MOOG SOUND LAB | Lost in the Trees | Past Life

Chapel Hill's Lost in the Trees shows off the title track to their album Past Life, released today on ANTI:

"In all honesty, I was slightly nervous walking in to the Moog factory for our session. We had little planned besides what song we were going to play. With the unlimited options for sounds from the many instruments available and our limited knowledge of analog synths, I figured the session could have gone either way. The nervousness faded quickly with the guidance of the wonderful folks at Moog who taught me that it's really ok to just turn knobs until it sounds cool. Anyone listening to the first half hour of us trying to figure out the song might have thought we were completely over our heads, but then suddenly Past Life started to emerge. Before we knew it we had dialed in some magic and were really enjoying the beauty and uniqueness of the sounds and music we were making. We are obviously enjoying it so much that we cant seem to stop repeating the ending over and over again, like we are figuring out something new and wonderful we could play on our Moogs with each refrain." -Bassist Mark Daumen

 

NAMM Thoughts

Another January and another NAMM event has been unleashed upon Anaheim. This year Roland teased us with a new Aria line that supposedly resurrects many old faves like the TR-808 and SH-101 in new gear. They didn't show this at NAMM, so we're left wondering if it's just another Jupiter-80 tease. Meanwhile Moog unveiled their new Sub 37 synthesizer, which is essentially the Sub Phatty with more knobs and the ability to play two notes at a time. Not sure why you'd want two notes though? All my favorite chords have at least four notes in them :-). What interested me most at NAMM this year is from Elektron, the Rytm Drum Machine, check out this performance courtesy of DJ Tech Tools:

 

 

And speaking of Aria, a new teaser video:

 

 

What excited you this year at NAMM?

MOOG Analog Synthesized Percussion

Just when I think I'm over the urge to buy the Sub-P Moog puts out this video:

 

Moog Little Phatty R.I.P.

 

"The Little Phatty was released in 2006 as a tribute to the life and legacy of Moog Music founder and synthesizer pioneer, Bob Moog. Following the passing of Dr. Moog, The Little Phatty was the first Moog synthesizer designed by Moog Music's Chief Engineer, Cyril Lance.

Over the course of its seven year production run, the Little Phatty has gone through three incantations including The Tribute, Stage I, and Stage II editions. During that time, the Little Phatty has become one of the best selling professional analog synthesizers in history. Its sonic impact on modern music can be heard on thousands of records, and its signature swooped-back silhouette can be seen in top recording facilities around the world as well as on the stages of internationally touring musical acts such as Rush, Jack White, Queens of The Stone Age, No Doubt, Bernie Worrell and the hit shows American Idol, Nashville and Portlandia."

 

 

MOOG • SOUNDCRAFTS | Bryan-Michael Cox

A new series from Moog Music:

"Soundcrafts is a new video series from Moog Music Inc. that explores the importance of creating new sounds through insight from renowned artists, producers, and engineers from around the globe.

The first episode features Bryan Michael-Cox, a Grammy winning songwriter and producer who has worked with Mariah Carey, Usher, Destiny's Child, and countless others during his extensive career. In this session Cox delves into the importance of creating and exploring new sounds, and its relationship to making lasting impressions on listeners."

 

 

Sonic Lab Sub P Review!

The review we've all been waiting for on sonicstate.com:

 

Sub Phatty | Modular Control

Okay, this is just awesome:

"Suit & Tie Guy of STG Sound Labs brought his modular synthesizer by the Moog Sound Lab and controlled four of our Sub Phatty Analog Synthesizers with his labyrinth of analog modules."

Katsunori UJIIE plays the Sub Phatty!

Katsunori UJIIE, of musictrack.jp, synth demos are the best in the business. Now I don't speak Japanese, but I like to think UJIIE is a clever man that always says the right thing in these videos:

 

Mutemath in the Moog Sound Lab

I've dug Mutemath since catching them live in San Francisco years ago at the Hemlock Tavern. Here's a newly unearthed clip from 2011 when they visited the Moog Sound Lab:

"Back in 2011 Mutemath stepped into the Moog factory to record a Moog Sound Lab Session, here they transform "Blood Pressure" from their 2011 LP "Odd Soul".

For those of you curious about the instrumentation:

"Blood Pressure" fades in with Darren playing pulsing bass lines in the verse and higher etherial notes on Animoog, being controlled by a Minimoog Voyager.

Paul sings and plays a Little Phatty Stage II, holding out elongated single lines while opening and closing the Filter Cutoff knob with the Resonance set high.

Roy uses his Minimoog Voyager Select Series for low rumbling bass to hold the foundation.

Darren plays the Trap-Kat, triggering 3 Minimoog Voyager Rack Mounts through an MF-104Z Analog Delay for rhythmic echo."

Herb Deutsch on the Minimoog Voyager

Hofstra University Professor Herb Deutsch at the Moog Factory in Asheville:

"During a recent visit to the Moog Factory, Professor Herb Deutsch, synth pioneer and collaborator of Bob Moog, gave an impromptu discussion on the evolution of the Minimoog."

George Lewis Jr. Moogerfooger

George Lewis Jr., from Twin Shadow, explores the Moog MF-104M Analog Delay pedal. Really dig the first sound he comes up with:

Sub_P Review!

 

AudioFanzine.com has posted one of the first thorough Moog Sub Phatty reviews I have yet to see on the interwebs! Complete with architecture, history, pros and cons and even audio. Check it out!

Zola Jesus in the Moog Sound Lab!

Zola Jesus performs live in the Moog Sound Lab:

 

"Nika Roza Danilova, aka Zola Jesus, is best known for her dark moody ballads, but with the 2011 release Conatus, Nika moved forward creating her most dynamic album to date. Not content to rest Zola Jesus ventured into the Moog Sound Lab and further evolved her single "In Your Nature." In its original incarnation "In Your Nature" existed as an epic operatic with dance floor sensibilities, but here Nika imbues the song with analog warmth that contrasts her cold, snowy upbringing. A Minitaur Analog Bass synthesizer controlled by a Minimoog Voyager replaces much of the stringed arrangement found in the original version of the song. The Little Phatty played by keyboardist Nick Turco does double duty, further expanding what would have been a bowed arrangement and providing the arpeggiation featured in the second half of the song. The live violin played by Kim Free was routed through a MF-104 analog delay to thicken the sound and serves as the last trace of the rich strings that carry the original. Synthesist Alex De Groot provides the song's rhythm, expanding on the song's original percussive track with live drumming generated by three Voyager RMEs and controlled with a MIDI drum pad. Zola Jesus's Moog Soundlab session not only captures the energy and emotion of the original, but reshapes "In Your Nature" with a richness and gravity unique to this version."

 

Moog the Source

Track by schlachthof1 featuring the classic Moog Source synthesizer:

"All sounds in this track made with a Moog Source including the drums. Multitracked in Cubase plus some reverb."

Moog Sub_P Filter Sequencing

Chris Stack from experimentalsynth.com trying out the new Sub_P:

"This video shows the result of using the Koushion step sequencer app and the Moog Multi-Pedal (in MIDI-to-CV conversion mode) to create a tempo-synced filter step sequence on the Moog Sub Phatty synthesizer. The analog CV out of the Multi-Pedal is connected to the filter CV input on the Sub Phatty."

 

The Screen Savers interview Dr. Moog!

An oldie but a goodie courtesy of wheezerr:

 

The Magnificent Seven!

While I know this site has turned into a Moog lovefest as of late, I just can't help it ;-). Check out the latest video from the boys in Asheville:

"Unlike conventional stomp box effects, Moogerfoogers do not have limited sonic boundaries, they effortlessly conjure any sound you seek, or quickly create new and inspiring effects. In addition to this, nearly every knob is controllable via expression pedal for added control and motion during live performance. In this video you'll see just a small range of what Moogerfoogers are capable of. With this much control and full analog signal path, the musical possibilities are close to infinite."

 

Moog Sub Phatty & Q960 Step Sequencer

AudioCentralMagazine posted this fantastic video of the new Moog Sub-P hooked up to a Q960 Step Sequencer:

"The mighty analog Moog Sub Phatty Synthesizer is under control of Q960 Sequential Controller. As usual, Row A is for Pitch, Row B is for Filter opening. On this video, while sequence is running, there are tests for EGs snap, OSC reset under key Gate, fattyness of SubOsc, wild brutality of Multidrive distortion. Such a lovely, little analog machine."

 

 

UPDATE:

AudioCentralMagazine posted another Sub_P video today, this time featuring an oscilloscope:

 

The Moog Sub Phatty Part 5 - Envelope and Presets

Marc Doty with Part 5 of his in depth look at the Sub-P, this time looking at the VCA section and presets:

 

Moog Sub Phatty Part 4 - Modulation P.2

Marc Doty goes deeper into the Modulation options on the Sub-P: