Voyager Old School User’s Manual Table of Contents FORWARD from Mike Adams .................................. 4 THE BASICS How to use this Manual ....................................... Setup and Connections ........................................ Overview and Features ........................................ Signal Flow .................................................................... 5 6 8 10 THE COMPONENTS A. Mixer Section ........................................................ B.
Forward Congratulations! You now own the Minimoog Voyager Old School, a successor to the synthesizer that Sonic State named the number one synth of all time: the Minimoog Model D. A descendant of the original Minimoog, the Voyager Old School is an ‘instant classic’ that is destined to become another revered piece of synthesizer history, and it is truly yours! We are so pleased to bring this product to you, and expect it to give you a lifetime of musical satisfaction.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics How to Use this Manual This User’s Manual is organized into convenient sections to assist you in setting up, playing and exploring your new Voyager OS. The Setup and Connections section explains how to unpack, setup and connect the Voyager OS, and provides a quick start to get you up and running with your new instrument. The Components section offers detailed explanations of the Voyager OS components that create and modify sound.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics Setup and Connections In a perfect world, everyone would read the User’s Manual from cover to cover before connecting and playing their new instrument. For those of you who don’t live in a perfect world and can’t wait to play your new synthesizer (completely understandable), the following should get you set up and running quickly.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics Now Power up Turn the Voyager OS power ON. The LFO RATE LED will be begin to blink at the rate set by LFO RATE knob, indicating that the Voyager OS is ON. Test for Sound and Set Levels Play a few notes on the Voyager OS keyboard while turning up the volume of your amplification. Set the volume to a comfortable listening level.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics Overview and Features The Voyager OS is a monophonic analog performance synthesizer that is a successor to the classic Model D Minimoog. Its sound sources are three analog, variable waveform oscillators, a noise source, and an external audio input. Extensive modulation and filtering options give the Voyager OS an expansive sound palette.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics Back Panel: The Voyager’s back panel offers connections for Power, Control Voltage (CV) and Gate I/O, and Audio I/O. There are 14 CV inputs and 2 CV outputs provided on 1⁄4“ jacks. Jacks identified with a red nut indicate a combination CV/Expression Pedal input, while jacks identified with a blue nut indicate a combination Gate/footswitch input.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics Signal Flow To understand the signal flow of the Voyager OS, it’s helpful to consider the three types of signal routings in the system: the audio path, the control voltage path, and the modulation path. Audio Path The Voyager’s audio path includes all of the signal sources and signal modifiers that produce an audio output. These include the oscillators, mixer, filters and amplifiers (VCAs).
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics Control Voltage Path When a key is pressed, a Gate and Pitch Control Voltage (CV) are produced. The Gate signal is used to trigger both the Filter and Volume Envelope Generators (EGs). The Pitch CV is used to determine the pitch of the Oscillators and can be applied to a varying degree to the Filters through the Keyboard Control Amount knob. The basic control voltage path is illustrated below.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics The Voyager OS Modulation Buss Page 12
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components The Components Now let’s take a look at the individual module components that make up the Voyager OS Synthesizer, starting with the Mixer section. Then we’ll cover the Oscillators, Filters, Envelopes, and Output Sections, the LFO and Modulation sections, the Keyboard and Left-Hand controllers, and the Back Panel. A. The Mixer Section The Mixer combines the main sound sources of the Voyager.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components External: The EXTERNAL control allows an external monophonic audio source to be routed into the Mixer, where it can be mixed with the Oscillators and Noise source (an “Ext Audio In” jack on the Voyager back panel is provided for this input). The LED above the EXTERNAL control knob begins to light up as the input signal overdrives the Mixer input. When the light is faint, a small amount of soft clipping is occurring.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components B. The Oscillator Section The Oscillators are the main sound source of the Voyager. The oscillators in the Voyager are all analog Voltage Controlled Oscillators, or VCOs. They feature a temperature regulation circuit that provides them with excellent tuning stability. The VCOs can produce a total musical range of 8 1⁄2 octaves! In addition, the frequency of oscillator 3 can be set to the sub-audio range (<20Hz) for use as a second LFO.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Wave: Each oscillator features a continuously variable WAVE (waveform) control. The legend on the front panel shows the standard waveforms that are available at certain positions on the dial: triangle, sawtooth, square, and rectangular. The waveform is morphed gradually from one to another as the WAVE control is rotated. Because the waveform is voltage controlled, this parameter can be modulated; this generates some very interesting timbral changes.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Related Oscillator Controls: Two other panel controls interact with the Voyager Oscillators: Fine Tune and Glide. These controls are located in the lower left of the Voyager’s front panel Fine Tune: The FINE TUNE control is used to tune the Voyager’s oscillators +/ – 2 semitones for matching an external reference pitch. Glide Rate: Glide enables a glissando effect between notes. The GLIDE RATE control adjusts the rate of the glissando.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components C – The Filter Section Filters are used to adjust the tone color of an audio signal. Filters modify sounds by rejecting some frequencies while allowing others to pass through. To understand the operation of filters and how they process sound, there are a few important terms to know. The first is ‘Cutoff Frequency’. The cutoff frequency is the point at which an audio signal’s frequencies begin to be rejected.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components The Voyager has two voltage controlled filters (VCF’s) that can be configured either as dual lowpass filters or as a combination of highpass & lowpass through a front panel switch. Dual Lowpass Mode: The Voyager’s Dual Lowpass mode provides two identical lowpass filters which are routed to the left and right audio outputs respectively, creating a stereo effect. The CUTOFF knob controls the frequency cutoff of both filters.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Filter Section Controls: Cutoff: The CUTOFF knob is the main filter control. This sets the cutoff frequency of both filters in Dual Lowpass and Highpass/Lowpass mode. In Dual Lowpass mode, the frequencies to the right of the indicator on the knob are the frequencies that are filtered out. The frequencies to the left of the indicator are the frequencies that are allowed to pass through the filter.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Additional CV Connections Filter: The FILTER jack allows you to connect an external CV or expression pedal to control the filter cutoff frequency. Both filters are effected by this connection, regardless of the filter mode setting. The effective input range is -5 to +5 V, where a positive CV will add to the filter cutoff dial setting, and a negative CV will subtract from the setting.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Envelope Section Controls: Attack: The ATTACK control sets the attack time of the corresponding envelope generator, from 1 msec to 10 seconds. Decay: The DECAY control sets the decay time of the corresponding envelope generator, from 1 msec to 10 seconds. Sustain: The SUSTAIN control sets the corresponding level for the sustained part of the envelope.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Related Controls Release Switch: The release time of the envelopes is set by their respective RELEASE control knob, but this control can also be switched OFF. On the Voyager OS , there’s a dedicated RELEASE switch located in the left-hand control panel for this.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components E. The Output Section The Voyager has two audio outputs. There is a Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA) for each output, which allows for stereo functions such as panning or the dual lowpass filtering. The main control for the volume is the Master Volume control. The Volume Envelope Generator modulates the output VCAs. Output Section controls: Master Volume: The MASTER VOLUME knob is the main volume control.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components F – The Modulation Buss Section Modulation is the heart of making interesting sounds with analog subtractive synthesis. The Voyager’s two Modulation Busses open up a world of modulation possibilities that were not available on the original Minimoog. The Modulation Busses allow you to select a variety of modulation sources, destinations, modulation controllers, and amounts. The two Mod Busses are labeled MOD BUS 1 and MOD BUS 2, and are identical in function.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Two controls modify the amount of modulation sent to the destination: the selected controller (set with the CONTROLLER knob) and the AMOUNT control. When the selected controller is a performance control such as the Mod Wheel or Key Velocity, the modulation can be selectively varied from 0 to 100%. When the selected controller is an envelope, the modulation varies according to the envelope parameters.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Controller: The CONTROLLER dial selects from six modulation controller options. The Controller selections are: - MOD WHEEL: This allows the modulation source to be controlled from the Modulation Wheel in the left-hand controller section. - ON/MOD1: This allows the modulation source to be controlled by a CV or expression pedal plugged into the back-panel MOD1 jack.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components G – The LFO The Voyager OS has a dedicated Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO). The LFO produces triangle and square waves as well as stepped and smoothed Sample & Hold (S&H) signals over a range of approximately 0.2 to 50 Hz. The LFO signal is available as a modulation source on both Mod Busses. For the Sample and Hold circuit, the LFO’s square wave is used as the S&H Trigger input, while the Voyager’s Noise source is used for the S&H Input signal.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components LFO/Sample and Hold Section Controls Rate: The RATE control sets the frequency of the LFO. The RATE control frequency range is approximately 0.2 to 50 Hz. Wave: The WAVE control selects the LFO waveform. There are four waveforms available: Triangle Square Stepped Sample & Hold Smooth Sample & Hold Additional CV Connections: LFO Rate: The LFO RATE jack accepts an expression pedal or a control voltage from -5 to +5V.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components H – Keyboard and Left-Hand Controllers The Voyager OS has a 44-note keyboard (31⁄2 octaves, F to C), just like the original Minimoog. The Voyager’s keyboard produces velocity and aftertouch (pressure) voltages monophonically. These voltages can be used as modulation control signals through the Modulation Busses, or as external control signals when the Voyager is connected to the optional VX-351 CV Expander.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components PERFORMANCE TIP: The expressive use of the Pitch and Modulation Wheels is the key to breathing musical life into your performances. For example, the Pitch Wheel will allow you to perform pitch bends like a guitarist, or create on-the-fly half and whole step modulations. The Mod Wheel can be programmed to introduce standard modulation effects like vibrato, tremolo or filter sweeps, or it can control something less expected, like the LFO rate.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components Gate/Footswitch Inputs: The Gate/Footswitch Inputs are 1⁄4” TS jacks color coded with a blue nut. These jacks accept an input from a footswitch (a momentary, normally-closed footswitch like the Moog FS-1) or a +5 Volt Gate Signal. NOTE: The Sample and Hold input jack ONLY accepts a Gate input. CV Output: The Keyboard Pitch CV (labeled ‘KB CV’) is available at this output. This CV is scaled to 1V/octave.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Appendix A - Specifications Type: Monophonic analog performance synthesizer Sound Generation: 3 Oscillators with continuously variable waveform control, 1 Noise source, 5-input Mixer, 2 Filters, 2 Envelope Generators, 1 LFO, 2 Programmable Modulation Busses, Glide and Fine Tune controls Keyboard: 44 keys (F-C) Transmits monophonic velocity and aftertouch control voltages Performance Controls: Pitch Wheel: +/-5 semitones (range is internally adjustable) Modulation Wheel
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Appendix B - VX-351 CV Expander Flash back to the late 60’s: Back in the day, a synthesizer was a behemoth of panels and patch cords. They were known as modular synthesizers, because each function of the synthesizer was contained in a single module. A synthesizer was a collection of modules, and the instrument produced no sound until the proper connections were made between modules using patch cables.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Connecting the VX351: Make all connections as described below with the Voyager powered OFF To connect the VX-351, locate the male end (the end with recessed pins) of the DB-25 cable - this is the end that plugs into the connector on the Voyager’s back panel labeled “ACCESSORY PORT” Align the cable properly and make the connection. Use the thumbscrews to lock the connection. Be careful not to force or cross thread the thumbscrews in the accessory port’s female threads.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices VX-351 CV Output Expander - Description The following is a description of the outputs and functions contained in the VX-351 CV Output Expander. TOUCH This group of four outputs is not used with the Voyager OS. KBD This group of outputs is generated from the Voyager’s Keyboard. There are three control voltages (Pitch, Velocity and Pressure) and one gate signal. PITCH: This is the CV determined by the note that is played on the Keyboard.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices BUSSES: This group of outputs is generated by the Mod Buss signals. They are the Modulation source after being shaped by the SHAPING signal at the level determined by the AMOUNT control and the MOD WHEEL or signal at the MOD1 Input jack WHEEL: This is the output of the Mod Wheel Mod Buss. It is the Mod Wheel SOURCE shaped by the SHAPING signal. The level is determined by the AMOUNT control and the MOD WHEEL. PEDAL: This is the output of the Pedal/On Mod Buss.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices The table below shows the effective ranges of the VX-351 Outputs. SECTION TOUCH (Note 1) KBD WHEELS PEDALS LFO BUSSES ENVS S&H NOISE PARAMETER EFFECTIVE RANGE X N/A Y N/A A N/A GATE N/A PITCH (Note 2) -0.916V to 2.667V Nominal VEL -5 to + 5V PRESS -5 to + 5V GATE +5V ON, 0V OFF PITCH -5 to +5V MOD -5 to +5V MOD1 (Note 3) -5 to +5V MOD2 (Note 3) -5 to +5V TRIANGLE +/- 2.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Documenting your work A list of the Expander connections (like the one shown below) is a convenient way to document CV routings with the Voyager OS.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices The following are some simple ways to use the VX-351 with the Voyager OS. Gather up some 1⁄4” patch cords and try these suggestions: 1. Use the Mod Wheel to control Volume This will configure the Mod Wheel as a volume controller. Perform the following steps: - Set the panel controls to the default configuration.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Appendix C - Using the CP-251 with the Voyager The Moogerfooger® CP-251 Control Processor makes an ideal companion to the Voyager OS. The CP-251 provides an LFO with two waveforms (Triangle/Square), a Sample & Hold circuit with two outputs (stepped/smooth), a Lag Processor, a Noise source, a Mixer and two active Attenuators. The combination of Voyager, VX-351and CP-251 is very much like having a small Modular synthesizer.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices To produce a modulated filter effect: Using a patch cord, make a connection from the CP-251 Attenuator Output jack to the Voyager’s FILTER jack. On the CP-251, set the LFO RATE control to 6 Hz (about 1 o’clock), and adjust the ATTENUATOR to about ‘2’ on the dial. This will produce a cyclical tonal variation as the filter cutoff frequency is modulated.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices PERFORMANCE TIP: There may be times when you want a wider control range than a single CV provides. It’s possible to increase the control range of a CV using a Mult and the Mixer in the CP-251. Begin by connecting the CV to a Mult, and then make connections from the Mult to the Mixer 1 & Mixer 2 inputs. Set the Mixer 1 & 2, and Master levels to maximum, then route the output to your desired input.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Appendix D - SynthesisTutorial For those who are new to the world of electronic music, let’s take a few moments to go through the basics of sound and synthesis. Sound is simply the audible change in air pressure. When we perceive sound, our ears are responding to variations in air pressure that happen to occur in our range of hearing. The rate of these variations is called the Frequency, which is measured in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz).
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices The Subtractive Synthesis Model The Oscillator is the starting point of Subtractive Synthesis, for it is here that the initial sound is created. The oscillator creates electrical vibrations which function in a manner similar to the strings of a guitar; they create the signal source that the rest of the system will use to modify and shape the sound. The key oscillator parameters are pitch and waveform.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Like the square wave, the triangle wave only contains odd harmonics, but the levels of the harmonics in a triangle wave are much less. The triangle wave has a soft, slightly buzzy sound that is suitable for highpitched leads (like a flute) or adding a beefy sub-bass to bass sounds. The sine wave is the purest waveform of them all. It has no harmonics, so it produces a very pure tone.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Returning to our Subtractive Synthesis model, the first of the auxiliary components is the keyboard. The keyboard provides a familiar musical instrument ‘interface’ that produces a control voltage and trigger signal whenever a key is pressed. The level of the control voltage signal is a function of which key is pressed - the higher up on the keyboard you play, the higher the level of the control voltage.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices So there you have it - the six basic components that make up a synthesizer based on the subtractive synthesis model. Keep in mind that most ‘subtractive’ synthesizers often include more than one of each component. This is especially true of the oscillators and envelope generators, but may also be true of filters, amplifiers and LFO’s.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Appendix E - Service and Support Information Moog Limited Warranty Moog Music warrants its produces to be free of defects in materials or workmanship and conforming to specifications at the time of shipment for a period of one year from the date of purchase. During the warranty period, any defective products will be repaired or replaced, at Moog Music’s option, on a return-to-factory basis.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Appendix G - Accessories To further enhance the functionality and appearance of the Minimoog Voyager OS, Moog Music offers the following optional accessories. For complete information on everything listed here, including pricing and ordering info, see your Moog dealer, or visit www. moogmusic.com EP2 Expression Pedal The EP2 Expression Pedal is the finest expression pedal available. Its smooth action gives it the feel musicians need for precise, playable control.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices Accessories (Con’t) Voyager Gig Bag For getting around town, the Voyager gig bag is a lightweight and convenient way to safely transport your Voyager. The gig bag is made of heavy-duty nylon material, with double-stitched construction and a pouch for your cables and accessories. Dust Cover Protect your investment when you’re not using it. The water repellent dust cover (with a drawstring) keeps dust, pet hair, and other airborne debris from collecting on the Voyager.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Glossary Glossary Here are a few key terms that cover the basics of sound generation as used in the Voyager OS synthesizer. ADSR – Abbreviation for Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release, the four stages of an envelope control voltage. Amplitude – The strength of a sound’s vibration measured in Decibels (dB). Amplitude corresponds to the musical term Loudness. Control Voltage – Control voltages (also called CVs) are used in analog synthesizers to affect changes in the sound.
Voyager User’s Manual - Glossary Filter – A circuit that removes some frequencies and allows other frequencies to pass through the circuit. A filter has a cutoff frequency that determines the point at which frequencies begin to be removed. A lowpass filter is one in which frequencies above the cutoff frequency are removed and all frequencies below the cutoff are passed through.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Glossary Mixer – A circuit for combining multiple sound sources or signals. Modulation – Modulation is the use of a control voltage to shape a tone. Modulation has a source, a destination, and an amount. This could be as simple as the filter cutoff of a VCF (a modulation destination) being changed by the front panel cutoff control (the source), or as complex as mixing multiple CVs together to modulate filter cutoff.
Voyager User’s Manual - Glossary Timbre – Pronounced ‘tamber’, it refers to the quality of a sound by its overtones. An unprocessed sawtooth wave has a bright timbre, while a triangle wave has a mellow timbre. Tremolo – Technically a form of low frequency amplitude modulation, tremolo is a smooth audible pulsing of volume. In synthesizers, tremolo is produced when a 5-6Hz LFO triangle or sine wave signal is applied to a voltage controlled amplifier. Waveform – The shape of an oscillator’s vibration.
Voyager OS User’s Manual - Glossary Patch Templates Just like the original Minimoog, the best way to record your patches for later recall is to document them using patch templates. A blank patch template page is provided here for you to copy and use to record your own sonic creations. To help get you started on your musical explorations, here are a couple of sample patches of typical Minimoog sounds. You can use them as-is, or as starting points for creating new sounds.
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Voyager OS User’s Manual Minimoog Voyager Old School User’s Manual © Moog Music 2008, all rights reserved Text and illustrations by Greg Kist, Steve Dunnington and the resources of Moog Music.
