Moog Music Forum

Can any one tell me why Moog keyboards are monophonic. It seems like such a waste of potential ! !

You didn't read the monophonic keyboard chops thread, did you? A lot of it is tied up in the history of synthesizers. I'm sure others here will get into that. Sorry I don't have any answer of my own! I just happen to be up at 4 AM...

Listen, I don't want any long, lengthy posts about how synths aren't tradtional instruments and so on. I just think the Moog keyboards should play chords as well. That's one of my favorite things about synths, the way they can produce some of the most mind-altering, beautiful harmonies.

Besides the excellent points made in the other thread, size and cost are the 2 big reasons. If the Voyager was polyphonic you'd need a forklift to move it and it would cost as much as a car. If you need a polyphonic Voyager you can add the RMEs to it or buy a modular.

you can track up harmonies with monos one at the time or tune the 3 oscs on a voyager to make chords. But its not all about chords is it? There are ways to hint at harmony without having to play chords.

Also look at the dsi polyevolver. 4 note poly? whats all that about? useless to me a poly needs to be at least 5 note to be useful. It doesnt bother me you cant play chords on a mono as i dont expect it to. if you want a moog poly buy a memorymoog or buy a voyager with extra rme's to use as voice expanders. If you want a moog poly youll need to cough up the cash or wait till a new moog poly appears.


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devan wrote:Can any one tell me why Moog keyboards are monophonic. It seems like such a waste of potential ! !

You might consider a Virus then, instead...


rachel

also the mg-1 has a 10-voice polyphonic organ sound. bam

Those synths with all of that sweet sounding mind altering beautiful harmonies don't sound quite as good as a Moog either.

You don't buy a violin so you can get 10 note stacked chords. A violin does what a violin does and a Moog does what a Moog does.

This debate has been going on since the first Monophonic synths hit the market.

devan wrote:Can any one tell me why Moog keyboards are monophonic. It seems like such a waste of potential ! !

Getting back to the original question, the simple answer is simply cost!

Look at the circuitry involved in the Voyager or even the Little Phatty.

There are was to do this, such as with the Andromeda where custom IC's are manufactured (ASIC's, etc) but thenyou will get some complaints about it lacking "warmth", etc....

I haven't looked inside of the Voyager but in general descrete compnents oscillators are known to be warmer (because they are not as stable) where as an oscillator on a chip (all components on the same substrate) will be smaller (and less "warm/fat").

I suppose if MoogMusic wanted to build a poly synth, the AFFORDABLE solution would be to use an oscillator on an IC, along with IC filters, etc but bear in mind that Moog's are also know for their unique ladder filter......

That is not an entirely bad idea (and maybe this is how the voyager is internally, I don't know) as you could put everything on an IC or simply buy them from a manufacturer of such chips - such as curtis, the exception being the filter if they expect to keep it "sounding like a Moog".

This is the method used by Dave Smith in the Evolvers, use as many off the shelf components as possible, but then they have sound of their own.

So, it may also be a matter of what compromises are acceptable to the potential customer.

I own an Andromeda and I think it sounds pretty warm and organic, especially if you turn off Background/Temp tune. If you want really soft and warm sound keep the Pre-Filter mixer below 50 on the VCO:s otherwise it can sometimes sound a bit harsh. The A6 might not be as fat as Model D, Prophet~5 but a lot better then all the VA:s out there. But then again the Voyager isn’t as warm and fat as the original Model D. And take the Memorymoog… uses Curtis VCO:s and envelopes but moog filter. It does not sound as fat as the Model D

I just bought a DSI P.E.K and I think it is a fantastic new analogue polysizer. It really got that Sequential sole. I have been able to recreate my favourite Prophet sounds plus a lot of other cool stuff. I have no problem playing small three key string chords even four sounds good.
The only thing I don’t like is that the envelopes are too fast. At low settings (lower then 10) you hear a popping sound in the beginning of the sound. Especially if the Cut-off is turned down.

Both the P.E.K and A6 are excellent polysizers with a lot of nice features to a reasonable price.

Kind regards
Demokid

Personally, I have an old Oberheim Matrix 6R linked to a Matrix 1000, giving a massive 12-voice analog (with digital control) synth. It's not a 12-voice Moog, but it sounds pretty darn close and costs far less than 12 Voyagers!

devan wrote:Listen, I don't want any long, lengthy posts about how synths aren't tradtional instruments and so on. I just think the Moog keyboards should play chords as well. That's one of my favorite things about synths, the way they can produce some of the most mind-altering, beautiful harmonies.

It is what it is. If you don't like it, buy the Virus. Why do some people wish the Voyager would be something that it isn't? (Gee, why can't they make the Virus an analogue synth? Why must it be digital? What's with a saxophone? Why can't they make it play chords? The tuba. . .why can't it play higher notes? It's so limiting just playing bass notes. What a waste of potential!)

why are nearly all flutes, saxophones and so on only monophonic? Such a waste of potential

the interesting thing about monophonic synthesizers is their ability to be controlled in subtle and not so subtle ways.

on the voyager, you can play a note with your right hand, simultaneously control the pitch and vibrato with your left hand and control the filter with your nose on the touchscreen.

can't do that with a glass harmonica.

moog has made some polyphonic synthesizers. It's just that, in oder to make the instrument polyphonic, you have to have more oscillators and route them differently...now, if you've ever played a voyager or an old modular, you know that you can detune each individual oscillator so you can play a chord. So, you still have that option...it's just not the traditional way of playing a chord on a piano or the likes...