Moog Subharmonicon Reviewed and Explained
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 лип 2024
- Want to support the channel - and get ALL my tips in one convenient place including those to come in the future? Check out my In-Complete Book of Electronic Music Ideas, Tips and Tricks (hint: it's in-complete because it's always being updated…):
► Patreon: / loopop
It's been released! Check out pricing here (affiliate links help the channel):
► Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/LJo4Z
► Thomann: www.thomann.de/gb/moog_subhar...
► Amazon: amzn.to/2T1kafw
Other places I hang out:
► Web: loopopmusic.com
► Facebook: / loopopmusic
► Instagram: / loopopmusic
► Twitter: / loopopmusic
My music:
► Bandcamp: loopop.bandcamp.com
► Spotify: bit.ly/LoopopOnSpotify
► Apple Music:bit.ly/LoopopOnAppleMusic
Want Moog to produce the Subharmonicon? Signing this petition might help:
► www.ipetitions.com/petition/g...
Want to email me personally?
► Ziv (at) loopopmusic.com
The Subharmonicon is a lovely, interesting and different synth from Moog. Only around 100 were hand soldered and built at Moogfest's 2018 Engineering Workshop, and there's no information currently about whether it will be released commercially.
Even though availability is scarce, I decided to put together a review of this instrument, because the way it works is such a breath of fresh air when it comes to sound generation and sequencing. Also, one would hope that Moog will eventually mass produce the Subharmonicon, as they did for most, but not all past Engineer Workshop projects, like the DFAM and Werkstatt.
This review includes an interview with Steve Dunnington from Moog, who led the Subharmonicon project. Steve talks about the vintage synthesizers (Trautonium and Rhythmicon) and composition theory (Schillinger system) that inspired this synth.
So what makes the Subharmonicon special? Two main things. First, it has six (!) oscillators. These are sawtooth oscillators, a tribute to the original Trautonium. There are two main oscillators and each has two sawtooth sub oscillators, which can follow its main frequency at subharmonic intervals - divisions of anywhere between 1 and 15.
The second thing that makes it special is its sequencers. Each of the two oscillator groups has a sequencer dedicated to it. Initially, it may seem these sequencers are limited because they only have 4 steps each. However, the Subharmonicon sequencers aren't designed to just be played in a regular step-by-step fashion. Rather, their cadence is powered by up to 4 tempo sub-dividers, also based on the principle of subharmonics. This rhythmic core produces sequences far longer than 4 steps, repeating and skipping notes in very interesting and surprising ways. Each of the two sequencers can be configured to control either the pitch of its main VCO (and sub oscillators) or just modulate the subharmonic divisions - thus generating different chords on a per step basis.
In addition to new elements above the Subharmonicon contains controls we're used to seeing in Mother-32 and DFAM: a resonant low pass filter, AD envelopes for the VCA and filter, and a 32-jack patch bay with access to many of the internal controls.
NOTE: Occasionally I’ll try out affiliate marketing and include affiliate links. This means that I may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via affiliate links. The content of this clip is entirely my opinion, and was not paid for or dictated in any what by the company creating the gear. Without addressing the particulars of products shown here as they might be under NDA, gear shown on this channel may be either sent by the manufacturer, on loan for review or bought at a discount.
Well! Two years later Moog released a mass-production version of this! Check out my review here: ua-cam.com/video/ns0Zu5HjShY/v-deo.html
Thank you .. I was trying to see the Quantizer :)
what version is this then? is it a pre-prod / demo model? you can see it has a similar layout to the the dfam but they've obviously changed that now.
Are there any differences you noticed from your work with the prototype?
I LOVE your content, it's so thorough and easy to understand because you explain so clearly :)
@@SpaceFaceFPV Thanks! There are quite a few differences... too many to list, there's really no need to get the workshop version for reasons other than nostalgia...
This is one of the best reviews of any product ever! Such a great job :)
Steve is my new mentor! I had a blast at the workshop and built mine!!
Hey, thanks for this overview! Really appreciate getting to see the nuts & bolts of what this thing is about/how it works. This is some wacky awesome weirdness from Moog and I LOVE it.
gorgeous! both the instrument and your clear and beautiful explanations
Excellent overview! Can’t wait to see how this will be used in compositions!
Thank you so much for your description of this amazing instrument!
Wow, this thing really steps in a different direction from the gear I've browsed lately. Great video man, addresses the curiosity I've had about this thing very informatively 🙂
Fantastic overview, thank you for the detailed tour of the Subharmonicon ... I will let Moog know we need it in production ... still not sold on the DFAM, but I love this. Cheers 🙂✨
New at NAMM 2019 the "Behringer Subharmonicon".
anthony patterson 🧂🧂🤦🏻♀️
anthony patterson they are now
No, it would be the Behringer "Super" Subharnomicon- lol
@anthony patterson Neutron, Deepmind, new eurorack case that destroys all others in terms of size to price ratio. They're pretty good I think.
Fuck Behringer. Unoriginal, shameless copycats. Led by Uli the megalomaniac machiavellian, executed by his Chinese minions, doing what they've always done best: copy the intellectual properties of innovative minds.
It looked so different before! I love my subharmonicon like no other, it's really opened up so many doors for me in understanding music theory in a different way, both rhythmic content and harmonics/subharmonics, as well as micro tunings.
Also as someone new to modular and "true" analog synthesis, (always used analog modelling or digital for the last 18 years) it's been such a good learning tool for how to work with CV/gates/triggers and so on.
This is a great video 👍
Once again a fantastic video! And this machine sounds really wonderful!
first moog product i've ever been interested in purchasing. this is incredible! exploring harmonics and rhythms? drool.
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen, all categories! Very educational! Thank you! :-)
You always do such in depth videos! Thank you!
The demo at the beginning is reaaaalllly nice
Mind blown. You are amazingly talented!
I hope they commercially release this. I fell in love with moog while tuning 2 different oscillators and hearing the harmonics. This synth is a dream come true!
Yet another gem (both video and synth), thanks for the overview!
Learned some new things from this, thanks.
Thanks for the very well done and informative video! And yet another synthesizer on the list of things I want!
Great explanation. Much more musical than the original videos hinted at. The sequencer section, with the subdivision selector switches for each row would be great as a stand-alone device.
As always, love your vids...concise & informative. Ty
Moog essentially made my favourite Serge Dual Universal Slope Generator patch into a standalone box with sequencer! I really really hope these will go into general production.
s90210h They did the same w/DFAM I’m certain it will. Or those few who built them at Moogfest will be getting a pretty penny to sell em’.
I informed Moog about my wish too and they replied with a very enthusiastic tone without actually confirming anything. I'd say it's going to happen.
These aren't in general production 😑
yet
s90210h yeet
Thanks for creating this - super informative and clear.
Fantastic review! Thanks. Great machine as well, I really hope to see it mass produced at some point.
MOOG PLEASE! I NEED IT!
I want one. Very interesting device. Hope Moog give this a full release ;-)
I think this paired with the M32 & DFAM will make a very interesting synthesizer. Next level here, great work Moog
And now 3yrs later, they offer the "Moog sound studio 3" aka "Moog Trinity" bundle. It's so fun! I really like the card game they included that makes patch randomization simple and possible.
I love this thing so much, I always loved messing around with harmonics, and now here's a whole box that does just that. Oh yes. Plus the patch bay and the audio rate sequencing could add some really interesting possibilities. Well and they must ad MIDI support if they do decide to put it into production.
Neat device, excellent demo. Particularly nice explanation of subharmonics.
SWEET! I do hope they become available.
You make great videos :) I hope they do mass produce them so I can get one for myself!
Beautiful. This has inspired me with mine. Thank you!
this is revolutionary for a synth! great way to source unique timbres..i need!
really well explained guys. thanks.
very good review.. thanx... the seq. design is very innovative.
Moog + polyrhythm = yes please! Seriously hope this becomes available to all!
This is a great package. Not exactly groundbreaking innovation but it's a fine blend of three good ideas. It's also the first time in years I've seen a truly unique Moog product. The team that put this together needs a medal. I hope it makes the open market. Someone will do this if they don't. Wallet in hand... MAKE IT MOOG!
did you've asked?
- why here is no square wave osc's?
- why attack is by switches?
- why only Low Pass? (i guess it can be done by cords BTW)
- why no traditional 16 steps seq. as the base?
1. No square: my guess is both an homage to the trautonium and too much complexity. Then you would have asked for pwm...
2. Attack: no room (I think there was room for a small knob but who knows)
3. Low pass only; didn’t ask
4. 16 step sequencer - that would be missing the whole point (not that there’s room for it)
1. Waveshaping to square is pretty easy _in circuit_ . Basically it can be done just by clipping! One transistor amplifies and two diodes clips it gently (my quick guess). Actually a simple (but dirty) PWM can be done with one CMOS chip :) And if it's an osc. with balancing (not sure here is) then PWM is just an LFO -> PW balance. It's how it works.
My aim wasn't to show "how smart I am"... just curious "why?"
2. Here is enough room for a small knob... and even for a mid. one if neighbors will become smaller. Or it can be done by stretching vertical axis-es to left by 1-2 mm in each interval (7 intervals is my count). Another variant: small pot-slider. Easy! :)
3. Hi-Pass Moog filter (trick, you know it probably): substracting the signal after the filter from the input to this filter. Basically it's one or two op.amps (just one 8-leg IC plus few resistors)
4. The last is my "wishies" generally :) If here is a CV in then it's not an issue.
Excellent work, well explained, and a very interesting instrument. It's good to see Moog being creative with the DFAM and this machine, they need to do something different considering all the cheap analogue synths competing against their traditional offerings
Nice demo, thanks. I'll echo those who are hoping this is released as an actual product, it's much more interesting than the Grandmother, at least to me.
Randy Piscione no
Spazzoid Studio yes
Perhaps
DFAM was a limited production synth, and now it's a regular product. Hopefully they'll do it with this and the Grandmother.
very nice review. this one would be the perfect last piece in my 2xmother 32 and dfam setup.
amazing! love it! thank you for this.
So...I experimented today and used the PITCH OUT on the DFAM to the CUTOFF IN on the Sub. I didn't sync the clocks so it added yet another polyrhythmic quality and it was stunning. The 4-note subdivided sequence evolved over time as the DFAM caused the filter to open and close on different steps each time. I was actually very impressed and will stick something up on my youtube channel eventually! Thanks again for the inspiration! I'm never selling mine! :-)
Very cool! Feel free to link from here if you like - would love to hear it
Yeah, I would love it too. You can not make that description and dont show it!
Holy GAS! Thanks for the video!
I hope the eventually release this like they did the DFAM.
Love the vid. Thanks for simplifying these concepts for a noob like me
this is. . . . awesome
Very unique sequencer. The trautonium oscillators (including formant filters) can be had from Doepfer as well.
Excellent! Fantastic video. Please consider making another video using the Subharmonicon. If you can pair it with a DFAM or M32 that would be even better. Thanks!
By far the best Semi-Modular Moog yet. Mother 32 was well-rounded but didn't do anything particularly great or unique, DFAM sounded fantastic but had limited sequencing ability on its own, the Subharmonicon is really interesting, unique and doesn't have too much limitation on its own. That 2x4 step sequencer with polyrhythmic subdivisions is an amazing idea and gives you a lot of capability out of very few knobs
I sold my Mother 32 for an 0-Coast but...
SIGN ME UP FOR SUBHARMONICON I WANT ONE.
I have a DFAM and I find it's sequencer awesome. It's short, but doesn't matter so much to me. It's a synth that really invites me to tweak all the time. I like changing the sequencer several times while playing with this instrument instead of just having it stuck on one the whole time 😊
Hopefully this will go into regular production... I'd sooner have this than the DFAM to supplement my Mother-32 (though a DFAM would be lovely as well). Great explanation of how this works.
man the intro is sick!
Thank you
Nice overview
Want one!
This channel is fucking awesome!
Great video, very informative. Its a nice interesting take for moog on a new module. But my money is already done being spent. Settled on a Sub phatty for general synthesis and the 0-coast for deep space exploration.
This one is a BEAST !!
Very cool!
wow. This is the first product from Moog I'd actually pay MoogPrice for. Take my money!
Wow this is the first genuinely interesting Moog product released in the past 10 years, Imagine that dual sequencer at 6-8 steps as a standalone module :O
I wonder why Moog haven't yet released standalone modules of their products, like an official eurorack ladder filter or minimoog VCO.
ROI maybe? just a guess!
I recall they had a standalone ladder filter and delay in 500 series. Not cheap obviously :p
felipe vareschi I agree. It's hard to imagine it's the same company that has produced the bland-sounding Grandmother. I have yet to hear a demo of the GM which sounds remotely interesting to me but after this review (which only scratches the surface of its capabilities) this product is on my wishlist.
felipe, what about the Mother 32 and the DFAM? They're in eurorack format.
Yes but they are not really flexible, they are full voices. Full voices are not very fun to use with other modular gear since you can't mix and match patching so hard, also I find that normalizing signal path tends to limit patching creativity, also the patch bay is not ergonomic at all.
What I was talking about were modules dedicated to one block in the signal chain, a single VCO, VCF, VCA or that funky step sequencer, with propper CV ins and outs in the right spots. I think
Some people were criticizing Moog for their reissues of prestige-priced vintage synths, and then this comes! The most interesting mini-analog synth in quite some time.
Cool you have one of these: what a sound!!
Very cool instrument... like the variety drones and polyrhythmic sequences that are possible. This and 1 or 2 sequenced Mother 32s... possibilities!
The only Moog I actually want. I hope. I HOPE. That they release this for the public soon.
I just got my DFAM to go with my mother 32 so all i'm waiting for now is to fill my last rack tier with this beauty !
this is the best of 32 series!
This is one of the most interesting things Moog has done in a long time.
this is very unique!
the mother 32, dfam and this would be a godly combination. good job Moog
Anyone here after new leaks from Moog? 😏 It's gonna be in production!!
Great. Now I need a third semi-modular device from Moog.
Very interesting
Your videos leave me with more understanding than any other synth related videos. Great work :) I love the oscilloscope and the frequency analyzer, what do you use for that?
Thanks! I use scopes by Melda
Wow this is something I haven't seen...I hope they release it as I don't know anything on the market like it.
I need one of these to go with my DFAM, Sub37, and Minitaur...Now!!!
Hey that is really great - Hope they release it- So can you tell me what that little moogfest controller with the purple lights is that you are using right at the end of the video?
Thanks
Thanks / sure it’s called the touché by expressive E
This is what the M32 SHOULD have been ! No 1 oscillator parches in my bag of tricks ! WOW ~ O K ~ right around 11:00 min. in . . . you blow my mind ! This I'd BUY !
I find this layout a bit more intuitive (minus the clockwise motion to get lower notes!) and likely to cause fewer accidental tempo changes with the sequencers at the bottom!
What’s the name of that surface pad thingy you were playing with at the near end of your video?
Maybe it would be cool to have details of the machines you use for your demos for the next videos(:
I appreciate your videos by the way
cdm.link/2018/05/the-touche-adding-expression-to-synths-just-in-time-for-moogfest/ found it
This is fucking awesome, I don’t see why they won’t release it!
Looks like Sweetwater might have let the cat out of the bag in their latest email.
Justin McCamish they are making it?
@@ithurt3748 apparently.
@@SorchaSublime Tomorrow baby
@@christopherpederson1021 hopefully this means that We will get the spectavox at some point (which im mre interested in personally).
also, I hope im not alone in preferring the moogfest faceplates? the silver looks a lot better than the black to me, idk why. I feel like it should be an option,
@@ithurt3748 It's been confirmed in the last 24 hours I believe.
Amazing walkthrough - if the Subharmonicon ever becomes available I'm sure I'd pick it up either way, but this video took away all doubt that I've had. Sidenote: what kind of controller are you using to control the filter (and vco2 sub1 if I'm not mistaken?) - it looks rad :)
Thanks! And yes that controller is very cool - it’s called the expressive e touché
Great video, a little question slightly off topic: what is the tuning visualisation on the left windows from 4:37 and following? It seems really useful and i'm looking for just that...
Thanks! It’s just the Ableton tuner
Star Trek Discovery synth from Moog, what a delight.
Great post, this can creates very interesting patterns. Could you output the sequence gate & pitch to a Mother 32 or DFAM using the patchbay? I also see no front panel midi input so I am guessing that there may be a 1V input for pitch control.
mattsynth right - no midi, the sequencer is pure analog - and yes, you can output the clock per sequence. There is no gate.
Can you make a track with all 3 moog units? patched and synched and interactive together. I would love to hear how they all work together.
My fantasy ATM as I'm currently focusing on the possibilities of M32 and Dfam together. it seems like they would be a dream trio for sure
Hey this is a great tutorial - just like all your others! Could you upload an extended review of the patchbay? I feel like this machine has the capacity to get pretty crazy - be great to hear those sounds!
Thank you. I am putting out another video about building it today. Regarding the patch bay - I wonder how much more to talk about the Subharmonicon before they release it officially - if they ever do. If they don’t it will be a very theoretical video....
Haha! I take your point about it being theoretical. If it does remain unreleased I guess your video will likely be the only opportunity the rest of us synth heads to get to hear it in action! :)
Judging from the response here it would be silly not to release it. If/when they announce I promise a patch bay video... ;)
Which software/plug-ins are you using for the oscilloscopes, which you layer onto the screen when explaining oscillation and fundamental harmonic keys?
I wonder, are the subs pretty much divide down circuit like you'd find in the Polymoog?
Amazing and very informative made me to think about making Max patch of this beast! could you please tell me what is that crazy pedal you using at the end of the video? Cheers!
Thanks! It’s an Touché by Expressive E
Thank you!
I need this thing,
Lovely sounds, interesting concept, very fresh and creative way to make music, but quite complex, not for beginners like me i guess. A tool made for trent reznor and atticus ross? Id’love to see it in action with other gear, M32 and DFAM of course but also with modules like distinkt to quantize it, like you did previously on a DFAM video if i remember correctly. Thanks for this another great video, hope to see more of this moog and this beautiful custom moogfest edition « touché » by expressive-e. This excellent french midi cv controller is on my top list to pair with my matrixbrute; thx again, your sounds are so good and your explainations , even for very complex stuff, always easy to understand - even for people like me for whom english is not the main / native language-! Congrats
Thanks very much for the comment - I appreciate it! A lot to do now ;) by the way, the beauty of this for melodies is that unlike DFAM you don’t need to quantize it to make it work because the subharmonics take care of it for you. I didn’t use a quantizer in any of the music I made
loopop good to know! i won’t buy a dfam for « everyday scaled music » , it’s just that sometimes you need it to « fit » in a song and it can be quite complex when you’re not used to microscaling (but i’m not an expert in synthesis at all, so as a noob i guess it would be easier to build « around » this synth?) anyway, i really hope moog will release this synth later like the DFAM (or the werkstatt if i remember correctly), i really think thaht moog makes the right move with on one side the D, sub37, minitaur, the new grandmother etc and on the other side the M32 DFAM and this new baby. 3 machines that fit together - a little bit like the elektron trinity back in time- and 3 tier rack option, huuum i’m pretty sure they gonna sell it in one year or so. By the way, « loopop » is a channel that more and more people quote as « quality music gear channel » in france on music forums , you can be « proud » lol. Cheers
THOM AlphaXIII agree, great channel ... I've learned so much
So my question, is how is this sub-harmonic calculated? Because the undertone series isn't something that is strictly defined, right?
is this wat divide down polyphony is? as in the polyphonic section in the
realistic mg-1 or moog liberation
Damn it Moog, instead of releasing the Sirin and Sub 25 just give us this awesome and very unique piece of gear already!
Thank you for those great explanations ! What is the plug-in used to visualized the harmonics in this video, please?
Thanks - it’s Ableton Spectrum
Thanxxx
Moog can't have all my money. They must be stopped.
do you really want them to stop? :)
produce synths by yourself ))
The internet is such a cruel place for sarcasm to thrive ; eh Reg?
Sadly your wallet might be saved here; I haven't heard any plans on releasing it to the public. It was only for VIP attendees of Moogfest 2018 :(
homeslice1479 but that was the case with the DFAM and now it is public
Gorgeous. Peace Christo
Super cool!
I've been curious for a while: What tools are you using to view/display the frequencies on your computer?
Thanks! Ableton Spectrum and Melda Moscilloscope
Awesome, thanks! I'll look into them. Love your videos, btw! Always super informative!
Melda makes some amazing plugs. Theyre MXCCC app can make u lose days off ur life lost in it.