Beginnings

In a Moog Mood? Here's a forum for discussion of general Moog topics.
tronato
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Beginnings

Post by tronato » Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:08 pm

Hello to all!
First post!
Maybe a stupid question, but since Wendy Carlos did Switched On Bach I have been wondering about synthesizers...
Where would it be the best place to start?
Thank you all and happy Sunday!

TRON

slabwax
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Post by slabwax » Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:46 pm

Well, I won't go as far as saying the best or the first. But check out Raymond Scott and Morton Subotnick. Having said that neither one of them used Moog. But that's ok we can still enjoy :lol:

Dean

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till
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Post by till » Sun Aug 16, 2009 4:17 pm

start to listen or start to use them ?
keep on turning these Moog knobs

Sequence:
Prodigy * minimoog '79 * Voyager * MF102 * MF103 * MF104z * MP201 * Taurus 3 * Minitaur * Sub Phatty * MF105 * Minimoog 2017+ MUSE * One 16

tronato
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Post by tronato » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:50 pm

Hello!

I meant start to investigate what to buy as simple as possible.
I have most of Subotnick's output and I love it.
And by the way, I dislike the new preprogramed digital synths.
I'd rather go analog and experiment... I am much more into early Stockhausen music...

Thanks for your answers

TRON

dlearyus
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what to buy:

Post by dlearyus » Sat Aug 29, 2009 2:29 pm

i suppose it depends on your budget but either a Little Phatty or a Voyager is all you need to start for sure you wont go wrong. period ;)


Cheers,

DL

The Analog Organist

Post by The Analog Organist » Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:09 pm

A Voyager Old School would be a superb place to begin. But at a much more reasonable price, consider the Roland SH 201. This seems to be an excellent introductory synthesizer with the basic functions and at a minimal cost of $600. It also happens to have 10-voice polyphony.

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JohnLRice
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Post by JohnLRice » Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:00 pm

Welcome TRON!

While I think you would love a Moog Voyager Of School etc, you sound like the kind of person that needs to go modular! 8)

You can start out very small and simple but be warned, you probably won't be really happy until you have a good sized rack full of modules, (or 3 or 4 racks full! :oops: )

Modular synths come in many sizes and shapes. I prefer the 5U types. 5U means the modules are 5 rack units high. There are two basic variations of those, the Moog modular standard (sometimes refered to as MU) and the Synth Tech MOTM standard. They are both the same height but the width increments and mounting hole locations are different. Here are some 5U companies/sources to look at:

Moog style:
http://www.cluboftheknobs.com/
http://www.moonmodular.com/
http://www.mos-lab.com/
http://stgsoundlabs.com/
http://www.synthesizers.com/

MOTM style:
http://www.modcan.com/
http://www.oakleysound.com/
http://www.synthtech.com/
(if you are into building electronics there are tons of resources to do so in the MOTM format!)

I own modules by all of the above companies except Modcan and Mos-Lab, so far! :twisted:


There are smaller and less expensive formats too, like:

FRAC:
http://www.blacet.com/
http://www.paia.com/

EURO:
http://www.analoguesystems.co.uk/index2.htm
http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm


You also might want to look at the somewhat more expensive and integrated types of modulars like:

Serge:
http://www.carbon111.com/serge_index.html
http://www.serge-fans.com/
(The company that makes them doesn't seem to have a web site but the above 2 fan sites are very informative and have the company's phone number)

Buchla:
http://www.buchla.com/


To see a kinds of video demos just do a search on http://www.youtube.com/ for any of the companies listed above (or any synth you are interested in for that matter!)

And, while there are several excellent moduar synth forums, my favorite is: http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/index.php

Best of luck and enjoy your synthesizer journey, where ever it leads you! 8)

John L Rice
John L Rice
MiniMoog, MinitMoog, MG-1, Sub Phatty, 5U modulars, Eurorack modulars

tixxican
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Post by tixxican » Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:11 pm

'at a much more reasonable price, consider the Roland SH 201. This seems to be an excellent introductory synthesizer with the basic functions and at a minimal cost'.

Please don't go down this route!!

:lol:

tronato
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Post by tronato » Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:26 pm

Hello!

I already built a Paia Fatman and it does noy serve my purpose...
I also built some stuff from a site called "Music from outer Space" with the same results By the way, the owner is very rude.
I also bought a micro or mini Korg and it was too preprogramed...so i returned it.
I want a noise source and reproduce thunder for example, play with VCFs, VCAs, ADSRs etc. It's not for musical purposes... want is as simple as possible.

This is the site where I have been consulting for almost 2 years looking for information but no luck (apart that looking for components ie expensive and tedious)

http://electro-music.com/


Thanks for your prompt answers!

TRON

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JohnLRice
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Post by JohnLRice » Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:04 pm

tronato wrote:Hello!

I already built a Paia Fatman and it does no serve my purpose...
I also built some stuff from a site caklled "Music from outer Space" with the same results By the way, the owner is very rude.
I also bought a micro or mini Korg add it was too preprogramed...
I want a noise soude and reproduce thunder for example, play with VCFs, VCAs, ADSRs etc. It's not for musical porposes...

This is the site where I have been consulting for almost 2 years look in for information but no luck (apart that lookung for components ie expensive and tedious)

http://electro-music.com/

Thanks for your prompt answers!

TRON
Cool! I highly recommend going with the MOTM format then because there is everythting from great basic function modules to the very unique and strange! I'd concentrate on Synth Tech, Oakley and Modcan first for both basics and weird stuff and then see what is out there in the SDIY (Synth Do It Yourself) community. For SDIY, Bride Chamber is a great one-stop-shop for several different designers.
http://www.bridechamber.com/bridechambe ... dules.html

John L Rice
John L Rice
MiniMoog, MinitMoog, MG-1, Sub Phatty, 5U modulars, Eurorack modulars

anoteoftruth
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Post by anoteoftruth » Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:39 am

tixxican wrote:'at a much more reasonable price, consider the Roland SH 201. This seems to be an excellent introductory synthesizer with the basic functions and at a minimal cost'.

Please don't go down this route!!

:lol:
I agree! don't do it!
Moog Voyager RME / Moog LP SE 2 / Nord Rack 1 / Microkorg / Korg ER-1 / Triggerfinger / Rocktron Banshee talk box / Ableton live / Guru / Lots of non-electric musical instruments.

Anna's Digit
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Post by Anna's Digit » Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:41 am

Moog Voyager Old School
Who 'em i ? who are you ?
Born in 1987 .
http://www.myspace.com/donteatdinosaurs (8bit/lo-fi proyect)

tronato
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Post by tronato » Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:52 am

Hello!

Well this sounds more like what Im' lookimg for but is a little dear for I am currenly unemployd, but for Xmas I'll kill to get one

Thanks aging for your kind answers!

TROM

MarkM
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Post by MarkM » Sun Aug 30, 2009 11:35 am

For crazy experimental stuff Reaktor comes to my mind. However, it is a soft synth. Also a used Waldorf Q can get you some wild sounds. However, it is digital. Don't feel you have to use the presets. Each has all the components you seek, except they are digital. These are all very affordable and do a great job. They are perfect for a beginner who is looking to experiment and create new sounds.

I am one of these guys who doesn't care if a synth is digital or not: as long as it has unique sounds and is fun to play. Both the above have been (and still are) very instrumental in my music, along with my Moogs.
Mark Mahoney
http://www.reverbnation.com/markmahoney
www.cdbaby.com/cd/mmahoneympeck
www.cdbaby.com/cd/markmahoney

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mayidunk
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Re: Beginnings

Post by mayidunk » Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:16 pm

tronato wrote:Hello to all!
First post!
Maybe a stupid question, but since Wendy Carlos did Switched On Bach I have been wondering about synthesizers...
Where would it be the best place to start?
Thank you all and happy Sunday!

TRON
Edited:

Since you were originally inspired by Wendy Carlos, you might want to start out playing around with the free demo version of Arturia's Moog Modular V software synth. It won't cost you anything, will enable you to explore all of the basic synth modules she used, and give you an idea of what is involved in building a patch from scratch. This should then enable you to better understand what's going on "under the covers" as regards later synth designs, like the Mini Moog, as well as more current synths.

I believe that the demo is fully functional, except that it is gimped in that you won't be able to save your patches. (The hardware version of this synth would not be able to save patches either!), so you'd really get to experience what Wendy had to do in order to produce those Bach pieces. And even though at first glance it seems really complex, it is actually only as complex as you want it to be, as you are free to use only the modules you wish to use, ignoring the rest!

A Google search should lead you to Arturia's download page.

No sense spending a pile of money if you're just interested in exploring possibilities... If you decide you don't like playing with synths, all it cost you would be the download time for the software! And if you decide you do like it, then you will have cut your teeth on what is for all intents and purposes, a Moog Modular!

Enjoy your explorations!

Bob

:D

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