Moog Grandmother

I
t probably doesn’t need to be
said that Moog are a company
that know a thing or two about
modular synths. Their latest is
Grandmother – a semi-modular
equipped with 32-note,
velocity-sensitive Fatar
keyboard, sequencer, arp and spring
reverb. This venerable old dame is
bedecked in the finest retro chic.
The panel is divided into multi-
coloured ‘modules’ that include
Sequencer (yellow), Modulation
(black), Oscillators (pale blue), Mixer
and Utilities (both black), Filter
Around the back, you can find a
1/4-inch (unbalanced) output jack, a
1/4-inch Instrument input for routing
external signals through the filter
and reverb, along with a 1/8-inch
jack for reverb output and another
with the appropriate level for sending
audio signals out to any Eurorack
modules you might have.
There’s an additional quartet of
1/8-inch jacks dedicated to the
Grandmother’s built-in sequencer/
arpeggiator, including clock in and
out, reset input, and on/off input.
Further connectivity comes in the
form of DIN-style MIDI In, Out, and
Thru, as well as USB MIDI.
There’s a tiny Fine Tune knob
with a centre detente for adjusting
the master tune of Oscillator 1, a
power switch and a jack for the
external power supply’s barrel plug.
This last is one of the few bits that
betrays the Grandmother’s price
point. The cord from the power
supply to the barrel plug is slight,
and the plug itself doesn’t slide all
the way into the jack – a bit of the
silver shaft remains exposed. It
didn’t cause any issues though, and
has yet to come loose.
That quibble aside, we were
pleasantly surprised by the
instrument’s heft and build. At
7.25kg, it is surprisingly weighty,
and the whole thing feels solid. The
knobs and pots are of respectable
quality, and if the toggle switches are
a bit dinky, it’s nice that they’ve
been capped.
Classic design
Once Grandmother’s oscillators warm
up, you’ll be met with the familiar
Moog sound and – depending on the
levels in the Mixer module – a little
more besides. Why is that? Because
while the oscillators are based on the
same tried-and-true circuits used in
the Minimoog, the mixer, VCA, filter,
envelope generator, and spring
reverb have been designed around
circuits used in the classic Moog
modules of the 1960s.
The Oscillator module is divided
between the two main oscillators.
Each oscillator can pump out
triangle, sawtooth, square, and pulse
waves, though any pulse width
adjustment must come from a
modulation source. Osc 1 offers you
a selectable range between 32’ and
8’, while Osc 2 provides ranges
between 16’ and 2’. Oscillator 2 also
has a knob for independently
adjusting its Frequency. Oscillator
sync is provided, too. Oscillator
Patch points include Wave Out,
Pitch In, PWM In (Osc 1), and
Linear FM In (Osc 2).
By default, the oscillators (and
noise) are routed into the Mixer. This
is based on Moog’s CP3 module, a
circuit that provides a lovely
asymmetrical clipping when driven
hard. In fact, this mixer is often
credited with providing much of the
famous ‘Moog sound’. The mixer’s
patch points include Osc 1 In, Osc 2
In, Noise In, and Output.
(green), VCA (black) and Spring
Reverb (red). Each offers the
controls that you would be expecting,
along with a combined total of 35
1/8-inch (3.5mm) jacks that can be
used for re-routing the internally-
wired signal path.
The colour scheme has been the
source of some division in synthesis
circles, yet to these eyes it offers
both a hint of the machine’s retro
sound as well as a means by which
each section may be quickly
identified – good for those just
learning the ropes.
THE PROS & CONS
+
Combines the
simplicity of a
monosynth with
complexity of a
semi-modular
Thoughtful patch
points and plenty of
interconnectivity
That classic Moog
modular sound!
-
Has some hidden,
not immediately
clear functions
Pretty flimsy
power connector
Moog Grandmother | Reviews
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FMU336.rev_moog.indd 87 05/09/2018 16:02