Moog Music Forum

What I can’t quite understand is, why didn’t Moog put a SPRING RETURN ON THE PITCH WHEEL !! – A lot of original minimoogs had one fitted as a retrofit by 3rd.party companys way back in the 70s and 80s ! Moog – why didn’t you do this – and don’t say “we wanted to keep it as close to the original as possible” ‘cos that bird has flown ages ago ! It would only have added a couple of dollars to the cost price.We players always know that the pitch wheel NEVER returned to exactly the centre position on the original minimoog - it was a pain in the A**S.All keyboards and synths these days have a spring return on the pitch wheel.Can’t believe you missed that one Moog !

Where were you during the 1970s/80s? The Minimoog didn't have spring loaded wheels, but neither did the Prodigy, The Source, Sonic 6, Rogue, Taurus 2, Oberheim FVS/EVS/TVS, Korg Polysix, Mono/Poly, Prophet 5, Memorymoog...

There were real players during the 1970s. They cut their teeth on Minimoogs without springs on the pitch wheel. It's a different technique that has its advantages. Deal with it. No amount of foot-stomping or banging your fists on the floor will compel the world to conform to your petulant demands. Nobody missed anything. I grew up during the 1970s and have played many Moog synths from the 70s - have yet to find one retrofitted with springs on the pitch wheel. If you truly grew up during the 70s, you would had known of a much better solution to returning Minimoog pitch wheel to center position than springs.

Hi, Didge!

Thanks, for verifying that it doesn't have a spring, I was curious about that too.

Oh yes I just remembered - Moog did actually put a ribbon on the Micromoog and the Polymoog - to control the pitch-bend !

also asked the same question some other topic.
thanks.
think it's a very good decision not to put a spring. now i can control myself if i want it to return to 0 or stay at the interval i set it to.
wished many many more other companies ( incl moog) would implement the same on their machines. Seriously considered to remove the spring from my voyager, but seems to be difficult to get a wide enough gap of 0 volt+ a good feelingpoint when i'm in the middle

edit ps: on my old model-d a simple modification was made the pitch bend always return to 0 volt, the gap was widdened , so that their was more space in the gutterregion in which it stayed at 0 volt or something like that. always thought it was a very common , well known modification on the pitchwheel...

Yes I see what you are saying - and if it works for you great ! However - I play Keyboards / Vocals every week of the year practically and I haven't got time during a song to mess around with getting the pitch wheel in the right position.Its's funny that Moog have the spring return on The Voyager / Sub 37 / Phatty etc..... so why not the Mini ??? Every other manufacturer of keyboards/ synths for the last 25 odd years has put a spring return on the pitch wheel !!

Unfortunately yes
The minimoog has a click in the middle where it is exact 0 volt ( after modification)
Just see it as a tip

The pitch wheels on old Moog synths - and likely the model D reissue - have a detent at center position so it is very easy to quickly set the wheel back to pitch.

I always thought Moog invented the spring return on the pitch wheel. The first Moog product with this feature I know of was the 1972 introduced Sonic Six. Moog called it the "Floating Touch Pitch Bender". My early Sonic Six with a build date of 1973 has this type bender
Can See the mechanism here:


Looking at this type pitch bend setup, it would seem Roland copied the Moog design and put a lever where Moog had an indent on the wheel.
I did find a Moog service bulletin dated May 1984 where a retro fit kit was available for a spring loaded wheel.


I do prefer the early type smooth wheel on the Minimoog. I have a later Norlin era Mini that came with the serrated plastic wheels. Those have a much deeper groove for the center detent. I ended up swapping out the newer style and replacing them with the earlier type.

Note also the anti-parallel diodes that limit the voltage change at the centre -- an "electrical" deadband. Presumably something like this is on the Mini? It'd also be possible to do it in software if the pitchbend was tied into the MIDI-CV.

The official dead band mod from back in the day.


Some liked it, while some claimed it removed the subtle vibrato one could get. Never tried it myself?