Voyager - keyboard gate not working

The Moog Forum Minimoog Forum
1

Hey all

I have an early Voyager - but I had a new digi-board installed a few years ago on Moog’s advice so it has the latest OS etc.

It has been working flawlessly for the last few years - I should add it doesn’t get gigged - it sits in a studio and never moves.
Suddenly it seems the keys don’t respond - wondered on any ideas? Here’s what I tried for diagnosis:

  • It’s not the patch (!!! i’m not a total noob guys!)
  • Plays fine via external MIDI controller
  • Created a patch to use the TS as a gate/pitch controller - works fine.
  • Turning the keyboard/gate switch to gate produces a sound as expected.
  • pitch/mod controls work fine.
  • Haven’t tried external CV gate/pitch control yet but guessing it will work fine based on other findings.

Guessing it’s either a faulty ribbon connector (what caused it to spontaneously fail i wonder?) or maybe the keyboard controller circuit/chip.
This is not an analog/synth issue: it seems the synth works fine as if it was a rack module, it is literally just the keyboard.
Before I open her up, I wondered if it sounds familiar to any of you good people here?

Thanks
N

2

Sound as you turned Keyboard Local off. It can be turned on/off with the menu (Master Function) at the display (page 62 in the owners manual).

3

Hey - thanks for your fast response. I forgot to mention that I checked that - it was one of the first things I tested. I also tried disabling and re-enabling it, to no avail. Currently local control is set to ALL ON

Cheers
N

4

Maybe accidentally set to resend as part of a poly chain?

Check this:
MASTER MODE → MIDI Key Order →
set MAXIMUM Keys to 1
set ACTIVE Key to 1 or OFF (I am not sure about this, as I am not next to my Voyager right now)

5

Hey
Thanks guys for the feedback. It turned out to be a hardware issue as suspected.
Even though this thing never gets moved around, I sometimes have the controls tilted up when i’m programming a specific sound, or laid flat when i’m using other gear. It seem that in the last 2 years or so of use, the keyboard ribbon connector worked its way loose. I reseated it and everything is good :slight_smile: I notice that Moog originally glued the ribbon connector in place on both the keyboard and the mod/pitch wheel using a silicone glue. In the course of servicing, these have both been de-glued, so it may be worth reapplying (but i don’t have anything suitable right now).

Thanks again - hope the combination of suggested remedies and actual solution may help someone in future

Cheers
N :smiley: