-in attenuators.
Like the inline volume controls found on many headphones.
That would help out a lot in the modular world, especially with Moogs.
I’ve made custom ones with small sliders before, but it would be nice to have professional quality ones available.
Small multi-headed snake cables would be handy also and could eliminate mults in some cases.
Hmmm…good thoughts, Kevin! I could see that adding attenuator sliders could be implemented. Fairly straightforward. But how would one go about making a snake multiple? Attach the tips to tips and sleeves to sleeves? Wouldn’t there be some cross-talk or signal loss? I just bought a bunch of three conductor grey cable, as well as 1/4" TS and TRS plugs and jacks from Chester’s Electronics in Kenosha, so I’ll have to try that.
If your reading this far down the posts. Cool vid on youtube. Its like these music tools are so cutting edge art is intergrated with science. Thats where I’m at. Thanks for the info.
I oftren say, if you hit a baseball through a stained glass window, its going to have a series of waveforms with certian harmonic charachteristics with a certian Attack decay sustain and release.
Synths let you create a sound from scratch, much like it happens in nature.
I have six foogers, 2 CP-251’s, a RME Voyager, a VX-352, soon to be joined by a 351. I’m going to be getting all this stuff rack mounted in about 4 separate six space custom wood cabinets which will match the woodwork of the foogers.
Now… I have a Nord Modular G2 expanded… what I plan to do is get the MP-201, and use it as a four channed MIDI-C/V converter. Not only could I use the Nord to control the Voyager directly, but I can use it and it’s sequencers to control CV’s on my foogers or the Voyager via the MP-201 and the VX boxes. There’s even a Bode shifter in the Nord if I want to send audio into it. With the assignable sequencers in the G2, and all the interfacing options with my Moog stuff and the MP-201, that should make for a pretty full featured system.
After I get done with all my other projects, I’ll start on this one! He wouldn’t even have to use a common sized framework. He could create his own, and if he wanted to use a Modusonics module, for example, he could just bolt it to a metal frame the size of the MoogerFooger module.