Will a little phatty ruin my modular creativity?

z_ecoustics · Joined: May 21, 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Massachusetts

for years I have wanted a little phatty. It was one of the first devices I discovered after becoming interested in analogue synthesis. Not long after finding the phatty I found modular. The guys from analogue haven thought that modular was closer to true analogue synthesis. I don't know that I bought that argument but I did buy a bunch of analogue eurorack modules including Plan B, Doepfer and Cwejman. The Cwejman modules have to be my favorite in patchability and feel while Plan B has great organic production.

Anyway... The Moog little phatty II is now out and my attention is on the product again. The price of a phatty is little more than two cwejman modules so it's a good buy but why am I still hesitant? What is your opinion on semi modular synths like the little phatty? Will using the phatty make me lazy since the phatty patches can be stored? Will I be going over to the dark side? When I play out will people just sterotype me as a 80s synth dude instead of a patch monkey??

Some advise oh wise analogues

thanks

v-un-v · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 1:22 am Post subject:

As long as you can play 'telstar' on it, who cares? Wink

blue hell

lanxe · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 7:41 am Post subject:

the phatty is sweet! who cares what people think.

i have the phatty and a modular, and the phatty is my go to for quick patches and more traditional synth stuff....not to say you cant get crazy with its sounds.

the modular, at least for me, is about learning and experimenting. i rarely record any melodic stuff with it.

but everybody will have an opinion. i say get the phatty. it can do alot and you arent forced to use any presets.

GovernorSilver · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 10:25 am Post subject:

Keep in mind the Phatty has no CV outs, only 2 CV ins.

Mohoyoho · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 10:41 am Post subject:

I own a Phatty and a Voyager. I don't think of the Phatty as a semi-modular synth. The Voyager definitely is. I don't own a modular system. My main emphasis in music is live performance, so the Voyager and Phatty are perfect in that purpose. When you need a certain patch quickly, these Moog synths do the job, and you can tweak them on the fly easily. The Phatty has a very powerful sound, and it is quite different from my digital synths. Because the Phatty is a self-contained system, setup time is fast and effortless. I would think getting a modular system up and running would take more time and effort, unless it is in a permanent location/studio. The modular system would offer quite a few more modulation possibilities than the Phatty, but I think one could tie the Phatty into a modular system without much effort. The Phatty is a great keyboard that you can pull out anywhere and play it immediately; it doesn't take up a lot of room and can fit on a coffee table if need be. So, my thinking is that if you are looking for a synth to take out of the studio and play music elsewhere, then the Phatty would be perfect. If you are looking for an analogue synth to noodle around on and create unusual sounds with, then it might not fill the bill for you. The Phatty can make some great sounds for soundscapes, but its forte is leads and basses. The new arp will be a great asset. The Phatty definitely has the classic Moog sound.

z_ecoustics · Joined: May 21, 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Massachusetts

Please point me to more info on "the new arp". Is there a new odyssey coming?

p.s. i hope the LP II is 1v/oct tuned cv in. the previous ones needed modding to get 1v/oct

hogberto · Joined: Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 53 Location: scotland

i think he means the 'new arpeggiator' which has appeared on the Little Phatty II.

so not a new ARP, sadly. Crying or Very sad

z_ecoustics · Joined: May 21, 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Massachusetts

Mohoyoho · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 10:08 pm Post subject:

Yes, the arpeggiator was what I was referring to.

Paulyvoks · Joined: Apr 21, 2008 Posts: 2 Location: LBC

If you get an LP you will be in no way hidered.

I use an LP with my Doepfer A-100 suitcase, with an A-190 you've got Midi to CV right there and with the updaded LP firmware (Or LP II) with the Arpeggiator you've got endless possibilities. I've been playing with this stuff for months and have yet to take full advantage.

Then there's the LP's filters. There you go.

I also use the LP for jamming around town. Perfect for that too.

z_ecoustics · Joined: May 21, 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Massachusetts

Thanks for the opinions.

The source of my concern came from when I first looked into analogue synthesis, mostly on this and other analogue topic forums. What I would see repeated a number of times, in regard to learning about analogue sound, is the notion: "I wish I had started with a modular instead of a semi-modular". I took this kind of hindsight advice pretty strongly. I'm not sure exactly what they meant by that but I was left to assume they meant a semi-modular limited what they could learn about analogue sound but also maybe made them lazy or even decreased their creative ambition a bit. Why else would they say they wished they had owned a modular first as opposed to later on?

I think what this topic has concluded is that getting a semi-modular (or whatever you want to call an LP) AFTER owning a modular is not something that is discouraged.

Personally, I know I haven't had as much quality time with the modular as I'd like but it might be enough to introduce the LP into my setup without adversely effecting my creativity and learning with the modular.

EdisonRex · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject:

I do not necessarily agree with the "I wish I had started on a modular" thing.

A modular is a collection of components. A semi modular, with the right ins and outs, can accommodate any number of external modules. The 2600 was one of the best teaching tools for analogue synthesis in its day, and it was the combination of the manual and the layout that did it.

Signal flow is what determines the suitability of a particular instrument, IMO.

Modulars have that because you have to figure out the signal flow yourself. Semis get you going quicker. Again, this is my opinion, but I tend to think more like a musician in these discussions than an engineer.

Mohoyoho · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 8:36 pm Post subject:

I guess the reason I am hesitant in calling the Phatty semi modular, is that it has no CV outs. However, it does have midi out, a few CV ins, and an external audio in. The Voyager, to me, is more semi modular when you hook up the VX351. The Voyager's CV outs are then accessible, plus the Voyager has many more CV ins.

However, I think the Phatty is a terrific synth, and it can find a place in just about any kind of a setup. I love the way Moog keeps improving it and the Voyager.

J3RK · Joined: Jun 05, 2006 Posts: 123 Location: Seattle

I had one peacefully coexisting with a modular setup. It was LP, MF-102, CP-251, Modcan B, and MOTM. That setup was a lot of fun actually.

Kwote · Joined: Jan 21, 2008 Posts: 48 Location: westcoast

a little phatty never ruined anyone's creativity. ever.

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z_ecoustics · Joined: May 21, 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Massachusetts

Any music or musicians out there who do classical guitar (nylon) + synth, maybe even + LP?

telstarmagikistferrari · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject:

I do plenty of guitarsound mangling, but I don't have a classical w. nylon strings. I did build a sort of acoustic pickup out of a little 3" speaker; I tape it onto my acoustic and it works quite nicely.