what should moog release next?

Paul Norheim · Post by **Paul Norheim** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:09 pm

What should Moog release next?

Honestly, I have no idea. The only thing I know is that it has to be something that helps them stay in business and survive the global recession. Thus I know for sure what they should NOT release, the item that currently has most votes: a polyphonic synth. A high quality polyphonic synth is not what consumers can afford during a recession.

This thread was initiated three years ago, and it`s interesting to see what Moog have released since then: a cheaper synthesizer (Little Phatty), a couple of foogers, a foot pedal and a guitar.
In addition they have their flagship Voyager, also in a rack mount version, and a theremin.

You may look at all of these products as parts of a modular system. Each of them can be connected, not to a center, but to several centra in the system: the moogerfoogers.

Get the Voyager, the CP-251, the VX-351 and a handful of foogers, and you have a small semi-modular system.

Get the Moog Guitar (ahem, if you can afford it) and a handful of foogers, and you have a modular guitar.

You may even connect it to a computer, and look at the software effects and instruments as components of a modular system - even the mouse and the speakers.

In due time, I hope that Moog will release a more modestly priced Moog Guitar.

I also hope that they will release a Little Phatty RME for 800-900 US$. Ideally, it should cost 750 $. More people would afford it during the recession, and the wealthy among us could order four for the price of one Voyager, and get a polyphonic synth with four voices. For the price of two Voyagers, you`d get eight voices...

But personally I voted for a drum machine. Why? Because that`s the lacking "module" in the Moog system. An analog drum machine that can be connected to the foogers and the synths and the foot pedal through CV and MIDI. Synthesizer players would buy it. But so would the guitarists and bass players plus musicians who don`t own anything yet from Moog.

PS
I voted for the drum machine, but I also agree with those who said that Moog should surprise us!

Bryan T · Post by **Bryan T** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:24 pm

I have a Little Phatty, a few Moogerfoogers, and the controller pedal. What would I like next? An affordable version of the Moog guitar.

Bryan

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:33 pm

I like running the Micro through the voyager for some duophony as well as for running their filters in a series. Having 1 filter doing a medium speed sample and hold while the other filter does a slow sweep makes for a grande evolution of folter goodness.

I would also buy their touchpad so that I could have a second touchpad to control something else. Having 6 different CV parameters at the touch of 2 fingers is something sweet.

I do think though that the Touchpad uses the digital means of the voyager to control the freq of the oscillators because when I route it as such I definately hear a zippering that I don't think would be there with strictly a cv version.

Paul what you are describing about the computer and mouse being part of a modular synth reminds of of Stephen Hawking saying that if we put robots on other planets that is essentially a form of human evolution.

EricK

Yeah, and also I totally haven't figured in the Moog guitar into to my what moog shoudl make list yet. It escaped me much like its price.

Voltor07 · Post by **Voltor07** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:54 pm

EricK wrote: Yeah, and also I totally haven't figured in the Moog guitar into to my what moog shoudl make list yet. It escaped me much like its price.

Right! It's the price of a Moog Polysynth Supreme!

Paul Norheim · Post by **Paul Norheim** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:48 am

EricK wrote: Paul what you are describing about the computer and mouse being part of a modular synth reminds of of Stephen Hawking saying that if we put robots on other planets that is essentially a form of human evolution.

Well Eric, since the guys at Moog Music occasionally surprise us by making thinks the music community didn`t expect (like the Moog Guitar and the foot controller), perhaps they should consider making a sophisticated RME controller with a joystick, from which you can control those robots on other planets, simultaneously with controlling filters, LFO`s and other stuff on the brand new Voyager Video Synthesizer?

Move the joystick to the left, and the robot turns to the left and the delay time speeds up; move it to the right, and the robot walks to the right and the ringmod goes wild, etc...

We`ll see - perhaps in the next century...

But seriously, if you look at the development of Moog Music in the last years, they seem to have a strategy of combining guitar related equipment with keyboard related equipment, with the foogers made useful for both instruments.

And I think their next step should be to integrate rhythmic based equipment like drum machines and sequencers into this system.

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 9:13 am

If you ever go to Mooginc.com youll notice that they make electronics subsystems folr satellites and other millitary cratf. They also make componants for Rocket Dashboards...essentially freaking Moog spaceships.

AND the best part is that they are a cousin of Robert Moog.

See, I tried to tell you guys that it was alien tgechnology but you wouldn't believe me.

I hope you are right about the sequencers. Moog did have a knack for the controller aspect too.

Klopfgeist · Post by **Klopfgeist** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:17 pm

I vote for an analog step sequencer in a 2 space rackmount form (with wood side panels), essentially the size of 2 cp-251's. 16 steps, each with one red led, one small metal toggle switch, and one classic Moog knob. It could also have a MIDI In so you could use a computer pattern editor and drop patterns into it (MIDI MuRF style) and maybe several on board preset sequences.

Also, what about a ControllerFooger? 2 rack space unit with a voltage joystick, touchpad, 4 faders, and some type of metering. Each control section would have a CV out.

I don't think a drum machine would be a good choice because if the new LinnDrum comes out anyone in the market for an analogue drum machine will buy that, and it would cost too much to have a wide market appeal. But it would essentially be a Polyphonic synth with a Sequencer, so it could kill to birds with one stone.

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 11:07 pm

Elgee Noro wrote:A Taurus I module with patch-memory ??? The German firm MAM (see the link: [/url]http://www.mam-germany.de/ )
planned to it back in 2002 but they are now with Terratec and their Sine series of modules ( former MAM )

Nah, Moog would never do something crazy like that.

Portamental · Post by **Portamental** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:21 am

A field upgrade for the LP CV out mod or DIY instructions (preferred). In a document similar to 'Hot rod your Etherwave Theremin', maybe showing other CV points of interest as well.

Ringgg Riinnnnnnnnng..... Is it morning already?

Oh man, I just had this dream involving a soldering iron....

Voltor07 · Post by **Voltor07** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:33 am

Portamental wrote:A field upgrade for the LP CV out mod or DIY instructions (preferred). In a document similar to 'Hot rod your Etherwave Theremin', maybe showing other CV points of interest as well.

Ringgg Riinnnnnnnnng..... Is it morning already?

Oh man, I just had this dream involving a soldering iron....

SOMEBODY had to say it...I'm just glad it wasn't me. I don't think the Moog Crew likes me all that much...I'm about as popular at the factory as I am on this forum.

moremagic · Post by **moremagic** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:05 pm

Klopfgeist wrote:f the new LinnDrum comes out anyone in the market for an analogue drum machine will buy that

Come again? The LinnDrum was so popular because it was the first widely available digitally controlled drum machine to play real drum samples

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:23 pm

Yeah they were supposed to be reissuing a modern version, aparently that went out with the bathwater.

superd2112 · Post by **superd2112** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:25 pm

I would like to see a no-frills, modernized version of the Memorymoog. I have owned an Alesis Andromeda and I did not care for the build quality or the built-in digital effects, and I have played the Dave Smith Prophet 08 SE which had better build quality than the Alesis, but I felt the Curtis filters sounded a bit thin compared to the Moog filters. It wouldn't need extensive routing or modulation capabilities (after all, most of us would mainly be using it for massive pads & so forth), and 30 (or less) memory slots would work just fine. Keep the classic Moog sound, offer a choice of wood or plastic side panels, use a Little Phatty/Taurus III-style interface, and keep the price under $2,500.00, and I believe this baby would sell...

moognase · Post by **moognase** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:28 pm

A new duophonic Micromoog with an 8 step sequencer/drum machine combo thing with drone and trigger and a cool ribbon controller under the keys, with "Solar" orange sides and blue LED's.

Voltor07 · Post by **Voltor07** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:45 pm

superd2112 wrote:I would like to see a no-frills, modernized version of the Memorymoog. I have owned an Alesis Andromeda and I did not care for the build quality or the built-in digital effects, and I have played the Dave Smith Prophet 08 SE which had better build quality than the Alesis, but I felt the Curtis filters sounded a bit thin compared to the Moog filters. It wouldn't need extensive routing or modulation capabilities (after all, most of us would mainly be using it for massive pads & so forth), and 30 (or less) memory slots would work just fine. Keep the classic Moog sound, offer a choice of wood or plastic side panels, use a Little Phatty/Taurus III-style interface, and keep the price under $2,500.00, and I believe this baby would sell...

How in the world are they going to build a polysynth for less than 2500? I see such an animal going in excess of $6000. There are numerous threads explaining the reasons for such an "outrageous" price, so I won't go into that here.