I have a Moog Sub 37 and I play bass in an improvisational country, folk, jam band. We often do extended spacey improvisation where I use drones and such. I want two more analogue oscillators to add to my sub 37. I don’t need or want another key-bed and I also don’t need a lot of sequencing options. What I do need is Phat bass and the ability to play in the upper octaves as well also controlled by my Sub 37 via MIDI.
I am considering getting two Mother 32’s from Moog but am looking for other suggestions for really good sounding analogue synth drones. What do you guys suggest? I am open to high and low end ideas but don’t want anything too big size wise.
I had not thought of that and size wise it would fit right on my effects panel which I can run with my left hand. The only problem I see is that it seems like you cant control them via midi from the Sub 37. Is that not right?
Well this is the modular forum so perhaps your subconscious is telling you something.
My first choice would be a moslab 8a because those 921 oscs are tremendous but that doesn’t cover your midi interface, they are expensive, and there is a long wait time. You wouldn’t even have to pay for the full 8a, you can just get the 921abb setup and use a dotcom midi interface. That is 2 oscs taking up 3 spaces whereas two dotcoms take up 4.
So to get you more immediacy and satisfy your needs, I’ve attached a small dotcom based system: Midi interface, mult, 2 oscs, the stg mixer, and a vca so you can articulate them.
You could probably do without the mixer and sub the dotcom osc aid, but considering the ability to mix the oscs, to get the Moog style distortion (cp3 clone) and using them as midi controlled LFOs, that mixer is especially nice. The VCA will allow you to articulate them as a voice or will let you drone away, though that can also be done with the stg mixer (minus the articulation). I wanted to throw in a 1u filter like the STG Post Lawsuit LPF just so you would have a complete voice.
These could be put in a dotcom box 11 or their small 8u tolex portable cabinet. Or there is a forum member here who could build you an enclosure if you want to get some modules like the moslab with the deeper pcbs.
Modular seems to complicated (and expensive for my needs) Probably the mother 32 or even two of them would do me fine. I just need to be able to make drones (2 oscillator thick drones) and be able to play keys at the same time.
I will toy with that on my sub 37 and see of it would work out. If so that would be the easiest and most simple solution. They had me at calling it Mother to be honest-- just sounds so freaking cool.
Well, it depends on what exactly you’re planning to achieve.
With the Sub37, you can have an oscillator droning while the other one is playing melodies. But you’re limited… huh stimulated by “paraphony”, i.e. envelopes and filter are common.
With another synth, you can play both independently of course. And you can also send the signal into the Sub37 input so that you get a 3 osc + sub synth. In that configuration, envelopes and filter are in common too.
With one oscillator, modulating the pulse width (or the continuous wave form alla Moog for that matter) can do the job, really. Try with the Sub37 and see if you really need two Mother 32 afterwards.
So I spent an hour or so messing around with one oscillator on the Sub last night based on your suggestion. It seems pretty close and just in the name of simplicity Id rather just get the one Mother 32. I don’t think I know what you mean by modulating the pulse width though-- how do I do that?
My plan is to build a custom stand for my gear (once I am reasonably certain that I’m done. It will hold the Sub and the Mother and some pedals in such a way that it all looks like one sub 37 but with a higher knob panel. I’ve got some very expensive pure black material from a friend to make it all out of-- it ought to be beautiful. A 4 by 8 sheet of it is like 800 bucks and I got one for free.
The principle is that when the pulse width of a rectangular shaped oscillation is moving (i.e. modulated), the sound gets “thicker”.
On the Sub 3, that would be something like using a MOD BUS with :
Source: LFO triangle at moderate rate
Destination: waveform of the oscillator your listening to
Modifier (I’m not sure of the name of that parameter): ON, or modwheel to try several depths.
Set the oscillator wave form a little bit after the square, and adjust that and the modulation depth.
Ok good news. I did know how to do that! but did not know what to call it and I had never done it with a pulse wave. Tonight Ill have time to really explore it but I am thinking that 1 oscillator would work out for my purposes. Now I only need a theramin and Im good (kidding) kind of…
Franklinstower,
You seem like you have your mind made up, but I wanted to mention two things. First, the system I mentioned to you was about 1084 dollars. Add a rack frame and a power supply and you are in the price territory of 2 Mothers (maybe 20-40 bucks more). As far as modular being difficult, I don’t agree. When you physically route signals via patch cables, it gives you a better understanding of synthesis because you can plainly see the signal paths. I find this tremendously easier than memorizing the complicated nuances necessary to access certain off-panel features via an OS. But I always encourage people to buy more than they need because it gives them something to grow into. There is no better way to learn in my opinion. I would rather have the option of choosing my own modulation sources to achieve PWM than to be stuck with built-in limitations. For instance, using a saw or a randomized wave to get PWM or combining various waves to get it make for more interesting patches.
And if you want drones, then you really would benefit from the ability to cross-modulate the oscillators.
That’s interesting
I always encourage people to try to work out with what they already have because I fond it’s a good way to be creative: pushing limits.
That being said, I never thought about your point of view; thanks for sharing!
Stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive,
There are certainly advantages to thoroughly exploring a single module vs a big system, and the Voyager is a great example of that, as Colorform has shown me on numerous instances. But a healthy compliment of modules will provide a transition to intermediate level programming while not seeming so limited.
If you buy a student level horn you are going to eventually reach a point where you will need to upgrade. But if you are inclined to spend on an intermediate level horn, you have room to develop your technique to a degree where you can think about getting a pro level horn if you want to pursue that level of playing. I think it is worse to be in a situation where your exploration is stifled and then you have to wait before you can upgrade than having too many functions and getting confused early on. Always think long-term if your budget allows.
You are absolutely right though, with the double and triple functions of modules, it is very beneficial to really maximize your knowledge of it before you get several more, otherwise you risk never learning your system.
I would rather buy a bunch of instruments and spend the rest of my life learning how to play than spending a lifetime mastering one before I ever moved explored another. Maybe this makes me less-than-mediocre on a host of instruments, but I enjoy the challenge and I never get bored. In that sense I still am inherently limited and can thus try creative ways not to sound like I suck on all the instruments.
