Moog/New Software Products MESSE

[museslave]

Okay, Bob's been in the grave long enough, let's make some real cash.

Nobody at Moog is getting rich!!

That wasn't my point... my point was that the more they pander to money-making aspects of the industry that are not aligned with their true strength and focus, the more they are capitalizing on the name... and likely to make a LOT of money.

[museslave]

When I first saw this topic with no replies yet, I though:

'This is going to be one hell of a "burn the digital-sampling-godamn-heretics" thread"'

And I was right

mueslave - Except for the Bob-grave-cash thing I'm with you all the way.

I really have nothing against sampling! I love it, actually...
But sampling a Moog is pointless enough... Moog (the company) advocating sampling as some sort of continuation of the Moog legacy is an outrageous pandering to money.

[museslave]

This is, of course, not a Moog product. It is an IK Multimedia / Sonic Reality product, and I wish them the best with it. For folks who weren't about to get into the rich and ever-expressive realm of Real Synthesis (tm) anyway, this will be great. Their basslines will punch and sizzle (in a not so dynamic fashion), and their leads will scream, although without the realtime modulation possibilities that are so essential to expressive analog playing.

For people like myself, who need deep, realtime timbral control when playing, Moog will continue to make expressive analog hardware synths. It certainly doesn't compromise that mission to allow another company to sample the stuff.

Admittedly, I mistook some of the language in the posting as suggesting that there was more involvement on the part of Moog than there apparently is... but still. It was the Moog legacy comment that enraged me!

[museslave]

I say whatever helps keep Moog in buisness is a go for all of us. A lot of beginners in music have never heard of Moog. This will allow an affordable way for a new generation of musicians to experience the Moog sound. Some of them will go on to purchase real Moog gear like we have.

This is the same sort of logic that has people thinking that using a Casio is a great way to teach a kid how to play a piano.
They are NOT experiencing the Moog sound any more than someone playing a sample of James Brown is experiencing the funk. The Moog legacy, as I see it, is about the creative use of an actual instrument where there is direct musical interaction and expression.
With Moog telling this new generation that operating a sampler is the same as using a musical instrument like a Moog synthesizer, no one is "learning" anything. It just means that the next generation will wonder why they would invest in such an expensive and complicated instrument when they can say they're using a Moog within the realm of a sampler.
As all of us should know, using a sample of a Moog is absolutely NOTHING like creating your own analog sound and using analog components to make it expressive as you perform.

Bob endorsed some Moog softsynths so this is not an underhanded attempt to make money now that he's passed. If Moog selling clothing, dolls, and doing buisness with softsynth companies helps Moog's bottom line that's great. Moog has proven they are Moog solidly and being a snob that thinks the company should stick only to hardware and run "in the red" for purist reasons is a fast way to put Moog out of business.[/quote]

[Lengai]

museslave,

I agree with you completely that there is no comparison between a sample of a Moog and an actual Moog. But, that doesn't mean the door is closed and people will think they're playing a Moog by playing samples and never purchase the hardware.

I am a prime example. I was a DJ that wanted to get into creating my own music. I got an iMac G3 and Cubase VST 4.x back in 2000. One of the first VST synths I got for Cubase was Steinberg's Model E. I had no clue about anything Moog and got it because it was inexpensive. After working on songs and learning I came to understand what Moog was all about and it just so happened to coincide with my brother and I selling our house and Moog releasing the Voyager so I had a choice to upgrade to a new G5 with everything in it or the Voyager.

I got the Voyager and acessories and it was definitely the right choice. That Model E VST synth in no way compares to the Voyager, but it did start me on the path to owning one. Now I can get a Mac Mini that is better than that G5 I could have gotten in 2004, but the Voyager will always be a Voyager.

We also all want Moog to stay in business for a very long time. These side projects help Moog make money, but that's good. If Moog went under in 2005 there would be no LP or FreqBox for us to enjoy now. God only knows what great stuff Moog will be putting out in 10 years