Multimoog
Encyclopedia
The Multimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer
manufactured by Moog Music
from 1978 to 1981. Derived from the earlier Micromoog
(internally, it consists of a stock Micromoog circuit board with the extra circuitry on a second board), the Multimoog was intended to be a less expensive alternative to Moog's flagship Minimoog
. It nevertheless had some advanced features which the Minimoog did not include--most notably, it was one of the earliest synthesizers to feature aftertouch
capability.
Key features include:
Analog synthesizer
An analog or analogue synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. The earliest analog synthesizers in the 1920s and 1930s such as the Trautonium were built with a variety of vacuum-tube and electro-mechanical technologies...
manufactured 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:...
from 1978 to 1981. Derived from the earlier Micromoog
Micromoog
The Micromoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer produced by Moog Music from 1975 to 1979.The Micromoog was designed by Robert Moog and Jim Scott as a scaled-down, cheaper alternative to the Minimoog. It was designed to tap into a market of musicians who wanted an introduction to synthesis, but...
(internally, it consists of a stock Micromoog circuit board with the extra circuitry on a second board), the Multimoog was intended to be a less expensive alternative to Moog's flagship Minimoog
Minimoog
The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
. It nevertheless had some advanced features which the Minimoog did not include--most notably, it was one of the earliest synthesizers to feature 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...
capability.
Key features include:
- 44 note monophonic keyboard with aftertouch
- ribbon-type pitch bend controller
- "glide" (portamentoPortamentoPortamento 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...
) - two voltage-controlled oscillatorVoltage-controlled oscillatorA 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...
s with waveformWaveformWaveform 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...
continuously adjustable from sawtooth, through square, to narrow pulse - oscillator sync
- noise source
- 24db/octave Moog transistor-ladder lowpass voltage controlled filter
- dedicated low frequency oscillatorLow frequency oscillationLow-frequency oscillation is an electronic signal, which is usually below 20 Hz and creates a rhythmic pulse or sweep. This pulse or sweep is often used to modulate synthesizers, delay lines and other audio equipment in order to create effects used in the production of electronic music. Audio...
with triangle, square, and random waveforms - extensive modulation routing options, including sample & hold, audio-frequency modulation of the VCF for quasi-ring modulationRing modulationRing modulation is a signal-processing effect in electronics, an implementation of amplitude modulation or frequency mixing, performed by multiplying two signals, where one is typically a sine-wave or another simple waveform. It is referred to as "ring" modulation because the analog circuit of...
, waveform sweep/quasi-pulse width modulation, and more - two AR (attack/release) envelope generators with switchable percussive/sustaining profiles
- external audio input for processing instruments, vocals, etc.
- external control voltage and trigger inputs/outputs for interfacing with other synthesizer equipment
See also
- MicromoogMicromoogThe Micromoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer produced by Moog Music from 1975 to 1979.The Micromoog was designed by Robert Moog and Jim Scott as a scaled-down, cheaper alternative to the Minimoog. It was designed to tap into a market of musicians who wanted an introduction to synthesis, but...
- Moog synthesizerMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
- Robert MoogRobert MoogRobert Arthur Moog , commonly called Bob Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.-Life:...
- Moog MusicMoog MusicMoog 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:...
- List of Moog synthesizer players