If Moog made a polyphonic LP, what features would you like to see?
Well, I got a DSI Tetra and today and it’s AMAZING. The best bart… 4 times multitimberal. You can have one sound polyphonic or a 4 X layered sound monophonic! Analog!
I really hope Moog can do the same thing. So here is my list:
OT, but is the Tetra really 4-part multi timbreal? The Prophet 08 was only 2 part (A/B) from what i remember.
The Tetr4 is indeed four part multitimberal. I would love to see that in a poly 'Phatty, with the option of layering four voices into one. What I would NOT like to see is built-in effects. You want effects, then buy effects. Adding effects adds cost, while cheapening the effects.
I’d rather see the thing use the LP’s knobs and buttons for control rather than a computer interface. What was Dave Smith thinking when he came up with the editor idea? Also, make it expandable to 15 voices and add multitimberality as voices are added. 
Totally agree with you on both parts about the effects and the editor.
Effects in the box is convenient, but we all know the quality would be very skimped. Keep the moogerfoogers for effects. And Knobs. Let us keep the knobs please. A little knobby 4 voice LP would be amazing.
I think the Tetra would probably be pretty decent.. but I think a 4 voice LP could blow it away. DSI really does seem like they are trying to lure some new customers in with things like the Editor.. does the Tetra really have onboard effects? I can’t imagine how that would be a good thing in such a small box.
Hey, they could name a LP rack the “Little Knobby” haha
In a Moog polyphonic synthesizer I would like to see three oscillators and at least three LFO’s. In my opinion, the combination of pulse width modulation, a slight filter sweep (with or without resonance) and vibrato effecting three oscillators is the richest synthesizer sound I’ve ever heard. I would love to hear Moog’s version of such a sound in six or more voices. Anything less than six voices, in my opinion, is too limited to call a “polyphonic” synthesizer. That’s the sole reason I haven’t bought a DSI Poly Evolver Keyboard. Four voice capbility is more of a monophonic synth with the ability to add harmonies. It doesn’t even allow for arpeggios.
Multi-timbral is not the same thing as polyphony (multiple voices).
Multi-timbral is the ability to play many different sounds (presets or patches) at the same time.
I have not looked the Tetr4 from closer, since it is not of big interest to me, but take the Nord Lead 2 for example : 4 part multi-timbral (different patches) in up to it’s 20 voices design. Playing more than one sound (patch) reduces polyphony (the number of notes you can play at the same time), depending on how many Osc’s are used and/or other design considerations.
Now according to DSI (just looked it up), the Tetr4 is either 4 voices polyphonic or 4 part multitimbral monophonic (and some combinations in between). And that turns me off a little bit more. I can’t live with the Mopho’s interface anymore. It’s only tolerable because I use it with a BCR2000. Great sound though.
As far as using it to complement, say, a Little Phatty for example, that still leave you with a nightmarish interface to take care of.
After the initial hype is over, I am afraid it will turn into an it-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time.
Again, that’s my opinion based on my needs. If the Tetr4 turns out a great box for some users, I’m glad for them.
Now back to the LittleMighty topic… I don’t need multi-timbral for a solo instrument. Eight voices and a sequencer with Midi output (Mopho sequencer does not output to Midi), that’s what I want. It can remain with 2 osc’s, and leave some market to it’s big brother. Another nice thing would be audio input, but coupled with a preamp-booster for low output level instruments such as guitar…
But hold on… let’s not put too much into the wish list of MM entry level instrument, for fear it might become the Little-Poly-Phatty-that-will-never-be.
No, the Tetra doesn’t have built in fx. I just said that I’d like to see them in the poly LP. But if the majority doesn’t like the idea, I can do without it. I’ll be happy with a Poly MOOG that’s on par with the Tetra and with a similar knob design as the LP. Of course with the MOOG sound/quality. And as affordable as possible.
Ahh ok. Yeah I doubt any polyMOOG would ever have onboard effects. I agree with you with everything else though. I’d be happy as a kid on christmas if my LP had 4 voices.. (I was happy as a kid on christmas when I got the LP anyway.)
I’d want a rackmount version which has the exact same sound engine as the original LP. With the same knob/button features that are on the LP. And then of course I’d like to be able to plug in the LP through midi, and let her rip with polyphonic beauty.
If you layer recordings of the LP’s notes into chords, it sounds so amazing, I can only imagine how pure the real thing would sound.
This is why I avoided the Poly Evolver keyboard too. Of course DSI later came out with the Prophet, so I’m cool that way. And now, I’m toying with the idea of getting a Tetra so I’m not taking my 3K prophet SE out to bar gigs to get bumped into. And the Tetra is priced well.
I’d like to see the Moog be at least six, but preferably eight note, polyphonic. If they could base the UI on the LP, that’d keep costs down compared to a Voyager style with lots of knobs. Perhaps they could add an extra LFO, and for those that want 3 oscs, how about 2 oscs but with a 1 or 2 octave sub osc like the micromoog? You could get extra fatness for not a lot of extra $ that way I imagine.
Actually, that’s not far from the Tetra.
Finally, to add something a bit different, I’d like to see a multi mode filter like the voyager, but with the phatty’s overdrive! OD on a band passed 303 type sound would be killer!!
It would be a huge challenge I think to offer a quality moog instrument at a competitive price point that has enough features to keep up with the DSI stuff. That doesn’t mean that I don’t think it can’t be done, nor does it mean that it SHOULDN’T be done 
But Dave uses a lot of software - albeit good software - for envelopes and LFOs and of course the sequencer to keep prices manageable. I don’t know if Moog would want to resort to that sort of thing, or perhaps just focus on high quality monophonic instruments.
A knob per function design would bring the price up substantially
and a bucket brigade delay seems far too idiosyncratic (not everyone wants warm repeats)
I think the Tetra is a good basis and four voices is a good choice
most chords, within reason, can be played
A lot of you don’t really get that what Dave Smith was looking to provide with the Tetra was cost-effectiveness with portability
hence, the use of an editor/limited knobs/wall-wart power supply
if you want the full blown deal, shell out for a Prophet '08
As much as I am a fan of Dave Smith, I would still like to see a Poly Moog along the lines of the Little Phatty interface that will be priced within reach of bedroom producers
I appreciate this will mean compromises however
A High-Pass filter. If it added too much cost to make the regular analog Low Pass into a Multi-Mode, I wouldn’t mind multimode digital filters. (keeping in mind that a Poly LP would have to be cost conscious). THough I realize that’d screw up the “all-analog” signal path.
I think five voices is necessary for any poly analog synth. That’s been the only thing that turned me off the Dave Smith PEK and Tetra.
Five voices. Its GOTTA have five voices. If you’re gonna do poly, then do it right.
Classic.
I’d love to see a Poly too.
+1 on the Multi-mode filter
but it would have to be analog c’monnn
I’m a big fan of the high pass on my Korg MS-20
and I’ve always really liked the sound of the Jupiter 8
definitely think it would add so much to the timbre
No digital please…that goes against all that is Moog! 
You want digital, go buy a Prophet 08. 
Guys, calm down.
But, doesn’t the LP already have bits of digital? Like the Noise source? And the S/H source? And MIDI? Clearly it IS possible to implement touches of digital without detracting from the analog signal path.
I was simply wondering aloud if it an analog multimode filter was too expensive to put on poly phatty, if it could be done with a digital side chain…sort of like an effects loop that goes A/D - digital filter - D/A. But if not used, would maintain the analog signal path. Jeez, crucify me for spitballin’ will ya’!
BeCAUSE OF COURSE I’d prefer an analog multimode filter.
Digital filters will detract greatly to the quality of sound. Noise and S/H can easily be done digitally without detracting much from the sound. A digital filter, though, is in the direct path of the audio signal, and will have a digital sound…like a RolanKorgaha. I’d pay a bit extra for a multimode filter if it was 100% analog.
Yeah, if it had the filter from the Voyager, but with the Phatty’s overdrive!!
i would put money on the polysynth having a phatty style interface, there is no way anyone could afford a poly voyager..