Analog Polysynth?

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Kenneth
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Analog Polysynth?

Post by Kenneth » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:11 pm

Although it is not something I personally would be able to afford, I think there is a revived market for analog synthesizers, and I believe Moog releasing a polysynth would be a warmly recieved move. Professional studios would be a huge part of the market I'm sure, and I'd love to walk into a music store and be able to play one. Anyone else? Your thoughts?
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Just Me
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by Just Me » Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:17 pm

No one here has ever thought of that, nor discussed it in any post.
"Music expresses that which can not be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."

Unfiltered

Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by Unfiltered » Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:44 pm

We tend to stay away from polysynth discussions, get too testy. They say Bob Moog did not have an affinity for them.

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MC
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by MC » Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:56 pm

Every time this topic comes up, it gets roundhouse kicked into oblivion by Chuck Norris
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by EricK » Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:56 am

I woudln't go so far as to say that we "stay away" from polysynth discussions. A search for them will pretty much result in the fact that weve said all we can say.

And now DSI stands alone in the analog polysynth department.

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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by Paul Norheim » Thu Mar 31, 2011 3:34 am

Allow me to quote from a comment I wrote in November 2008 - on a thread called "What should Moog release next?"

"What should Moog release next?

Honestly, I have no idea. The only thing I know is that it has to be something that helps them stay in business and survive the global recession. Thus I know for sure what they should NOT release, the item that currently has most votes: a polyphonic synth. A high quality polyphonic synth is not what consumers can afford during a recession.

In due time, I hope that Moog will release a more modestly priced Moog Guitar.

I also hope that they will release a Little Phatty RME for 800-900 US$. Ideally, it should cost 750 $. More people would afford it during the recession, and the wealthy among us could order four for the price of one Voyager, and get a polyphonic synth with four voices. For the price of two Voyagers, you`d get eight voices... "

Well, I'm happy to notice, two and a half years later, that they did indeed release a more modestly priced Moog Guitar; and that the suggested LP RME aka Slim Phatty did arrive in due time, and currently costs something between 800 and 900 dollars - actually, Moog's product page says: $849.00 - and the street price is apparently 795.00.

And I still think this is the closest we'll get to a polyphonic Moog in the foreseeable future.

Link:

http://www.moogmusic.com/forum/viewtopi ... &start=195

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Kevin Lightner
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by Kevin Lightner » Thu Mar 31, 2011 3:50 am

Professional studios would be a huge part of the market I'm sure
Professional studios have been dropping like flies over the past 10 years.
Hollywood is filled with buildings that used to be major studios.
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by The Analog Organist » Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:33 pm

The appearance of the Voyager XL suggests that Moog is capable of some very unexpected moves. In light of the "not during a recession" point of view, who could have foreseen Moog's release of a massive $5,000 monosynth? It didn't seem very practical at the time, nor does it now. But they did it anyway. So, maybe a polysynth is also a possibility. Moog certainly seems to be experimenting with the notion by chaining Slim Phatties together - an idea which was causing substantial salivation here even before it had been achieved.
Last edited by The Analog Organist on Wed Jun 22, 2011 3:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.

sunny pedaal
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by sunny pedaal » Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:59 pm

polyfonic moog ?? :o
what a good idea !, strange nobody thought of that before :wink:

LaxSlash1993
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by LaxSlash1993 » Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:38 pm


HB3
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by HB3 » Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:51 pm

That was awesome. It's always important to wear your safety goggles when working on the polyphonic theremin.

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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by Just Me » Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:25 pm

I was waiting for this years item. Very well done! Better than the auto detune!
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by MarkM » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:59 am

It seems to me that Moog has made a custom poly synth. Just buy as many Slim Phatties as you need.
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Kenneth
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by Kenneth » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:11 pm

Dear Analog Organist:

thank you for not scoffing at my bringing up an exhausted topic.

Now, I know it had been discussed to the point of no return, but as the Analog Organist said, regardless of how Bob felt about polyphony in synthesizers, that is the most logical direction for Moog to take at this point. You can only do so many variations on a monosynth before the innovation runs out. And innovation is synonomous with Moog's name. How would Bob have felt about a Moog Guitar? We may never know, but my point is that Moog is doing things that they feel are appropriate, and Bob, while being the founder of Moog Music, is no longer in control of the company. I stand my ground. I still think it would be a great move on their part, and I think as long as we have interest in seeing something happen we should continue to discuss it. Moog, after all, does seem to take our opinions very seriously.
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Re: Analog Polysynth?

Post by Unfiltered » Sat Apr 02, 2011 9:49 pm

My bet is that if they haven't released on already, then they won't. They have done their best to allow for a polyphonic system, but that's never enough. Poly's are awesome, but not much better than mono's for the price. Also, isn't what Moog all about music, and not technology? The musicality of a multitimbral 5 or 10 voice synth is overkill if you ask me. I know you guys are mostly analog guys, but I bet most of use digital synths or at least digitally controlled synths. I have heard good digital oscillators through an analog filter, specifically the fooger filter and the model d filter, and it sounds as good or better than a memorymoog or prophet. And the memorymoog was not that great of a product, in my opinion because moogs werent meant to be polyphonic, when someone thinks of a moog synthesizer, they thinks leads and bass, not pads and chords. If you're like me you buy a moog because it gives you something that a computer or digital synth can't, but when you go polyphonic, it overcomplicates things quite a bit. I mean how are you supposed to keep up with things like an oscillator for a certain voice, say voice 5, oscillator 2 to modulate the filter, while the waveform 3 of voice 1 is modding the amplitude, etc etc etc. When using a mono, I know exactly what is doing what to what and modulating which parameter, and such I can control the sound intellectually, which is only partially possible with a poly. Polys make more sense when its just one filter, one envelope, in which case digital oscillators, controlled by say the voyager's keyboard through the mixer into the filter makes more sense. If you want multitimbral, I think something like the slim phatty chain makes more sense.

If Moog were to make a polyphonic synth, it would have to be something completely novel, and not just a moog version of a prophet, which is not an easy endeavor. As for new products, how about a midi controller that tracks the movements of your eyeball?

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