Is there a patch out there for “From the Beginning”? Did I overlook it in the patchbook? Do I need a Fooger or a Controler for this one?
Is there a patch for “From the Beginning” for the Voyager OS?
Matt -
I assume you are referring to the synth solo that Emo plays at the end of the song? As you may have discovered, it’s not in the OS Patch Book. I’ve been trying to nail that sound for years with no luck on a Voyager Performer. A few folks here on the forums have offered simplistic versions of the patch, but none of these has captured that elusive low modulation effect that makes that patch so special.
If I ever figure out the secret to making it work on a Voyager, I’ll post it on KT.
- Greg
Hello,
You can find a version here:
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/mmvoyager/files/LWG%20patch/
Its posted in the Voyager OS patch memorizer application format.
The source Vger it was patched on was a Signature which did not have filter glide.
Because the OS and later model Vgers were updated with
the filter glide function, a given patch that uses glide will sound a bit different between the two machines.
You may want to make an adjustment in the filter based on this.
I had hoped hoped that the filter glide function would be made
switchable as it would allow complete portability between patches
programmed on older and newer Vger editions.
Regards,
Lawrence
I’m about to purchase an OS. A quick question to you guys, if I may. Does the patch book come with each Voyager Old School? Thanks in advance.
I always loved that patch! I believe that in order to recreate it you will need one oscillator emitting a saw or “edgy” triangle wave, and one self-oscillating LP filter (or sine wave source…), whose outputs are both routed through an additional LP filter.
I’m gonna play with this today, maybe I’ll get lucky! 
Yes. It does.
Here are settings that I believe get close to Emo’s patch for that riff.
Sync and FM are off. Osc 3 is set to normal range, keyboard following (not free running.) No modulation routings.
Settings are as follows:
Glide = ON
Glide Rate = 4.5 (value)
Osc 1 - Octave = 2’ - Wave = 1.5 (value)
Osc 2 - Octave = 32’ - Wave = 0.75 (value)
Osc 3 = Osc 2 settings
Mixer osc 1 = 3
Mixer Osc 2 = 6
Mixer Osc 3 = 6
Filter cutoff = 1K (value)
Spacing = 0 (value) (ie, straight up)
Resonance = 3 (value)
KB Cont. Amt. = 0 (value)
Filter Mode set to Dual Low Pass
Filter Envelope: A = 12:00 (position) - D = 12:15 (position, just a little past 12:00) - S = 3 (value) - R = 1 Sec. (value) - Amt to filter = 4 (value)
Amp Envelope: A = 10 (value) - D = 10 (value) - S = 7 (value) - R = 1:00 (position)
Add just a little bit of reverb to give the notes a slight ring. Play the riff kind of staccatto, to trigger the envelopes for each key hit.
I have the Behringer SE-200 Spectrum Enhancer, and the MF-101 LP Filter in my 'fooger chain, so the resulting sound has good bite and a bit more low-end reinforcement. You can compensate for this by adjusting the OSC 1 wave just a tiny bit more towards a sawtooth to add bite, and by increasing the Osc 2&3 mixer levels just a bit to increase the bass. The keyboard is set to the null transposition setting. Starting the riff at middle E on the keyboard sounds about right, though it may not be exactly in the right key. Before you start the riff, “prime” the portamento by hitting a high note first, so you get that characteristic swoop down to the first note.
I hope this provides a good starting off point. Please let me know how close I got, as I did it from how I remember the sound of the patch.
Bob
Thanks a lot. 
Good news.
Yes, and that’s the first thing I checked at the store, asking the salesman to open the box and see if it’s there, before coughing the dough. And to this day, i dont’ think I have used it even once. Maybe I should look it up see what I am missing.
Yup that sounds pretty darn close, but I had to raise the octives one setting on all three oscillators to get it to sound just right
Thanx
Thanks! I guess that’s not too bad for an old man who hasn’t heard that song in a few years! 
The original MiniMoog Model D manual had written presets which included several by Keith Emerson. One of them was listed as “Trilogy” but it was actually the patch for the ending solo from “From the Beginning.” Back in the day when I had an original MiniMoog, I played it and it completely nailed that sound. A quick search online found an example, you can use it to work up the same patch on the Voyager:
Let me start by saying that I’m a total novice when it comes to making sounds, even though I’ve been puttering for the past 20 plus years doing it. I just upgraded from a Phatty to a Minimoog, and today is my first day with it. I bookmarked this page a month ago because I was anxious to hear this patch, and I had a difficult time trying to figure out what knobs the notes were referring to. Then I found a patch on the Moog that was called “from the beginning”, and it wasn’t even close! I made a patch on my Phatty using only two oscillators and it sounded much better.
I plan on locking myself in the house and not letting myself out until it’s done. I will do better than just “come close”.
Hey just to add my bit
I happened to hear the song recently and was thinking about how to create that sound. I think the above patches come close but, I was thinking that the lower pitched VCO was modulating the VCF that the high pitched VCO was feeding. I remember it as a tone like when you whistle and hum at the same time, you get those additional sidebands. This is just my take on it, I’ll have to listen again and see what I hear.
That’s exactly what I’ve always thought about that sound - that the lower pitched VCO was modulating the filter. Seems easy enough to create in theory, but I’ve never gotten that sound with the Voyager.
It remains elusive for me…
- Greg
Yes… the technical stuff you mentioned I don’t understand at all (YET), but I definitely agree with the whistle/hum thing… that’s the charm of the sound. Have you heard the preset patch that comes with the Voyager?
OK, try this out. I checked out the factory patch, don’t think it is that near - good sound though.
Glide = ON
Glide Rate = 4.5 (position)
Mod Wheel Bus
Source-OSC 3
Destination-OSC 2
Shaping-
Amount-2 (position)
Wheel- to taste (about 1/4 seems good today)
Osc 1 -
Osc 2 - Octave = 2’ - Wave = 0(position)
Osc 3 - Octave = 32’ - Wave = 0-2(position) playing with this will change the character of the modulation
Mixer osc 1
Mixer Osc 2 = 10
Mixer Osc 3 = 3
Filter cutoff = 1K (value)
Spacing = 0 (value) (ie, straight up)
Resonance = 1 (value) Playing with this will alter the VCF character, high settings will also cause a drop in the low freq. content level
KB Cont. Amt. = 10 (value) I think there needs to be a high level for this as the upper notes will drop in volume
Filter Mode set to Dual Low Pass
Filter Envelope: A = 1:00 (position) - D = 3(position) - S = 3 (value) - R = 1 Sec. (position) - Amt to filter = 2 (value)
Amp Envelope: A = 10 (position) - D = 11 (position) - S = 7 (position) - R = 2:00 (position)
This is my take on it so far. I find that the modulation should be fairly light and I am mixing in VCO 3 at a low level. Emerson did have the start to his modular system for this recording, so he may have used that, this would give access to sine wave OSC outputs which would have a smoother character both as a tone and a modulation source. Also the modulation could be to a VCA as opposed to a VCF. Some reverb goes along way. Emerson did patch the reverb in the modular between the VCOs and the VCF if I remember (from a magazine article). And who can say what EQ , etc. was involved. post your version!
As promised, I’ve locked my newbie ass in the house and have been working very hard on recreating this patch. I think I’m finally in the neighborhood. Smell what I’m cook’n?
Stay tuned.
… yeah, stay tuned… I gave up and sold the Voyager. Here we are 4 years later and I’ve recently purchased another one, with an original minimoog model D on the way! Still can’t get that damned patch though. Found this link that explains it - not perfect, but it’s the closest I’ve heard yet. His playing is a little distracting to say the least, he be states that it can be done on any synth as long as you can “bypass the filter with the upper oscillator”. Is this possible on the Voyager?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVvx1p4Z0II
Even with the help of the video, I still can’t get it as close as he did. Very frustrating!