How to use the Moog Model D Minimoog Synth from 1973 Complete Tutorial

[@tonelab]

Download 'Ready-to-Play' Kits for SP1200, MPC & ASR now from TONELAB tonelab.merchi.co/products

[@JasonNaas]

I just bought the Minimoog iOS app... and I swear I learned more from watching you demonstrate the real thing than any of the app tutorials.

[@ronmazurkiewicz3331]

I'm lucky enough to have a mini-moog that i bought 50 years ago in April 1973 have gig'd and recorded with it heaps it's in mint condition and sounds incredible I'm still deeply in love and will never sell it.

[@tonelab]

Yeah, hang on to it.. funny y’know.. 50 years later there’s still nothing that casts shade over it👌🏼🙏🏼

[@Vimana]

This was a very good tutorial! Thanks for doing it. I'm an old musician from Finland and I've been using synthesizers for a long time. I've seen many synth videos and this was actually one of the best I've ever seen. I wish these videos would've been available when I started. There's just a couple of things I'd like to point out. This might be helpful to your viewers: 10:37 - The wave selection made at this point was a triangular wave (triangle) and not a sawtooth wave (saw). I've seen many great people making these small mistakes by accident. So, not a big deal but I just liked to point that out. It might've confused some people. 15:21 - The envelope always modulates only the filter's cutoff frequency (and not the emphasis/resonance at all). The cutoff frequency is always the default if you can use an envelope to modulate the filter. Any option to modulate the resonance is extremely rare especially on vintage synthesizers. The emphasis/resonance adds a peak to the frequency, which has been currently set by the cutoff frequency knob. So, adding some emphasis/resonance makes the changes of the filter's cutoff frequency much more expressive. Modulating the filter with an envelope is one of the best ways to make a sound more alive. When you set the envelope controls a certain way the synth can even respond to your playing style. (So, when you play faster, then all the Attack, Decay, Sustain & Release stages of the envelope won't always have time to fully trigger yet.) You can achieve something that's a tiny bit closer to having a modern velocity sensitive (touch sensitive) keyboard. It's also quite common that the emphasis/resonance goes to such extreme levels that it produces its own audible sine wave. Turn all the oscillators off and try using the full 100% keyboard filter tracking. Then you could play perfect notes using only the filter. Anyway, I just needed to add a few things. Maybe there were a couple of interesting tidbits as well. Nothing is perfect but this video got very close. Take care and I hope you're having a great day.

[@AllureMusicLab]

Thanks ! Just bought a Minimoog 2022 ❤

[@tonelab]

Nice! ..I heard a rumor there's a dedicated LFO for the modwheel.. or something like that?! 🤔

[@tomcardy1]

Great video, very helpful! I have named my new (but vintage) mini 'The Lactose Stack" in honour of the three cheese cake method.

[@tonelab]

😆🍰 Haha! the only Lactose worth tolerating, really. Cheers! 🙏🏻

[@AdamBorseti]

Just got back from having to put my cat, Koko down. She was the best cat I ever had and at 20, she lived a long, happy, spoiled life. Still, needless to say, I'm devastated and watching some guy play a Minimoog and be happy is exactly what I need right now. I'm gonna light up a fat joint, turn the volume up and let all the sadness just waft away on a cloud of smoke, flayed by analog waveforms. Take it away, my guy! Ps: I don't want to be too negative for anyone, so if you think my comment is sucking all the energy out of the room, you can delete it and I'll understand.

[@tonelab]

Good vibrations is what you need.. and it'd be hard to beat the vibrations this Moog pumps out.. so bliss away brutha... bliss away 🙏🏼

[@timburdsey]

Hope you’re Ok, Adam. Sorry to hear about Koko.

[@gbkny1]

And just when i thought i was getting the hang of this synth (IOS) version i come across this video, and how glad i am that i did. I had this app for a few years and finally decided since i paid for it i should make use of it. I've watched plenty of videos on this synth and i must say this was the first to explain the orange rocker switches in a manner in which i understand. You can read something all day but not until it's demonstrated are you really able to get a good understanding of how it works and this did it for me. Also i love Oberheim X's and O's and the Prophet 5 but it seems to me the minimoog can imitate those synths more than they are able to mimic the minimoog. imo.

[@Noldy__]

Lol, I just bought an iPad version of this and was looking for tutorials for it and it really is the same as the physical one hahah

[@tonelab]

That’s awesome 👏🏼👌🏼

[@sonnybrasco9735]

Great breakdown of this great instrument. thank you

[@zachhaywood1564]

Just got the Arturia Mini V software synth, this was the perfect introduction! This video is a huge service, and I thank you!

[@tonelab]

Hey Zach, thanks very much, glad it could help in anyway 🙏🏻 and also great to know the Mini-V is 'faithful' to the original! - 3 cheers all round 🍻 👏🏻

[@monsterjazzlicks]

Can't wait to watch this episode... 😃

[@hermeslord]

I would consider the Minimoog the most evocative example of a synthesizer.. widely imitated.. but never outclassed.. the purity of its sound cannot be matched in sampling or modelling.. even today the bass and lead tones have no real match, though many may argue no end on this... but nothing is as simple and powerful as the minimoog.. it is an original creative tool.

[@davenik1999]

Thanks for this clear and concise demo! This will be very helpful to me as I try to learn how to better control my iOS software synth version (also a Moog product, it's amazing for the price!), even though they aren't exactly alike.

[@tonelab]

Thanks very much 🙏🏻 yeah, a couple of people, with the iOS app, watched this and mentioned it translates across to that too.. Moog must have done a good job on it.. kinda got me intrigued now 🤓 🙏🏻

[@narfsounds]

Glad I came across this. I just got my 2022 Model-D yesterday. I’m in Melbourne too!

[@tonelab]

Ah cool, 'the Melbourne MiniMoog Massive' 🫡

[@mattwaters6987]

Congratulations! What did it cost?

[@narfsounds]

@@mattwaters6987 a bit over 7k

[@BizzaroBrainBoi]

thank you so much for this video!!!

[@mangolassi_.]

I thought for a moment this was the rendered GUI of a plugin. Man, this one does not only sound great, it also looks amazing!

[@tonelab]

hah, thank you 🙏🏻..Deep Fake MiniMoog?! 😆 ..oh, y'know.. probably shouldn't laugh, 'that day'.. probably isn't far away 🤖

[@krystofpolansky7785]

thank you so much, that was helpful. I learned a lot about how to create cool sounding effects/weird synth sounds. And I learned more from your explanation than from other tutorials about software synthesizers.

[@tonelab]

Awesome! ..the MiniMoog is a great synth to start out on (even if it's a Plugin version!). I'd recommend 'leveling up' to, another great synth, the Roland Juno 6.. another fantastic 'first synth'.. has a really nicely laid out panel, also there's also a Plugin version available of the Juno-60 from RolandCloud.com, I believe they have a 14-day trial too! PS. I just happen to have a tutorial on that one too 😉try this one 👍🏼kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJywoqqKhtOLeLM

[@mauriciorojasclaros2112]

Amazing explanation. Absolutely love this sound synth, cant believe its from 79’

[@tonelab]

Thanks very much for the generous feedback 🙏🏻

[@forgivemeforihavesynthed]

excellent video , helped me understand my mini alot further thank you

[@nunoalbuquerque6761]

Good looking VST... sounds very analog 😬

[@tonelab]

😂

[@steventhornton8910]

Really good sounds when playing with the noise and filter, best I’ve heard. Thanks for this, nice video.

[@tonelab]

🙏🏼 thanks very much for the feedback, glad you enjoyed it 🤓

[@final_mile_music9713]

Monos are underrated. My two monos are my most characterful synths. The mini Moog and the Pro 3 SE. I love my poly’s, but most of my inspiration starts with a mono.

[@theoliviaarchives4794]

I wonder if the older synths falling out of tune is what started our love for the detune sound of a synth in the first place.

[@tonelab]

Y'know.. it's interesting you mentioned that.. because recently, the advent of 'Vintage Mode' has started appearing on synths like the Sequential Prophet 6.. which makes them 'drift' out of tune a little.. so, it's kinda ironic.. that many engineers worked tirelessly to 'correct' the tuning on the old 'voltage controlled' synths back in the day.. only to arrive 'in the future' at 2020.. putting 'detuning' back in! 🙊

[@barbarajorcin]

Thanks! Very useful💘

[@tonelab]

You're welcome 🙏🏻 🤓

[@gbkny1]

This video is immensely helpful. I have the app. I have learned so much as far as creating sounds on this thing but i still have a ways to go.

[@tonelab]

Cheers for the generous review ☺ ..I recommend watching the Roland Juno synth tutorial too, if 'synthesis' is fairly new to you.. it's a fairly uncomplicated synth that can create great sounds.. a modest step up from the MiniMoog.. but with similar controls that should help you digest the concept from a slightly different perspective. PS. Roland Cloud also have Juno synths you can 'try' or purchase, if you like it too 🙏🏻 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJywoqqKhtOLeLM

[@davenik1999]

​@@tonelab oh cool! Also came here to better educate myself about the app, and am hungry for anything that helps me better understand the nuts and bolts of synthesis. I'll definitely check it out.

[@Bigsbeee]

Have a 73 myself. I actually bought the Re Issue first . It was pretty nice but I got the chance to own both for some weeks and ended up selling the Re Issue. Much prefer the smelly old one ;-)

[@tonelab]

Good choice, I probably would've done the same! .. I don't know how the smell of '1973' stayed 'ingrained' into this thing.. there's so many other products still around from 1973 that didn't 'bring' those 'smells' with them 😂

[@mattdelany6799]

I have a 1973 as well serial #2248. No tag inside so I deduced May 13, 1973. Sounds great, better than my Walnut reissue #247.

[@randyjenkinsmusic]

Wow, I would love to hear a comparison.

[@thesimulations8900]

"Better" Most subjective word ever.👍🏻

[@mattdelany6799]

@@thesimulations8900 true

[@Noise-Conductor]

@@thesimulations8900 LOL & even if it is "better" that doesn't mean your music is gonna be "better" than a more skilled artist with the "worst" sounding version.

[@LadyMoonstar6601]

What do these moogs smell like? Like an old server room? Like a hammond organ? I love these old gems and (having never seen or or played one) I've always wondered what these beauties smell like? Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@fuckcensorship69]

Cigarette smoke

[@monsterjazzlicks]

Musty.

[@djtrakakadrunkpoet8598]

The grand piano at my Aunties house used to smell like vintage wood or like a tool shed. Not smelly just old and peculiar lol.

[@monsterjazzlicks]

@@fuckcensorship69 Thankfully not!

[@entropybentwhistle]

@@fuckcensorship69 Too often the case :P

[@4130aykut]

Yeah, it helped absolutely to see what its all about bit still doesent understand the cut off thing. I think i have to work on it

[@tonelab]

The 'Cut Off' Frequency?! .. consider that as your 'brightness' - like a 'Treble' control on an amplifier.. with the Cut Off all the way 'Left', you won't hear any brightness. If you watch the Juno tutorial, the section about the 'VCF Envelope' it should help that penny drop 👍🏼 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJywoqqKhtOLeLM

[@4130aykut]

@@tonelab im very new with the minimoog, thats why i dont understand some Functions. But the "brightness" makes it more easy for me. I will figure outnon the plugin i use. I dont have a "real one":-)

[@tonelab]

@@4130aykut Best to have both open at the same time.. follow along with the plugin open and set the knobs and switches to where I start with mine 👍🏼

[@avaseattlebeach1413]

I was curious if (in the demo section at the end) you were running it through any delays or reverbs? Whatever you were doing however it sounded fantastic! Thanks

[@tonelab]

..certainly did! .. I used a peppering of a couple of plugins.. SoundToys Echo Boy and.. Waves H-Reverb 🙏🏻

[@harveytherobot]

LOL at “they smell great”.

[@samprock]

moogalicious!!

[@justinb9387]

they say the old ones sound better cause the components mature - i think its right

[@DG-ss1gc]

Is the a440 a chip or some solid state -like device that itself isn’t prone to going out of tune?

[@ricardopotoroo1993]

Great vid! I've been playing a micromoog and there's some crossover with the functions, although the micromoog is nowhere near as good as the minimoog it seems. Have you got one of them?

[@tonelab]

Thanks very much 😉 🙏🏻 Unfortunately, no.. I did have a Little Phatty about 8 years ago.. and got rid of that and ended up with a Sub37.. the Sub37 isn't bad.. but there's a lot going on with it in terms of features.. and I can't say I'm a fan of the 'menu diving'. I think I prefer these little things to 'not try' to do 'so much' y'know?! .. it takes the fun out of it.. sometimes the simplicity of something (like a MiniMoog) is just all you need.. and I personally I haven't heard anything is 'HUGE sounding' as the MiniMoog 'since' the MiniMoog. That thing is just hard to bury in a mix.. but I kinda love having that as a problem! 😂🤷🏻‍♂️

[@MickaLuna]

Fantastic explanation and playing! That tone is THE tone. Do you know the 73 has the “old oscillator”? I wonder about its stability. Stay safe!

[@tonelab]

Hey Micka, thanks for the feedback ☺️ ... I can only assume it has the first oldest of old oscillator ..or.. 'OoOO' ..because of it's age and serial number. But, it is very unstable... this thing goes out of tune every 30-40 minutes... but, it doesn't bother me, rather.. I think of it like this.. if the trade-off is 'huge and fat' for the cost of 'wonky-tuning'... then I'll pay that 🙊 thanks for watching ! 👍

[@MickaLuna]

@@tonelab I agree, the sound comes first. How long does it take you to tune it? I’m dealing right now to purchase a 1975 model and I’d like to know what I’m getting into haha. Cheers!

[@tonelab]

@@MickaLuna oh wow, lucky you! ... well, the 'tune' process' is entirely manual, as I'm sure you witnessed in the clip... so, it's more of a 'waiting period' for the chips to stabilize.. it comes down to weather and I wouldn't be surprised if sea level is a factor too hah! So, to give you the most accurate assessment I possibly can.. I powered up that Model D 2-3 hours before I shot that video... it didn't really 'slip' during the shoot at all. But, having said that.. even once they stabilize, they tend to drift after some time.. I'd expect it to drift a tiny 'few cents' of a semi-tone over an hour or two. But, you notice it fairly quickly.. especially if you're using it alongside other synths or instruments that have computer controlled oscillators. But generally speaking.. you will be riding the tune up and down to the tiniest degree here and there... personally, that's not a deal breaker for me.. guitarists are having to do that all the time no matter what 😂 ... honestly though, I think that's what sets them aside from all the 'perfect' synths out there... they're not predictable and they possess a character that motivates you to work in different ways.. they definitely shuffle to a different beat 👌🏼

[@MickaLuna]

@@tonelab Many thanks!! I’m my work (soundtracks) I need to he really fast (too fast) and I really can’t be waiting for a synth to stabilize. I mean, I can wait 30 min, but 2 hours maybe is too much. I may need to focus on the reissue, which apparently sounds nearly as good as the original, but a bit more stable.

[@tonelab]

@@MickaLuna yeah, well check out the re-issues perhaps?! I know the late great Johann Johannson used a Moog for the big descending-drone sound in the 'Sicario' soundtrack.. that may have been a Sub37 ?! but, check out the more modern versions 👍

[@brentmurray5451]

At 23:00 or so, did you add a reverb pedal to the setup? I just bought a 2016 reissue and this video was SO helpful, despite the addition of features on the newer ones.

[@tonelab]

Thanks very much ...yeah, I used a little bit of Waves' "H-Reverb" and SoundToys' "Echo Boy" plugins 👍🏼

[@DJSTOEK]

🙂😷

[@zonalibrer3357]

8:33 , 10:55, 15:27, 25:18😮

[@tonelab]

Thanks for watching ! 🙏🏼☺️

[@zigfrir3564]

How long does it take to have one smell? Any particular place?

[@madjidhamdini8114]

ffor me , a synthesizer without pitch bend and modulator is not a synthé !!

[@twiff3rino28]

This MACHINE has more soul abd personality than most Germans.

[@4130aykut]

Mahahahaa, thats hillarious:-)

[@John-e4p1x]

Funny since its the GERMANS who made the TRASCENDENT MUSIC with this TOOL. (you tool).