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Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Sat May 16, 2020 9:55 am
by IgorCristo
Hey guys, just wanted to talk about how you use this feature on the Minimoog Voyager. Recently discovered it, after the long and enjoyed honeymoon period, where sitting and just playing with it, PANEL MODE STYLE, was the most joyful thing, to actually starting digging at what it can do in terms of deep exploration/synthesis.

I live in a country where test driving good pedals is pretty much impossible, so I was wondering what you guys use with the Mixer Out/In option. I wanted to use some kind of distortion/fuzz, and was thinking about the EHX Deluxe Bass Big Muff, but I don't think these pedals can actually handle the hot signal coming out of this port.

So I ask: what could I try with it?

Have some pedals here, but didn't have the courage to test them on my own, since they're pretty much guitar pedals and can handle way less "hotness".

Cheers!

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Sat May 16, 2020 11:10 am
by 4dubs
I keep a moogerfooger ring mod patched to that almost always. Cool being able to ring mod the oscillators pre filter.

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Sat May 16, 2020 6:17 pm
by MC
MIDIMurf pedal is a lot of fun

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 9:31 pm
by ummagumma
I experimented with this, to get some mild overdrive, but was ultimately unsatisfied: I eventually realized I need to attenuate the signal coming out of the Voyager to get it to work properly with pedals

then I stalled out and haven't had a chance to dig in again

it would be nice to be able to use pot mapping, to make the headphone volume knob ( which I never use ) control the output level of the mix/out signal. maybe possible? haven't checked

*edit* actually I never tried just using the headphone out. which would be the most logical way to do it lol. but you should never plug a mono cable into the headphone jack, if I recall

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 7:52 am
by stiiiiiiive
ummagumma wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 9:31 pm I eventually realized I need to attenuate the signal coming out of the Voyager to get it to work properly with pedals
[...]
it would be nice to be able to use pot mapping, to make the headphone volume knob ( which I never use ) control the output level of the mix/out signal. maybe possible? haven't checked
Well, consider using pedals with an "settable" input gain, or use/build a volume pedal :)

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 9:55 am
by Markyboard
ummagumma wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 9:31 pm I experimented with this, to get some mild overdrive, but was ultimately unsatisfied: I eventually realized I need to attenuate the signal coming out of the Voyager to get it to work properly with pedals

then I stalled out and haven't had a chance to dig in again

it would be nice to be able to use pot mapping, to make the headphone volume knob ( which I never use ) control the output level of the mix/out signal. maybe possible? haven't checked

*edit* actually I never tried just using the headphone out. which would be the most logical way to do it lol. but you should never plug a mono cable into the headphone jack, if I recall
I discussed this a while back. I hardwired the HP output ( left side only) to the external audio input for the classic feedback trick. I then set up pot mapping so that my expression pedal controls the amount of signal being fed back; use either the HP level or the external mixer amount for this. That same pedal is also controlling the send level of the Voyager output into my Empress multi drive effect. I set up after touch to control the filter amount in the normal direction and resonance in the inverse direction.

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 6:05 pm
by ummagumma
right! good tips, thanks both!

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 7:35 am
by IgorCristo
Thanks a lot for your inputs and tips!

My initial thought was to get subtle overdrive, but maybe I’ll have to review my options. To do that I’d need an overdrive pedal, or even a Moogerfooger. The idea for the ring modulator was actually very good and probably the way I’d like to go - the only problem being that it is actually very hard to find them where I live.

Had some experience yesterday with it - connected my Electric Mistress flanger/filter matrix to it, and some interesting results, mainly with the filter matrix. It made me realize that there’s a lot of potential in there, and this might be one of the most exciting exclusive features of the Voyager.

Thank you once again.

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 10:27 am
by IgorCristo
Coming back here for some more information.

Yesterday I almost got a guitar pedal to use with the effect loop, but decided to do some more research before jumping into the wrong device. The MXR GT OD seemed like a good option for a small amount of drive, but my impressions were based entirely on YouTube videos,with bass and guitarists always driving the thing too much and abusing the tone control.

The thing is, I don’t want a severe result, what I’m searching for is more to the character of Grandmother’s mixer kind of drive. Do you guys know if the best is to use an overdrive deal, like the one I’ve mentioned, or something like a boost? My greatest fear is that a boost could drive the Voyager too much and damage something.

Anyone here with some experience with either overdrive or boost pedals on the Voyager?

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 8:33 am
by Markyboard
You won't damage anything. I have a MF-Boost but it sits in a drawer. Unlike your needs I was looking for some balls out distortion. The MF-Boost may be perfect for the subtle distortion you're looking for

One thing I learned with generating overdrive/fuzz/distortion is you can easily fool yourself into thinking some device is providing too much. If you overload the input of any device (easy to do with lie level signals) it will clip and feed through the chain over powering any other device. This is not usually desirable. Make sure each device is actually doing what it's meant to do and that the controls actually respond.

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2020 12:33 am
by ummagumma
stiiiiiiive wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 7:52 am Well, consider using pedals with an "settable" input gain, or use/build a volume pedal :)
I think Stiiiiiive's advice is worth heeding. All my experiments point to this crucial element, to control the signal going INTO the pedal

I tried:

Big Muff
Fuzz Face
MF Drive
Garnet Guillotine
Maestro OD-60
Radial Regency
'70's Radio Shack mixer, with a phono input

maybe some of them would have been useable with adjustable input. I have a volume pedal somewhere, if I find it, I will revisit

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2020 10:08 am
by Markyboard
ummagumma wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 12:33 am
stiiiiiiive wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 7:52 am Well, consider using pedals with an "settable" input gain, or use/build a volume pedal :)
I think Stiiiiiive's advice is worth heeding. All my experiments point to this crucial element, to control the signal going INTO the pedal

I tried:

Big Muff
Fuzz Face
MF Drive
Garnet Guillotine
Maestro OD-60
Radial Regency
'70's Radio Shack mixer, with a phono input

maybe some of them would have been useable with adjustable input. I have a volume pedal somewhere, if I find it, I will revisit
Maybe I'm not understanding what you mean by adjustable input. All my effects pedal inputs are controlled by a volume (or expression pedal/CV). This is no different than using the send amount from the mixer directly. But if the impedance is mis-matched then you can over-drive that pedal very quickly. Distortion type effects are tricky in this regard. A reamper is a good tool for this.

If you're using the Voyager pre-filter insert point than the Voyager mixer conrtrols becomes your variable input. You can control these mixer levels with an expression pedal using the mod 1/2 inputs in conjunction with the pot mapping.

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2020 11:53 am
by ummagumma
are you saying the Ext mixer dial is a send?

I assumed it only controlled the return signal level, into the Voyager?

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2020 5:38 pm
by stiiiiiiive
I'm quite sure the Voyager mixer "Ext" knob is a return volume rather than a send one. If you use the external input, it will set the volume of what comes in.

Re: Minimoog Voyager Mixer Out/In

Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2020 12:17 pm
by Markyboard
I'm guessing we're just having terminology confusion.

The external input is just like another oscillator. The external amount knob controls the amount of external signal going to the mix bus. So in this regard you can think of that control as a receive. But if you also use the Mixer Out/filter input jack then the external amount is also a send control for it's part of the mix bus going out to external effects. Just like each oscillator.

Hope that makes sense.