Sub 37 - the best monosynth of all time?

[Bald Eagle]

I have both Sub Phatty and Sub 37. I would say save up for the Sub 37, it's a HUGE step up from the Sub Phatty. The extra knobs and buttons make it so much more accessible. The expanded modulation section, sequencer, expanded patch memory and more are also worth the extra money.

[Ed-B]

I have both Sub Phatty and Sub 37. I would say save up for the Sub 37, it's a HUGE step up from the Sub Phatty. The extra knobs and buttons make it so much more accessible. The expanded modulation section, sequencer, expanded patch memory and more are also worth the extra money.

Big thanks Bald Eagle, I'm getting the feeling it is going to be the 37, but I have another question for you. You have both synths now, do you find they fit with each other well? If you flipped it around and got the 37 first, would you be tempted to buy a Phatty too as a complement, or would you have looked else where for something more diverse. Are they different enough to live together well, and will you be keeping both in your collection for the foreseeable future?

[snowcrash]

I think it's close. Yet, I'd still miss OSC-FM and Filter-FM, because that's what I love most on my VOS...

[Bald Eagle]

I have both Sub Phatty and Sub 37. I would say save up for the Sub 37, it's a HUGE step up from the Sub Phatty. The extra knobs and buttons make it so much more accessible. The expanded modulation section, sequencer, expanded patch memory and more are also worth the extra money.

Big thanks Bald Eagle, I'm getting the feeling it is going to be the 37, but I have another question for you. You have both synths now, do you find they fit with each other well? If you flipped it around and got the 37 first, would you be tempted to buy a Phatty too as a complement, or would you have looked else where for something more diverse. Are they different enough to live together well, and will you be keeping both in your collection for the foreseeable future?

If I had the Sub 37 first I would still be tempted to get a Sub Phatty but not quite as tempted. The temptation would be from the poly chain possibility which is expected in a future Sub Phatty update. If you are looking for sonic diversity they are to similar to each other, the core engine is the same. But they do work well together.

Currently I have them midied together and I often use the Sub Phatty as extra oscillators into the Sub 37 audio in. You can get some interesting results. Of course you can use any synth in that manner but having both with similar sounds and architectures seems to make it easier and more natural to work with. I plan on keeping both of them as I find them to be a good fit together. Just waiting for poly chain support on the Sub Phatty now (might have to get another one if it works out )

Pic of them living together in this post ...
http://forum.moogmusic.com/viewtopic.ph ... id#p134789

[Ed-B]

I have both Sub Phatty and Sub 37. I would say save up for the Sub 37, it's a HUGE step up from the Sub Phatty. The extra knobs and buttons make it so much more accessible. The expanded modulation section, sequencer, expanded patch memory and more are also worth the extra money.

Big thanks Bald Eagle, I'm getting the feeling it is going to be the 37, but I have another question for you. You have both synths now, do you find they fit with each other well? If you flipped it around and got the 37 first, would you be tempted to buy a Phatty too as a complement, or would you have looked else where for something more diverse. Are they different enough to live together well, and will you be keeping both in your collection for the foreseeable future?

If I had the Sub 37 first I would still be tempted to get a Sub Phatty but not quite as tempted. The temptation would be from the poly chain possibility which is expected in a future Sub Phatty update. If you are looking for sonic diversity they are to similar to each other, the core engine is the same. But they do work well together.

Currently I have them midied together and I often use the Sub Phatty as extra oscillators into the Sub 37 audio in. You can get some interesting results. Of course you can use any synth in that manner but having both with similar sounds and architectures seems to make it easier and more natural to work with. I plan on keeping both of them as I find them to be a good fit together. Just waiting for poly chain support on the Sub Phatty now (might have to get another one if it works out )

Pic of them living together in this post ...
http://forum.moogmusic.com/viewtopic.ph ... id#p134789

All I can say is that looks awesome! And I bet they sound fantastic together! Thanks for your guidance on this, I love the look of portability with the Sub Phatty, but I think the flexibility of the 37 would be wise to start with for me after the feedback I have had from the forum. It is really interesting that you are happy with the two, linking them both together sounds a great Idea.

[DUBMCT]

I have both too. Started with the Sub, added the 37.
They make a great pair.
I currently run then separately with a delay on the sub, as well the sub goes thru a midimurf which is tempo synced to the 37.
Looking forward to the poly chain to see what it can do.

What i like is when you have some crazy arp/seq going on the 37, you can do leads on the sub, and they sound great together, or latch the sub for a drone (midimurfed) or this or that. The options are limitless. I haven't felt like adding my juno to the mix, just keeping it all analog.

The sub first was a great tool for learning the architecture, and the simplicity of it is nice at times as is the smaller size.

Cheers

[Ed-B]

I have both too. Started with the Sub, added the 37.
They make a great pair.
I currently run then separately with a delay on the sub, as well the sub goes thru a midimurf which is tempo synced to the 37.
Looking forward to the poly chain to see what it can do.

What i like is when you have some crazy arp/seq going on the 37, you can do leads on the sub, and they sound great together, or latch the sub for a drone (midimurfed) or this or that. The options are limitless. I haven't felt like adding my juno to the mix, just keeping it all analog.

The sub first was a great tool for learning the architecture, and the simplicity of it is nice at times as is the smaller size.

Cheers

Thanks BUBMCT, you have some really interesting points, I love the idea of using the 37 as a sound generator then playing with the Phatty on lead, because the architecture is very similar I bet they really go into the live mix well. The other point is, if I was to eventually go down the route of having both synths, would the Phatty be a nice easy way to learn all things Moog? Is the, 'less is more' approach for my first Moog a good way to start? Or would you say the 37 is as easy to start with and ultimately will give me more over the medium-term? I would just like to add to this that I'm really interested in pure sound generation as much as I'm interested in music creating. I'm an abstract artist that paints music and sound, I'm now moving into more conceptual art using analog sounds, this is why im looking to get my first Moog. The whole thing is as much about the sound of synthesis, as it will be about creating music, of course, I want to do that too

[DUBMCT]

I have both too. Started with the Sub, added the 37.
They make a great pair.
I currently run then separately with a delay on the sub, as well the sub goes thru a midimurf which is tempo synced to the 37.
Looking forward to the poly chain to see what it can do.

What i like is when you have some crazy arp/seq going on the 37, you can do leads on the sub, and they sound great together, or latch the sub for a drone (midimurfed) or this or that. The options are limitless. I haven't felt like adding my juno to the mix, just keeping it all analog.

The sub first was a great tool for learning the architecture, and the simplicity of it is nice at times as is the smaller size.

Cheers

Thanks BUBMCT, you have some really interesting points, I love the idea of using the 37 as a sound generator then playing with the Phatty on lead, because the architecture is very similar I bet they really go into the live mix well. The other point is, if I was to eventually go down the route of having both synths, would the Phatty be a nice easy way to learn all things Moog? Is the, 'less is more' approach for my first Moog a good way to start? Or would you say the 37 is as easy to start with and ultimately will give me more over the medium-term? I would just like to add to this that I'm really interested in pure sound generation as much as I'm interested in music creating. I'm an abstract artist that paints music and sound, I'm now moving into more conceptual art using analog sounds, this is why im looking to get my first Moog. The whole thing is as much about the sound of synthesis, as it will be about creating music, of course, I want to do that too

i found a year with the sub a great way to start learning the world of analog moog goodness. Its simplicity is nice - even though it has lots of under the hood features. It makes awesome sounds for soundscape. Even now, i take it over the 37 out to jams, as its smaller, and forces me to keep it simple - sorta

the 37 has an architecture that is very mysterious and intriguing and is taking me a long time to learn. Lots of those great "what the heck is making that sound" moments. But the initial learning curve isn't really much more the the sub, as you can always leave stuff turned off.

The DUO, seq, tap temp, 2 mod busses, etc, make the 37 a different beast.
Availability and price might factor in, either way you wont regret getting either (or both).

[evaluna]

I have both Sub Phatty and Sub 37. I would say save up for the Sub 37, it's a HUGE step up from the Sub Phatty. The extra knobs and buttons make it so much more accessible. The expanded modulation section, sequencer, expanded patch memory and more are also worth the extra money.

Big thanks Bald Eagle, I'm getting the feeling it is going to be the 37, but I have another question for you. You have both synths now, do you find they fit with each other well? If you flipped it around and got the 37 first, would you be tempted to buy a Phatty too as a complement, or would you have looked else where for something more diverse. Are they different enough to live together well, and will you be keeping both in your collection for the foreseeable future?

Thought I would chime in here, as I also had the Sub Phatty first (after picking up my first Moog - a Minitaur, and being knocked out by the sound, I got the Sub Phatty to do the lead/higher pitched stuff that the Minitaur can't do), and then ordered the Sub 37 planning to sell the Sub Phatty when it arrived, as I thought there would be too much overlap between the two.

I have had the Sub 37 for a couple of weeks, sitting next to the Sub Phatty, and I've changed my mind about selling the Sub Phatty in the end - there is just something about how easy it is to program killer lead sounds on the Sub Phatty, and for me the awesome sounds that seem to pour out of the synth make it well worth hanging on to, even if they are possible to get out of the 37 as well (possibly with a bit more work, as there are so many more possibilities on the 37). And obviously my Sub 37 is going nowhere, every time I switch it on something new and cool comes out of it.

I would say the 37 is the better choice if you are after deeper and more hands on sound sculpting, and obviously the sequencer and arpeggiator are great, but the Sub Phatty is a great choice if you are newer to synths, as the selection of controls are perfect for quick programming - as I said, great sounds just pour out of the Sub Phatty. If you are more of a synth/keyboard player, then the aftertouch and longer keyboard make the Sub 37 a more "jammable" synth.

Hard choice, but I doubt you will regret either one as soon as that lush sound starts coming out of your speakers! Enjoy whichever one you end up with!

[ChiLam]

The 37 is blissfull joy!

Its been with me for a few weeks now but the initial excitement I had when I first unboxed it has only grown as time has passed. Each day brings new discoveries and I am constantly surprised by the sheer number of possibilities it offers up. Sometimes that depth has me a little confused I must admit, as per my recent explorations with using the external input, lol, but it is always a fun and fascinating learning experience.

I haven't even auditioned more than the first bank of presets yet! The kind of sounds that a single oscillator is capable of generating has me so mesmerised that I find myself lost in knob turning paradise - I forget that there are further oscillators and noise generators that can be introduced.

Is this the best Monosynth of all time - I don't have a clue as I have only ever played a handfull and owned one other, but it is easily the best synth of any kind I have ever used! The time just flies by when you turn her on...

[uksnowy]

I have to agree!!

Back in the 80s I was a Multimoog owner. I loved that synth and knew every inch of it. I sold it to get involved in digital.. I know.. Hindsight is a wonderful gift.

Anyway, I have been looking for a while to buy into Moog again but I was not going to spend thousands on old technology. I am a player not a collector. For a while the current Moog line up did not grab my interest, until I saw the Sub 37.

I have to say, the name (Sub 37) turned me off a bit but the looks.. wow!! I fell in love with the look of it. I then watched every YouTube video I could find and did my research. I decided to buy one. I have had it for about three weeks and I really do think it sounds amazing. I am still very early in my exploration of the capabilities of the synth but wow I am blown away.

I think the OP is spot on here. This could well be the best mono/duo synth, a big ask to claim "of all time" but certainly a contender for "ever seen until know"

Well done Moog - you have definitely created the next classic.

[pb21]

I am considering buying the sub 37 but I am a novice with interest in synthesis. is the synth a good all rounder?

I have an ultranova and the bass station 2 and some volcas, ms20 mini along with a maschine studio and a push along with a tr8 I dont really want to have to buy anymore hardware synths but I am assuming the sub37 is not just about bass and it will generate a lot of strong leads and other stuff.

anyway it would be making electronic pop stuff like omd esque type stuff.

your thoughts would be helpful before I spend the 1800 euros.

regards

[Poptones]

I am considering buying the sub 37 but I am a novice with interest in synthesis. is the synth a good all rounder?

I have an ultranova and the bass station 2 and some volcas, ms20 mini along with a maschine studio and a push along with a tr8 I dont really want to have to buy anymore hardware synths but I am assuming the sub37 is not just about bass and it will generate a lot of strong leads and other stuff.

anyway it would be making electronic pop stuff like omd esque type stuff.

your thoughts would be helpful before I spend the 1800 euros.

regards

With regard to your current gear there wouldn't be much of an overlap soundwise, which is good as you would want something that can complement your other instruments. And the Sub 37 is not only about bass sounds. You can go crazy, you can do more traditional leads, you can do stuff beyond that.
I've tried to showcase what the Sub 37 is capable of in another thread. Here's the link to the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04tH1bGkSHc (Every single sound is made with the Sub 37.)

Also: As far as I'm concerned, I have to say that the Sub 37 is one of the best instruments I've worked on in terms of workflow. You get to new sounds pretty quickly and it's just fun and easy to create new stuff.

[MoogProg]

...not just about bass and it will generate a lot of strong leads and other stuff.

Lots of textures can be made with so many modulation routings. For example, I created an soft-attack sound with an arpeggio controlled by the Mod Wheel; I can adjust the speed of the 'fluttering harps' to create high parts that float above the track and slow them down for effect.

Endless possibilities! Get ready for long nights studying up on subtractive programming!