Moog Liberation
Encyclopedia
The Moog Liberation was the first commercially produced keytar
synthesizer
released in 1980 by Moog Music
. The instrument is comparable to the Moog Concertmate MG-1
and the Moog Rogue
but it is most closely related to the Moog Prodigy
; however, as a keytar the Liberation was designed to be played in the same posture as one would play a guitar
.
The Liberation featured two monophonic VCOs
and a polyphonic section that could play organ sounds. Both oscillators could be set to triangle, sawtooth, or square waveform
s and switched over a 3-octave
range. The Liberation's keyboard
was aftertouch
-sensitive and on its neck featured spring-loaded wheels for filter cutoff, modulation
, and volume
as well as a ribbon-controlled pitch bend
. The Liberation had a single VCF
and two ADS envelope generators. A 40-foot cable could connect the Liberation to its rackmounted half which housed the power supply and CV/Gate
output sockets.
Jean Michel Jarre
plays a Liberation on his recent DVD release of Oxygene Live In Your Living Room
, and it also appears in the bonus section with Jarre describing the instruments.
The Human League
used the Liberation during the songs Empire State Human, Being Boiled and Circus Of Death at the Wickerman Festival
in July 2009.
Other bands include: Didier Marouani of Space, Tom Coster of Santana
, Tommy Cyborg of Chrome, Devo
, Damon Edge of Chrome, Roy Goudie, Herbie Hancock
, Joy Electric
, Mark Jenkins, Bryce Kushnier of The Fancy Few - know across Canada as the Moog-King of the Cold Country, Ascites, Abuse Tactics, Light of the World, John Malloy, The Moog Cookbook, Danny Peyronel of British band UFO, Saga, Tom Schuman, Six Finger Satellite
, Stereolab, Spiral-Shaped Mind, Page McConnell of Phish, Jakobínarína, Saga (band)
Keytar
A keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stands...
synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
released in 1980 by Moog Music
Moog Music
Moog Music is an American company based in Asheville, North Carolina which manufactures electronic musical instruments. The current Moog Music is the second company to trade under that name.-R.A. Moog Co. and the original Moog Music:...
. The instrument is comparable to the Moog Concertmate MG-1
Moog Concertmate MG-1
- Background :The Realistic Concertmate MG-1 is an analog synthesizer manufactured by Moog Music in 1981. Though built by Moog, it was sold by Radio Shack from 1982 to 1983 under their "Realistic" brand name and it was produced without some standard Moog features, such as pitch and modulation...
and the Moog Rogue
Moog Rogue
The Moog Rogue is a monophonic analog synthesizer produced by the original Moog Music in the early 1980s, but, was not designed by Bob Moog. Very basic in its design and use, the Rogue featured a 32-note keyboard and two VCOs. VCO number 2 is tunable between a half-step below to an octave above...
but it is most closely related to the Moog Prodigy
Moog Prodigy
The Moog Prodigy was a synthesizer produced by Moog Music from 1979 to 1984. Of the 11,000 produced, versions released after 1981 included a control voltage/gate input on the back that allowed the VCF of the filter to be triggered and controlled by an external source.These later versions began at...
; however, as a keytar the Liberation was designed to be played in the same posture as one would play a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
.
The Liberation featured two monophonic VCOs
Voltage-controlled oscillator
A voltage-controlled oscillator or VCO is an electronic oscillator designed to be controlled in oscillation frequency by a voltage input. The frequency of oscillation is varied by the applied DC voltage, while modulating signals may also be fed into the VCO to cause frequency modulation or phase...
and a polyphonic section that could play organ sounds. Both oscillators could be set to triangle, sawtooth, or square waveform
Waveform
Waveform means the shape and form of a signal such as a wave moving in a physical medium or an abstract representation.In many cases the medium in which the wave is being propagated does not permit a direct visual image of the form. In these cases, the term 'waveform' refers to the shape of a graph...
s and switched over a 3-octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
range. The Liberation's keyboard
Musical keyboard
A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
was aftertouch
Keyboard expression
Keyboard expression often shortened to expression is the ability of a keyboard instrument to respond to the dynamics of the music or change the tone of the sound in response to the way that the performer depresses the keys of the musical keyboard...
-sensitive and on its neck featured spring-loaded wheels for filter cutoff, modulation
Modulation
In electronics and telecommunications, modulation is the process of varying one or more properties of a high-frequency periodic waveform, called the carrier signal, with a modulating signal which typically contains information to be transmitted...
, and volume
Volume
Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by some closed boundary, for example, the space that a substance or shape occupies or contains....
as well as a ribbon-controlled pitch bend
Portamento
Portamento is a musical term originated from the Italian expression "portamento della voce" , denoting from the beginning of the 17th century a vocal slide between two pitches and its emulation by members of the violin family and certain wind instruments, and is sometimes used...
. The Liberation had a single VCF
Voltage-controlled filter
A voltage-controlled filter is a filter whose operating characteristics can be controlled by means of a control voltage applied to one or more inputs...
and two ADS envelope generators. A 40-foot cable could connect the Liberation to its rackmounted half which housed the power supply and CV/Gate
CV/Gate
CV/Gate is an analog method of controlling synthesizers, drum machines and other similar equipment with external sequencers. The Control Voltage typically controls pitch and the Gate signal controls note on/off....
output sockets.
Jean Michel Jarre
Jean Michel Jarre
Jean Michel André Jarre is a French composer, performer and music producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and New Age genres, and known as an organiser of outdoor spectacles of his music featuring lights, laser displays, and fireworks.Jarre was raised in Lyon by his mother and...
plays a Liberation on his recent DVD release of Oxygene Live In Your Living Room
Oxygene: New Master Recording
Oxygène: New Master Recording, also known as Oxygène New Master Recording 2007 and Oxygène , is a new recording of an album by Jean Michel Jarre released in 2007, marking the 30th anniversary of the worldwide release of his album Oxygène, and is Jarre's fourteenth studio album...
, and it also appears in the bonus section with Jarre describing the instruments.
The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
used the Liberation during the songs Empire State Human, Being Boiled and Circus Of Death at the Wickerman Festival
Wickerman Festival
The Wickerman Festival is an annual music festival held near to Dundrennan in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Dubbed 'Scotland's Alternative Music festival', the festival will celebrate its 10th Birthday in 2011 on Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd July....
in July 2009.
Other bands include: Didier Marouani of Space, Tom Coster of Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
, Tommy Cyborg of Chrome, Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
, Damon Edge of Chrome, Roy Goudie, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Joy Electric
Joy Electric
Joy Electric is the brand label for a series of electropop/synth pop productions by Ronnie Martin. Martin began producing music under the Joy Electric name in 1994, after the demise of Dance House Children, a band Ronnie was in with his brother Jason Martin of Starflyer 59. Starflyer 59 bass player...
, Mark Jenkins, Bryce Kushnier of The Fancy Few - know across Canada as the Moog-King of the Cold Country, Ascites, Abuse Tactics, Light of the World, John Malloy, The Moog Cookbook, Danny Peyronel of British band UFO, Saga, Tom Schuman, Six Finger Satellite
Six Finger Satellite
Six Finger Satellite are an American synthesizer-based post-hardcore band, based in Providence, Rhode Island.- History :The band formed in 1990 around a line-up of J. Ryan , John MacLean , Peter Phillips , Chris Dixon , and Rick Pelletier...
, Stereolab, Spiral-Shaped Mind, Page McConnell of Phish, Jakobínarína, Saga (band)
Saga (band)
Saga is a progressive rock quintet, formed in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton is the band's guitarist; apart from his work with Saga, he has recorded several solo albums as well as sessions...