Moog Music Forum

Hello Everybody,

can anybody tell me where I can get a very comfortable keybed like the P 08s have, as that of the MMs feel too swampy for my taste.
DSI confirmed now the originals are not from FATAR and they won't sell them as special parts.

Define "swampy" ?

thealien666 wrote:Define "swampy" ?

Well............how can I define swampy.......

It's just like sitting down on an old sofa and "sink" down................or walking through the forrest after a heavy rain.
The best would be playing on a P 08. Then you'd know what I like most and would like to have...............

The springs shouldn't be too strong and the stop shouldn't be too hard....... I would say, "medium" and comfortable...........

I've actually played a P08 and know exactly why you would look for that kind of keyboard feel. It approaches the feel of a Minimoog D in perfect condition.

I don't know what brand of keyboard was used on the MM ? Possibly Fatar ?

It might also be a question of the condition of bushings, or damper felts that are starting to wear out on the MM ?

I don't know because the last time I played a Memorymoog was over thirty years ago in a music store ! And I really don't remember the feel of the keyboard. Although if it had been bad (like a cheap Casio) I would certainly remember that !

thealien666 wrote:I've actually played a P08 and know exactly why you would look for that kind of keyboard feel. It approaches the feel of a Minimoog D in perfect condition.

Kinda ! Yeah ! But far more better !!!!!

thealien666 wrote:

thealien666 wrote:I don't know what brand of keyboard was used on the MM ? Possibly Fatar ?

It might also be a question of the condition of bushings, or damper felts that are starting to wear out on the MM ?

I don't know because the last time I played a Memorymoog was over thirty years ago in a music store ! And I really don't remember the feel of the keyboard. Although if it had been bad (like a cheap Casio) I would certainly remember that !

I also played that bugger thirty years ago and it was NEW and swampy nonetheless.............I'll NEVER forget !!!

Wait a minute ! In another thread you wrote:

"I have a MM+ and have had about 3 P8's."

You can simply play your MM+ via MIDI on one of your P08 (if you still have them) ?


Or better yet, cannibalize a P08 to put its keyboard inside your MM+ ?

I doubt they keyboards are interchangeable. Not only will the matrix wiring be different, the MM key is a simple SDST momentary switch and the P'08 adds velocity.

MM keyboards were made by Panasonic. They were also in OB-8, PolySix, Poly61, and others and the things are a constant maintenance headache. It's the one thing I hate about my MM and I have been looking for a suitable replacement, preferably an old Pratt-Read assembly.

That Panasonic (early conductive rubber prototype?) keyboard is also in my Korg Mono/Poly, and it had the dreaded non-conductive rubber issue, but I fixed it permanently.
I've put spacers underneath the contact PCB to bring it closer to the contacting rubber, not too much, just enough to allow a little more pressure when pressing a key. Now, even after weeks of non key action, only a few movements of each key removes the triggering hesitations.

And I know it's not as simple as removing a keyboard and putting another one, especially another brand, inside a synth. Most of the time their incompatible, matrix wise and/or contact system wise as you described. Unfortunately.
I was being a little sarcastic...

thealien666 wrote:Wait a minute ! In another thread you wrote:

"I have a MM+ and have had about 3 P8's."

You can simply play your MM+ via MIDI on one of your P08 (if you still have them) ?


Or better yet, cannibalize a P08 to put its keyboard inside your MM+ ?

No it wasn't me who has written this. Maybe I'm a bit crazy, but that would go too far.
But yes I'm on the start to buy an additional desktop in the next time. But I'm struggling with myself if I should wait until the NAMM to see what's comin up.


As for the the replacement keyboard that was my very first question to my thech if it's possible and he said there must be only a PCB built like there is on the original. That's it, he said. (???)
He added also that the originals are a nightmare in comparison with what he's seeing day by day.
Canibalizing is a funny idea but its too expensive for that.

Sorry. You were the one that started the other thread I was referring to, but it was actually analogmadness that posted that he has a MM+ and had three P08 in that thread...

thealien666 wrote:Sorry. You were the one that started the other thread I was referring to, but it was actually analogmadness that posted that he has a MM+ and had three P08 in that thread...

That's absolutely NO PROBLEM
Noone must be ashamed for having three P 08s or s.o. who wrongly imputes the other one for having them.........
The other way would be if I'd be said to have DX7 or a Korg...............or..................an Ovation guitar........or.......a guitar with plastic strings......or...........a CP 70........ ................. ..............

I do have 2 Korgs, a Mono/Poly and a.........DW8000....., but I like them both (the DW is particularly good at analog strings, when properly programmed, and its analog filters are as good as an SSM2044). On the other hand, I certainly don't, and wouldn't want to, have a DX7 !

megavoice wrote:

thealien666 wrote:Define "swampy" ?

Well............how can I define swampy.......

It's just like sitting down on an old sofa and "sink" down................or walking through the forrest after a heavy rain.
The best would be playing on a P 08. Then you'd know what I like most and would like to have...............

I know what you mean about the MM keybed. I have the same unit in my OB-8. Feels kind of cheap and cheesy (IMHO) compared to the Pratt-read assembly like in my older Obie and SCI stuff.

I actually bought a five octave P-R key action with the intention of swapping the Panasonic keybed out. The DIP socket to interface the keyboard is the same, but the switching matrix in it is different... and so I'd have to rewire/re-jumper that (this one is setup for a Prophet 5). Tedious, but possible. Physically, it does fit and mount in the OB-8 just fine... not sure whether something like that might be an option for the MM? I could provide you with some measurements of the action and its mounting points if it helps.

Hmm.. the thought of a Synthfool Opto-Key mod for the Memorymoog is making my mouth water!