Moog needs a new model

[thewaag]

Realistically, though, what is left for them to do

Freudian slip or do you know something we don't? A new MG-1 on the way is it?

Wow!! Now I know how it is to be a politician. People can read anything into what you say!!

[museslave]

If DSI and Alesis can do a polysynth then Moog can certainly do this.They can also more simply to keep costs down.

Absolutely. Especially with the market that would be available to a polyphonic Moog... I daresay they would sell more polyphonics than monophonics because not only would all of us buy it, but all the people who so ignorantly cannot understand a monophonic keyboard instrument would be open to it.
The notion that "it is too expensive" is just the sort of BS they'd like you to believe. What it actually means is: It is not cheap enough... keyboard companies, yes even Moog, have become so accustomed to the low cost of computer components that the notion of stepping backward profit-wise to the purchase or manufacture of analog components is too scary. This is the same sort of money-first thinking that has companies saying "if we made things out of wood or metal it would be TOO EXPENSIVE," or "if we had ACTUAL PEOPLE answering the phones to help you, it would be TOO EXPENSIVE," etc. The prize of profit goes to the people who look at "TOO EXPENSIVE" and come up with a way to do it... NOT to the people who want to cut corners at every possible turn and still sell a product as a "high end" product.
Think of what synthesizers we currently enjoy would have never been made with this "it's too expensive to do it right" attitude.
Synthesizers.com seems to be demonstrating that analog can be done relatively cheaply.

any less than 6 note poly is pointless to me.

Oh, come on... that's like saying a monophonic instrument is pointless.
To establish the basis of pretty much any chord (with a few exceptions, of course, but still) all you need is four notes. It sounds like you're thinking in a piano mindset more than a synth mindset. It's nice to have a large polyphony in a synthesizer... but the minute you start expecting those sorts of features is the moment you might as well settle for a modern digital synth.

Also they have the benefit of hindsight as all the competitors in this field have already shown their cards. A new memorymoog IS the way forward and is necessary to Moog completing their synth lineup. It makes no business sense for Moog not to release a poly at this point considering that their competitors already have prouct out in this field.

I agree.
I know Moog is a small company, etc. but still. There is a lot of money to be made... the market is brimming with people busting with money who want anything with Moog on it (and who are the most likely to not understand monophonic), as well as all of the people like us.

I dont reckon a taurus replacement is viable though.-Too niche.

Totally. An instrument that only classical organists can play effectively... and besides, it isn't the interface that is so appealing about the Taurus (to most)... why would they remake it? I doubt they would be able to hit upon that sound... otherwise, EVERYONE would be making Taurus-soundalikes.

[latigid on]

Here's a few points:

A Memory Moog does not sound like a polyphonic Mini (as far as I have been told). Instead of discrete components, you get CEM voice chips and the like. So, would a Memory Moog II sound like a polyphonic Voyager? Probably not.

Custom VCO chips are very expensive to make; that's why the Andromeda is expensive (or one of the reasons).

Does Moog make a polyphony available? Yes. Is is affordable? No. If you want a 16 voice Voyager, you need (a Voyager and) 15 RMEs! That would cost you $30k. And would you still need all those knobs? No, you would MIDI everything together and control using CC on your Voyager keyboard.

We've discussed this before, but why doesn't Moog make a poly expander? I.e. an RME with only MIDI and audio, and probably CV in/out as well. No knobs. Noone wants a 16 voice polytimbral...

I'd say a good setup would have a Voyager, an RME and 14 (or less, depending on how many voices you wanted) expanders. Each half (of 8 voices) would be able to be split and layered.

And then you'd have to tune the damn thing, and you'd also have to mult. out any CV you were using 'coz it doesn't send via MIDI.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The components used on the Taurus I are decades out of manufacture, so says MC. But if there was any possibility of building another bass synth which JUST DOES BASSY MOOG BASS DAMMIT, I'd probably buy it and control it with a set of MIDI pedals or a keyboard.

[godzilla]

yeah i like the poly expander idea (hope they make one for the phatty!)
i think 3 is a good number of voices to add, that way they could build them as small racks, and you choose your polyphony for your voyager/LP depending on how many expanders you buy
for a more modest budget you could just get 1 to bring your synth up to 4 voice (i think 4 voices is just fine! even 2 or 1 i don't see the point in 3 though i think 1,2 or 4 as far as small numbers go)
that way you could have either
1
4
7
10
13
or 16
i reckon they're all fairly round rumbers that could work quite well.
if they did it for the LP they'd have to give it a midi through
and maybe a set of CV four way multis for the inputs that copy the CV signal you stick in, to the 3 internal voices and give you 1 set of outputs for the main LP
so you'd have:
pitch CV in (to all int voices), pitch cv out (to keyboard pitch cv in)
filter CV in (to all int voices), filter cv out (to keyboard)
volume CV in (to all int voices), volume cv out (to keyboard)
gate in (to all int voices), gate out (to keyboard)

that way you could still create modularish sounds with ext gear like foogers, that work for all notes!

and throw in an audio in specially designed for the main LP that mixes the outputs of all voices evenly, and a section that selects between two types of polyphony
a: the first key you hit is allways sounded by voice 1 (like current voyager poly chaining)
b: each time you hit the first key it cycles through the diferent voices (for long sustaining sounds)

[godzilla]

or maybe it could have individual outs for each voice! that would be so fun!

would be so cool to have a polyphonic moog! i can imagine a new self-contained polyphonic moog would look absolutely amazing!

before i got the LP i didn't think i'd even get one if they released one (it would just be so expensive) but now, after hearing that quality of sound, and feeling the amazing solid build, i wouldn't be able to resist. providing they could keep it under 5 grand (USD, so that would be about 8 grand AUD) then i'd have to find some way to get the beast!

you know what would be cool...

a new four voice moog poly that comes as either a keyboard or rack or combined for 8 voice!
how many octaves should a new moog poly have? would be cool if it had 4 and a half, to make it like an upsized mini.

[museslave]

I suppose I'd be pelted with garbage if I suggested that Moog should make a modern Polymoog. ; )

:::dodging garbage:::

No, I mean... done RIGHT!! With full VCF/ENV/VCA per key!

:::dodges more garbage:::

It would be cool! With the same body design?

:::dodges flying defunct Polymoog:::

See? That's why they need to do it right!
Now stop throwing Polymoogs.

[godzilla]

i'd prefer a new design myself
i mean it would have been cool if they just made the LP in the shape a source but the new design is so much cooler IMO
also the voyager looks awesome! it looks a lot like the mini but has its own charater
a new poly would be such a big product it would have tto have some crazy but elogant design (much like the LP)

yeah i don't think we'll see a pol for at least another 2 years
funny though, they were working on the LP like 2 years ago
they could be making a poly right now and we wouldn't even know

[MC]

I suppose I'd be pelted with garbage if I suggested that Moog should make a modern Polymoog. ; )

:::dodging garbage:::

No, I mean... done RIGHT!! With full VCF/ENV/VCA per key!

:::dodges more garbage:::

It would be cool! With the same body design?

:::dodges flying defunct Polymoog:::

See? That's why they need to do it right!
Now stop throwing Polymoogs.

Yeah, we wouldn't want to hurt the Polymoog, would we?

[JSRockit]

I've always hoped for a Moog Drum Machine.

[MC]

That Moog Ribbon/Guitar is seriously cool. Never seen one before, when did they release it and how many are out there?

The moog ribbon was a production item but the guitar is a custom job.

[MC]

A little clarification on Bob's ideas for future products from his interview on RL Music:

http://www.rlmusic.co.uk/mals_site/extras_02.html

On a polyphonic: "We can make one - but we're not going to".

On Taurus pedals: Bob admitted the pedal and assembly would be very expensive but was intrigued at the demand for the vintage Taurus. He specifically asked whether the appeal was the package or the sound. Upon hearing it was the sound that was the attractive element, he was inquisitive. He did not rule out a Taurus reissue.

[goldphinga]

in response to museslave: 6 note poly is damn near essential for me . i use a lot of 4 note or 5 note right hand chords on my memorymoog with a single bass note or also with a 4th or 5th interval added. This shouldnt be luxury. 4 voice is too little for my needs.

The minimum poly i think is acceptable on a modern poly is 6. Also im not thinking in terms of piano voicings, i use 6 note voicings on synths all the time. Further to this i totally disagree with the statement that therefore monophonics are pointless- thats an ill thought comment methinks.We all know that monos are great and thats why i own a source,Lp and voyager.

AND finally, i already own an ex5 if we are gonna talk digi synths and the memorymoog kicks it to the side 5 times over. Digi synths are boring, thats why ill never buy another. Id rather have a computer with softsynths than a piece of hardware taking up room and depreciating. i know computers depreciate but they are compact and much more flexible/upgradeable.

There is no reason why moog cant make a minimum 6 voice poly at a decent price. If alesis can do it and make a 16 voice then moog can do a six voice for sure. Also all the talk of expanders just seems a really clumsy solution.Its not too much to ask for in 2006 to have a decent analog poly.

[MC]

I think if Moog made a polyphonic, they should use the Oberheim SEM route. Only instead of (x) RMEs, use one RME (or Voyager) and (x-1) slave modules without knobs. One RME/Voyager is the master interface with its panel full of knobs, and the slave modules would be much cheaper without the knobs and pots.

So if you want to add polyphony, just, uh, buy a bigger rack.

[museslave]

in response to museslave: 6 note poly is damn near essential for me . i use a lot of 4 note or 5 note right hand chords on my memorymoog with a single bass note or also with a 4th or 5th interval added. This shouldnt be luxury. 4 voice is too little for my needs.

Fair enough! I just tend to resist those who seem to have what end up being "digital" requirements for analog synthesizers.
When you add all of the modern conveniences to analog synthesizers, you end up losing the distinctions that define a synthesizer as being analog... so when people (and I'm not saying you did this) start saying they want a MIDI analog synth with ultra-stable oscillators and 64 note polyphony and multitimbrality and etc. I tend to say "why on earth do you want analog, then?"
In regard to your 6-note requirement, it makes me curious about what you do with analog polyphony. I could see many needing 6 notes when they do keyboard-splitting, or the like... but not many, in this day and age, use six notes of polyphony in a single analog patch! So that's cool... more power to you!

Further to this i totally disagree with the statement that therefore monophonics are pointless- thats an ill thought comment methinks.We all know that monos are great and thats why i own a source,Lp and voyager.

My point was made in reference to your statement, which suggested that a synthesizer with less than 6 note polyphony would be worthless. While it may not suit your particular style of play, a 4 note polyphonic synthesizer is FAR from worthless. It just reminded me of the same sort of thinking of those who would say 'you can only play one note at a time? That's worthless to me."

AND finally, i already own an ex5 if we are gonna talk digi synths and the memorymoog kicks it to the side 5 times over. Digi synths are boring, thats why ill never buy another. Id rather have a computer with softsynths than a piece of hardware taking up room and depreciating.

I think we're on the same page, then. : )

There is no reason why moog cant make a minimum 6 voice poly at a decent price. If alesis can do it and make a 16 voice then moog can do a six voice for sure. Also all the talk of expanders just seems a really clumsy solution.Its not too much to ask for in 2006 to have a decent analog poly.

The only reason I would not demand a six-voice of them is because I'm sure they would like to charge a great deal more per oscillator... if they're already saying that polyphony would be impossible due to EXTREME PRICE, I'm inclined to ask for less oscillators. ; )

[museslave]

Yeah, we wouldn't want to hurt the Polymoog, would we?

You're a mean mean person! I already know how much you hate Polymoogs, so what are you saying about me???