In this series of articles, running until Christmas, we asked the Experts team what audio product they would like to find under the tree. The first of James Richmond’s list of two fantasy presents has to be the most famous synthesizer on the planet, loved by everyone from funksters, to EDM producers to cape-wearing prog wizards. What is it about the Minimoog?
The Moog Minimoog Model D. How much more do I really need to say?
It has defined many generations of electronic and contemporary music and I just love them. The look. The sound. The aesthetic. If I were to look up ‘iconic’ in the dictionary and see a picture of one with no further explantion then I would not question it. Many of my favourite artists have used them extensively. But I’ve never owned one. Thanks to advancements in digital technology though I have access to the sound, or something quite close to it. Several plugin emulations; Moog’s own ‘Minimoog Model D Synthesizer’ plus the UAD emulation and I have a full compliment of AJH Minimod Eurorack modules which get pretty close. I also have a Moog Sub 37, which has it’s own flavour too. So I have that sound but I don’t have the experience.
I want a Minimoog Model D. An original. The real deal. With all of the compromises and maintenance that the physical hardware would come with. I just want to look across the studio and see one, in pride of place. But they are pretty damn expensive, which is why I haven’t done it.
The history of the Minimoog is rooted in the broader development of electronic music instruments. The early 20th century saw the emergence of theremins and Ondes Martenot, but it wasn't until Robert Moog's inventions in the 1960s that electronic instruments became accessible.
Moog didn’t invent the electronic synthesiser, of course. Historians and enthusiasts could (and do) argue over who can lay claim to that, be it Harald Bode (who greatly influnced Bob Moog), Thaddeus Cahill or others. As with much human endeavour there isn’t necessarily a precise point of origin, but rather it is a continuum of collective or parallel invention. (My vote is for Bode though).
Bob Moog certainly popularised the synthesiser however, first with the ‘Moog Synthesizer’ in 1964. Moog’s approach was to add a piano style keyboard to his creations. Around the same time another American inventor, Don Buchla, commissioned by experimental composer Morton Subotnick, created designs eschewing a piano style keyboard instead opting for touch sensitive plates and other more experimental approaches to perfoming with the instrument.
This East Coast (Moog) vs West Coast (Buchla) divide has also been the subject of much discussion over the last half century. What is possibly unarguable is the more standard approach taken by Moog gave the products an accessibility not present in Buchla’s. They were also more commercially successful, which is why even non-musicians have heard the name Moog where Buchla is mostly known only to committed enthusiasts.
The Minimoog Model D, launched in 1970, was a compact, portable version of its larger predecessors, designed for live performance. What set the Minimoog apart was its technical prowess. It featured three voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), a 24dB/octave low-pass filter, and a unique pitch wheel, allowing musicians to manipulate sound in real-time. Its ability to create and layer rich, analogue sounds was revolutionary, giving birth to new musical possibilities.
The Minimoog's influence on music is simply huge. It was embraced by pioneers in various genres, from progressive rock to funk, and later in electronic and hip-hop. Artists like Kraftwerk, Sun Ra, and Herbie Hancock extensively used the Minimoog, creating sounds that were unheard of at the time.
Beyond its technical impact, the Minimoog Model D became a cultural icon. It symbolized a shift in music production, from large, unwieldy studio setups to more intimate and experimental environments. They were, compared to earlier instruments, relatively portable. This transition empowered musicians, giving them the tools to create complex sounds independently.
By modern standards though the Minimoog might look like a bit of a dinosaur. For start, this analogue monster is not a ‘turn it on and go’ device. The few times I’ve been lucky enough to use one I’ve had to tune it manually, a process that can take a little while. David Mellor at Adventures in Audio has a good tutorial should you happen to need one. As much as I might hate it in the moment there is something nostalgic about the thought having to perform these sort of tasks, but nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.
Moog reissued the Minimoog Model D several times, the last being 2022 and this is the one I came closest to purchasing. Now that Moog has been sold to In Music will we ever see a proper Minimoog again? I, of course, hope we do but that remains to be seen.
In the realm of Fantasy Christmas audio gear, the Moog Minimoog Model D stands as a timeless piece, bridging past and present. It's a testament to the enduring nature of good design. This synthesiser isn’t just an instrument; it's a piece of musical history, a conduit for creative expression, and a source of endless inspiration.
Dear Santa, feel free to drop one off at my house. Same goes for anyone else reading this.