Moog Music Forum

From time to time I am tempted to buy a Moog Voyager. I have to admit that the more I hear this instrument, the more I want one. I grew up on the sounds of the Minimoog from bands like Pink Floyd and Yes and it many ways, whenever I think of a synthesizer from now distant memories, it is often the sound of the miinimoog that I am remembering.

At the moment I am thinking of both upgrading my music needs to a Macbook Pro (to create platform for my soft synths - I have many) and a modular synth.

I currently own a Korg M3 which I do like but its more oriented towards giving the musican a bunch of great sounds out of the box that can be used for performance. Being an experimental music composer/musican, I am looking to add somethng more "out of the box" to my music. Clearly, a modular can do that but frankly, when I have thought about what I can use a modular for, I have not specific application.

I also have a rack of Moogerfoogers that I have been running a guitar and my M3 through but it would seem to me the classic mariage would be my foogerers and a Voyager expecially with a CV expansion box.

I also feel that at times I get to lost in the technology pouring over user manuals and not enough musicanship which has to be part of my composiing. The Voyager is geat for that. It's portable and its very playable and all the programing stuff is right there in front. All accesible and all of it can become part of a performance.

So this is why I post this. Should I go

1 - with a Macbook Pro - a utilitarian decision
2 - A full blown modular - a move into uncharted territory
3 - a Minimoog - a move into new but familiar musican territory

Any help would be welcome. I don't know why but for some reason, the Voyager keeps sticking in my mind and I can't seem to get it out.

A few other questions.

First - why does the Voyager sound so good? OK, perhaps this sounds silly but this is an outstanding instrument (not just a synth - an instrument). It seems to have that special feel of an instrument.

Second - for those who have the expansion CV box or boxes, how much sonic territory can I cover with a Voyager, the expansion boxes and moogerfoogers? Do I really need a modular?

OK, any help would be appreciated. Believe me, I have been tempted so many times just to get onto my music retailers web site and get one. I would be here to me in a short time and I know what to do with it when it comes. I will excercise some restraint. I guess I just need some feedback and these boards have been a great place for that. I am happy to be part of the family of Moog product users and this is a big move for me. These synthesizers are not cheap but I would really love to have one.

I have a hybrid.
I use a Voyager, Foogers and a modular all tied together.
In many aspects, the Foogers are part of my modular. A CP251 covers 7 modular functions on it's own. The 351 allows easy interfacing of them all. As the need arises, I'm adding modules. I find my modular ring mod is a lot less expensive than Moog's, I've already got all the other functions.
I don't have a computer in my studio so I can't comment on a MAC purchase.
I could have lived without the modular if I spent the money on all the Foogers, But it is actually cheaper to build a modular with all those functions than to buy all the foogers. The 251 costs about the same as the 7 module functions. That is a wash and the 251 has the ability to be used out of the modular cabinet.

One more point.
If you really understand what is happening with the knobs on a Minimoog or ARP, the modular will be a whole lot easier to figure out.
If you don't understand signal flow, lots of head scratching is sure to follow with the modular.
I've got some nice lessons to help understand what triggers, gates, linear and exponential CV's do. What each section does and how.
I can rewrite them to most analog synths.

I think semi modular style is a good way to go in the start..

I just upgraded from using only softsynths + desktop pc to macbook pro, voyager OS and virus TI...all at the same time bout a month ago

Ive had no CV or prior analog hardware experience but let me tell you the voyager is everything i have hoped for... nothing more to be said bout the sound.makes the virus sound and interface seem puny...CV is just sooo much fun!!! I got the vx 351 and i am already doing crazy stuff ( at this early stage at least) like using S+H to trigger envelopes and then have pressure controlling the rate of lfo and then you mite could duplicate those signals and send them to other places and much more...there really is already so much you can do with just that... im just getting my head into motu's volta (which is mac only check it out if u havnt heard of it..ull flip..sending cv signals from daw through your sound card), now i can imagine that with the cp251 and its ability to mix CV means you got way to many possiblities right there...ANYWAY point im getting at is inspite of all this i like havin the voyager all hardwired and ready to go without having to patch anything in...also by going semi modulari figured in time I might start seeing the limitations in terms of patching and signal flow and mite then have a better idea what I would wanna get out of a full blown modular if I were to get one in the future..and dont forget those could also interface with the voyager

Im now considering selling my virus TI...im thinking with the 2000$ i would get from that i could get some very cool cv controllable effects like sherman filterbank...moog delay + ringmod..vermona retroverb... that would just open up the voyager sound to completely new dimensions for a long long time...
That or just wait till Waldorf Stomberg comes out and get that instead...analog is gr8 but gotta love them wavetables

I would say upgrade your computer first if you find that it is suffering. But if your current computer can last a while longer I would go for the Voyager. Consider a used Voyager maybe? Used ones can occasionally be had under $2000.

The modular, in my opinion, can wait until after the purchase of the Voyager and new Mac. But of course it's completely personal. Its impossible for us to know which you will find the most useful.

Lux_Seeker wrote:when I have thought about what I can use a modular for, I have not specific application.

After I bought a Voyager I started watching a lot of modular videos.

I liked some of the sounds they made, but mostly loved the look of the futuristic sci-fi lab.

After thinking about it for awhile though I decided not to go modular, mainly because I have no real use for it in my music.

I think the main fascination with modulars is creating new and unusual configurations. But for making powerful music, I just don't know any artists using modulars that way.

Lux_Seeker wrote:the Voyager keeps sticking in my mind and I can't seem to get it out.

I'm so with you there man. My wife got super sick of hearing me talk about getting one.

I think if you have the money, buy a Voyager, you'll finally stop suffering and be ecstatic to finally own one.

Besides, you said you want to upgrade your computer, which means you already have one. I think a computer upgrade takes a back seat to a Voyager.

Good luck with whatever you decide

Second the used Voyager. There are a lot of good deals out there right now. If you're anywhere near a major city Craigslist may deserve a look.

If you go retail there are some pretty good promotions out there too.

It's everything you think it is, and much more. Maybe not as gritty as a Model D but I never owned one back in the day and I don't really care.

The Voyager is what Dr. Moog intended as his legacy. That's good enough for me.

To give the other (non-Voyager) side of the argument...

Subtronik wrote:I think the main fascination with modulars is creating new and unusual configurations. But for making powerful music, I just don't know any artists using modulars that way.

Vince Clarke, Hans Zimmer, Radiohead, Richard Devine, Billy Corgan, Nine Inch Nails, VNV Nation, Velvet Acid Christ, Wendy Carlos, Isao Tomita...to name a few.

I think the problem with youtube videos is that a lot of times the focus is more on what a particular piece of gear can do, how it works or what it sounds like. 'Music' tends to take a back seat to that and is a subjective thing anyway. I think people see some dude making bleeps and bloops with their modular and think that that's all they're good for. Using the same criteria the Voyager would only be good for boring prog wankery and we all know that isn't the case.

In reality a modular is just a very flexible monosynth. They can do the same basses and leads any other monosynth can do with the added bonus of not locking you into one specific sound. For example I have a Moog based filter, a Korg based filter, a Polivoks based filter and a filter based on the Steiner Synthacon so I can get more variety in the sounds my modular makes than what I can get out of my Voyager.

If your interest is in experimental music you can't go wrong with a modular. They're extremely flexible. I use mine to process external audio, as multiple monosynths and as a self playing noisebox. When I was thinking about putting a modular together I was 50/50 on how useful it would be. After getting it up and running it's become the centerpiece of my setup. I had considered the Voyager/VX/CP/MF route for a while but felt like while I would get some more mod routings I would still be limited by the Voyager's basic architecture.

The only downside to using a modular is no patch storage and documenting your patches can be an excruciating endeavor. Well that and always wanting new modules.

That aside I also have a Macbook Pro and a Voyager OS. The Voyager is a beautifully constructed instrument and I don't imagine I'll ever get rid of it but I also don't use it as often as I should. My MBP is 3 years old and has no problem running the most recent audio software.

This is an older picture from a time when I had most of my gear in storage. Even with this small setup I was still fairly productive. Maybe you should get a modular and a Voyager. In the end though it really comes down to which one you feel you'll be most productive with.

Modulars and other synths are not often seen on stage but are instrumental in the artist's sound. I think a lot of people don't realize that a modular is often used as an acquisition source. Samples from modulars are loaded into MPCs, Ableton Live, FL, Electribes, etc. and are then mixed and mangled to make music. A Voyager is great for slicing.

The Mac can wait. If you are desperate to get a Mac, G4's and G5's can be had for insanely low prices, and still offer plenty of processing power. Applications may be getting hard to come by, but I could be wrong about that.

Voyager? Don't have one myself...yet. Nor do I have a modular. However, eventually I WILL have both. On top of my LP and Taurus pedals and assorted 'Foogers as well as a host of non-Moog analog and a pinch of non-analog gear. I say get the Voyager before anything else. You can always buy a module or two if you get a killer deal on the Voyager.

That's the nice thing about modulars. Buy a module, learn how to use it, buy another module, learn it, buy another, and another, etc. Very versatile.

I want a MAC, purely because I have despised windows ever since they killed MSDOS.

I own a Voyager and while I can't answer your question, I know that when you get on another synth and you are familliar enough with synthesis to know how to get what you want, then you really find yourself wishing for that knob per function interface. I toyed with a Roland Fantom and wanted to tweak all kinds of things....the Voyager just makes life easier. Plus those filters and envelopes really sound great. Its all about the instrument that grows on you i guess.

Modular is good too, but the Voyager for me is the interface of my intended modular system, the more portable "heart".

Im interested to know which way you go.

Eric

jon_kull wrote:Nine Inch Nails, VNV Nation, Velvet Acid Christ...to name a few

Do you have any video links of these artists using modulars in any of their hits? I don't care about the ambient or experimental artist. I'm more interested in the techno industrial hits produced with modulars.

I've always wondered how modulars would fit into club type electronic music.

I watched Richard Devine play twice. He had his modulars sampled and played them on his laptop. He was quite good.

Subtronik wrote:

jon_kull wrote:Nine Inch Nails, VNV Nation, Velvet Acid Christ...to name a few

Do you have any video links of these artists using modulars in any of their hits? I don't care about the ambient or experimental artist. I'm more interested in the techno industrial hits produced with modulars.

I've always wondered how modulars would fit into club type electronic music.

Nine Inch Nails uses modulars in the studio. They are rather difficult to tour with, and people usually take vids and photos at the concerts, rarely the studios. Never seen pictures of Trent Reznor's studio, but I'd be surprised if it was lacking at least one modular. Also, Chemical Brothers use modulars. They've got a couple of Buchla System 100 cabinets with Kevin Lightner right now getting restored.

I saw NIN play a few years ago, and there was a small modular but I wasn't sure what it was. Since that time I know that his synth guy, Alessandro Cortini, has used Plan B/EAR.
http://www.synthtopia.com/news/06_07/Ni ... Modul.html