Keith Emerson’s massive modular synthesizer was the centerpiece of his persona as the virtuoso keyboard player in progressive rock super group Emerson, Lake, & Palmer. The custom rig was his throne. Moog just spent three years reverse engineering the thing. Who’s got $90,000 lying around to buy it?
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Originally invented in the 1920s, the theremin is the weird instrument responsible for spooky science fiction soundtracks for a half-century. Its woozy sound is unmistakeable, but it is also notoriously difficult to play. Bob Moog started selling theremins in the 1950’s, and today, his company announced a new version, the Theremini, which uses pitch control to make it impossible to play a wrong note.
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It took me a second to wrap my brain around what exactly is going on here, but even if I didn’t know, I could listen to these two Moog synthesizer modules play the Tetris theme over and over again forever. I think this music made my brain more smarter.
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Moog Music’s new "Minifoogers" are a line of compact, analog effects pedals that’ll allow you to warp the sound of your guitar or another electrified instrument in myriad ways. They’re packed with all the Moog sound we’ve come to expect from the brand, without the high price tag its products usually command.
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Lovers of classic synth, celebrate: pioneer Bob Moog will join the Inventors Hall of Fame today. The USPTO is bestowing that honor for patent number 3,475,623 granted in 1966 for the so-called Moog ladder filter that gave rise to its original synth and Minimoog Synthesizers, and is still used in synths like the Voyager and Sub Phatty today. To fete the occasion, the company is reissuing its classic ladder filter t-shirt that’ll come with a free hall of fame induction poster, and will also hold an ice cream social at the factory store in Asheville, NC. That’ll culminate in a rare Moog synth-heavy performance by aptly-named local group Ice Cream, so if you’re lucky enough to be in the area, the festivities kick off at 6 p.m.
Filed under: Misc, Home Entertainment
Source: Moog
Moog’s LEV-96 Sensoriacuator was a prototype tool that magnetically altered the vibration of an acoustic guitar’s strings to extract 96 simultaneous harmonics. While the company seemingly passed on a commercial release, inventor Paul Vo decided to press on with the unit as a solo project. Vo, the man behind the Moog Guitar and Lap Steel’s infinite sustain, has gone to Kickstarter to raise $50,000 necessary to manufacture the first production run, since renamed as the Vo-96 “Acoustic Synthesizer.” At a price of $1,450, it’s not aimed at the general public, but hardcore strummers with fat wallets can head on past the break to see how the hardware can turn your finger plucking into a demented Boards of Canada b-side.
Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio/Video
Via: Oh Gizmo, Gizmodo, MoogMusic
Source: Kickstarter
The Vo-96 Acoustic Synthesizer is one of the most innovative musical instrument products created in years. Strap one onto any acoustic guitar and you can transform the way it sounds by breaking—or at least manipulating—the laws of physics. Here’s the story of how inventor Paul Vo made a device that sounds like magic. More »
Every week, a new and interesting human being tackles our decidedly geeky take on the Proustian Q&A. This is the Engadget Questionnaire.
In the return edition of our regular session of inquiry, Moog Music product manager Amos Gaynes discusses sound synthesis, tolerance for poor battery life and shares his love for BB10. For the entire collection of answers, take a quick leap to the other side of the break.
Filed under: Misc
Inventor Paul Vo has developed an entirely new way to modify the sound of instruments. Stringed instruments for now, at least. Before I twist your brain into knots trying to explain how it works, take a moment to listen to the Vo-96 acoustic synthesizer in the video above. Moog teased this concept as the LEV-96 back in November, but this is our first really comprehensive look at what it sounds like. More »
NAMM is the musical instrument industry’s annual woohoo of a trade show where all the big names show off the fancy new wares they want the musicians of the world to embrace. But if you don’t actually go to the show, the best part is watching demo videos full of crazy sound and batshit blinking lights. Here’s our favorite stuff from this year’s show, complete with the desire inducing videos. More »
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