Moog sub phatty review

Careful… It’s Deeper Than It Looks!

At first sight, the Sub Phatty is a traditional analogue synth boasting a knobby control panel, a 25-note keyboard, and standard pitch-bend and modulation wheels. All the things that you need for monophonic synthesis — oscillators, noise, a filter, dual contour generators and an LFO — are visible and, if you compare it with a vintage synth of similar form and function (say, a Prodigy) you’ll find that it has significantly more facilities on its front panel. But, in addition to these, it offers no fewer than 51 hidden parameters, many of which are intimately bound up with the sound it produces. You’ll soon be able to control these using the forthcoming editor/librarian software, but if this isn’t to hand, you can access them using a Shift Mode in which some buttons and switches offer what, in the past, would have been called Page 2 functions, while other parameters can be accessed by pressing combinations of the Bank and Patch buttons, followed by keys on the keyboard itself. So, for example, if you want to change the filter slope, you have to press Bank 4 and Activate to enter Shift Mode, followed by Bank 2 and Patch 1 to access the appropriate parameter, and then the lowest C, C#, D or D# keys to choose one of the four options.

It’s not a particularly elegant system, but one of Moog’s engineers explained it to me as follows: «People may wonder about the relative profusion of page 2 functions, versus the absence of panel labels for them. This was a conscious decision to keep the panel as clean and uncluttered as possible, so as to be minimally off-putting for newcomers to knob-per-function analogue panel design. If you approach the instrument as though the panel functions are all it has, it remains a complete and very playable instrument. If you’re curious enough to delve deeper, you can consult the documentation when necessary, until you’ve internalised the whole layout. My own experience has been that of genuine surprise at how quickly I memorised the more commonly used shift functions. I hope others find it similarly convenient once they’ve gotten used to it.” I’m not sure that I fully accept this. With any conventional design, these functions would be accessed and programmed using a screen and a simple menu system. Nevertheless, it’s a novel approach, and it could work. So let’s find out if it does.

Выбираем синтезатор: На что обратить внимание

Вес и размер

Самые первые и самые очевидные параметры, о которых, однако, постоянно забывают. Тем не менее, если вы планируете часто носить инструмент с собой, скажем, на репетиции, пара лишних килограммов или десять сантиметров длины могут серьёзно осложнить транспортировку.

Размер синтезатора, в первую очередь, зависит от количества клавиш: пятилетнему малышу хватит и 32, для выступлений на сцене желательно иметь хотя бы 61, а чтобы учиться музыке всерьёз — 88, как на настоящем фортепиано. Кстати, о клавиатуре.

Клавиатура

Клавиатура — самая сложная, тяжёлая и дорогая часть синтезатора. У простых моделей она лёгкая, невесомая, нажимается без усилий и по ощущениям на фортепианную не похожа совершенно. У моделей посерьёзнее, а уж тем более у электрических пианино, клавиши имитируют настоящие, рояльные. Разница в цене между инструментами с разными типами клавиатур может быть огромной, но она того стоит.

Выбирая синтезатор, стоит обратить внимание на чувствительность клавиатуры, на то, как она реагирует на изменение силы нажатия. Кроме всего прочего, клавиатуры современных синтезаторов могут оснащаться подсветкой

Для профи это не особо ценная функция, но те, кто только учатся играть, оценят динамическую подсветку по достоинству

Кроме всего прочего, клавиатуры современных синтезаторов могут оснащаться подсветкой. Для профи это не особо ценная функция, но те, кто только учатся играть, оценят динамическую подсветку по достоинству.

Звучание

Важнейший и в то же время — самый субъективный параметр. Разные производители по-разному добиваются от своих гаджетов реалистичного звучания, но самые популярные методы — сэмплирование и синтез. В первом случае используются звуки реальных инструментов, записанные в память синтезатора, во втором же звучание модулируется искусственно.

Хорошие современные модели с синтезированным звуком не отличить от инструментов, использующих сэмплирование. Поэтому выбирать инструмент  стоит по субъективным ощущениям от звука, на который он способен.

Во многом это зависит от встроенной в синтезатор аудиосистемы. Как правило, это два среднечастотных динамика, но возможны и варианты. Например, концертная модель вообще без собственных динамиков.

Наконец, аналоговые синтезаторы звучат совершенно иначе, чем цифровые. Первые отличает особый старомодный шарм, зато вторые проще в использовании, дешевле и не столь капризны в эксплуатации.

Объём и расширяемость звуковых банков

В принципе, чем больше у синтезатора вариантов звучания больше, тем лучше. Главное, чтобы количество не доминировало над качеством. Лучше иметь аппарат с десятком-другим хороших и востребованных тембров, чем китайскую самоиграйку с тремя сотнями даром не нужных убогих звучков.

Наилучший вариант — инструмент с возможностью расширения саундбанков и добавления собственных звуков. С ним простор для творчества не будет ограничен базовыми возможностями инструмента, но и стоят такие модели весьма прилично.

Экран

Не обязательная, но удобная фишка. Управлять саундбанками, записывать и воспроизводить музыку, учиться играть и вообще управлять сложным цифровым устройством куда проще с экраном, пусть и небольшим. Само собой, большой цветной экран лучше маленького и монохромного, но и цена у синтезатора с богатым мультимедиа-функционалом куда выше.

Некоторые синтезаторы поддерживают подключение смартфона или планшета в качестве экрана — по проводу, Bluetooth или Wi-Fi.

MIDI-клавиатура

Возможность подключить синтезатор к ПК и использовать его в качестве MIDI-клавиатуры — очень полезная функция. Работать над музыкой в какой-нибудь FL Studio куда удобнее именно с MIDI-клавиатурой.

Подключение возможно как через специальные MIDI-порты, так и просто через USB.

Интерфейсы

Наличие USB-порта позволяет не только использовать синтезатор как MIDI-клавиатуру. По USB зачастую можно подключать смартфоны и планшеты, флэшки с музыкой и другие внешние устройства, а заодно обновлять прошивку. Аналогичным целям служат Wi-Fi и Bluetooth.

Для педалей предусмотрены специальные разъёмы. Их наличие не критично, ведь обычно у синтезаторов эффект педали можно имитировать вручную, но серьёзно расширяет возможности исполнителя.

Питание

Синтезатор не баян и без электричества не поёт. Питание инструмента возможно от сети через адаптер питания или от батарей. Желательно, чтобы синтезатор умел работать от обоих источников: так его можно будет брать с собой на природу и одновременно обходиться без дорогостоящих батареек дома.

Sweet 16

Like the Voyager Old School, the Sub Phatty lacks a digital display and can only accommodate 16 onboard presets. These form a bank of four panel switches, each allowing for the storage of four performance patches.

But lest you cry foul, be aware that the Sub Phatty’s software editor/library software (which will be available in RTAS, Audio Unit and VST as well as standalone versions), will enable users to create, store and retrieve their own creations whenever they like.

Unfortunately, when we had a look at the Sub Phatty, the editor was still in development. From the screenshots Moog supplied, however, it’s sure to resemble the one bundled with the Moog Minitaur in terms of design and integration. Therefore there should be no worry about bringing this analogue accomplice seamlessly into the world of your 21st century productions.

As it was birthed without a digital screen to help you navigate its innards, the Sub Phatty uses something called Shift mode to access the functions you can’t get to via the front panel. By pressing the Bank 4 and Activate Panel buttons simultaneously, users suddenly have access to 51 additional controls that include physical control reassignments and other parameter adjustments.

These include Glide Type, Keyboard Transpose, Waveform Modulation Destination and Amplifier Envelope Gate, amongst many others. If you are new to synthesis and these options don’t set off lightbulbs of recognition over your head, they are all explained in detail within the Sub Phatty’s manual.

Little Synth, Big Questions

The Sub Phatty isn’t a ground-breaking synthesizer. We were playing instruments with the same underlying architecture in the early 1970s. Consequently, it produces sounds that have (to a large extent) been heard before, although it should be said that they appeal as much in 2013 as they did in 1973. So where does it fit into the synthesizer universe? Moog’s President is clear on this point. He has stated that, «We set out to design the grittiest Moog synth ever, one that still offers all of the great sound and flexibility that Moog synthesizers are known for, but that also really has teeth.” I’m not sure that he meant to imply that no previous Moog synthesizer «has teeth”. Given that people have been playing Minimoogs through 100W Marshall heads and 4x12s for more than 40 years, it would be brave to suggest that anything has longer and sharper teeth than that!

In contrast, I found it impossible to pigeonhole the Sub Phatty and, given the rather arcane programming system for its Hidden Functions, and its short keyboard, I eventually found myself approaching it on three levels. The first was, of course, the synth in isolation. It is possible to program the full parameter set using its Shift Mode and play it in limited fashion from its two-octave keyboard, and for some users — particularly those who class themselves as producers and sound designers — this will be fine. (For some users, the front-panel parameters alone may suffice.) The second stage was to add a computer and the editor/librarian. Moog are promoting the Sub Phatty as «streamlined”, and «ideal for beginning synthesists”, claiming that «virtually every function on the Sub Phatty has its own knob”, which is palpably untrue; the software greatly eased programming, as well as making it possible to work with a much greater number of patches. The third was to treat it as a sound module, using a longer keyboard to play it in the way that its sounds deserve. For me, this begs the question, why didn’t Moog design it as a full-sized synth or a desktop module in the first place? Indeed, why didn’t Moog design it as a full-sized synth or as a desktop module with a small screen and a conventional editing system? I suspect that I’ve already answered the first question; not everybody is a fully paid-up member of the widdly-widdly society. But for those who are, an (albeit more expensive) Super Phatty sporting a 49-note keyboard would be a more attractive proposition. As for the second question, I suspect that the omission of a screen and its associated navigation controls may have been necessary to keep costs down — and to keep the size down to the current footprint.

So, finally, we come to the question of price. The Sub Phatty is not cheap, and you can buy two Arturia MiniBrutes for the same cost, or a Korg MS20 Mini and a MiniBrute for little more. But neither of these alternatives sounds like a Moog and, for many players, that may outweigh all other considerations. If the shape and style of the Sub Phatty fits your needs, you’ll find it to be a fine-sounding synthesizer.  

The Arturia MiniBrute is the obvious alternative to the Sub Phatty. Both are based on two-octave keyboards (although the MiniBrute’s has the distinct advantage of aftertouch), both make more than a passing nod toward bass synthesis, both are solid and robust, and both sound great. Ultimately, I suspect that the Moog’s greater price will limit its appeal, but there will nonetheless be many potential customers for whom the sound of a genuine Moog is far more important than its cost.

Most of the I/O on the Sub Phatty is located within the left-hand end cheek. In addition to MIDI In and Out on five-pin DIN sockets and via USB, this includes the line-level external audio input and the audio output, both on quarter-inch jack sockets. There are also four analogue control inputs. The first is a +5V Gate, while the other three control the pitch (1V/oct), the filter cutoff frequency (also 1V/oct), and the output volume.

The headphone socket is located within the output section on the control panel, but this is one area in which the Sub Phatty is inferior to its predecessors, because the Master on/off switch is no longer present. Worse still, the master level control is in series with the headphone volume knob, so if the master is turned down to protect the audience during tuning or editing, the headphones are silent. This is daft, and I have no idea why Moog did it.

Мугфест

Участники перед этапом Moogfest в 2014 году

Moogfest — это название фестиваля, начавшегося в 2004 году в Нью-Йорке, который был основан в честь творчества Роберта Муга, более известного в сообществе электронной музыки как Боб Муг, а также электронной музыки и, в конечном итоге, технологий и развития. В конце концов он переехал в Эшвилл, Северная Каролина, в 2010 году и прекратил свое сотрудничество с AC Entertainment в 2012 году. Фестиваль, который после своего первого переезда вызвал бум в корпоративном доме Moog Music Inc. в центре города Эшвилл, отчасти благодаря фестивалю

значительная посещаемость, в конечном итоге переехавшая в Дарем, Северная Каролина, из-за возросшего желания поддержать технический и опытно-конструкторский отдел фестиваля, принимая во внимание статус Дарема как перспективного технологического центра.

Фестиваль привлек внимание известных исполнителей, таких как Кейт Эмерсон , Лори Андерсон , Брайан Ино и Йонси из Sigur Rós, а также многочисленные новые и экспериментальные группы и артисты. Кроме того, на фестивале проходят семинары и презентации, посвященные разработке и сборке инструментов (например, Moog Werkstatt-Ø1 изначально предлагался как мероприятие по сборке на фестивале), музыкальным технологиям и исследованиям.

MIDI & Other Facilities

Ah yes… MIDI. Various Hidden Functions let you select which I/O port and channel are used, how incoming MIDI streams are merged with the data produced by the synth itself, and what data (if any) is filtered from the output. Happily, the physical controls send MIDI CC messages, so you can record and replay performances that include flourishes such as manual filter sweeps. There’s also a high-resolution mode that increases the number of quantisation levels of the most important parameters from 128 to 16384, so values can be stored and replayed at such high resolutions that zipper noise is inaudible.

There are just 16 memories, selected using the Bank A-D and Patch 1-4 buttons. Saving patches is trivial: just press and hold one Bank button and one Patch button for a second or two. If you find yourself going down a blind alley (sound-wise), you can initialise the current preset using another Hidden Function or, if things are going particularly badly, you can reload the factory sounds. On the other hand, if you’ve created a sonic masterpiece, you can dump it as a SysEx file, or dump all 16 patches for later recall.

There’s plenty going on on the Sub Phatty’s front panel, but as we’ve seen in the main text, this is far from being the whole story…

Another group of Hidden Functions allows you to control the nature of the portamento, selecting between standard and legato modes, with your choice of constant rate, constant time, and exponential responses. There’s also an unusual function called Gated Glide. When off, this allows the Sub Phatty to continue its glide toward the target note even after you release the key; when on, it stops the glide at the point it had reached when you released the key. Yet more Hidden Functions allow you to transpose the keyboard and to set the maximum pitch-bend range (independently for Up and Down) between one and 24 semitones. Another allows you to specify whether the loudness of a recalled patch is determined by the current setting of the master volume knob or by the level contained within the stored parameters, while yet another allows you to specify whether the modulation depth is controlled by the current position of the mod wheel or its position when you saved the patch. And, finally, another sets the knob mode: Pass-through, Relative, or Snap. Of these, I preferred Relative mode, because the parameter value ‘catches up’ with the knob’s position when you start to turn it, and that feels natural to me.

Правила выбора синтезатора

Чтобы выбрать подходящий инструмент, следует придерживаться следующих правил:

1. Детям для развлечения подойдет модель с 49-61 клавишами. Этого количества достаточно, чтобы научиться игре на синтезаторе. Обязательные функции – обучающая, автоаккомпанемент. Рекомендуется выбирать инструмент с механическими кнопками. Лучше, если клавиатура будет оснащена подсветкой. Для детей достаточно инструмента с 30 стилями и цифровой обработкой. Число эффектов не должно быть более пяти.
2. Новичкам для обучения игре на синтезаторе рекомендуется использовать инструмент с числом клавиш 88 клавиш. Способ нажатия – молоточковый. Рекомендуется выбирать модели, которые имеют до 40 стилей, более 200 тембров, и богатой полифонией.
3. Начинающим группам для выступления подойдет инструмент с числом клавиш 61. Способ нажатия – динамический. Число стилей должно составлять 120, тембров – от 400. Кроме того, модель должна иметь богатую полифонию, большое число интерфейсов и поддерживать карту памяти.
4. Профессионалам потребуется модель с удобной клавиатурой, которая имеет 61 клавишу. Кроме того, предпочтение следует отдавать моделям с аналоговым воспроизведением звучания. Способ нажатия клавиш – динамический. Модель должна иметь более 600 тембров и богатую полифонию. Обычно профессиональные инструменты в магазинах вынесены в отдельную категорию, но не стоит забывать о правилах выбора, чтобы не приобрести некачественное изделие.

Видео — Как выбрать синтезатор

Так какой же синтезатор купить? Следует ориентироваться не только на цели использования, уровень профессионализма, но и на размер бюджета. Так, если нужен недорогой инструмент для ребенка, подойдет модель CASIO SA-47. Если требуется бюджетное изделие для начинающих, рекомендуется остановить свой выбор на YAMAHA PSR-E263. Профессионалам с неограниченным бюджетом подойдет модель YAMAHA PSR-S975. По такому принципу вы можете подобрать подходящий синтезатор из нашего рейтинга.

Голосование за лучший синтезатор

Какой синтезатор вы бы выбрали или посоветовали?

CASIO SA-47

Сохраните результаты голосования, чтобы не забыть!

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Список моделей синтезаторов

• Модульный синтезатор Moog (1963–80, 2015 – настоящее время)
• Minimoog (1970–81, 2016–2017)
• Moog Satellite (1974–79)
• Moog Sonic Six (1974–79)
• Minitmoog (1975–76)
• Micromoog (1975–79)
• Polymoog (1975–80)
• Moog Taurus ( басовые педали ) (1976–83)
• Multimoog (1978–81)
• Муг Вундеркинд (1979–84)
• Освобождение Муга (1980-81)
• Муг Опус 3 (1980-83)
• Moog Concertmate MG-1 (1981-83)
• Муг Роуг (1981-83)
• Источник Муга (1981-84)
• Memorymoog (1982–85)
• Moogerfooger (1998–2018)
• Minimoog Voyager (2002-15)
• Муг Литтл Пхатти (2006-13)
• Slim Phatty (2010–14)
• Педаль бас-гитары Taurus 3 (2011)
• Minitaur (2012)
• Суб Фатти (2013)
• Sub 37 (2014)
• Ограниченный набор Moog Werkstatt-Ø1 (комплект 2014 г., розничная продажа 2014 г.) для инженерной мастерской Moogfest 2014 г. , розничный выпуск в том же году
  
• Модульный Emerson Moog (2014 г.)
• Мать-32 (2015 – настоящее время)
• Ограниченный набор Moog BFAM (Brother From Another Mother) (2016) для инженерной мастерской Moogfest 2017
  
• Последующие 37 CV (2017 г.) ограниченным тиражом в 2000 единиц.
• Последующие 37 (2017 – настоящее время)
• Ограниченный набор Moog DFAM (Drummer From Another Mother) (комплект 2017 г., 2018 г. — настоящее время) для инженерной мастерской Moogfest в 2017 г. , розничная продажа в 2018 г.
• Ограниченный набор Moog Subharmonicon (комплект 2018, 2020 г. — настоящее время) для инженерной мастерской Moogfest в 2018 г. , розничная версия выпущена в 2020 г.
  
• Бабушка Муга (2018 – настоящее время)
• Moog One (2018 – настоящее время)
• Сирин: аналоговый вестник радости (2019 – настоящее время)
• Ограниченный комплект Moog Spectravox (2019) для инженерной мастерской Moogfest 2019
  
• Матриарх Мугов (2019 – настоящее время)

The Hidden Functions

I have listed all the Hidden Functions below. The manual categorises these differently — for example, filter envelope reset is shown in the modulation section — so I’ve re-ordered them in a way that I hope makes more sense.

Oscillators & Mixer: Oscillator waveshaping destination; Oscillator 2 beat frequency; Oscillator gate reset; External input level.

Filter: Slope; Envelope delay ; Envelope hold; Velocity to envelope amount; Velocity to envelope time; Envelope trigger mode; Envelope reset; Envelope repeat; Envelope keyboard amount; Envelope gate.

Amplifier: Envelope delay; Envelope hold; Velocity to envelope amount; Velocity to envelope time; Envelope trigger mode; Envelope reset; Envelope repeat; Envelope gate.

Modulation: LFO range; LFO pitch tracking; LFO MIDI sync; LFO gate reset

Performance: Keyboard transpose; Pitch-bend range up; Pitch-bend range down; Legato glide on/off; Glide type; Gated glide on/off.

MIDI: MIDI In channel; MIDI Out channel; MIDI input select; MIDI output select; MIDI merge USB; MIDI merge DIN; MIDI CC resolution; Local control on/off; MIDI output filter;

Global Parameters: Use preset volume; Use preset mod wheel; Note priority; Knob mode

System Commands: Initialise preset; Initialise global parameters; Restore factory presets; Calibrate pitch; Send current preset; Send all presets.

Compact and bijou

Apart from the undeniably attractive price, the Sub Phatty has a compact footprint and solid build that gigging musicians will appreciate. And that compressed form will also be a welcome thing in a small project studio where space is always a premium.

You could argue — and some will — against Shift mode, especially when you take note of the amount of dead space around the Pitch and Mod wheels. But a digital display to manage those functions would have certainly driven up the cost of the synthesizer. By how much is hard to say, but once you’ve taken the time to delve further into the many parameters that are waiting to be unlocked under the hood, the trade off appears reasonable.

It would have been nice, however, if Moog had used the flipside of the large annotated cardboard diagram of the Sub Phatty’s front panel to replicate the Shift mode illustrations found in the Sub Phatty’s manual. That way, anyone looking to get up-to-speed quickly with the unseen aspects of the instrument could paste it up on the wall for a while as a handy visual reference point.

The original Minimoog Model D was a revolutionary instrument that put synthesis into the hands of generations of keyboard players. It promoted exploration and found a niche in almost every genre of popular music. While the Sub Phatty may not be in a position to do the same, it has an organic and patently clear connection to those halcyon days of innovation.

Flexible sound shaping, playability, with an everyman price bolted on for good measure, might make the Sub Phatty a real goer for Moog in the near term.

Shifting the phat

To give you an idea of the finger gymnastics that are needed to move between these options, we’ll take a look at something useful: switching the Sub Phatty’s filter rolloff between the standard 4-pole/24dB-per-octave, and the 1-pole/6dB-per-octave, 2-pole/12dB-per-octave, and 3-pole/18dB-per-octave options. To do this, you first press the Bank 4 and Activate Panel buttons simultaneously to enter Shift mode. Following that, you press the Bank 2 and Patch 1 buttons (they remain lit during the operation).

You then switch the filter settings by pressing either the lower C, C-sharp, D, or D-sharp keys. Sounds simple, no? Some of the cooler bits of functionality, including things like the ability to precisely control the linear detuning of the oscillators, will probably be brought into play more often than others.

Moog refers to this classic analogue vibe as Beat Frequency, and it’s a treat to now be able to maintain this offset no matter where you are on the keyboard — a feat older analogue synthesizers couldn’t really manage.

Another not-to-be-missed technique is the ability to use either the Filter or Amplifier envelope to loop, creating the effect of an added multi-stage LFO for controlling the individual elements of those filters. This ultra-pleasing enhancement comes to the Sub Phatty from some of the work realised in the Moog MP-201 Multi-Pedal.

As well as those who are mildly confused by its implementation, Shift mode has its proponents. A casual troll through online forums would seem to indicate that most users who are excited about digging into these parameters have come to terms with it without too much hassle. It’s also less worrisome when you consider that these options will also be accessible via the Sub Phatty Editor, once released.

This one goes to 12

The Sub Phatty comes with the overdriven sound known to Minimoog Model D users. It’s already baked into the mixer section where the knobs dial up to 12 (sorry Nigel…).

To further distinguish it from the other Phattys in the line, which already feature an Overload control, Moog has now tacked on what it’s calling a Multidrive circuit. Simply put, this outpaces the previous models by adding pre- and post-filter saturation to the mix.

Moog describes it as an effect similar to the non-linear overdrive heard in some guitar pedals, combined with the warmth of a saturated VCA circuit. Add the Multidrive to both oscillators cranked at full bore, along with a splash of output from the noise generator, and the sound can get quite woolly.

Even if unsettling, distorted tones aren’t your bag, the Sub Phatty’s true brief is to be all synths to all people. Fat bottomed basses, quavering Geddy Lee-ish lead lines or Moogy flutes are all there for the twiddling once you find your way around the instrument.

Thanks to its uncluttered and approachable interface, novice players can quickly come to grips with a wide range of familiar or individualised synth tones. This synth is clearly about hands-on discovery, and the incomparable joy of building up your own patch from scratch.

Of the keyboard-based Moogs, the price is quite reasonable. And while there may be cheaper alternatives out there from competitors, this is a fair amount of quality analogue firepower for the money.

The Oscillators, Mixer & Filter

Over the years, Moog’s oscillators have been described as warm, lush and organic, but I’m more inclined to describe the Sub Phatty’s as ‘precise’, because they do exactly what I ask of them. That’s not a veiled criticism, and it certainly isn’t a euphemism for ‘thin’; a single Sub Phatty oscillator with a touch of PWM is a powerful beastie, especially in the lower octaves. Neither are the oscillators lacking in facilities. The initial waveform for each can be selected within a continuous spectrum from triangle to sawtooth to square to pulse and, in a manner analogous to PWM, you can modulate the waveshapes of Osc 1, Osc 2 or both, as selected in the Hidden Functions. Hard sync of Osc 2 by Osc 1 is also provided, and you can use the filter envelope to sweep Osc 2’s pitch for the usual range of aggressive sync sounds.

Each oscillator offers 16′, 8′, 4′ and 2′ settings and, in addition, Osc 1 incorporates a square wave sub-oscillator an octave below the standard pitch, while Osc 2 offers detune of plus-or-minus seven semitones with respect to Osc1. There’s also a Hidden Function called Beat Frequency that allows you to dial in a fixed offset of up to +/- 3.5Hz to provide a consistent detune across the whole frequency range, and yet another initialises the oscillators to the starts of their cycles each time you press a key, so that detuned notes are reproduced consistently. That’s a very nice touch.

The Mixer allows you to balance Osc 1, Osc 2, the sub-oscillator and the synth’s rather deep-sounding pink-noise generator before passing the audio to the Sub Phatty’s resonant low-pass filter. This offers 6, 12, 18 and 24dB/oct modes, all of which will merrily self-oscillate when its resonance is high enough.

Although similar to the earlier Phatties’ filters, there are three important differences between the Sub Phatty’s filter and its predecessors’. Most significantly, the maximum cutoff frequency has been increased from 16kHz to 20kHz. (I tested this and, true to Moog’s word, the maximum is now a tad over 20kHz.) Secondly, the range of keyboard tracking has been extended from a maximum of 100 percent to a maximum of 200 percent. But perhaps the most audible difference lies in the Multidrive overdrive circuitry. Previous Phatties used a single overdrive that clipped the signal asymmetrically to generate musically pleasing distortion. In contrast, the Sub Phatty has two distortion circuits, one lying before the filter, the other after. Moog claims that this leads to a «screaming snarl” at high amplitudes, but that’s hyperbole; the distortion is always civilised and controllable, perhaps too much so.