Moog Music Forum

What are your hopes for a Bass version of the Moog Guitar?

To be honest, if I wanted sustaining bass I would probably just use a synth.

Harmonic blend... hmmm, would this work for low frequencies?

Bass technique is usually staccato and the instrument is rarely strummed, so the auto-mute might not be so functional.

Sorry to be so negative/pessimistic, but can you think of any benefits?

I would because I got my start as a bass player. It would have to have these specs though

1. It would have to have at least 6 strings
2. It would have to cost less than 1 thousand dollars per string.

lolol

Less than a grand per string? Not from Moog! Perhaps you could get Roland to build one?

Perhaps if Kevin Lightner can put some CV ins and outs on this then maybe one of those Moog stickers, cause this is about all I can afford.

Here's the latest cutting edge in bass guitar technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdJTIwFokqA

HB3 wrote:Here's the latest cutting edge in bass guitar technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdJTIwFokqA

Thank you HB3 - as a bassist, this is one of the funniest things I've seen in awhile. One of these through a Moogerfooger or two would sound killer!

Well I guess it has to be at least as hard to play as a trombone, but what an amazing sound this guy gets. I wonder if he could keep in key and really do a bass line, he sounds pretty good to me.

Well I do have a spare one, the Roland whatever they call that box the VG 66 and the latest Axxon. I just don't know. What's sacrilege anyway?

Looks like there is room for it, with 3 cables coming out of it you could do some killer stuff with it. That's without playing a separate synth as well.

I'll have to see if the Hex Pickup gets messed up by the Moog's Vo system whatever that is.

That would be an out from the Moog guitar to it's pedal, and output for the Piezo that's built in and then the Output from the GK3. God I used to think a Tape Delay was an amazing add on, this would be one incredible system.

Then add a few external controllers and you would have an electronic orchestra at your fingertips.

Jason if you are reading this I really am thinking of doing it so if you know it won't work call me.
Stuart

not sure this would work. have you ever tried to use e-bow on a bass? strings are too massive to really respond.

otolathe wrote:not sure this would work. have you ever tried to use e-bow on a bass? strings are too massive to really respond.

Vo power isn't an e-bow. They could tune the electronics to vibrate thicker strings, and I am positive that it could be done, but at what cost?

Voltor, would you happen to know the patent number(s) for Vo Power?

otolathe wrote:Voltor, would you happen to know the patent number(s) for Vo Power?

Not off the top of my head, but it should be easy to find, as patent numbers are public domain.

Voltor, if you look up this patent, I think it becomes apparent that what is claimed is that "Vo Power" is a system of controlling signals from a transducer, whether that transducer is electromagnetic or piezoelectric. Therefore, I do not believe that this patent is relevant to the behavior of the more massive bass string in an electromagnetic field. I'm no electrical engineer, but it seems intuitive that you would have to have a stronger electromagnetic field to sustain the vibration of a more massive string. The e-bow may not be capable of this because it is powered by a 9V battery (in contrast, you plug your Moog Guitar into the 120V wall outlet), but certainly this remains a physical consideration for a putative Moog Bass.

otolathe wrote:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/362 ... 76c2_b.jpg

Voltor, if you look up this patent, I think it becomes apparent that what is claimed is that "Vo Power" is a system of controlling signals from a transducer, whether that transducer is electromagnetic or piezoelectric. Therefore, I do not believe that this patent is relevant to the behavior of the more massive bass string in an electromagnetic field. I'm no electrical engineer, but it seems intuitive that you would have to have a stronger electromagnetic field to sustain the vibration of a more massive string. The e-bow may not be capable of this because it is powered by a 9V battery (in contrast, you plug your Moog Guitar into the 120V wall outlet), but certainly this remains a physical consideration for a putative Moog Bass.

Cool, Thanks for that link. What you say and what the patent says confirms that a Moog bass could, in fact, be possible. Especially if rare earth magnets are incorporated into the pickup design. That would make the pickups much more powerful. Perhaps changes to the alloy of the string would make it more reactive, as well. However, I tend to agree with latigid on's perspective...if I want sustained bass, I'll just use a synth.