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

The timeless Moog Model D, reinvented in Eurorack

AJH Synth has announced the MiniMod Keyz – a Minimoog-inspired Eurorack keyboard synthesizer.

The MiniMod Keyz brings together a collection of modules that are essentially Euro-format clones of circuits from the original RA Moog version of the MiniMoog, and then adds a Ring SM, Tap Tempo VC-LFO, and their new Low Fat HP Filter.

The modules are build into a custom version of the ‘Epic AF’ NiftyKEYZ Euro keyboard case, fitted with custom Dark American Walnut end cheeks for a more vintage look.

Because the system is fully modular, it has a sonic range that goes far beyond the original Minimoog design.

• The Ring SM is a 5-channel Moog CP3 mixer, EMS Synthi/VCS3 based Ring Modulator, and a very rich-sounding, simultaneous 2 octave sub-bass generator. User Guide:
• The Tap Tempo VC-LFO is a very complex modulation source, with 16 common and unusual wave shapes, including stepped and sloped random voltages. Every element can be voltage-controlled, and can be clocked by external modules/sequencers, or act as a master clock, clock divider/multiplier. User Guide:
• The Low Fat is a voltage-controlled 2hp high pass filter, and a great compliment to the classic, huge-sounding Transistor Ladder Filter. The Fattest filter in town needs to slim down sometimes! User Guide:
• The NiftyKeyz is a 4-octave keyboard controller, with a large host of features, including arpeggiator, 4-voice polyphonic control, built-in LFO, and more.

Overeview of the MiniMod Keyz

The MiniMod KEYZ is available now for £2,795 (about $2,933).

Synthesist Marius Leicht shared this head-to-head comparison of a modern Minimoog Model D reissue and a vintage Minimoog Model D.

Leicht says that, while there are definitely audible differences between a new Minimoog and a vintage one, he prefers the modern Model D reissue.

Topics covered:

0:00 Introduction

2:11 Minimoog version history

6:20 A/B Comparison

14:06 Conclusion

24:04 Raw waveforms & sweeps

Leicht also shared this performance for two Minimoogs – Vintage & Reissue:

Watch the videos and share your thoughts in the comments.

The Bob Moog Foundation has just kicked off another fundraising raffle, and this time, the prize is the most famous synth in history. It is a fully-restored vintage Minimoog, that’s been signed by Rush bassist, vocalist and synth player Geddy Lee.

Fully restored, the synth in question has serial number 4070, and was built at Moog Music’s Williamsville, NY, USA factory on 14 Feb, 1974 (built with love, presumably, given that date). What’s more, it has Kevin Lightner’s Opto

Opto-Key upgrade – this replaces the original mechanical contacts with infrared light sensors, eliminating wear and the need for contact cleaning. This useful modification also adds MIDI I/O – implemented discreetly so as to avoid holes in the chassis – and we’re assured that this Minimoog is in excellent technical condition, with just minor cosmetic flaws (think of them as adding character).

The Minimoog has been meticulously restored by technician Jareth Lackey of Synthpro Restorations and, due to its age, good condition and that Geddy Lee signature, has an estimated value of $10,000 and it is likely to increase in value.

Geddy Lee, prominently has used the Minimoog extensively throughout his career, including on Rush’s most iconic tracks The Trees, Countdown, Xanadu and Tom Sawyer.  “The Minimoog sets itself apart because it has a fat, identifiable tone. I really like that,” noted Lee.

Lee praise the cultural impact of the Minimoog’s creator: “Bob Moog’s legacy stands out as a pioneer, an inventor, and a stylist,” he acknowledges. “He helped initiate styles of music that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible without his contribution.”

“The Bob Moog Foundation is honoured to offer this rare Minimoog synthesizer signed by Geddy Lee,” added Executive Director Michelle Moog-Koussa.

“Geddy’s distinctive and innovative use of the Minimoog and Moog Taurus Bass pedals was intrinsic to Rush’s early archetypal sound, and served as a hallmark of how those instruments could be artfully fused in a live setting. We are deeply grateful to Geddy for supporting our important work at the intersection of science, music, and innovation.”

Tickets for the raffle begins on February 6 and ends on February 27, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET, or when all 10,000 tickets sell out, whichever comes first. The raffle is open internationally.

Funds raised from the raffle will be used to expand the Foundation’s hallmark educational project, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, which has inspired over 25,000 elementary school students through the science of sound. The raffle also helps support the Moogseum, an immersive, experiential museum located in Asheville, NC, which brings the science of sound and synthesis alive for people of all ages, through Bob Moog’s pioneering legacy. The Moogseum opened in May 2019, and has since welcomed over 25,000 visitors from all over the world.

Tickets are $25 each, five for $100, 12 for $200, or 35 for $500, and can be purchased at the Bob Moog Foundation website. The winner will be announced on Friday, March 3, 2023.