New Moog all analog keyboard, Moog Guitar updated

GovernorSilver

Posted by Craig Anderton to Harmony Central's MusikMesse2009 forum:

ark · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:45 am Post subject:

Sigh. I just wish they would redesign the Voyager to have endless rotary encoders plus lighted indicators, along the lines of the Nord Lead 3, the Akai APC40 controller, or the Korg R3. The Little Phatty didn't even get it right, because its knobs aren't endless.

A Voyager with indicators that instantly showed the entire contents of each patch would be almost unbearably tempting even though I already have a Yamaha VL-70m and so don't really want another monosynth Smile

GovernorSilver · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:03 am Post subject:

BobTheDog · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:31 am Post subject:

No, but it couldn't save state.

If a synths state is always defined by its knob positions then endless encoders are useless, but if a synth has the idea of loading saved state then they are very useful.

ark · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:34 am Post subject:

Indeed. I've only heard of one synth that uses endless encoders plus lights to indicate the values of all of its parameters, and that's the Nord Lead 3. The G2 uses the same technique, but only shows eight parameters at a time.

It's interesting that both of these synths are by Nord and they're both discontinued. And I think it's amazing that no one has stepped up to fill this particular gap.

BobTheDog · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:58 am Post subject:

There is a TV program in the uK called "The Gadget Show" http://gadgetshow.five.tv/gadget-show at the back of the set are some shelves containing iconic gadgets of our times, the Nord Lead 3 is there!

Mohoyoho · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:41 pm Post subject:

I perform frequently on my Voyager, and I really don't have a problem with the pots not being endless encoders. I tweak the pots frequently when I perform. When I first got my Voyager the pots were annoying when going from one preset state to another, but I quickly adjusted to it. I actually like the way my Phatty's encoders work, and I think it is the best of both worlds.

I have a Waldorf Q, and it has the endless encoders. They are very convenient. What bugs me, however, is any change to that preset is held when one goes to different preset. There is a "e" that reminds me that a change was made, and it can be brought back to the original setting by hitting "recall." I wish it was like the Voyager; the changes disappear when one goes to another preset. However, like the Voyager's foibles, I have learned to work around it.

ark · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:55 pm Post subject:

GovernorSilver · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:59 am Post subject:

ark · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:07 am Post subject:

GovernorSilver · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:17 am Post subject:

Mohoyoho · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:05 am Post subject:

In performance I usually know what the settings of certain parameters are, so when I switch a patch I just move the knobs to there approx settings before I play. Takes about one second per knob. The LCD displays what the patch setting should be and what it currently is at. It's very simple to make adjustments on the fly, but it will never be as nice as the encoders.

I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but many analogue purists tout how true analogue pots contibute to a better sound. I wouldn't know if that is true or not.

I have not tried a G2, and no, the Q doesn't have lit encoders.