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Moog Subharmonicon review: An experimental synth with an iconic sound
The Subharmonicon indulges its experimental side more than other Moog synths. It's inspired by the Mixtur-Trautonium and the Rhythmicon a pair of early electronic music instruments. Those avant-garde roots show and can make it a bit daunting if you’re just looking for a quick fix of that iconic bass sound. But patience and persistence reveal that the Subharmonicon, for all of its complexity, is still classic Moog.
Moog introduces the Matriarch: A four-voice semi-modular analog synth
Like it has in years past, Moog is unveiling its latest synthesizer during Moogfest. The company's annual music and culture festival kicks off today in Durham, North Carolina, and when it does, Moog will be building the new Matriarch patchable four-note paraphonic analog synth on-site. A progression from the Mother-32 and Grandmother before it, the semi-modular Matriarch is loaded: built-in sequencer (256 steps), arpeggiator, stereo ladder filters and stereo analog delay. The company says you'll be able to make some noise instantly though, with "no patching required."
Moogfest celebrates music and the machines that make it
The synth-heavy Moogfest at SXSW (the main event is in May) is scheduled during the overlap of the festival's Interactive and Music tracks. That makes sense, because it's the perfect combination of music and technology. The pulsing tones of a synthesizer are born of musicians hunched over circuit boards and schematics, soldering and cutting, trying to get a sound that's just right. At the Austin club Cheer Up Charlies, Moogfest (rhymes with vogue) booked not only some amazing bands but also some folks who have taken their love of sine waves and created a business.
These $70 DIY synthesizers are a hobbyist's dream
For me, one of the most interesting parts of Moogfest is the Circuit Bending Challenge. Sure, the performances and tech demos are great, but it's always a treat to see what a community of tinkerers can come up with on a tight budget of $70. I've seen everything from a wearable helmet instrument to creations that look more like a compact analog machine. This year's finalists offer some of the most polished exterior designs I've seen over the last few competitions and all three have unique sounds to match.
Inside Moog's Minimoog Model D synth factory at Moogfest
When Moogfest kicked off in North Carolina this week, the company announced that the iconic Minimoog Model D was going back into production during the festival. What's more, the analog synths are being assembled on-site at the event right in the middle of a temporary Moog store that's chock full of audio gear. Being the curious folks that we are, we went to check it out the process inside the pop-up factory and watched a little bit of the magic happen in Durham.
With Kinect, I made a Grimes remix just by moving my hands
When it comes to electronic music, it's easy to see the ties between art and technology. In fact, that's pretty much the entire goal of Moogfest, a music festival that celebrates more than just its synthesizer roots. At this year's event, Microsoft teamed up with Moogfest to create an interactive installation that allows attendees to remix Grimes' "Realiti" by pushing on a mesh panel. Kinect cameras track a person's hand gestures to control different parts of the song.
Meet the Teenage Engineering PO-12: a $49 card-sized drum machine
Tucked neatly into a panel discussion at last week's Moogfest, Teenage Engineering outed its latest synthesizer effort. The unit, labeled the PO-12, was intended to be a giveaway during the festivities ("moogfest special" is printed on the built-in hang tag), but the units got caught up in a customs delay, so we're left with details nabbed by attendee Robert Pluma. Here's a quick rundown of some of the reported specs: a Silicon Labs 32-bit ARM microcontroller, wire stand that doubles as a pitch bender, 23 switches, two optimization knobs, beats-per-minute LED and 1/8-inch audio jacks. There also appears to be options for hip-hop, disco and techno on the gadget that's said to be priced at $49.
Moog remakes the massive Emerson modular synthesizer 50 years later
How do you celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bob Moog's the first voltage controlled synthesizer? By completely recreating it five decades later, of course. The folks at Moog revealed the new Emerson Moog Modular System this weekend at Moogfest. This research and construction project took three years to complete, culminated with the building of the 2014 edition of Keith Emerson's Moog Modular System (Emerson being of Emerson, Lake & Palmer fame). Using the original schematics, hand-soldering, traditional wiring techniques and even photo-etching the aluminum front panels (a much less common process these days), engineers were able to remake the highly customized instrument from the internals to the aesthetics. Heck, Emerson even used the unit in what he said may be one of his last live performances Thursday night. What's more, Moog plans to build "a handful" of these new Emerson systems and offer them for purchase. As you might expect, you'll have to call the factory for pricing which likely means it's a bit outside of nearly all price ranges. Early reports have the list price at $90,000, but Moog has yet to announce a figure. While you're sorting your funds though, we were able to take a look in person, and you can scroll through those images in the gallery below. And you can hear Emerson's original modular system in the tune "Lucky Man."
This DIY synthesizer cost $70 to build and it sounds amazing
What could you build with a budget of $70? For George Gleixner, it's a homemade battery-powered synthesizer. One that's constructed using a circuit bent a children's Hing Hon EK-001 squarewave keyboard no less. What's circuit bending you ask? Well, Reed Gazala pioneered the process back in the mid-90s which modifies (read: bends) the original circuits of keyboards, drum machines and even children's toys to create new sounds that vary from its original use. Each year at Moogfest, as an homage to founder Bob Moog, there's a circuit bending competition in which entrants hack together their instruments for a shot at maker glory. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the larger festival attracts electronic music's finest, like Kraftwerk and Dan Deacon, that could end up peeking the goods too. This time around, Mr. Gleixner took the top prize and we caught up with him to see the inner workings of his creation.
Invisible's 'The New Obsolete' showcases self-constructed instruments, touts a typewriter-driven piano (video)
If you're hip to repurposing old tech for new inventions, Invisible is right up your alley. The Greensboro-based unit calls themselves a "mechanical music museum" and "a reverse engineered folk science daydream" when describing their elaborate set of sound-making contraptions and recycled video equipment. The outfit's effort The New Obsolete was part of the Moogfest happenings this weekend, and our curiosity was immediately piqued. This particular performance is labeled as "an exploded view of the strange romance between humans and technology." Among all of the self-constructed instruments is the Selectric Piano: a typewriter that uses both computer and piano parts to control a keyboard. Each keystroke by the typist corresponds to a note added to collective soundscape and a mounted video camera allows the audience to keep tabs on the textual component. The project also showcases an object known as Elsewhere's Roof. The device controls a set of drum and percussion tools with water dropping into a few rather hi-tech Mason jars. In addition to arsenal of noise makers, multi-channel video and library of collected audio (via tape decks and turntables, of course) rounds out the lot. We were able to catch one of the stellar showings, so hit the gallery below for a look at the wares while a snippet of the action awaits beyond the break.
Visualized: Inside Moog's Sound Lab
As touring acts grow weary from their travels across the US of A, Moog has a spot for them to get re-energized. Inside the synth maker's North Carolina headquarters sits a room that's decked out with the company's analog tech and effects (including a Model 15 synthesizer) -- waiting for musicians who are on the road to stop by for a visit. It's here in the Sound Lab where the likes of Mutemath, Phantogram, OK Go and Ra Ra Riot grab their Moog gear of choice to re-imagine some of their existing tracks. For a look at all of the sound-scaping tools on display, mosey into the gallery below for a virtual visit. %Gallery-169365%
Moog's LEV-96 sensoriactuator prototype wields touch control of 96 simultaneous harmonics, we go eyes-on (video)
Late last week, Moog outed its LEV-96 sensoriactuator prototype and offered a glimpse at its latest R&D unit. Even though it's still in the early phases of beta-testing, we were able to stop by the Moog Music factory for a closer look and a brief glimpse of the gear in action ahead of its appearance at Moogfest. While the unit is installed on acoustic guitars for the time being, the company says that similar tech can be used on other acoustic instruments and eventually to other surfaces -- this is just the current manifestation. Since the tech modifies the guitar's natural harmonics and string vibrations, the LEV-96 is getting cozy on both traditional acoustic guitars and those outfitted with pickups in its present state. As far as controls go, the entire unit is capacitive touch-enabled from the moment a finger swipe powers it on. Sliders allow for adjusting the intensity, harmonics and note duration while the other buttons enable arpeggio presets and modulation that includes tremolo and random harmonic tweaks. Those sliders remain in play when a preset is activated, serving to enable further adjustments on selected There is a lock button, too, so that you don't accidentally make a switch mid-strum. All of these finger-friendly surfaces work alongside two pairs of electromagnetic pickup channels per string to wrangle the 96 simultaneous harmonics. Magnets work to either increase of decrease the string's motion, bringing out vibrational modes that have always been in-play on acoustic instruments, but have never been offered the power needed to make 'em sing. The folks at Moog are quick to remind us that the LEV-96 is still in its infancy, but you can rest assured we'll be keeping an eye our for what develops. For a peek at the tech in action, head on past the break for a really quick demo that we kept brief due to that fact that this is an early prototype.%Gallery-169322%
Visualized: A look inside Moog's analog synthesizer factory
While we're waiting for Moogfest to officially kick off this weekend, we stopped by the headquarters of Moog Music in Asheville, North Carolina to catch a glimpse of the analog action. The entire company is housed in one building that includes design, assembly, testing, engineering, service and a warehouse for all of the handmade electronics. Despite having all of its departmental bases covered, the outfit is still only comprised of about 50 folks total. However, the workshop-esque facility is poised to crank out 10,000 instruments over the course of the year that cover synths, stomp boxes, guitars and more. We took a stroll around the factory floor (and we were lucky enough to spot the screen-printed, Moogfest-exclusive Theremins), so dive in to the gallery below for a behind-the-scenes look at the construction process.
Moog shows off LEV-96 sensoriactuator prototype on an acoustic guitar
Moogfest isn't happening for another week, but the synth-maker couldn't wait to take the wraps off of its latest bit of technology. Still in the early days of beta-testing ,the LEV-96 is a far cry from the classic analog instruments we've come to associate with Moog. The company is showing off the sensoriactuator in its early stages by affixing it to a guitar, with two pickup channels beneath each of the acoustic's strings. The strings' vibrations trigger the sound, with the device "bring[ing] out hidden modes of vibration that have always been there, but were never energized in a direct manner," according to the company -- in all, the system is capable of managing up to 96 simultaneous harmonics. On the LEV-96, you'll find touch-based control sliders, which let the player adjust intensity, harmonics and note duration. Additional triggers let you change arpeggio presets and modulation (tremolo and random harmonics), while a lock button makes sure you don't adjust anything by accident. Moog is careful to point out that the LEV-96 we're seeing (still being referred to as a "concept project") is just the tip of the iceberg, and "could easily be affixed to any surface or material." The company has promised to show the concept in action soon, including an appearance at Moogfest on October 26th and 27th in the company's home of Asheville, North Carolina. For more info consult the source link below.
