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Submitted via IRC for Fnord666
Moog brings back its legendary Model 10 'compact' modular synth
Moog regularly releases new and exciting instruments like the Matriarch and Sirin. But it also has a rich history of iconic instruments that it's not afraid to tap into. For example, the Minimoog Model D. But its latest adventure into its archives is a bit of a different beast. Rather than bring back an iconic keyboard found on countless pop records, it's reviving the Model 10 -- a "compact" modular synth built around the 900-Series Oscillator that was the foundation of Wendy Carlos' immortal Switched-On Bach. ([engadget] Editor's Note: Why is this not on any streaming services!?)
[...] Inside its black tolex-covered wood cabinet are 11 different modules that can be connected in various ways create a whole world of rich synth tones. There are three 900-Series oscillators, as well as the legendary 907 Fixed Filter Bank, which is a large part of what gives vintage Moog synths their iconic sound.
All of these components are assembled and soldered by hand down in Asheville, NC. But the bad news: The Model 10 will only be available for a limited time and is being made to order. Those three things mean it does not come cheap. It's available through select Moog dealers starting at $9,950. So yeah, it's a hardcore enthusiasts only kind of purchase. But, that's probably a bargain compared to a vintage Model 10... if you can track one down that is.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Friday September 20 2019, @12:29AM (4 children)
I bought a MiniMoog back in 1985, and its components were... not very durable. It was fun while it lasted, made all kinds of cool sounds, but the repeatability was not great - lots of "fiddle time" to get back to something you liked the first time, and some things like the random source (think: the Baba O'Riley ending solo) really do never come out the same twice, by design.
All in all, if I were to get back into it, I'd rather invest my time in a software based system that I could feed in a repeatable random seed - so if I got something I really liked, I could get it again. Not to mention the fact that a software system could synthesize the analog waveforms at 192KHz 32 bits, as fully polyphonic as you want, 100% clean every time: no grit in the slide-pots, unless that's your jam and then they can emulate that too.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by ilPapa on Friday September 20 2019, @02:28AM (3 children)
Don't get me wrong, Joe. I love soft-synths of all sorts. I still keep my hand in with doing music for artsy-type films and I use them all the time. They speed up the workflow and are very satisfying with good controllers (keyboard, matrix, etc).
I just have accumulated so much physical gear over the years, from Serge suitcase systems to a Mellotron that I have become attached to it from a sentimental standpoint. Plus, it makes a hell of a racket. I've got a couple of Steinberg filters that will rip your head off with resonance. You can never predict what they're going to do, which just adds to their charm IMO.
Someday, let me tell you the story of when I worked support for a crazy project John Eaton and Bob Moog were working on. I was just a kid, but they treated me like I was somebody, which is nice.
You are still welcome on my lawn.
(Score: 2) by mechanicjay on Friday September 20 2019, @07:48PM (2 children)
I certainly hope that someday is very close to this day, as I would very much like to hear this story!
My VMS box beat up your Windows box.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by ilPapa on Saturday September 21 2019, @03:46AM (1 child)
Since you asked so nicely...
I was at the University of Chicago, working in their music lab. It was very early days for this stuff, John Eaton was a resident composer and had this plan to develop an organ with a microtonal, multi-touch keyboard. In other words, it wasn't just the keypress, but it was a left to right and up and down motion on the keys as well as aftertouch and pressure and velocity and all sorts of stuff. Some of that is standard now on midi controllers, but this was way before all that. So, he knows Bob Moog, and invites him. So, they're in his studio working away and I'm down the hall in the music lab and I hear my name being called because they need an extra pair of hands for something. Eaton, who was a little gnome of a man with a gigantic Great Dane that used to accompany him to school every day, introduces me to Bob Moog and I'm like thunderstruck. I was to shocked to even gush over him and say what a fan I was. Anyway, long story short, I ended up working as his research assistant and got to be with them every day for a while and learned more about electronic music and voltage control and oscillators and filters and envelopes and whatnot than I'd ever imagined. At night, I was playing electronic music with weird Pere Ubu style bands in Chicago's punk clubs and during the day I was with these two geniuses. Pretty cool huh?
You are still welcome on my lawn.
(Score: 2) by mechanicjay on Monday September 23 2019, @10:25PM
My VMS box beat up your Windows box.