moog voyager midi

You are here

Moog minimoog voyager xl.

• Synthesizers

There's no more revered name in the history of synthesis than Moog, and the Voyager XL aims to cement their reputation for top‑flight instruments. Is this the Rolls Royce of the synthesizer world?

If you're a keyboard player, there's a fair chance that you've lusted after a Minimoog at one time or another. Unfortunately, there are only a few thousand of these to go round, and the last was built in 1981, so there was huge anticipation when Bob Moog regained the rights to his own name and announced the forthcoming release of a new Minimoog, to be called the Minimoog Voyager. Yet when it arrived, in 2002, its impact on the keyboard world was less than one might have expected, perhaps because it was released too soon; the first versions required a flurry of software upgrades as well as some rather annoying hardware fixes before the initial specification was met. But if you still think of the Voyager in this fashion, your perceptions are out of date, because it has for some years been a well‑implemented and, as far as I am aware, bug‑free instrument. So, following our reviews of earlier limited editions such as the Signature (2002) and the Anniversary (2004), the release of yet another special edition — the Minimoog Voyager XL — seems the perfect excuse to re‑evaluate the Voyager and to see what it offers in 2011.

The Voyager XL is essentially a semi‑modular version of the standard Voyager, with a five- rather than a four‑octave keyboard, a ribbon controller and, most obviously, extensive CV routing options built into the front panel. But before we look at what's new, let's explore the common ground between the XL and its Voyager forebear.

The Standard Voyager's Architecture

Like the standard Voyager, the XL's sound sources comprise three oscillators, a noise generator and an external signal input, with oscillator sync and the ability to derive their waveforms from a continuum ranging from a triangle wave at one extreme to a tight pulse wave at the other. You can modulate the waveshapes of all the oscillators, for a wide range of PWM effects, you can use Osc 3 as a modulation source, as on the original Minimoog, and there's also a dedicated LFO with triangle, square and S&H outputs.

Next comes the five‑channel mixer. This offers an effects loop that allows you to insert external devices into the signal chain before passing the sound to the filter section, which comprises two resonant filters that can be configured either as parallel low‑pass filters or as a LP/HP pair in series. The difference between the two filters' cutoff frequencies is determined by a single spacing control rather than a pair of frequency knobs and, somewhere among the Voyager's numerous software upgrades, this became a programmable modulation destination, which is good news. Unfortunately, the filters in the review model don't track the keyboard at exactly 100 percent, nor do they track at the same rate as each other, nor can you modulate their resonances separately. But to analyse the Voyager's filters on the basis of what they can't do is (perhaps) to miss the point. Whether used in their 6, 12, 18 or 24dB/oct modes, they have the classy timbre that made the Minimoog so special and which remains almost impossible to obtain elsewhere.

The ADSR envelope generators in the XP are satisfyingly snappy and, as well as being hard‑wired to the filter cutoff frequency and the audio signal amplifier (which makes basic programming nice and straightforward), they can also be used as modulation sources for all manner of esoteric purposes. Unfortunately, and in common with another Moog product reviewed recently, the Release On/Off switch doesn't reduce the release time to zero, it merely curtails it, which seems wrong to me.

Modulation on the Minimoog was horribly limited, with just two sources and two destinations. In contrast, Voyagers offer two modulation buses on their control panels, with what appear to be eight sources, seven destinations, and four 'shaping' options. However, these buses are more flexible than they seem because they can draw upon an extensive range of additional options in the menu system (of which more later). In addition, the introduction of the strangely named — but in my view essential — Pot Mapping modulation matrices (see 'Pot Mapping' box) hugely expanded their modulation capabilities and eliminated some significant oversights in the original specification.

Moog made a big deal of the Voyager's Touch Surface Controller when it first appeared, but this was (initially) next to useless because it was permanently connected to the filter. Happily, Moog corrected this quite early in the synth's history, as well as the pad's inability to retain its CV information correctly when you lifted your finger from it. With 32 destinations for each axis, plus 14 Gate destinations, it has become an exceptionally flexible modulation source, so I was at first curious as to why a synth would require both a touch‑pad and a ribbon controller. I soon had my answer, finding myself patching them to do different things. Unfortunately, the pad's position to the right of centre on the XL's panel may render it less useful than it would otherwise be for the majority of (right‑handed) players.

The final elements in the standard Voyager's architecture lie in its editing system. In addition to programming the aforementioned Pot Mapping and filter cutoff slopes, this is where you'll find facilities such as the Alternative Gate sources, 43 additional Shaper sources for the modulation buses, and much more. It's also where you can organise your sounds into categories, stack multiple Voyagers into hyper‑expensive polysynths, choose from three user‑selectable velocity curves, and select from the available key priorities and trigger modes to tailor the way in which the XL will respond to your playing. You can even transpose the keyboard locally and separately with respect to incoming (or out‑going) MIDI note numbers, which is neat.

Ins, Outs & Voltage Processors

So far, I've described nothing that's not available on the standard Voyager, and although the patch points to the left of the XL look new, many of them are not. The original Voyager had 18 analogue inputs and outputs on the back of its control panel, but only four of these — the external audio input, the effects loop and the stereo audio outputs — have survived in that position on the XL. The other 14 (which are all CVs and Gates) have migrated forward and now appear as the CV Inputs section on the synth's front panel. Unfortunately, while these make it possible to control the Voyager using external devices, they aren't complemented by outputs that allow it to control those devices in turn, nor can you patch new control routings on the Voyager itself. So, for the original Voyagers, Moog released the VX351 CV Expander which — provided you were prepared to open your synth to install a piggy‑back board — derived a bunch of output CVs from the 25‑way connector on its rear panel and presented them to the outside world on quarter‑inch sockets. To be honest, I always felt rather cheated by the need to modify my expensive synthesizer in this way but, once attached, the VX351 proved to be indispensable. Happily, the XL now incorporates all the CV outputs from the VX351, and even offers two extra ones. These are the CV and Gate generated by its 500mm ribbon controller, and it's just as well that these are included because the ribbon isn't hard‑wired to anything so, without patching, it does nothing.

The final set of facilities on the XL are derived from the Moogerfooger CP251 Control Processor, which incorporates two attenuators, a simple LFO, a S&H generator, a slew generator, a noise generator, a mixer and a four‑way multiple. With the exception of the noise generator, these are all recreated to a greater or lesser degree on the XL.

For example, the XL's dual attenuators offer offset knobs as well as the CP's amount knobs, and these allow you both to attenuate the signal and apply a DC offset. What's more, their inputs are normalled to a new LFO and the XL's ribbon controller, which clearly wouldn't have been possible on the CP251. Demonstrating even greater differences, the CP251's LFO and dedicated S&H section have been replaced by LFO2, which offers six waveforms (including two forms of S&H), MIDI sync, a lowest frequency of around 0.02Hz for long sweeps, and the ability to output different frequencies and waveforms from its positive and negative polarity sockets. In contrast, the lag processor appears to be the same on the XL as on the CP251, as does the CV Mixer, which retains the CP251's high bandwidth and can be used for mixing audio signals as well as CVs.

The omission of the CP251's noise source on the XL is interesting. I seem to remember that the noise generated by the CP251 is richer in high frequencies than that generated by the Voyager itself, but taking the noise signal from the XL's patch panel and feeding it back into its external audio signal input demonstrates that it's the same signal as you obtain from switching noise on in the audio mixer. Strangely, the polarity is reversed, and by balancing the levels of the external input and the noise generator, I could cancel the two almost perfectly. I wonder whether this was intentional?

The final element in the CP251 is a four‑way multiple. At first sight, this appears to have gone AWOL, but given that there are three multis on the XL's CV panel, and the VX351 had just two, it's clear that the CP251's has simply moved north a few inches. Unfortunately, while the multis can all drive expression pedals, I suspect that they remain unbuffered, because voltages can droop when you send a single CV to multiple destinations. Not serious when using them to help create sound effects and complex modulations, this can be a problem when signals passed through them are used to control the oscillators' pitches.

Getting started with the XL couldn't be easier. Stick it on a sturdy stand, plug it in to your mixer or amp, plug in a standard mains cable, and switch on. Not only does it avoid the use of a wall‑wart (hurray!), it also incorporates a universal power supply so you don't even have to worry about voltages and mains frequencies. You may now be tempted to start working your way through the 1024 factory sounds, but I recommend that you first set up the keyboard priority and trigger modes to your preferred playing style. Now start playing.

Like the original Voyager, I found the XL's keyboard action to be entirely appropriate for monosynth duties, and I loved having the extra range available for soloing. More surprisingly, I found that the XL was equally suited for use as a five‑octave velocity‑ and pressure‑sensitive MIDI controller. It's fair to say that early Voyagers had numerous MIDI deficiencies, but those are now in the past. I tested the XL as a controller keyboard and it proved quite adequate, sending velocity and aftertouch messages correctly, as as well MIDI CCs from almost every front‑panel control. And, at the other end of the scale, I used a small Arturia controller keyboard to play and control the Moog without any problems.

But what if you're an analogue die‑hard and want to avoid MIDI? Back in 2003, I wrote, "I see no reason why Moog couldn't have made the Voyager a little larger, and incorporated everything into one case... if you were to add the VX351, and extend the synth even further with a Moogerfooger CP251 Control Processor, it starts to look as if [a modular synth] is the final target.” Hooking the XL up to my Analogue Systems RS8000 — both as the controller keyboard and as part of the sound generating mechanism — yielded excellent results as well as providing endless hours of fun. Nonetheless, please don't be confused about its underlying nature. Forget the fact that you can't insert or remove modules, as on a true modular synth. With the exception of a couple of fudges, there are no ways to tap the audio signal path, so the XL occupies the same semi‑modular territory as the Korg MS20. This may seem strange, because if there's one company that could make money out of selling genuine modular synthesizers, it should be Moog, but it seems that the company have decided not to go that route.

While reviewing the XL, I became aware of a couple of improvements over the original Voyager that are worth mentioning. On early models, you couldn't use the synth with its control panel laid flat because its weight rested on any cables that you inserted. Whether by raising the panel a touch or by shaving the wooden bar at the rear of the synth, this now seems to have been corrected. Another fault on early versions concerned the synth's response to the pitch‑bend wheel (which was asymmetric) and the fact that the whole thing went flat as you increased the maximum pitch‑bend interval. This was fixed when the Anniversary Edition appeared a few years ago, and is no longer an issue.

So do I have any concerns about the XL? Of course I do, and here's a short wish–list that would make it an even better synth. Firstly, please can we have the Minimoog's A‑440 oscillator back? This is almost essential on a synth that has no fixed tuning. My second wish concerns the filter topology. As it stands, you can switch the Voyager's filters between series (HP+LP) mode for single‑channel band‑pass effects, and parallel (LP+LP) mode, with the output of each filter passing to a separate output channel. But wouldn't it be great if the dual‑LP mode was also available in series? The Cwejman S1 MkII shows what can be achieved with slopes of greater than 24dB/octave, and slopes of up to 48dB/octave would allow us to create some powerful new timbres on the XL. Thirdly, I wish that the XL's voltage processors were not modelled quite so closely on the CP251's because this means that there's still no patchable VCA. I thought that this was daft on the original expander, and I still do, so can we have one (or more) please? Pretty please? Finally, I would like to moan about being asked to pay $79 for the Voyagers' editor/librarian. If I'm going to cough up over four grand for a synth, I don't think that it would be unreasonable for this to be included.

So, at last, we come to the sound of the XL. It might seem strange with such a huge library on tap, but I'm not a huge fan of the factory patches because too many strive to be big, fat, noisy and impressive. One of the great joys of early Moog synths was finding that a gentle waveform generated by a single oscillator could sound musical and involving, and so it is with the XL. Coaxing classic monosynth sounds from it is a pleasure, and then invoking facilities such as Pot Mapping to provide additional performance controls and extra modulation is even more so. Mind you, while the XL can sound like a Minimoog, it doesn't always do so, even if that's what you're trying to achieve. For example, the famous behaviour of the original, in which the amount of filter resonance decreases as the cutoff frequency decreases, is not replicated. But this is probably irrelevant because, when you start to use all the extra capabilities of the XL, the Minimoog can only watch as its descendant disappears over the sonic horizon. From common facilities such as PWM and sync, to the dual filters, to the selectable filter cutoff slopes (which make it capable of creating sounds reminiscent of other revered synths such as ARPs and early Korgs), to velocity and pressure sensitivity, to the myriad patching options and software-controlled modulation capabilities... the XL demonstrates the huge gulf between 1971 and 2011. What's more, it does so in a way that doesn't detract from its sound, which is greatly to Moog's credit.

Consequently, powerful bass and creamy lead sounds ooze out of it unbidden, while MS20‑style basses and all the squelches and farts of electronica and dance music are just a filter tweak away. It's pretty good at orchestral imitations too, and I was pleased by the quality of the flutes, solo strings and brass patches that I could coax from it. Then there are the noises and effects; start using the hardware and software patching and you'll create them effortlessly, although whether they'll be the ones you wanted is another matter! If money were no object and I was looking for a genuine analogue — umm, well, analogue/digital hybrid — monosynth (with all the strengths, weaknesses and limitations that that implies) then, short of a large cabinet of high‑quality synth modules, I'm not sure what I could buy that would do a better job.

Conclusions

Voyagers retail for between £2350 $3295 and £2600 $3570 depending upon which type of wood you prefer and which colour of LEDs you choose to light its controls and parameter values. (Maple Fire or Mahogany Indigo, sir?) Add to this a maximum of around £550 $763 for the VX351, the CP251 and their rackmount kit, and you have a total price lying between £2900 $4058 and £3150 $4333 . This means that the Voyager XL will cost you somewhere in the region of £1000 $660 to £1200 $900 extra for a ribbon controller, a 61‑ rather than a 44‑note keyboard, and the convenience of losing a couple of connecting cables. It's clear that — even allowing for the improvement in ergonomics when compared with the Voyager/VX351/CP251 combo — you can't judge the Voyager XL by any conventional price/performance criteria. But over the past few weeks I have shown the review unit to a number of experienced and gear‑jaded keyboard players and, without exception, their responses have centred around "Wow!” and "Oooooo!” In short, the Voyager XL does to keyboard players what catnip appears to do to cats. Nonetheless, most people would view you as certifiably insane if you were to consider spending more than £4000 $5000 on a semi‑modular monosynth, let alone one that offers no esoteric filters, sequencers, quantisers, frequency shifters, ring modulators or effects, and they could point out that there's nothing new here; the XL merely rehashes existing technology that can be obtained cheaper elsewhere. But they would have missed the point. So I'll repeat myself. You cannot justify the XL in terms of price, performance, convenience, or any other sensible criteria. A wise man once said, "Keep only that which you believe to be beautiful or know to be useful”. Few synthesizers have embodied both of those attributes and, despite the niggles, the Voyager XL is both gorgeous and sounds great. I couldn't justify buying one, but I'll lust after one nonetheless because it reminds me of why I wanted to play synthesizers in the first place.  

Pot Mapping

Pot Mapping comprises four modulation paths that can be used together with, or completely independently from, the modulation buses on the front panel. There are four parameters for each path — source, destination, polarity and amount — and with 40 sources and destinations (each of which can be used multiple times if desired), the range of routing possibilities is astronomical. Happily, setting everything up is simple — much simpler than the control-panel buses — and (for example) turning the Voyager XL into a synth with touch‑sensitive brightness, loudness, vibrato and growl takes just seconds this way. The Voyager became a hugely better synth when Pot Mapping was introduced; it's only a shame (although an entirely understandable one) that its destinations are confined to the standard Voyager facilities and have not been extended to the new modules added on the XL.

Digital Control

If you want evidence that the Voyager XL isn't a purely analogue synth, you need look no further than its edit menus, where numerous control thingies are routed from sources to destinations by software. If you want to prove it audibly, try sweeping two knobs rapidly while listening to the resulting changes in the sound. Whereas sweeping one results in a smooth 'analogue' response, asking the processor to handle two simultaneously results in a faint, but perceptible stepping. But don't worry. Nobody except you is going to hear it and, given that the audio path is analogue from start to finish, I don't think that you should give a damn.

Abridged Specification

Cv & gate connections.

CV & Gate Inputs

The Voyager's rear panel CV and Gate inputs are reproduced in full in the XL's CV Inputs panel.

The VX351's CV and Gate outputs are also reproduced in full on the Voyager XL.

Voltage Processors

Something akin to but not identical with the CP251's voltage processors are offered on the Voyager XL.

• It's as sexy as a sexy thing on a sexy day, and it will incite deep lust in many players...
• ... but given the price, it may be unrequited lust, I'm afraid.

The Voyager XL is a large and heavy lump of synthesizer that reminds me of gigging in the 1970s, in more ways than one! But it looks gorgeous and it sounds great. Unfortunately, I suspect that almost as many will end up in display cases as will find their way onto the stages of the world. You can't justify buying one on a price/performance basis, but as an object of desire it's possibly in a class of its own.

information

Source Distribution +44 (0)20 8962 5080.

[email protected]

www.sourcedistribution.co.uk

www.moogmusic.com

Moog Music +1 828 251 0090.

[email protected]

New forum posts

• Re: Need Help Understanding a Chord Progression merlyn > 05 Apr 2024, 14:39 Music Theory, Songwriting & Composition
• Re: New studio album out next month Drew Stephenson > 05 Apr 2024, 14:29 Self-Promotion
• Re: How to tell when a guitar is too expensive BJG145 > 05 Apr 2024, 14:29 Guitar Technology
• Re: How to make it in the Business tea for two > 05 Apr 2024, 14:07 Music Business
• How to tell when a guitar is too expensive SecretSam > 05 Apr 2024, 13:59 Guitar Technology

Active topics

• How to tell when a guitar is too expensive
• New Podcast Episode: Tim Bran - Music Producer
• AI Singing Technology
• Invert polarity for top/bottom snare
• Pro Tools first advice
• The best home studio monitors
• Keepforest Spring Sale - Melodies in Bloom
• SM7B and gain
• ModeAudio releases 'Microchip - Vital Synthwave Presets'
• Differences between Samplitude ProX6 and 8?

Recently active forums

• Recording: Gear & Techniques
• Mixing, Mastering & Post Production
• New Products & Industry News
• Music Business
• Windows Music
• Apps & Other Computers/OS
• Guitar Technology
• Keyboards & Synthesis
• DIY Electronics & Studio Design
• Live Sound & Performance
• Music Theory, Songwriting & Composition
• User Reviews
• Remote Collaboration
• Self-Promotion

Create an account

• Moog Manuals
• Synthesizer
• User manual

Moog Voyager User Manual

• User manual (75 pages)
• Schematics (50 pages)
• page of 62 Go / 62

Table of Contents

• Getting Started
• The Basics of Analog Synthesis
• The Voyager's Features
• Oscillators
• Envelope Generators
• Audio Outputs
• LFO/ Sample and Hold
• Keyboard and Left Hand Control Panel
• The Touch Surface Controller
• The Back Panel
• The Interface
• Master Mode
• Appendix A: Caring for Your Voyager
• Appendix B: Service and Technical Support Information
• Appendix C: List of Presets
• Appendix D: MIDI Implementation Chart
• Appendix E: VX-351 User's Guide

Advertisement

Quick Links

• 1 Getting Started
• 2 The Back Panel
• 3 The User Interface/Voyager Software
• 4 Master Mode
• 6 Appendix C: List of Presets
• 7 Appendix D: MIDI Implementation Chart
• Download this manual

Related Manuals for Moog Voyager

Summary of Contents for Moog Voyager

• Page 1 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WARNING – When using electric products, basic precautions should always be followed, including the following: 1) Read all the instructions before using the product. 2) Do not use this product near water – for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool or the like.

Page 2: Table Of Contents

Page 3: getting started.

• Page 4 Start Playing! The quickest way to hear what the Voyager has to offer is to listen to the presets. Press the PANEL button and ENTER. The screen will display the name and number of the last preset that was in memory.
• Page 5 ENTER. The sound produced by the Voyager is now determined by the settings of the front panel independently of preset memory. When working with the Voyager, keep in mind that many of the controls are interactive, so there is frequently more than one way to control a single parameter.

Page 6: The Basics Of Analog Synthesis

• Page 7 Amplitude – The strength of a sound’s vibration measured in Decibels (dB). This corresponds to the musical term Loudness (figure 4). Harmonic Content – A sound is made up of simple vibrations at many different frequencies (called harmonics) which give a sound its particular character. This corresponds to the musical term timbre or tone color.
• Page 8 In general, “synthesis” refers to the generation of sound through a group of amplified circuits over which the programmer/performer has power to change volume, pitch, timbre and articulation. The Minimoog Voyager is based on what is called “subtractive synthesis”. This method of synthesis employs a harmonically rich (think bright-sounding) source material, and then removes frequency components to create the desired sound.
• Page 9 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.
• Page 10 Every panel control on the Voyager produces a control voltage that is routed to the circuit that the knob or slider is designed to change. An oscillator with pitch varied by the voltage from the keyboard or tuning control is a Voltage Controlled Oscillator, or VCO.
• Page 11 Modulation - Modulation is the use of a CV to affect a voltage-controlled circuit. Modulation has a source, destination, and 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.
• Page 12 Low Frequency Oscillator - Also called an LFO, this is a special type of voltage controlled oscillator that oscillates primarily below the range of human hearing. LFOs are typically used as a source of modulation. For instance - an LFO with a triangle waveform at about 6 Hz modulating the pitch of a VCO sounds like vibrato.

Page 13: The Voyager's Features

• Page 14 The back panel offers the many connections available, including the power, MIDI, CV, and audio connections (figure 13). For the Control Inputs, a blue nut indicates a gate/footswitch input and a red nut indicates a CV/ expression pedal input. - The Oscillator section includes controls for choosing the octave, the tuning of the second and third oscillators, the oscillators’...
• Page 15 - When a key is pressed, A Gate and Pitch CV are produced by the keyboard. The Gate signal is used to trigger both the Filter and Volume Envelopes. 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.
• Page 16 - The LFO is assigned through the MOD Busses. It features a triangle and square wave. It is also used to trigger the Sample and Hold. - The touch surface controller can control three parameters (X,Y,A) simultaneously. The position of a finger on the touch pad generates a control voltage for horizontal (X) position and a control voltage for vertical (Y) position.

Page 17: The Voyager's Components

• Page 18 amount of soft clipping is occurring. When the LED is bright, the signal is really strongly overdriven. Judicious use of overdrive can really fatten up a sound. The external audio input can accept a signal from instrument level to line level. MIX-OUT LOOP: The jack on the back labeled “mix out/filter in”...

Page 19: Oscillators

• Page 20 Oscillator 1 does not have a frequency control because it is designed to serve as a reference oscillator for the other 2 oscillators. FINE TUNE: Fine tune control can be used to tune the Voyager’s oscillators + or – 2 semitones for matching an external reference pitch. WAVE: Oscillator waveform control The VCOs of the Voyager feature a continuously variable waveform control.
• Page 21 1 FM: Direct Linear Frequency Modulation of Osc. 1 by Osc. 3 When an Oscillator is used as a CV source for another VCO, it is called Frequency modulation. Frequency Modulation effects can vary from vibrato or trill effects to clangorous inharmonic sounds to rich timbres that evoke acoustic sounds.

Page 22: Filters

• Page 23 The Voyager features two filter modes: Dual Lowpass and Highpass/Lowpass DUAL LOWPASS MODE: The Voyager’s dual Lowpass filter mode features two lowpass filters which are routed to the left or right audio output. The Cutoff knob controls the frequency cutoffs of both filters.
• Page 24 HIGHPASS LOWPASS MODE: In Highpass/Lowpass mode, the Voyagers filters are configured as a lowpass and highpass filter in series, summed to both outputs. As with the dual lowpass mode, the Cutoff control changes the cutoff frequency of both filters, and the spacing sets the frequency difference between the highpass filter and lowpass filter.
• Page 25 FILTER CONTROL INPUT: The Control Input on the back labeled FILTER is a CV input for external control of the Voyager’s filter cutoff control. The Input accepts -5 to +5 volts, or an expression pedal like the EP-1. The voltage applied here is added to where the front panel Cutoff control is set.

Page 26: Envelope Generators

• Page 27 RATE CONTROL INPUT: The Control Input on the back labeled RATE is a CV input for external control of the Voyager’s Envelope time constants. The Input accepts -5 to 5 Volts, or an expression pedal like the EP-1. An expression pedal or a positive voltage applied here decreases the attack, decay, and release times from where the front panel is set for both the filter and the volume EGRs.
• Page 28 ENVELOPE GATE INPUT: This input accepts a footswitch or gate signal. Pressing the footswitch or applying a gate signal (+5V) triggers both envelopes when On/External is selected by the ENV. GATE switch. RELEASE INPUT: This input accepts a footswitch or gate signal. Pressing the footswitch or applying a gate signal (+5V) enables the Release of the Envelopes regardless of the position of the Release switch on the Left Hand Controller panel.

Page 29: Audio Outputs

Page 30: mod busses.

• Page 31 Wheel can be used to fade in the modulation, which should sound something like vibrato. This is a simple use of a mod bus. The flexibility of the two Modulation Busses offer a wealth of modulation possibilities which make the Voyager an incredible sound design tool. SOURCE: Choosing a modulation source is done through a combination of the Mod Source Switch and the menus of the software.
• Page 32 -OSC.3: The Pitch of Oscillator 3 -FILTER: The Filters’ Cutoff frequency -WAVE: All 3 Oscillators waveform -LFO/PGM: This is a programmable destination for the mod bus with LFO Rate as the The programmable Mod destination is set in the EDIT mode menu default.

Page 33: Lfo/ Sample And Hold

• Page 34 LFO RATE: The LFO Rate control sets the Rate of the dedicated LFO. The range of oscillation is .2 Hz to 50 Hz. LFO SYNC: The LFO Sync switch sets the trigger method for starting the LFO waveform. OFF/SYNC: This setting allows the LFO to be free running, unless there is an input to the SYNC jack on the back panel.

Page 35: Keyboard And Left Hand Control Panel

Page 36: the touch surface controller, page 37: the back panel, page 38: the user interface/voyager software, page 39: master mode.

• Page 40 When entering the RECEIVE UPDATE screen, the screen will ask if you are sure you want to upgrade the software. Selecting YES will initialize the memory and enable the Voyager to receive the Sysex data containing the new Operating System software.

Page 41: Edit Mode

• Page 42 +/- Fifth +/- 1 Octave +/- 1 Octave & 5 +/- 2 Octaves +/- 2 Octaves & 5 PGM M-WHL SOURCE PROGRAMMABLE MOD WHEEL SOURCE is a function that allows the user to program 1 of 8 additional modulation sources to be used when the SOURCE switch for the Mod Wheel Mod Bus is set to NOISE/PGM.
• Page 43 INITIALIZE PARAMETERS is a function that allows the user to reset the current values of the Voyager’s parameters to a basic sound which can be used as a starting point for new sound development. Enter EDIT mode and use the +/- 1 buttons to highlight INIT.
• Page 44 SAVE PRESET SAVE PRESET allows the user to store all the Voyager’s current front panel settings, Pitch Bend Amount, Programmable Mod Sources and Destinations, Keyboard Mode, Trigger Mode, and Preset Name to one of 128 Memory locations. To save your edited sound, enter EDIT mode, use the +/- 1 buttons to highlight SAVE PRESET and press ENTER.

Page 45: Panel Mode

Page 46: midi, page 47: appendix a: caring for your voyager, page 48: appendix c: list of presets.

• Page 49 034 - Zappy Bass 035 - Classic Sweeper 036 - Touchpad sync 037 - First Love 038 - Clearly fuzzy 039 - Fond Memories 040 - Flyin' fingers 041 - Worms of funk 042 - Tremowah Bass 043 - Welcoming machine 044 - Touchpad horn 045 - Still fun (wheel up) 046 - Subfood Bass...
• Page 50 083 - Aleatoric 084 - Wheel chorus Lead 085 - Glass Temple 086 - Repeater Bass 087 - Electro Kid 088 - Fuzzy Lead 089 - Catherine of Aragon 090 - Catherine Howard 091 - Anne Boleyn Bass 092 - Anne Boleyn Lead 093 - Raw &...

Page 51: Appendix D: Midi Implementation Chart

Page 52: appendix e: vx-351 user's guide.

• Page 53 - An installation guide for the Output adapter. You will need the following: - A place close to your Voyager to set your VX-351 – if you have purchased the optional rack mount kit for the VX-351 you’ll need a 19” equipment rack with 3 available spaces.
• Page 54 Plug the other end into the Voyager’s Filter control input. - Play a note on the Voyager – you will hear the LFO modulating the Filter’s Cutoff. Changing the RATE of the LFO will change the rate that the Filter cutoff goes up and down.
• Page 55 : This is the CV generated from the MOD2 input. The MOD2 Input is a CV input on the Voyager that is an external modulation source for the Mod Busses. With nothing plugged into the MOD2 jack, the voltage that’s present at the MOD2 jack is +5V.
• Page 56 The VX-351 contains two 4-way mults. A mult is used to distribute a single source to multiple destinations. An example is sending the Voyager’s LFO To the Volume, Filter and Pan Control Inputs. In this case all three of those parameters will be controlled simultaneously by the LFO.
• Page 57 Documenting your work One thing to keep in mind is that although the Voyager can remember the settings of the front panel controls as a preset, it cannot save the routings of patch cables or the positions of the attenuators. We recommend having a list of the outputs with...
• Page 58 Try the following: - Initialize the Voyager’s parameters. - Using a ¼” cable, connect the Mod Wheel Mod Buss output to the Voyager’s Filter Control Input. - Play a note and move the mod wheel forward. You’ll hear the LFO triangle wave modulating both the Voyager’s Pitch, and Filter.
• Page 59 - Switch the Envelope Gate switch at the bottom right corner of the front panel to “On/External”. You should immediately hear a note repeating at the LFO rate. These are just a few examples of the functions that a VX-351 adds to a Voyager. Adding a moogerfooger CP-251 to the mix The VX–351 works incredibly well alongside the moogerfooger CP-251 Control...
• Page 60 D) Envelope to Noise level for noise component at the attack of a note. Some sounds have a burst of noise at the beginnings of a note or “chiff” – for instance a flute or a pipe organ. This patch digs a little deeper into the Voyager to achieve this effect.
• Page 61 - Use the Voyager’s Mod Wheel to control the Rate of the MF-103 12-stage Phaser. - Use the Voyager’s Mod Wheel to control the Mix of Ring Modulation on a MF-102. - Use the Voyager’s Touch surface to control the MF-102’s Carrier Oscillator Frequency.
• Page 62 S & H STEP: Max. -2 to +2 V Nominal, 330 Ω output impedance. SMOOTH: Max. -2 to +2 V Nominal, Ω output impedance. Moog Music Inc. 554C Riverside Dr Asheville, NC 28801 800-948-1990 www.moogmusic.com Minimoog Voyager User’s Manual SKU#MAN-MIN-01...

This manual is also suitable for:

Rename the bookmark, delete bookmark, delete from my manuals, upload manual.

4   GETTING CONNECTED - MIDI SETUP

4.1 external midi device setup:.

In order for the Minimoog Voyager Editor Librarian program to work with the Voyager hardware, the software must be registered (not in Demo Mode) and the Voyager must be connected to the MIDI In and MIDI Out connections of your computer's MIDI interface. 

After making the proper connections between the Voyager and the MIDI interface, launch the Minimoog Voyager/RME Editor Librarian program. Open MIDI Setup by clicking on the MIDI menu and select MIDI Setup. You’ll see the following window (your window may show different MIDI IN Port and MIDI OUT Port information):

Added in version 3.x.x for Mac was a Virtual Midi Interface that serves as a bridge between Midi Sequencers (Pro-tools, Logic, Cubase etc.) through the editor to the Voyager. With the editor running you will notice the presence of new Midi In and Midi Out ports: SoundTower Voyager SE V-Output Port and SoundTower Voyager SE V-Input Port. In the editor's setup, those ports should never be selected - they are active all the time and they are designed to be used only by other external Midi applications that you wish the editor to communicate with. The Virtual ports for Mac will be covered in more detail in the following section 4.2. DO NOT select these ports for use.

4.2 Virtual Midi Port Setup and use in MOOG LP SE Mac version

In the updated version 1.1.0 (Mac only) we added a Virtual Midi Interface that serves as a bridge between Midi Sequencers (Pro-Tools, Logic Cubase and etc.) through the editor to Moog Little Phatty keyboard synthesizer. In this short discussion we will be dealing with LOGIC as the basis of our examples.

With the editor running you will notice the presence of the new Midi In and Midi Out ports:  Moog LP SE V-Output Port and  Moog LP SE V-Input Port .

In the editor's setup

NOTE: Those ports should never be selected - they are active all the time and they are designed to be used only by other external Midi applications that you wish to have communication with the editor. Depending on your system this may cause a lock up and you will have to restart the editor. Select the external ports you will be using for the Voyager in the normal manner as this is how the Moog Voyager SE will communicate with the Moog Voyager.

Setting up LOGIC:

After launching Logic select the Moog Voyager SE Virtual-Input Port from left panel “Port:” option. This will enable Logic to be connected to both the Voyager SE   editor and through to the Voyager .

In the editor's Midi Setup we included some filters that you can use to fine tune your application according to your needs. These you will find under the right most tab: VIRTUAL MIDI PORTS.

In all dealings with the Voyager SE and LOGIC you should not lose sight of the fact that the Virtual Midi Port IN is IN from the Moog Voyager editor’s perspective.

If nothing is set in MOOG Voyager editor's Midi Setup under VIRTUAL MIDI PORTS when LOGIC is using the VIRTUAL MIDI PORT you will still receive cc and note data from the Voyager . This data will be recorded in LOGIC in selected instrument track if an active recording session was used.

You may record note and cc data from both the Voyager and the Voyager editor.

To record data from the LP:

 This is the default: with active ports set normally, with your Midi interface between the LP and your computer ports, Logic will take the LP data directly (set Logic to the appropriate ports) or via automatically accessing the Virtual Port IN as describe above.

A recording session is accomplished as you would normally with LOGIC. Play the LP, make adjustments on control console or on the editor during play and the data is recorded on track(s) as you would expect.

 The Virtual Port ’s ability to send cc data changed directly from the LP editor to Logic while logic is recording from the virtual ports is the power behind this feature. To do so you must "Enable Cont. Controllers" under Virtual Midi Port OUT on the Midi Setup. This activates the virtual midi out that Logic is capable of accessing.

 To send cc arrangements to the LP from Logic via the Moog LP editor during logic playback you must check “Enable Cont. Controllers” in MIDI Setup under Virtual MIDI Ports IN as seen in the last image below. You will only be able to see the data on the LP editor GUI if you also check "Enable editor's controls real time update" Option.

Effectively this enables the editor’s Virtual Input port to receive the cc data and send it through to the MIDI ports selected as active on the MIDI interface connected to the hardware.

• Activate Midi Controller Port When selected, the physical MIDI IN (Midi Controller) is activated. This port can be used to connect Midi Controllers, Midi Pedals, Midi Keyboards and etc. The Continuous Controller data (CC) coming through this port can be mapped to control any Voyager Parameter via editor. • Activate CC Mapping When selected, the Continuous Controller data (CC) coming from the MIDI IN (Midi Controller) port is routed through the editor. The editor changes the value of mapped Voyager Parameter according to the editor's Continuous Controller Map and sends it to MIDI OUT Port where the Voyager is connected. Continuous Controller Mapping table is accessible from the window Midi menu. • Enable Midi Clock Thru to Midi Out This option passes the Midi Clock to Voyager from either MIDI IN (Midi Controller) or SoundTower Voyager SE V-Output Port. Note: For the Midi Clock to work, the Voyager’s Sync option has to be set to receive external clock. • Enable Editor's Controls real time update If enabled, the editor’s controls (knobs and etc.) will turn and adjust accordingly when CC data is received. The graphical interface always uses some CPU processing power - on some slower systems this may produce unwanted delay. If disabled, the editor still sends mapped CC parameter change to the Voyager but does not show in on its graphical interface. • Use Sysex Parameter Messages. This option enables you to insert actual Voyager System Exclusive Parameter Change Commands or even send complete Preset/DrumBeat Sysex dumps to the Midi Sequencer tracks via SoundTower Voyager SE V-Output Port. It also enables Sysex data to pass from SoundTower Voyager SE V-Output Port to MIDI Out PORT where the Voyager is connected.

If enabled, the editor’s controls (knobs and etc.) will turn and adjust accordingly when CC data is received. The graphical interface always uses some CPU processing power - on some slower systems this may produce unwanted delay. If disabled, the editor still sends mapped CC parameter change to the Voyager LP but does not show in on its graphical interface.  

CC/NOTE data from and to Logic in play mode from and to editor:

If a previously recorded track with cc data embedded from either/both the Voyager or the editor is played through the Virtual Midi port to the Editor you will see the channel number, parameter number and the parameter value listed in the record/play control of Logic and the value on the accompanying knob on the editors GUI if Enable Editor's Controls real time update is enabled. Changes on the GUI will show up in LOGIC’s record/play control as well.

When not using a DAW environment you will need to select the MIDI interface where your Minimoog Voyager or RME is connected. Select the correct MIDI In and MIDI Out ports from the list. Set the MIDI channel to match the MIDI channel on your Voyager. The Piano Note Velocity slider control sets the MIDI Note Velocity value that the program will use to audition presets. The default setting is 100, but this can be adjusted from 0-127.

There are also two MIDI System options available here: Bundle and CoreAudio . Choose Bundle if you are running Mac OS 10.2.X or earlier. Choose CoreAudio if you are running Mac OS 10.3.X. Click OK to store the settings and close the dialog box.

Current time by city

For example, New York

Current time by country

For example, Japan

Time difference

For example, London

For example, Dubai

Coordinates

For example, Hong Kong

For example, Delhi

For example, Sydney

Geographic coordinates of Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, Russia

City coordinates

Coordinates of Elektrostal in decimal degrees

Coordinates of elektrostal in degrees and decimal minutes, utm coordinates of elektrostal, geographic coordinate systems.

WGS 84 coordinate reference system is the latest revision of the World Geodetic System, which is used in mapping and navigation, including GPS satellite navigation system (the Global Positioning System).

Geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) define a position on the Earth’s surface. Coordinates are angular units. The canonical form of latitude and longitude representation uses degrees (°), minutes (′), and seconds (″). GPS systems widely use coordinates in degrees and decimal minutes, or in decimal degrees.

Latitude varies from −90° to 90°. The latitude of the Equator is 0°; the latitude of the South Pole is −90°; the latitude of the North Pole is 90°. Positive latitude values correspond to the geographic locations north of the Equator (abbrev. N). Negative latitude values correspond to the geographic locations south of the Equator (abbrev. S).

Longitude is counted from the prime meridian ( IERS Reference Meridian for WGS 84) and varies from −180° to 180°. Positive longitude values correspond to the geographic locations east of the prime meridian (abbrev. E). Negative longitude values correspond to the geographic locations west of the prime meridian (abbrev. W).

UTM or Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system divides the Earth’s surface into 60 longitudinal zones. The coordinates of a location within each zone are defined as a planar coordinate pair related to the intersection of the equator and the zone’s central meridian, and measured in meters.

Elevation above sea level is a measure of a geographic location’s height. We are using the global digital elevation model GTOPO30 .

Elektrostal , Moscow Oblast, Russia

‘Total Disgrace’: Anger, Frustration as Mass Heating Failures Across Russia Leave Thousands in the Cold

P ODOLSK, Moscow region – Residents throughout Russia affected by unprecedented winter heating outages in recent days have expressed their frustration and urged local authorities to restore heating in their homes.

In Podolsk, a town some 30 kilometers south of the capital Moscow, at least 149,000 residents — nearly half of its population — were left without heating when a heating main burst at a nearby private ammunition plant.

“It’s a total disgrace. There is no heating and no hot water. We have to sleep in sleeping bags,” Yuri, a local resident, told The Moscow Times.

“I have no words to describe how bad the situation is," said Yuri, who declined to provide his surname. "We have had no heating for almost six days."

Heating issues have affected residents in the Moscow region, where temperatures have plunged to as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius in the past week, as well as people in the Far East Primorye region , the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg , Penza , the southern Voronezh and Volgograd regions and more.

In the Tver region, a group of residents filmed an appeal to President Vladimir Putin, saying that they “are freezing from the cold” in the village of Novozavidovsky.

“We're literally being killed by the cold,” a woman in the video said, adding that they have been sending requests to local authorities since September after their houses were connected to a boiler room whose power was reportedly insufficient.

“This is some kind of torture and extermination of the population 100 kilometers from Moscow,” she added.

Residents of the Moscow region town of Elektrostal lit a fire in the street to draw the authorities’ attention to the heating problem.

“It’s impossible to stay in our houses. We're freezing!” a group of women in the video said.

Suffering from subzero temperatures, residents are placing the blame on local authorities and utility services for failing to take necessary precautions and not taking action to resolve the situation.

“We are sending complaints everywhere but no one listens to us. We have portable heaters working in every room, but the temperature inside is still 10 degrees Celsius,” Yelena from Podolsk said.

“There is a clinic and a hospital, as well as kindergartens, where there is no heating. And we have no answers, no assistance, no explanation,” Yelena added.

Podolsk authorities opened temporary heating centers and declared a state of emergency.

Local authorities linked the heating problems to the fact that the town is heated by a boiler plant owned by the Klimovsk Specialized Ammunition Plant, a private ammunition factory and one of the largest weapon cartridge production enterprises in the country.

“The facility is under tight security conditions, which limits our ability to oversee winter preparations,” the Moscow region’s Vice Governor Yevgeny Khromushin said last week. “We were unaware of the problem for nearly a day.”

An unidentified Moscow region official and two senior executives at the plant were arrested on suspicion of providing unsafe services, Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said in a statement Tuesday.

Investigators said that Podolsk’s deputy mayor was accused of misusing authority by issuing a readiness certificate for the boiler house at the plant.

In the neighboring Tver region, the authorities opened a criminal case over the laundering of over 84 million rubles ($938,993) in heating bills paid by residents, the Astra Telegram channel reported this week, citing unidentified sources. According to investigators, the heads of the local water intake and boiler house misappropriated the heating payments for personal use.

Reacting to the heating failures, Putin on Tuesday asked Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov to provide heat and electricity to the affected residents.

The outages appear to be the latest effect of several decades of crumbling infrastructure in Russia which have been linked to endemic corruption and mismanagement.

The overall decay of Russia's municipal infrastructure surpassed 70% in 2022, the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia reported .

According to Sergei Pakhomov, head of the State Duma’s Construction, Housing and Utilities Committee, water pipes that were 90 years old or even older were still in use as recently as two years ago in some cases.

Housing, utilities and communal services are a common source of problems for Russians during the winter.

In St. Petersburg, residents regularly complain about extensive ice coverage on city streets and sidewalks, with many people ending up in the hospital over the years due to slipping and falling accidents.

In the Siberian republic of Khakassia, two villages were left without electricity last month due to apparent issues with outdated communication systems.

In the winter of 2020, five people in the Perm region were killed after a pipe burst.

When asked about the latest heating outages, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the problems and linked them to poor municipal infrastructure, saying that people “had to endure a lot of inconvenience in the cold and without electricity.”

"Despite all the titanic efforts to update all housing and communal services systems, there's still a certain part that remains considerably deteriorated. These programs will continue, but it is impossible to update all pipes and all housing and communal services systems in 10-15 years,” Peskov said.

As for now, residents affected by heating issues appear to lack optimism that the problems will be solved efficiently.

"It's been a week since we've had heating, and the temperature in my apartment is around 11 degrees Celsius,” Podolsk resident Lidiya told The Moscow Times.

“Unfortunately, no one knows when it will be repaired,” she added.

Moscow Metro Font

Moscow Metro is a multi-line display typeface inspired by the Moscow underground map. It comes in Regular and Color versions.

Moscow Metro is ideal for posters and headlines, neon signage and other artworks.

• Share by email

Designed by: Nadira Filatova Website

License: free for commercial use.