WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

The Bob Moog Foundation has announced plans for a live streaming event, featuring a recording of the Synth Legends symposium, originally held April 19th, 2005.

The ‘synthposium’ features synthesizer pioneers Bob Moog, Tom Oberheim, Dave Smith, Marcus Ryle and moderator Roger Linn. The once-in-a-lifetime event was Moog’s last public appearance before he died.

The live streaming event is scheduled for 8 pm (EDT) on August 21st, the 20th anniversary of Moog’s death. Tom Oberheim, Denise Smith (Dave Smith’s widow), Marcus Ryle, and Michelle Moog-Koussa will be participating and answering questions from the audience.

During the one-hour and thirty-eight-minute symposium, each of the four synth pioneers reflect on their unique histories and innovations, before the group answers a series of questions collectively.

This is the first time the event will be broadcast in its entirety, with audio enhancement provided by Harold LaRue Mastering.

The event is being made possible by an exceptional group of industry sponsors:

• Platinum Sponsors: Moog Music, Sequential/Oberheim, Spectrasonics
• Gold Sponsors: Arturia, Korg, Roland
• Silver Sponsors: Cherry Audio, GForce, ILIO, RosenSound, and Softube.

Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation

“The Bob Moog Foundation is honored to share this historical symposium with our supporters worldwide,” notes Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation. “This is not only an opportunity to remember Bob Moog on the 20th anniversary of his passing, but it is a chance to celebrate all four synthesizer innovators and hear them lend insight into their illustrious careers and accomplishments.”

“We are deeply grateful for our sponsors, who made this event possible,” adds Moog-Koussa. “We are honored by their particiation, given their various connections to Bob, including Moog Music’s continuation of his technical legacy, Dave Smith and Tom Oberheim having been inspired by his early work, Spectrasonics paying tribute to his legacy through the Bob Moog Tribute Library, and Arturia’s parntership with him on one of the last projects that he worked on before his passing.”

For details on the event, see The Bob Moog Foundation site.

To celebrate the event, the Foundation has recreated a limited-edition t-shirt that synth designer Axel Hartmann designed for the original symposium. The t-shirts are printed in Asheville, NC, and are priced at $35.

Proceeds from the sale of the shirt go to support the Foundation, an independent 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of Bob Moog, and its key projects, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, the Moogseum, and the preservation of the Bob Moog Foundation Archives.

Elektron guru Matthew Piecora – in his latest EZBOT video – shows how he integrates a hardware analog synth into his Elektron rig.

Piecora discusses the advantages of combining a knobby hardware analog with Elektron boxes, shows how he integrates the Sequential Take 5 with his Digitakt II and Digitone II, and demonstrates the combination in action.

Watch the video and share your thoughts on this approach in the comments!

Video Summary:

“In this video, I explore the pure joy of adding a compact analog synthesizer to a modern Elektron setup.

Pairing the Digitakt II and Digitone II with the Sequential Take 5 desktop unlocks a whole new level of warmth, depth, and character. I’ll show you how this small but powerful analog poly integrates seamlessly with your grooveboxes, bringing lush pads, punchy basslines, and expressive leads into your workflow without sacrificing portability.

If you’ve been wondering whether an analog synth can really elevate your hybrid setup, this video will show you exactly why it’s worth it.”

Neural DSP has introduced Mantra, a new all-in-one vocal production plugin for Mac + Windows.

Mantra offers pitch correction, noise gate, de-esser, compressors, saturation, harmonies, and effects – all in one plugin. It’s designed to streamline your sessions and let you record, mix, and shape vocals, from start to finish.

Features:

• Pitch correction, noise gate, de-esser, compressors, saturation, harmonies, and effects – all in one plugin.
• Each module is centered around a single governing control, with deeper options just one click away. No menus, no digging – just fast results.
• Built on Neural DSP’s expertise in modeling legendary analog gear, Mantra delivers the “warmth and musicality of vintage hardware with the precision, control, and reliability of modern digital processing”.
• Sculpt enhances clarity and presence in real time, automatically adapting to your voice and mic.
• Track vocals with a fully processed sound and no noticeable latency. Then switch to Mixing mode for full-resolution processing and final polish.
• Mantra also shines on synths, drums, guitars, and other instruments.

Mantra is available now for €169.00.