Can you take audio outs from oscillators, and bypass the mono mixer, to feed them into the stereo filter, to put some oscillators on the left, and some on the right?
Yes you can. But it is best to feed the signals into a eurorack mixer so you can set the levels and pan the oscillators exactly how you want before feeding the stereo signal back into the filters. I have done this using a Doepfer A-138S, and it works really well. However there is a big limitation: Doing this will ONLY work playing the synth monophonically. The reason for this is a bit complicated but I will try to explain as briefly as I can... There are hidden internal gates on the output of each VCO before the signal reaches the Matriarch's own internal mixer. The reason for these gates is so you can play the synth paraphonically. When you hold down one note, you only hear one VCO, when you hold down a second note you hear an additional VCO, etc etc. The Matriarch's firmware is controlling these gates, allocating notes to each VCO, setting the CV and opening/closing the gate. None of this paraphonic behaviour is exposed to the outside for hooking up to eurorack gear but I can't say I blame Moog for making that decision. What they have provided in terms of wave outputs for each VCO is a constant audio signal, not gated in any way, and a constant signal is what you would expect from any regular eurorack oscillator. So coming back to your suggestion, if you did it playing the synth paraphonically you would hear all oscillators at whatever pitches the Matriach has set them to every time you press any key. It will sound ok if you stick to playing 4-note chord structures but otherwise it gets chaotic very quickly.
@@TimShoebridge Thanks for the explanation. It is more complicated than I would have guessed. Maybe something they can add with a software update. A "spread" knob, to send the osc. to a stereo mixer before the filters would have been nice. I love the sound of analog, but I prefer the flexibility of virtual analog, when it comes to stereo movement, and individual LFO, Envelopes, and filters/amps, per note, in a polyphonic output.
@@TimShoebridge can you confirm if its possible to patch the mix out of the an external stereo modular mixer directly into the stereo filter of the matriarch or you can only patch it up into one of the filters?
This was one of the videos I watched when I was deciding between Matriarch or a Subsequent 37 back in 2020. I ended up with a Matriarch. Loved it. Ultimately sold it for a Subsequent 37 because I found presets to be crucial to my workflow. I honestly miss the Matriarch all the time. Rewatched your video to get nostalgic for the excitement I had knowing it was coming in the mail. Great channel, Tim.
Regarding switching between the sequences whilst keeping perfect time at 21:50 . I have found you can cautiously alter the global settings so the sequencer completes the current cycle before switching to the next one, this is great because you can line up the next sequence well in advance and the sequencer will flawlessly take care of the transition for you. This is how the sequencer on my Mother 32 came as default and as I've gotten used to it I'm really glad it's an option on Matriarch. The details can be found on page 66 of the manual, Global Setting 2.9.
I just discovered your channel and have to say I love it. From the synths you cover, the calm and clear presentation style, to the nice camera work. All around great. 😉👍
You have a great talent for teaching. Clear and concise explanations, great musical examples and very calm and soothing voice to boot. Congratulations :-)
You're still one of the best narrators on YT! I simply enjoy your thoughtful talking about and demonstrating these complex machines, superbly done! Thanks a lot and a happy new year, Tim!
Dear Tim - as always in your videos such an extraordinary insight into the heart of the synth! I took the chance and got one of the last Dark Matriarchs - no regrets! The Matriach suprises with amazing sounds at almost any setting...
Awesome video! I'm loving my matriarch but definitely still figuring out it's secrets. I'd love to see more content around tips and tricks with patching it, for example neat ways to use the mults, second LFO, etc!
This video answers many general questions I have about synths. Thank you for explaining the science in a way that a non expert can understand. I've learned much here.
I love my Moog Matriarch and I've been jamming with it and my Moog Sub 37 together, they're a great pair. Your synthesizer demo / review videos are superb. I'm returning to this one for some Matriarch patching ideas, at 14:17. And at 17:18. Keep up the fantastic work, sir.
I want this synth so bad. The hidden parameters is a concern though. I hate that about my Sub Phatty even with the editor. It makes me feel like I need to have my computer open next to it if I want to fully know what’s going on when making patches.
I was fairly concerned myself, I’ve had my Matriarch for a little over a week now. I have made a few adjustments in the global settings but most of them are things that I think I probably won’t ever need to change back to default (Pitch Variance, KB AT and VEL CV range, Oscillator Fine Tune knob range etc.). I’m actually pleasantly surprised with the amount of global settings that are available. Sure a screen would be nice but the appeal of the instrument is it’s knob per function, no screen vintage feel. Personally I see this as a benefit. It’s a beautiful sounding synth and Moog has never really done anything with this architecture before. Very special instrument.
Thanks Tim for highlighting the stereo nature of the Matriarch. I use left/right filter modulation a lot on my Evolver and Prophet X patches. Independent L/R filter modulation makes these wonderful "3D" soundscapes possible. It can bring movement and an organic feel. I have the feeling that 2020 might well be the year of the stereo Matriarch and polyphonic after touch for myself. Thanks again for a thoughtful and well presented video. I love the way you provide us with such a professional look into your sonic kitchen. (edited as I posted my reply at the wrong place ;-)
Thank you for calling attention to the invisible settings issue. I recently bought a Mother-32 and I love it - especially as a newcomer to analogue synths. I inadvertently changed the MIDI channel setting. Fortunately, it was fairly easy to Sherlock my way back. But what else might I have unknowingly done when I was in Setup? The risk is also higher for those of us who are color challenged. The truly unfortunate aspect of this is that it makes me reluctant to go into the dark cave where I can tap into many of the coolest possibilities of the Mother-32. I’ve expressed both concerns to Moog and I encourage others to do so as well.
Great Tutorial. Thank you very much. With the four individual Outs of the Matriarch VCOs feeding to a Happy Nerding PanMix you get a Stereo Path right to the Matriarch Stereo VCF Inputs. Also you can connect the Matriarch Noise Output to the PanMix.
Thanks a lot. Yes mixing the signals outside the synth works, but only playing it in unison mode. Those individual outputs are not gated which is what the synth does internally when you play it duophonically or paraphonically...
Hi Tim, thank you so much for your non-hysterical and highly objective feedback on the Matriarch; I've just bought one and love it and I'm afraid I'm a bit out of my depth at the moment trying on all these technical terms for size, but I found your appraisal very helpful, thank you again.
Like the video. I learnt about the Matriarch. You should check out the Vermona perFOURmer, which has 4 VCOs that can be used in either 4 voice, 2 voice or unison. Each Voice has separate panning, ADSR for filter and VCA, (with gate mode on VCA), LFO per voice, but also 4 voice polyphonic, or duophonic, or mono at the click of a switch. No effects though. But breakouts for the VCOs or external Ins to the VCF/VCAs.
Mark Pigott - that’s one synth I’d love to have a play on. Four note poly with each voice set slightly differently, highly creative and like nothing else. I’ve got a 4 voice midi to CV converter which will work as a round robin voice allocator. Not got around to pairing this up with oscillators/VCAs/filters as yet but any time I think about the PerFourmer I want to give it a try!
@@leftmono1016 The perFOURmer does round robin out of the box. Set the midi channel, and every note will go voice 1, 2, 3, 4 in order. It can be set to 1 midi channel, or each can be on its own.
Tim, congratulations on an outstanding video on the Matriarch. Clear, concise and to the point. You have a way of making a very complex machine understandable. I am a Moog owner since the 1970s. My first Moog was a Satellite circa 1976 followed by a Micromoog, a Lil Phatty, a Sub37 (which I still have and love). I bought my Matriarch in October of 2019. I still have not even scratched the surface of what this behemoth can do! Your video had not yet been produced at the time when I bought my Matriarch, but you are spot on! Nothing sounds like a Moog! I agree 100% with your comments about the GLOBAL SETTINGS and the lack of an interface! Changing the Global Settings, either on purpose, or Heaven Forbid, by mistake, is bad enough, but how about a simple update of the Firmware?!? How do you know what version of Firmware you have and if your attempt to update it was successful? I can't understand why Moog "overlooked" this serious issue. I do believe that it was intentional, but why? In order to rush the Matriarch to market? I just cannot understand why Moog did this, and the situation is not unique to the Matriarch as noted by some of the other commenters. Tim, absolutely great job on the video! Thank you!
Always good to hear an instrument from a users point of view rather than just a review. This was fantastic Tim. Defo one for my future wish list. Happy 2020 to you .👍🏾👍🏾
Perhaps the PRO 3 can run circles, but it CANNOT touch the sound.. Q RE effects chain: Does the synth permit you to in-and-out, say, a REVERB, to where the onboard stereo DELAY can be last in the the chain? That may be a dumb question, but hey....You're the smart one here... Thank you.
Tim, I’ve been eyeing this synth for a while, and this video is part of what convinced me to get it. I’ve been wanting to explore modular but I’m very much a ‘keyboard’ player so this seems like a great blend of both.
I see that there are now a couple of global editors. They are only a few months old at the moment but ... a good sign. I just googled "moog matriarch global editor" and they popped up.
Great video. I own the Matriarch and I learned a lot by watching. I agree that global settings is frustrating to use. You didn't mention that the sync enable button blinks to help confirm the parameter you are about to change, which is useful for me. Still, a software editor would resolve the issue completely for me.
@Tim Shoebridge I have personally verified that the Manhattan Analog DTM $99USD eurorack module is an extremely close facsimile in asymmetrical clipping nature of the Moog CP3 mixer in the Moog Matriarch when the DTM's channel and output potentiometers are at the three o'clock position. This was done with an oscilloscope, a Moog Matriarch, and a Manhattan Analog DTM module. You can have the stereo mixer you requested. Keep up the great work!
Hey Tim perfect video . Can you patch into the Matriarch VCO's pitch and play 4 note chords from external CV , with a different note on each oscillator to play a 4 note chord ?
You make really great points! Did you know it’s firmware can be updated with iOS ?it was a moment that cemented my love of this Moog beauty. Peace Christo 👽🎶🛸☮️☮️🐕
I'm thinking of buying myself a synth. Your videos are helping me to decide which one. Most likely a Korg Minilogue XD. That's about what my budget will allow. Love this Moog. Maybe someday.
Good Production! I would have like to heard a more in depth explanation and a better view of the patch cable applications. But, overall, Good Production!
This is insane what you can do with just one of these synthesizers. It almost blows my mind. This is definitely where it's at, is in modular sound design...SBN RESONATE
I would love to see you do a Matriarch with Modular video. It seems well built to integrate seamlessly with eurorack and something tells me that the combination of Moog, Make Noise, and Mutable Instruments would be heaven.
Fellow owner, right on with the global settings feedback. I know there is a guy making some "patch saver," which he made for the Grandmother. maybe he could add this in?
I use FastStoneImageViewer to save patches it is a bit tedious but we get used to it and then we can re-edit if need be... (like this : fr.audiofanzine.com/synthe-analogique/moog-music/matriarch/forums/t.701963,patch-tips,post.10164626.html)
@@nicolasg.1601 ah yes indeed one step short of the ol pen and paper haha...I was just thinking photos on my phone camera would prob be the quickest way...thx for the reply!
Would you buy this as a first synth? Synth curious coming from a guitar player world. Vintage music in nature and a new wave fan to RadioHead. Love the creation of soundscapes. Loved the stereo functions and the polyphonic nature. Just shopping for sounds. Getting older and want to explore every nook and cranny and expand my music. The best run through I’ve come across.
Hi, Thanks a lot. The Matriarch would likely not be a "first synth" recommendation by a lot of people, simply because of the advanced features it has and its price-point. But honestly it is a very personal decision based on what you like, what you want to do with it, how you anticipate you might expand in the future (eg modular), and of course your financial situation. I do know of people who bought a Matriarch but then later realised the total manual / no presets way of working was too painful for them or that they regretted tying up so much money in just one synth when for the same money they could buy a number of others. But I also know of many people who love it to bits (like me!) and don't want to ever part with it. But to be honest, out of those people in the last category I don't know of any for who this is their one and only synth. You're not going to get that gorgeous analog Moog sound with true stereo signal path, twin filters, twin analog delays and 4-note paraphony with any other synth that I know of. So if that is your lure for the Matriarch then maybe your fate is already sealed ;) And of course you can run your guitars through the Matriarch and use it as a wonderful stereo analog filter and delay effects unit. Just be careful considering the Matriarch's polyphonic nature, it's paraphonic and that makes a difference. I have read recently of a number of people's comments on the Behringer Poly D, where they wrongly assumed it was a polyphonic synth and have then become frustrated or annoyed at the fact you can't play it like a true poly synth. Paraphonic mode takes some getting used to and practice but it is certainly not for everyone. All the best with your decision.
Hello Tim, I come back to your videos often. Loopop with a more personal view is how I see it, of great value to me ! Not sure you're still monitoring these comments nowadays seeing that you found your (almost) perfect synth :) But I'd be curious to know what you think of Matriarch in the light of all the fantastic new choices like PolyBrute12, Osmose, UDO Gemini, Moog Muse, 3rd wave, that motorised faders thing etc etc.. Is it still worth getting as an instrument in addition to one's Eurorack ?
Hi. Great to hear you are enjoying the channel. I honestly think the Matriarch is one of the greatest synths Moog ever produced! It's not a replacement for a polysynth, you have to play the Matriarch a certain way as it is only paraphonic. But honestly if you have eurorack then this synth is a perfect compliment. I sold my multi-coloured Matriarch ages ago and got an all black version instead, but to be honest I actually miss those colours now!
Hey Tim. I just bought the Matriarch yesterday. Has anyone figured out how to sync the arp or sequencer to a DAW's tempo? I was thinking that it should be divisions of the DAW tempo by default, like the Sub 37... but it's obviously not
I figured it out. I just put an external instrument on a midi track and tried to load the Matriarch. Turns out that I have to go to the midi preferences in the menu and turn on midi clock for the instrument. Duh. Been a long time since I did that
Hi, By default the Matriarch will use MIDI clock if your DAW is sending it. As for the sub divisions used by the ARP/Sequencer, the user manual is a bit vague. It just says this... " If Matriarch is sync’d to MIDI, External Clock, or Tap Tempo, the RATE knob will select timing values that are musical subdivisions of this external tempo." PS Congrats on the new synth :)
@@TimShoebridge Thanks. Yeah, didn't have my DAW sending it to the machine. Hadn't configured that since I bought the Sub 37 two years ago. Memory not as great as it used to be
Love how you patched those 2 filters with independent attenuation and LFO control X2. Those filters sound smooth with the perfect amount of brightness. Is it possible this sounds better than the Moog One? At 23:14 the Matriarch really blends well with the strings. Very nice.
Thanks very much. I personally think the Matriarch is head and shoulders above regular poly synths when it comes to tone. There's something very pure and raw about it. Same as with many eurorack modules which is the main reason I got into modular in the first place. But of course the compromise is we only have 4 oscillators and 2 filters in total here on the Matriarch for you to set them how you want by hand.
@@TimShoebridge Interesting. Yes, no memory for patch storage. mono with the 4 note mode. I see that. Have to dial up your sound and record that. But "that" sounds great. It reminds me of playing an acoustic instrument. And adjusting your timbre and sound as needed for the part at the moment. Sounds like a good piece of analog gear to keep in the studio choices which will always find some place in your music. Even if not used to its potential the sound itself would be a great addition to much music. Thank you for your thoughtful, ultimately helpful, and well prepared videos
Cheers Tim. I actually prefer the sound this synth makes to what I've heard from the Moog One. The problem I have is that I really don't want to buy a synth without a display and without the ability to store patches, so I don't think this is for me!
666JGNotts I have the same problem , I can not store patches on my hand built acoustic guitar, damn the maker , jokes aside it’s a living voltage controlled synth why on earth would you want presets ?
@@valley_robot Just expressing my personal opinions which is what this is all about. Just because they don't agree with yours doesn't mean that I'm wrong.
Thanks a lot for your great work, all videos are extremaly informing. As a Moog One owner, do you find Matriarch different enough to consider having them both? I mean different in term of sonic capabilities, functions, workflow, inspirations coming out of the synth. Which one semi-modular synth is more interesting and challenging in your opinion, Matriarch or Behringer 2600? Thank you.
Is there a way to get a full version of the piece at 22:58? I really love the sound... Great video, now I'm gonna have to get one for myself! Production value here is incredible, keep it up!
Brilliant work Tim. Just brilliant. Thank you for putting this together. Edit: Those global setting shenanigans sound like the global settings on the Mother-32 on steroids. Yikes!
Great video! As a Grandmother owner (which I dearly love) the global settings problem is also present. However, I'm used to this Moog quirk and can work around it. Meanwhile, I'm saving up my loose change to get the Matriarch. If will fit my twin Mother 32, DFAM & Grandmother rig perfectly. Thanks for the insight into this wonderful instrument.
grandmother owner here thinking of getting a matriarch! In your opinion would that make my grandmother useless unless I wanted to run them in a chain? I know the grandmother has the spring reverb (which is awesome) but would that be it more or less?
In my very personal experience, I had a Grandmother, loved it for its sound, but thought it was rather limiting in terms of modulation capability and modular patching. I bought the Matriarch and then realised I had no need for the Grandmother at all any more. But then again, I wasn't a great fan of the spring reverb sound tbh. There will be people out there who will tell you the Grandmother sounds beefier than a Matriarch, that wasn't my experience. But in any case the Matriarch has four oscillators, enough to blow your speakers up with! What I found is that the Matriarch improves on the Grandmother in every conceivable practical way, so I felt no twang of conscience at selling the Grandmother after. But it really is a very personal decision at the end of the day, this was just my experience.
Regarding the global settings issue you outlined, is there a default setting? This way you can at least reset to default and work from there. Great video thx.
Thanks Tim. Great presentation. I agree entirely with your observations on Global Settings. The same method is used on the Moog Model D re-issue. Not as many Global Settings but still a painful process.
Hi Tim. GREAT video. I am thinking about one of theese as a first step towards getting more Eurorack into my studio. Wanted ask about the global functions. Is there an easy factory preset?
@@TimShoebridge thanks for replying... i actually have one now. I havent yet gotten into the global stuff so i still actually dont know the awnswer... but yes thats exactly what i meant. Best. Will.
I have a question but I feel the need to thank you for all the useful information on your channel. So I am impressed with the sound of the Matriarch and capabilities with patching and expansion. Is it possible to use it together with something like a Vermona Perfourmer? Send the oscillators outs of both synthesizers into 4 Eurorack mixers and mix one oscillator from each unit together so each voice has 2 oscillators, and back into the Perfourmer Filters? Maybe it could be played with the Matriarch keyboard midi out to the Perfourmer or midi to cv controller to both units using multiples or something. Or what about using 4 Slim Phattys in polychain mode with audio input? Or maybe even with a Studio Electronics Omega 4 with audio ins and outs together with any of these synths? 4 different filters! Or just using 2 Matriarchs? Maybe it's stupid to mix oscillators from 2 different synthesizers in each voice, but why not?
Is it possible to control any of the Matriarch's global settings via MIDI CC? I read that you can change the Sequencer via Program Change, was wondering if the Matriarch's MIDI spec has already assigned specific CC#s to control any of its parameters (especially the tricky ones requiring menu diving, i.e. pitch bend range, etc.)
hi Tim, in this period I am working on a melodic techno project, I am already working with subsequent 37, and Dfam, but I am looking for a synth for musical textures, something that can create atmofere but also some distorted fm synths, I really like Matriarch, and i think with some cables maybe i get a good sound, please give me some advice on this band of Synth Hardware
Is it possible to bypass the mixer and use a Eurorack module in it's place. That could give you the stereo path you desire. This thing seems built for integration with a Eurorack system.
I feel the exact same way about the global settings. Really hope they make a software editor. I keep finding myself wanting to change something and I never bother because of how cumbersome it is to have to do all these arbitrary key presses.
Getting ready to make a purchase and have been watching a lot of videos. This one put me over I think. Well done and thank you!! Question though. I have a hardware looping device that can MIDI sync as either slave or master. Do you think it will be possible to sync that device up with the sequencer of this unit?
What do you think would be a better setup between the Matriarch + Eventide H9 Max for effects (and obviously the internal analog delay on the Matriarch) vs the Arturia Matrixbrute by itself with its internal analog effects?
Both the music and the presentation remind me of UK schools programmes from the 1970s. The BBC Radiophonic Workshop exposed us kids to some weird stuff back then.
Can you take audio outs from oscillators, and bypass the mono mixer, to feed them into the stereo filter, to put some oscillators on the left, and some on the right?
Yes you can. But it is best to feed the signals into a eurorack mixer so you can set the levels and pan the oscillators exactly how you want before feeding the stereo signal back into the filters. I have done this using a Doepfer A-138S, and it works really well. However there is a big limitation: Doing this will ONLY work playing the synth monophonically. The reason for this is a bit complicated but I will try to explain as briefly as I can...
There are hidden internal gates on the output of each VCO before the signal reaches the Matriarch's own internal mixer. The reason for these gates is so you can play the synth paraphonically. When you hold down one note, you only hear one VCO, when you hold down a second note you hear an additional VCO, etc etc. The Matriarch's firmware is controlling these gates, allocating notes to each VCO, setting the CV and opening/closing the gate. None of this paraphonic behaviour is exposed to the outside for hooking up to eurorack gear but I can't say I blame Moog for making that decision. What they have provided in terms of wave outputs for each VCO is a constant audio signal, not gated in any way, and a constant signal is what you would expect from any regular eurorack oscillator.
So coming back to your suggestion, if you did it playing the synth paraphonically you would hear all oscillators at whatever pitches the Matriach has set them to every time you press any key. It will sound ok if you stick to playing 4-note chord structures but otherwise it gets chaotic very quickly.
@@TimShoebridge Thanks for the explanation.
It is more complicated than I would have guessed.
Maybe something they can add with a software update.
A "spread" knob, to send the osc. to a stereo mixer before the filters would have been nice.
I love the sound of analog, but I prefer the flexibility of virtual analog, when it comes to stereo movement, and individual LFO, Envelopes, and filters/amps, per note, in a polyphonic output.
I agree with you, a stereo mixer would have made this synth much more interesting to me.
You can also use the utility and attenuators and send the oscillators to the utility and attenuators and get stereo effect that way too
@@TimShoebridge can you confirm if its possible to patch the mix out of the an external stereo modular mixer directly into the stereo filter of the matriarch or you can only patch it up into one of the filters?
This was one of the videos I watched when I was deciding between Matriarch or a Subsequent 37 back in 2020. I ended up with a Matriarch. Loved it. Ultimately sold it for a Subsequent 37 because I found presets to be crucial to my workflow. I honestly miss the Matriarch all the time. Rewatched your video to get nostalgic for the excitement I had knowing it was coming in the mail. Great channel, Tim.
2 awesome synths !!!!
This is the first video about the stereo filter and stereo delay that made it make sense to me. This was invaluable, thank you.
Regarding switching between the sequences whilst keeping perfect time at 21:50 . I have found you can cautiously alter the global settings so the sequencer completes the current cycle before switching to the next one, this is great because you can line up the next sequence well in advance and the sequencer will flawlessly take care of the transition for you. This is how the sequencer on my Mother 32 came as default and as I've gotten used to it I'm really glad it's an option on Matriarch. The details can be found on page 66 of the manual, Global Setting 2.9.
Tim Shoebridge, being slightly concerned about synths since 2005
Oliver Ha! Deeply concerned since 2000! :)
I find your lack of faith disturbing....Admiral.
I just discovered your channel and have to say I love it.
From the synths you cover, the calm and clear presentation style, to the nice camera work.
All around great. 😉👍
The filter on the Matriarch is a work of art.
Be nice if this guy had opened it past about 20% at any point. Dullest synth demo I've ever heard.
@@thsithks - Why don't you make one then?
You have a great talent for teaching. Clear and concise explanations, great musical examples and very calm and soothing voice to boot. Congratulations :-)
At 1st I was like: Phil Oakey (or his brother) has a YT channel?
@@shaft9000 Indeed 😁
5:56 "If there's ONE thing that I'd really like.." Freudian slip? It would do what you are seeking. :). Excellent video, Tim. Thumbs up given.
You're still one of the best narrators on YT! I simply enjoy your thoughtful talking about and demonstrating these complex machines, superbly done! Thanks a lot and a happy new year, Tim!
Dear Tim - as always in your videos such an extraordinary insight into the heart of the synth! I took the chance and got one of the last Dark Matriarchs - no regrets! The Matriach suprises with amazing sounds at almost any setting...
Awesome video! I'm loving my matriarch but definitely still figuring out it's secrets.
I'd love to see more content around tips and tricks with patching it, for example neat ways to use the mults, second LFO, etc!
Matriarch or ob6?
This video answers many general questions I have about synths. Thank you for explaining the science in a way that a non expert can understand. I've learned much here.
I love my Moog Matriarch and I've been jamming with it and my Moog Sub 37 together, they're a great pair. Your synthesizer demo / review videos are superb. I'm returning to this one for some Matriarch patching ideas, at 14:17. And at 17:18. Keep up the fantastic work, sir.
I want this synth so bad. The hidden parameters is a concern though. I hate that about my Sub Phatty even with the editor. It makes me feel like I need to have my computer open next to it if I want to fully know what’s going on when making patches.
yeah seems like they have to make a midi sysexx editor for it
I was fairly concerned myself, I’ve had my Matriarch for a little over a week now. I have made a few adjustments in the global settings but most of them are things that I think I probably won’t ever need to change back to default (Pitch Variance, KB AT and VEL CV range, Oscillator Fine Tune knob range etc.). I’m actually pleasantly surprised with the amount of global settings that are available. Sure a screen would be nice but the appeal of the instrument is it’s knob per function, no screen vintage feel. Personally I see this as a benefit. It’s a beautiful sounding synth and Moog has never really done anything with this architecture before. Very special instrument.
Thanks Tim for highlighting the stereo nature of the Matriarch. I use left/right filter modulation a lot on my Evolver and Prophet X patches. Independent L/R filter modulation makes these wonderful "3D" soundscapes possible. It can bring movement and an organic feel. I have the feeling that 2020 might well be the year of the stereo Matriarch and polyphonic after touch for myself. Thanks again for a thoughtful and well presented video. I love the way you provide us with such a professional look into your sonic kitchen. (edited as I posted my reply at the wrong place ;-)
You're very welcome. "Sonic Kitchen"...? I like the sound of that! Shame the URL is so expensive...
Really enjoy your videos. Your calm and informative delivery is much appreciated.
15:08 I had to find a corner to have a primeval weep. It’s special Tim. Well done.
And thank you so much for this wonderful review Tim ! Love from Vienna
Thank you for calling attention to the invisible settings issue. I recently bought a Mother-32 and I love it - especially as a newcomer to analogue synths. I inadvertently changed the MIDI channel setting. Fortunately, it was fairly easy to Sherlock my way back. But what else might I have unknowingly done when I was in Setup? The risk is also higher for those of us who are color challenged. The truly unfortunate aspect of this is that it makes me reluctant to go into the dark cave where I can tap into many of the coolest possibilities of the Mother-32. I’ve expressed both concerns to Moog and I encourage others to do so as well.
Great Tutorial. Thank you very much. With the four individual Outs of the Matriarch VCOs feeding to a Happy Nerding PanMix you get a Stereo Path right to the Matriarch Stereo VCF Inputs. Also you can connect the Matriarch Noise Output to the PanMix.
Thanks a lot. Yes mixing the signals outside the synth works, but only playing it in unison mode. Those individual outputs are not gated which is what the synth does internally when you play it duophonically or paraphonically...
15:05 NOW I get it!! Outstanding demonstration!! Thank you so much. 💕👍🏼
Thanks for taking the time to explain the synth.
Hi Tim, thank you so much for your non-hysterical and highly objective feedback on the Matriarch; I've just bought one and love it and I'm afraid I'm a bit out of my depth at the moment trying on all these technical terms for size, but I found your appraisal very helpful, thank you again.
Great video! I appreciate how thorough and candid you are.
Like the video. I learnt about the Matriarch.
You should check out the Vermona perFOURmer, which has 4 VCOs that can be used in either 4 voice, 2 voice or unison.
Each Voice has separate panning, ADSR for filter and VCA, (with gate mode on VCA), LFO per voice, but also 4 voice polyphonic, or duophonic, or mono at the click of a switch.
No effects though. But breakouts for the VCOs or external Ins to the VCF/VCAs.
Mark Pigott - that’s one synth I’d love to have a play on. Four note poly with each voice set slightly differently, highly creative and like nothing else.
I’ve got a 4 voice midi to CV converter which will work as a round robin voice allocator. Not got around to pairing this up with oscillators/VCAs/filters as yet but any time I think about the PerFourmer I want to give it a try!
@@leftmono1016 The perFOURmer does round robin out of the box. Set the midi channel, and every note will go voice 1, 2, 3, 4 in order. It can be set to 1 midi channel, or each can be on its own.
Tim, since you have Matriarch, Erebus and Prophet 6, it would be great if you could compare the three in terms of oscilator and filter sounds.
Tim, congratulations on an outstanding video on the Matriarch. Clear, concise and to the point. You have a way of making a very complex machine understandable. I am a Moog owner since the 1970s. My first Moog was a Satellite circa 1976 followed by a Micromoog, a Lil Phatty, a Sub37 (which I still have and love). I bought my Matriarch in October of 2019. I still have not even scratched the surface of what this behemoth can do! Your video had not yet been produced at the time when I bought my Matriarch, but you are spot on! Nothing sounds like a Moog! I agree 100% with your comments about the GLOBAL SETTINGS and the lack of an interface! Changing the Global Settings, either on purpose, or Heaven Forbid, by mistake, is bad enough, but how about a simple update of the Firmware?!? How do you know what version of Firmware you have and if your attempt to update it was successful? I can't understand why Moog "overlooked" this serious issue. I do believe that it was intentional, but why? In order to rush the Matriarch to market? I just cannot understand why Moog did this, and the situation is not unique to the Matriarch as noted by some of the other commenters. Tim, absolutely great job on the video! Thank you!
I was thinking of selling my Little Phatty to help fund a Matriarch...but I just can't sell it. I love the LP so much. And so the saving begins...
Just like the Moog One, and the Moog Two... I think the Matriarch 2 is going to be unbelievably difficult to pass up.
Very nice demonstration and examples, thank you very much. Happy new year!
Those two sequences are very nice. I wonder if one can change the keys also, sort of like on auto-accompaniment Bontempi keyboard.
Stereo analog delay. Makes this a must buy, besides how awesome it sounds.
Thanks for your thoughts and effort you put into making this.
Always good to hear an instrument from a users point of view rather than just a review. This was fantastic Tim. Defo one for my future wish list. Happy 2020 to you .👍🏾👍🏾
Perhaps the PRO 3 can run circles, but it CANNOT touch the sound.. Q RE effects chain: Does the synth permit you to in-and-out, say, a REVERB, to where the onboard stereo DELAY can be last in the the chain? That may be a dumb question, but hey....You're the smart one here... Thank you.
Thanks for another insightful video, Tim. Really enjoyed it. Looking forward to up-coming videos - whatever they might be! Have a Happy New year!
I just unboxed and started playing with mine. So far i have to say I'm impressed and it seems to be very powerful and flexible.
must be nice I ordered my last month still waiting with no updates WTF!!!
It sounds so beautiful it literally makes me want to cry on some pads.
This is quite possibly the best synth ever what an awesome video such great skills.
I'd sure be curious to see you do an in depth comparison between a Sequential/DSI Pro 2 and the Moog Matriarch
Must admit I never got to play a Pro 2, it sounds like a really powerful synth from what I have heard and read
Two minutes in, I'm digging the graphic block layout of the synth's architecture. Good stuff.
I really like your style !! You can get to the nitty gritty of the synth and make so clear and easy to understand !
FANTASTIC! Thank you Tim :)
Very informative and beautiful sounds, cant wait to pick mine up!
Hi Tim, great vid, thanks. 4 years on is there any software gateway for global settings?
Tim, I’ve been eyeing this synth for a while, and this video is part of what convinced me to get it. I’ve been wanting to explore modular but I’m very much a ‘keyboard’ player so this seems like a great blend of both.
It’s a beast I am smitten with. Peace Christo 👽☮️🛸🎶🐕
I bought the Matriarch and the Sequential pro 3 at the same time. Both very good synths! The Matriarch is moving on while the Pro 3 is staying.
I see that there are now a couple of global editors. They are only a few months old at the moment but ... a good sign. I just googled "moog matriarch global editor" and they popped up.
Great video. I own the Matriarch and I learned a lot by watching. I agree that global settings is frustrating to use. You didn't mention that the sync enable button blinks to help confirm the parameter you are about to change, which is useful for me. Still, a software editor would resolve the issue completely for me.
@Tim Shoebridge I have personally verified that the Manhattan Analog DTM $99USD eurorack module is an extremely close facsimile in asymmetrical clipping nature of the Moog CP3 mixer in the Moog Matriarch when the DTM's channel and output potentiometers are at the three o'clock position. This was done with an oscilloscope, a Moog Matriarch, and a Manhattan Analog DTM module. You can have the stereo mixer you requested. Keep up the great work!
Hey Tim perfect video . Can you patch into the Matriarch VCO's pitch and play 4 note chords from external CV , with a different note on each oscillator to play a 4 note chord ?
The big thing I’m wondering is how this compares with the B System 55 stuff
Thanks to You for this phantastic video. I think you could reveal the soul of this synth. Best wishes for 2020.
You make really great points! Did you know it’s firmware can be updated with iOS ?it was a moment that cemented my love of this Moog beauty. Peace Christo 👽🎶🛸☮️☮️🐕
I'm thinking of buying myself a synth. Your videos are helping me to decide which one. Most likely a Korg Minilogue XD. That's about what my budget will allow. Love this Moog. Maybe someday.
Very glad to hear my videos are useful to you :) The Minilogue XD is an absolutely fantastic synth, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Good Production! I would have like to heard a more in depth explanation and a better view of the patch cable applications. But, overall, Good Production!
Do you have any videos of you explaining those euroracks behind you?
Could Moog make an app to connect to the Matriarch? Would be nice to control the global settings through a tablet.
No. Prefer hardware to be standalone.
They can and should.
I'm not sure but I don't think the parameters of this synth are digitally controlled.
With the Animoog app?
Hi Tim
Was wondering if the new global settings update has make your issues any easier regarding Settings via midox?
Newbie here, but what model mixer is that to the left, behind you?
you could write on the manual diagram of the keyboard what changes you made in global settings.
This is insane what you can do with just one of these synthesizers. It almost blows my mind. This is definitely where it's at, is in modular sound design...SBN RESONATE
I would love to see you do a Matriarch with Modular video. It seems well built to integrate seamlessly with eurorack and something tells me that the combination of Moog, Make Noise, and Mutable Instruments would be heaven.
Please do the comparison with the poly D!!!
Matriarch blows it away.
Thanks for your effort and your thoughts, well done.
Is there a way to restore to factory settings?
Thanks for your content Tim.
Fellow owner, right on with the global settings feedback. I know there is a guy making some "patch saver," which he made for the Grandmother. maybe he could add this in?
I use FastStoneImageViewer to save patches it is a bit tedious but we get used to it and then we can re-edit if need be... (like this : fr.audiofanzine.com/synthe-analogique/moog-music/matriarch/forums/t.701963,patch-tips,post.10164626.html)
@@nicolasg.1601 can you explain this process in more detail? I clicked the link but don't understand french.
@@stolencoats63 It is just a jpeg image on which I draw using a drawing software, there is nothing automatic... the old way!
@@nicolasg.1601 ah yes indeed one step short of the ol pen and paper haha...I was just thinking photos on my phone camera would prob be the quickest way...thx for the reply!
Thank you for letting us copy your homework:)! Thorough review of this synthesizer...much appreciated!
15:45 your patch is beautiful Tim
💙🎹
Would you buy this as a first synth? Synth curious coming from a guitar player world. Vintage music in nature and a new wave fan to RadioHead. Love the creation of soundscapes. Loved the stereo functions and the polyphonic nature. Just shopping for sounds. Getting older and want to explore every nook and cranny and expand my music.
The best run through I’ve come across.
Hi, Thanks a lot. The Matriarch would likely not be a "first synth" recommendation by a lot of people, simply because of the advanced features it has and its price-point. But honestly it is a very personal decision based on what you like, what you want to do with it, how you anticipate you might expand in the future (eg modular), and of course your financial situation. I do know of people who bought a Matriarch but then later realised the total manual / no presets way of working was too painful for them or that they regretted tying up so much money in just one synth when for the same money they could buy a number of others. But I also know of many people who love it to bits (like me!) and don't want to ever part with it. But to be honest, out of those people in the last category I don't know of any for who this is their one and only synth.
You're not going to get that gorgeous analog Moog sound with true stereo signal path, twin filters, twin analog delays and 4-note paraphony with any other synth that I know of. So if that is your lure for the Matriarch then maybe your fate is already sealed ;) And of course you can run your guitars through the Matriarch and use it as a wonderful stereo analog filter and delay effects unit.
Just be careful considering the Matriarch's polyphonic nature, it's paraphonic and that makes a difference. I have read recently of a number of people's comments on the Behringer Poly D, where they wrongly assumed it was a polyphonic synth and have then become frustrated or annoyed at the fact you can't play it like a true poly synth. Paraphonic mode takes some getting used to and practice but it is certainly not for everyone.
All the best with your decision.
Absolutely not. You'll want presets for a first synth. If you like the Moog sound consider a Subsequent.
marrymemaddie I have a Grandmother & a Subsequent 37. Plenty of options!
Hello Tim, I come back to your videos often. Loopop with a more personal view is how I see it, of great value to me ! Not sure you're still monitoring these comments nowadays seeing that you found your (almost) perfect synth :) But I'd be curious to know what you think of Matriarch in the light of all the fantastic new choices like PolyBrute12, Osmose, UDO Gemini, Moog Muse, 3rd wave, that motorised faders thing etc etc.. Is it still worth getting as an instrument in addition to one's Eurorack ?
Hi. Great to hear you are enjoying the channel. I honestly think the Matriarch is one of the greatest synths Moog ever produced! It's not a replacement for a polysynth, you have to play the Matriarch a certain way as it is only paraphonic. But honestly if you have eurorack then this synth is a perfect compliment. I sold my multi-coloured Matriarch ages ago and got an all black version instead, but to be honest I actually miss those colours now!
Hey Tim. I just bought the Matriarch yesterday. Has anyone figured out how to sync the arp or sequencer to a DAW's tempo? I was thinking that it should be divisions of the DAW tempo by default, like the Sub 37... but it's obviously not
I figured it out. I just put an external instrument on a midi track and tried to load the Matriarch. Turns out that I have to go to the midi preferences in the menu and turn on midi clock for the instrument. Duh. Been a long time since I did that
Hi, By default the Matriarch will use MIDI clock if your DAW is sending it. As for the sub divisions used by the ARP/Sequencer, the user manual is a bit vague. It just says this... " If Matriarch is sync’d to MIDI, External
Clock, or Tap Tempo, the RATE knob will select timing values that are musical subdivisions of this external tempo."
PS Congrats on the new synth :)
@@TimShoebridge Thanks. Yeah, didn't have my DAW sending it to the machine. Hadn't configured that since I bought the Sub 37 two years ago. Memory not as great as it used to be
15:55 reminds me of the opening of the song "Memories Fade" by Tears for Fears from their first album, The Hurting.
@Nigel Davis wow!
Is there a gate out per OSC? For instance in order to use external ADSR envelopes per OSC?
The filter is da bomb! Seems like the attenuators gets around the stereo limitation on the filter?
Love how you patched those 2 filters with independent attenuation and LFO control X2. Those filters sound smooth with the perfect amount of brightness. Is it possible this sounds better than the Moog One? At 23:14 the Matriarch really blends well with the strings. Very nice.
Thanks very much. I personally think the Matriarch is head and shoulders above regular poly synths when it comes to tone. There's something very pure and raw about it. Same as with many eurorack modules which is the main reason I got into modular in the first place. But of course the compromise is we only have 4 oscillators and 2 filters in total here on the Matriarch for you to set them how you want by hand.
@@TimShoebridge Interesting. Yes, no memory for patch storage. mono with the 4 note mode. I see that. Have to dial up your sound and record that. But "that" sounds great. It reminds me of playing an acoustic instrument. And adjusting your timbre and sound as needed for the part at the moment. Sounds like a good piece of analog gear to keep in the studio choices which will always find some place in your music. Even if not used to its potential the sound itself would be a great addition to much music. Thank you for your thoughtful, ultimately helpful, and well prepared videos
Cheers Tim. I actually prefer the sound this synth makes to what I've heard from the Moog One. The problem I have is that I really don't want to buy a synth without a display and without the ability to store patches, so I don't think this is for me!
666JGNotts I have the same problem , I can not store patches on my hand built acoustic guitar, damn the maker , jokes aside it’s a living voltage controlled synth why on earth would you want presets ?
@@valley_robot Just expressing my personal opinions which is what this is all about. Just because they don't agree with yours doesn't mean that I'm wrong.
@@666JGNotts yeah I respect your opinion mate.
@@valley_robot Ditto from me too mate :)
@@valley_robot I like them to be able to pull up sounds I liked enough to want to retain and play again someday.
You can patch the two filters to create a true stereo effect.
Thanks a lot for your great work, all videos are extremaly informing. As a Moog One owner, do you find Matriarch different enough to consider having them both? I mean different in term of sonic capabilities, functions, workflow, inspirations coming out of the synth. Which one semi-modular synth is more interesting and challenging in your opinion, Matriarch or Behringer 2600? Thank you.
Is there a way to get a full version of the piece at 22:58? I really love the sound... Great video, now I'm gonna have to get one for myself! Production value here is incredible, keep it up!
Thanks very much! :) You can find that track here: ua-cam.com/video/_bt5PiaGah8/v-deo.html
Excellent video, thanks!
Brilliant work Tim. Just brilliant. Thank you for putting this together.
Edit: Those global setting shenanigans sound like the global settings on the Mother-32 on steroids. Yikes!
Great video, thank you Tim
Great video! As a Grandmother owner (which I dearly love) the global settings problem is also present. However, I'm used to this Moog quirk and can work around it. Meanwhile, I'm saving up my loose change to get the Matriarch. If will fit my twin Mother 32, DFAM & Grandmother rig perfectly. Thanks for the insight into this wonderful instrument.
grandmother owner here thinking of getting a matriarch! In your opinion would that make my grandmother useless unless I wanted to run them in a chain? I know the grandmother has the spring reverb (which is awesome) but would that be it more or less?
In my very personal experience, I had a Grandmother, loved it for its sound, but thought it was rather limiting in terms of modulation capability and modular patching. I bought the Matriarch and then realised I had no need for the Grandmother at all any more. But then again, I wasn't a great fan of the spring reverb sound tbh.
There will be people out there who will tell you the Grandmother sounds beefier than a Matriarch, that wasn't my experience. But in any case the Matriarch has four oscillators, enough to blow your speakers up with! What I found is that the Matriarch improves on the Grandmother in every conceivable practical way, so I felt no twang of conscience at selling the Grandmother after. But it really is a very personal decision at the end of the day, this was just my experience.
Regarding the global settings issue you outlined, is there a default setting? This way you can at least reset to default and work from there. Great video thx.
Thanks Tim. Great presentation. I agree entirely with your observations on Global Settings. The same method is used on the Moog Model D re-issue. Not as many Global Settings but still a painful process.
Thanks Tim...appreciated content!
Hi Tim. GREAT video. I am thinking about one of theese as a first step towards getting more Eurorack into my studio.
Wanted ask about the global functions. Is there an easy factory preset?
Thanks a lot. Not sure what you mean by factory preset, do you mean like an initialised patch? Or ability to save settings and recall them...?
@@TimShoebridge thanks for replying... i actually have one now.
I havent yet gotten into the global stuff so i still actually dont know the awnswer... but yes thats exactly what i meant.
Best.
Will.
I have a question but I feel the need to thank you for all the useful information on your channel. So I am impressed with the sound of the Matriarch and capabilities with patching and expansion. Is it possible to use it together with something like a Vermona Perfourmer? Send the oscillators outs of both synthesizers into 4 Eurorack mixers and mix one oscillator from each unit together so each voice has 2 oscillators, and back into the Perfourmer Filters? Maybe it could be played with the Matriarch keyboard midi out to the Perfourmer or midi to cv controller to both units using multiples or something. Or what about using 4 Slim Phattys in polychain mode with audio input? Or maybe even with a Studio Electronics Omega 4 with audio ins and outs together with any of these synths? 4 different filters! Or just using 2 Matriarchs? Maybe it's stupid to mix oscillators from 2 different synthesizers in each voice, but why not?
Is it possible to control any of the Matriarch's global settings via MIDI CC? I read that you can change the Sequencer via Program Change, was wondering if the Matriarch's MIDI spec has already assigned specific CC#s to control any of its parameters (especially the tricky ones requiring menu diving, i.e. pitch bend range, etc.)
Exactly what Im wondering
hi Tim, in this period I am working on a melodic techno project, I am already working with subsequent 37, and Dfam, but I am looking for a synth for musical textures, something that can create atmofere but also some distorted fm synths, I really like Matriarch, and i think with some cables maybe i get a good sound, please give me some advice on this band of Synth Hardware
excuse my bad english am italian :-D
Is it possible to bypass the mixer and use a Eurorack module in it's place. That could give you the stereo path you desire. This thing seems built for integration with a Eurorack system.
Yes it is, but that solution has some limitations. Check out my answer to a similar question from xmrtuvgs which I've pinned
This synth is like a Ford GT 40 😩
This vs the Behringer Monopoly? As always I love to hear your input Tim!
I'd be very happy to get my hands on a Monopoly and give you my opinion, but no luck so far...
I feel the exact same way about the global settings. Really hope they make a software editor. I keep finding myself wanting to change something and I never bother because of how cumbersome it is to have to do all these arbitrary key presses.
I asked someone at moog and a software editor is in the works and also a sequencer tool
@@mastermachetier5594 that would be amazing.
@@roboslobonator Ya right ! They weren't able to share an ETA though , but its nice to see its coming at some point
Getting ready to make a purchase and have been watching a lot of videos. This one put me over I think. Well done and thank you!! Question though. I have a hardware looping device that can MIDI sync as either slave or master. Do you think it will be possible to sync that device up with the sequencer of this unit?
What do you think would be a better setup between the Matriarch + Eventide H9 Max for effects (and obviously the internal analog delay on the Matriarch) vs the Arturia Matrixbrute by itself with its internal analog effects?
Both the music and the presentation remind me of UK schools programmes from the 1970s. The BBC Radiophonic Workshop exposed us kids to some weird stuff back then.