what is the deal with moog OPUS 3's?

themicromoogmassacre · Post by **themicromoogmassacre** » Sun May 02, 2004 10:43 am

I've been looking for some time on ebay for a good deal on an analog. I keep running into Rogues that get way too high priced before the auction is over. I saw an Opus 3 that sounded good but there was no pic. The sellers feekback is 100%. so its not that big of a problem that there is no picture but i also noticed that the Opus is polyphonic.

I'm concerned because i remember hearing a recording of chick corea playing a polymoog that sounded really drifty and suddle. Now i really don't know if i want to buy this if it doesn't sound really raw and edgy, vintage may be the word im looking for.

So if any one can help me, i need this moog for a band. The sound i want from it is simalar to how these bands use theirs:

the anniversary

The Locust

TRS-80

please help

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Greg_S · Post by **Greg_S** » Sun May 02, 2004 8:45 pm

welp 2 things. be quite wary of buying an opus-3. when i was searching for my moog on ebay (moog prodigy) i was considering that model, but almost every listing i saw said either that one of the sections wasn't working or the polyphony was not working correctly. anyway about the sound you wanna get. i am extremely familiar with the anniversary, i only heard of the locust, and i don't know trs-80. with that in mind, i would have to say go for either the prodigy or the source. i stand behind the prodigy in every way, because it is an absolutely fantastic synth and is quite easy to program if you know what you're doing. the source is good as well because unlike the prodigy it has memory banks for storing patches in case you don't feel like manually entering them. but in the end its up to you, so just make the choice that you feel is right.

mee3d · Post by **mee3d** » Mon May 03, 2004 6:12 pm

The Opus III is a highly underated moog. I have one which i have recently restored and I would not get rid of her, the question would be would I have one over a Prodigy or Source?

Firstly the Opus is not a subtractive synth like the Prodigy, sure it is analog and has a very moog sounding self-oscillating filter but the building blocks (oscillators) are based on ensemble "organ" stlye technology, and as the filter is tied inline to either the brass section or the organ section (or a misture of the 2), she will always sound like an emsemble keyboard (strings, organ, brass). She is capable of some very lush stereo pads

That said, with some clever tweaking you can get some whacko FX sounds out of it but if you are looking for classic moog basses or screaming wakeman stlye solo sounds then a mono is going to work better for you (my biggest grump is there is no glide). She pairs up nicely with a prodigy so if you can go for 2 keyboards then that's the way forward.

With regards construction . . . as the Opus has never been a moog 'star' unit you often find them in poor condition, not looked after but the technology inside is pretty easy to fix and things like the maple wooden side panels can be sanded and oiled.

Mal

themicromoogmassacre · Post by **themicromoogmassacre** » Mon May 03, 2004 8:01 pm

thanks for that info guys. yeah , greg i think i remember your name when i was surfing for synths. I geuss probobly a prodigy would be my best bet. I need something really vintage and mono sounding, i dont like the idea of a polyphonic moog in a metal band. What about rougues though, they seem less expensive?

all of the synths on ebay now though always go way too high in price for me. tricky business.

thanks

Greg_S · Post by **Greg_S** » Mon May 03, 2004 11:12 pm

some of the old korgs aren't too shabby. the group air uses lots of vintage synths, especially the korgs which you can also look into

Greg_S · Post by **Greg_S** » Mon May 03, 2004 11:17 pm

this is the korg ms-10 which the band air and many others use.

electrical_engineer_gEEk · Post by **electrical_engineer_gEEk** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:27 pm

you sure they don't use a ms-20??

I thought I saw a 20 in their new music video for riding on a rocket

Tobor · Post by **Tobor** » Wed May 05, 2004 4:05 am

yeah, I guess it was an ms20... in moon safari album, along with a minimoog..

by the way STEREOLAB use an OPUS 3 for their gigs...

themicromoogmassacre · Post by **themicromoogmassacre** » Wed May 05, 2004 4:24 pm

yeah stereolab is sweet as well as Air.

as far as going with a korg, thats kind of a last resort. maybe some more planning should have went into this before i named my band. cus we are called the Micro Moog Massacre.

the idea kind of sprouted from a drawing i did. one day in drivers ed class, (im 16 by the way) (i actually play the drums) (didnt know a thing about key signatures until about a year ago when our band director made the percuussion section learn) anyway, i was bored during drivers ed and i began drawing a closeup of a micromoog at an angle. i blossomed from there into a bloody scene. The mess in the background of the picture depicts a triple homicide, a woman, a teen, and a baby lie dead on the floor and in the doorway there is a silhouette of a man shooting himself. i thought a nice touch was bloody finger prints on the keys of the moog.

anyway, yeah, so thats my story about my bands name.

Boeing 737-400 · Post by **Boeing 737-400** » Wed May 05, 2004 8:08 pm

Can we see the drawing please?

electrical_engineer_gEEk · Post by **electrical_engineer_gEEk** » Wed May 05, 2004 10:13 pm

too bad the Moog didn't come to life and kill the family with ear shattering bass.......

Greg_S · Post by **Greg_S** » Thu May 06, 2004 5:54 pm

electrical_engineer_gEEk wrote:you sure they don't use a ms-20??

I thought I saw a 20 in their new music video for riding on a rocket

ms-20, my mistake

HowIMadeMyMillions · Post by **HowIMadeMyMillions** » Sat May 08, 2004 4:16 pm

Surfing on a rocket.....amazing CD "Talkie Walkie" ...love it....not much for moogs but still very AIR.

HowIMadeMyMillions · Post by **HowIMadeMyMillions** » Sat May 08, 2004 4:17 pm

Surfing on a rocket.....amazing CD "Talkie Walkie" ...love it....not much for moogs but still very AIR.