So the Moog One has finally been launched, although it comes with a hefty price tag ($5,999/$7,999). The Moog One was announced earlier this month as a successor to the discontinued Memorymoog which the company produced from 1982-1985. Following its tradition Moog has not moved far from its design guidelines. Knobs, UX and materials are much the same as we have been accustomed to, but for many Moog One probably ends up being the synth that many hoped the Sub 37 to be. While the Sub 37 addressed the need for more physical controls (read more knobs) the Moog One tackles the crave for polysynths.
Moog appears to bet extensively on this new piece of hardware and has enrolled several astinguished musicians to give it go, most notably head maestro himself Ryuichi Sakamoto. As mentioned with the Moog One, this will be the company’s first analogue polysynth in over 30 years and in the new video below not only Sakamoto is live with the machine but also Dev Hynes and Suzanne Ciani.
In the 20-minute video, shot on both Super 8mm film and contemporary digital video, the film is a modern re-imagining of the original 1976 demo video for the Polymoog, Moog’s first polyphonic synthesizer. Exploring the electronic sound of the Moog One, and the transformational power of Listening, the film features some of the world’s most accomplished and creative artists: Jeff Bhasker, Suzanne Ciani, Chick Corea, Mike Dean, Robert Glasper, Dick Hyman, Dev Hynes, Mark Mothersbaugh, Mark Ronson, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Paris Strother.
The analog Moog One comes in two flavors – eight-voice and 16-voice. Each voice is made up of three VCOs, and two independent analog filters, while an extensive set of onboard effects allow for what Moog describes as “deeply layered, evolving soundscapes”. The Moog One is one of several new products from Moog this year, including a percussion synth called Drummer From Another Mother, a semi-modular synth, Grandmother, and an iOS version of its classic Model D instrument.
Moog describes the synth as being “tri-timbral” meaning that you could think of this as three analog polysynths in one. Each timbre can be addressed separately, with its own sequencer, its own arpeggiator, and its own set of effects.
Each of the Moog One’s 4 LFOs and 3 EGs have their own dedicated Destination Buttons for making modulation quick assignments on the front panel. Simply press the Destination on any LFO or EG, and the next knob you touch will set the modulation destination and amount.
For a modulation deep dive, the onboard Modulation Matrix provides immediate visual access to every possible combination of Moog One’s modulation sources, destinations, controllers, and transforms. The Modulation Matrix makes it easy to quickly program complex modulation paths while also giving an overview of all the modulation routings that have been set up in a given Preset.
ADDITIONAL CORE ASSETS AND SPECS
Up to 64 presets can be loaded into the front panel “Performance Set” module for instant selection, while thousands of presets can be stored to the instrument’s internal browser, complete with searchable categories, tags and notations.
With over 200 tactile front panel knobs and switches, Moog One is designed to simplify the process so that artistry is not hindered by technology. From the “Destination” button that invites the effortless creation of quick modulation assignments, to the onboard Mod Matrix that gives instant visual feedback for every possible combination of synthesis components within the system, each design element of Moog One has been chosen with care to inspire creativity through the freedom of unrestrained sonic exploration, say its makers.
- Three all new dual-output analog VCOs
- Ring modulation and FM
- Two independent analog filters (the usual ladder filter, but now also a state-variable filter/SVF for a wider range of sounds)
- Dual-source analog noise generator
- Analog mixer with external audio input
- Four LFOs
- Three envelope generators
- Effects, including Eventide reverbs (more on that below)
- Preset recall, with 64 performance-fiendly presets loaded right from the front panel (and thousands more via the browser)
- 200 front panel knobs and switches
- Mod Matrix for visual modulation patching (also more on that below)
- Easy-access “Destination” button – hit it, tweak something, and you get instant assignment
More:
https://www.moogmusic.com/news/moog-one-polyphonic-analog-synthesizer