Thanks loads, again, Robin! Love these Molten Monthlies!!! Hopefully I'l catch up with you in Bristol, if not, then will meet you in the bar at Synthfest!
I do highly appreciate your molten news series. Nice format, the way you present the topics and the background music are great. Thank you and keep them coming 🙂
I hear what you say about the woovebox etc but being an owner of one , it is incredible what a single person has achieved in developing this unit -it’s outstanding -too many grooveboxes have some form of limitation but this actuality does it all ! May be you should of tried it before commenting?
Well, wouldn't that be a thing - to actually try everything before commentating on it. It's just not feasible. So, then what right do I have to criticise something? None, none at all, but the idea of the show is simply that i find what's new and interesting and share my thoughts on it. Sometimes that means I'm critical of a product, but that's the only way I can be authentic. My criticism wasn't really directed at Woovebox, but at devices like it, of which there are plenty. Devices where a remarkable amount of stuff is inside behind an often inpenetrable interface. Plenty of people enjoy those things and invest the effort required to conquer the interface, but i believe the interface needs more attention. I contrasted it with the Kastle ARP which is also small and fiddly but it invites experimentation and interaction without having to get to next level menus via button combos. The interface is important, is all i'm saying. Maybe the Woovebox is dead easy and inspiration to use - fabulous - then they need to make sure they are getting that across.
Hey Robin, Love your videos! I attended Knobcon this year, and it was a relatively small convention. There was maybe 300-400 people at any one time it felt, and it was a really laid back atmosphere. I had a great time and it was a really welcoming environment, the people were all extremely nice. Honestly seeing how small and close knit the convention was reminded me that even if it says that it's the biggest synth convention, it's still an extremely small niche. There was actually 4 mixers there, After Later Audio also had a working version of a new stereo mixer + expanders as well. It had multiple sends, and cv over pan which I really liked. You should check it out.
Yeah, I appreciate the "biggest synth show" claims are a little tongue in cheek and it looks like a really cool show. It's most like what I'm trying to do with Synth East, so I have plenty of respect for it. They just need to appoint someone to make a few videos! There's lots of new things on demo that are tantalisingly out of reach - hence missing the Alter Later Audio mixer.
I think the interesting bit with 4ms meta is that it seems to have extremely low latency. To be able to make a small custom effect combo or cv combo in small space. Vcv and soundcard on computer you get latency on the input.
I feel a bit sad that I've never managed to purchase anything from Moog (and I'm 50 years old) If the new owners are truly firing off the existing staff, it looks like I'll never own anything from Moog. Hard to imagine that the new owners will bring anything special to the brand that a Behringer clone hasn't already accomplished... which I will ALSO never own. Thanks for your "finger on the pulse" of the industry, and reporting your knowledge to the rest of us, Robin. You are an excellent Human being!
That meta module is very much a wait and see thing for me. How much power will it have? How rediculous can I make the patch before it says no more? Has real potential, but whether I'd be interested will depend on a lot of unknown factors.
The reality is, most people were unwilling to pay the price difference necessary to pay US assembly workers. Paying US workers a reasonable living wage creates a minimum price point for products that is often higher than people are willing to pay, especially when they compare against companies with much lower assembly costs and virtually no R&D for their “borrowed” designs… I just wish they would have released the Spectravox before the company sale- odd/risky designs are going to be much tougher to release with the new owners…
Akai Professional, Denon DJ, Rane … can’t say I agree with that supposed perception of InMusic Brands … those are some great brands!! I’m looking at buying an M-Audio controller for a specific purpose, because it’s the best option for my specific needs, and at a great price … similarly, Alesis etc means they have ‘affordable’ brands, as well as those big hitters above. Sounds like a pretty well-balanced brand portfolio, to me … and Moog will join the upper echelon of those brands …
I guess it depends on how well you knew those companies before they became part of inMusic. There's no doubt that they have rescued many of them from disappearing completely, but it also places them in a very different manufacturing environment where the brand is largely irrelevant. So i wouldn't call it balanced myself, perhaps "mixed" is more like it, some have faired better than others. What inmusic do well is reduce a brand to its most successful products - but that's often at the expense of the what the brand is about - but hey, that's business.
@@MoltenMusicTech Survival of the fittest, as in, those best able to adapt. InMusic has a track record of ensuring that those brands who can, adapt. Akai being a prime example. Moog will fare similarly well, I expect/hope.
I don't think I'm a cynic, I think I'm generally quite chipper and up beat in my videos. But i think it would be dishonest to paint everything as being awesome when we have a detailed track record to go on. I miss Alesis synths, I miss the quality of M-Audio interfaces, I've reviewed M-Audio, Akai and Alesis MIDI controllers and you can't tell them apart. I have this whimsical ideal that brands can have character and personallities built on the people behind them. Inmusic, while successful in sales, drains the personality out of their brands. Air, BFD and Arkaos, all brands I've bought into only really exist as a comodity rather than a product to put your faith in or feel part of their journey. So while Moog will continue to exist I fear it will be devoid of any of the personality that made the brand amazing. They've cut out all the distributers who championed Moog to the shops and customers. The firing of 30 staff and the potential closure of the original heart of the company is not a great sign that everything is fine, especially as we all gave Inmusic the benefit of the doubt to start with. Does any of that matter to a brands ability to make money and our opportunity to have synths? Probably not. But things are lost in the process, and that's a shame. That's not cynicism, it's observation. But hey, if it gives someone an opportunity to do something fantastic with a classic brand then I am definitely open to that - we'll just have to see.
Even though the quality will be the same coming out of China, prices for "Ashville Era" Moog will probably skyrocket for as collectors collect them for no other reason than they were assembled in Ashville.
i think the meta module could offer a more direct way to interface similar to zoia euroburo and poly hector - but with a more direct UI... could be wrong here but just a thought
Great show as always. Thank you. On Analog Solutions going big, it really makes sense, and I think you pointed it out yourself in the earlier Segmint about tiny little pocket operator like devices… I think we’re seeing a shift back to sizable instruments. As the world moves away from the pandemic and gets back into live performance, there’s an element of showmanship and ease of use on larger instruments. Now, I don’t know that everything is going as large as Colossus, but I personally never liked the really small pocket operator tool. They felt like toys to me, and it’s hard to sell a performance on stage when you look like you are just fiddling with your phone. Maybe I am just old, but I am encouraged to see instruments with some heft again, even if my back says something different. ;-)
The RUclips captioning interpreted your pronunciation of DAW as "door". I kept wondering "What the heck is this about? Is there some new standard or technology I was previously unaware of? What is this 'door' of which he speaks?".
I *really* wish the new MIDI controllable mixers supported *14 bit CC*. 7-bit CC kills mixing smoothness. At least for me, renders the whole product lines useless. Have to use a 14-bit converter and CV regardless. Likewise for the new CV converter. Bummer.
Interesting to hear your thoughts, especially on the little itty bitty boxes. they never appealed to me for the same reasons. I need a control surface I can work. I won't even get 2hp modules anymore. I may be the only person who watched your show and got zero feelings of G.A.S. I just need to learn better how to use what I own already.
Woovebox: $250 Any of the Elektron boxes: At least $500 used, close to $1k used Woovebox: Sampling, synthesis, sequencing, drum machine, all in one unit. Any of the Elektron boxes: You can buy a Digitakt for sampling, a Digitone for FM synthesis, etc. It won't take up a ton of desk space or cost you thousands. I know, the interface is a bit more cramped/requires more menu-diving than...wait. Does it really require that much more menu-diving than any of the Elektron units? I dunno mate, I don't quite see how any of your criticisms of the Woovebox hold up when compared to other hardware in its price range, or even beyond its price range. If you don't care for the smaller grooveboxes, just say so and move on, or don't even mention them, since it's clear that you don't give a fig about them? Not all of us have the budget or space for a room full of bigger synths and other instruments.
The idea is that I'm reporting on new products so whether I give a fig about them is neither here nor there. I'm here to share an opinion on a thing and so ignoring it or moving on doesn't seem to be doing anything any justice. User interface is important and, I feel, that sometimes the clamour to stuff as much into a tiny space as possible can be at the expense of usability. I don't like the Elektron boxes either! There are plenty of small and affordable things that invite you into play - from the AIRA minis, to the Kastle to the POs - but there has to be a point at where the feature set overwhelms the ability to use the bugger. The Woovebox is great and you'll find plenty of other opinions about it and all i wish to do is share mine from a position of observation. Not everything can be awesome to everyone.
Unlike the regular news, I can watch Molten Music Monthly without getting an ulcer. Edit: Riddle me this: Why is Moog getting bought out and shut down while Analogue Solutions is going full steam ahead? Does it come down to management?
I've had many issues with various new Moog products over the last 4 to 5 yrs, from items turning up DOA, to crackling potentiometers and dodgy power connection points, - all brand new products. It got to the point, I made a conscious decision not to buy any more Moog. I love the man, his synthesizers, etc, but not the recent QC standards... Not being snarky, just my own personal experiences. love to ALL, feel no hate
Moog has been headed to this outcome for at LEAST 10 years. Possibly the only way they could have remained viable would have been to stay small/premium in the US, but investors prefer bigger short term profits over medium long term. Voyager -> Voyager Classic -> Minimoog and the modular kit should have been the only thing happening stateside other than design/prototype/manufacturing engineering for everything else built overseas starting with Little Phatty - which is exactly what inMusic will now do. Doing assemble/test/package stateside instead of in the same factory doing the parts combined with extra margin for the label lead to this inevitability. Not liking any of that does not change the fiscal realities of running a viable business.
How dare you, how dare you, ridiculing my favorite and beloved M8 😂 - of course i get your point, but among the tiny stuff, the M8 is very versatile and rather superior with its sound possibilities and connectivity. And brilliant for a couch bound person like me. Plus, when i have the energy I can hook it up to the rest of my gear and start building on top. I do like bigger synths or tools with knobs per function, but for me the interface of the M8 is top notch and really well designed. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and thoughts on the news 👍 (spelling/grammar edits...)
Moog lost its cache as something special when Bob passed, as often happens for creator owned brands. KORG revived ARP Instruments back from the dead, but no one romanticize's that brand compared to Moog...human biases at play. 😎
Can't support this new variant of Moog. tired of the destruction of manufacturing jobs in the west. While I was considering the Moog Sub37, I am glad I got the Sequential Pro 3 instead.
Thanks for the show Robin, it was great as usual
Thanks loads, again, Robin! Love these Molten Monthlies!!! Hopefully I'l catch up with you in Bristol, if not, then will meet you in the bar at Synthfest!
II love your Music Monthly and love how you explain things. You are one of the best! Can't thank you enough for what you do!
You are so welcome!
Hey Robin! Thanks for mentioning our upcoming mixer, Xcelon. We hope to get one into your hands for you to enjoy and to share with others. Cheers!
That would be very cool
I do highly appreciate your molten news series. Nice format, the way you present the topics and the background music are great. Thank you and keep them coming 🙂
Thank you very much!
This got me through the afternoon chores, what joy! Thanks, Great to spend time just enjoying intelligent synth talk
I hear what you say about the woovebox etc but being an owner of one , it is incredible what a single person has achieved in developing this unit -it’s outstanding -too many grooveboxes have some form of limitation but this actuality does it all !
May be you should of tried it before commenting?
Well, wouldn't that be a thing - to actually try everything before commentating on it. It's just not feasible. So, then what right do I have to criticise something? None, none at all, but the idea of the show is simply that i find what's new and interesting and share my thoughts on it. Sometimes that means I'm critical of a product, but that's the only way I can be authentic. My criticism wasn't really directed at Woovebox, but at devices like it, of which there are plenty. Devices where a remarkable amount of stuff is inside behind an often inpenetrable interface. Plenty of people enjoy those things and invest the effort required to conquer the interface, but i believe the interface needs more attention. I contrasted it with the Kastle ARP which is also small and fiddly but it invites experimentation and interaction without having to get to next level menus via button combos. The interface is important, is all i'm saying. Maybe the Woovebox is dead easy and inspiration to use - fabulous - then they need to make sure they are getting that across.
Thanks for the positive words Robin!
Hey Robin, Love your videos! I attended Knobcon this year, and it was a relatively small convention. There was maybe 300-400 people at any one time it felt, and it was a really laid back atmosphere. I had a great time and it was a really welcoming environment, the people were all extremely nice. Honestly seeing how small and close knit the convention was reminded me that even if it says that it's the biggest synth convention, it's still an extremely small niche. There was actually 4 mixers there, After Later Audio also had a working version of a new stereo mixer + expanders as well. It had multiple sends, and cv over pan which I really liked. You should check it out.
Yeah, I appreciate the "biggest synth show" claims are a little tongue in cheek and it looks like a really cool show. It's most like what I'm trying to do with Synth East, so I have plenty of respect for it. They just need to appoint someone to make a few videos! There's lots of new things on demo that are tantalisingly out of reach - hence missing the Alter Later Audio mixer.
Oh the DCSN3 is like the trigger version of BLOOM but with an interface that actually shows you what the heck is going on. :D
Oh.... is it? I will sit down with Bloom one of these days.
@@MoltenMusicTechIf it wasn't so weird, it would be pretty cool. :D
It's a Qu-Bit theme
I think the interesting bit with 4ms meta is that it seems to have extremely low latency. To be able to make a small custom effect combo or cv combo in small space. Vcv and soundcard on computer you get latency on the input.
What if Moog now start cloning Behringer products for cheaper? Behrifooger?
If they were nice about it then I'm all for it
I feel a bit sad that I've never managed to purchase anything from Moog (and I'm 50 years old) If the new owners are truly firing off the existing staff, it looks like I'll never own anything from Moog.
Hard to imagine that the new owners will bring anything special to the brand that a Behringer clone hasn't already accomplished... which I will ALSO never own.
Thanks for your "finger on the pulse" of the industry, and reporting your knowledge to the rest of us, Robin. You are an excellent Human being!
See you at Synthfest! I look forward to seing the invisible selfie stick 😆
That meta module is very much a wait and see thing for me. How much power will it have? How rediculous can I make the patch before it says no more? Has real potential, but whether I'd be interested will depend on a lot of unknown factors.
Someone should make a woovebox + Maximus jam
The reality is, most people were unwilling to pay the price difference necessary to pay US assembly workers. Paying US workers a reasonable living wage creates a minimum price point for products that is often higher than people are willing to pay, especially when they compare against companies with much lower assembly costs and virtually no R&D for their “borrowed” designs… I just wish they would have released the Spectravox before the company sale- odd/risky designs are going to be much tougher to release with the new owners…
Isn't it funny that even though we Americans all work and make stuff, we can't afford to buy the products we ourselves make?
Might see you at Synthfest !
Akai Professional, Denon DJ, Rane … can’t say I agree with that supposed perception of InMusic Brands … those are some great brands!! I’m looking at buying an M-Audio controller for a specific purpose, because it’s the best option for my specific needs, and at a great price … similarly, Alesis etc means they have ‘affordable’ brands, as well as those big hitters above. Sounds like a pretty well-balanced brand portfolio, to me … and Moog will join the upper echelon of those brands …
I guess it depends on how well you knew those companies before they became part of inMusic. There's no doubt that they have rescued many of them from disappearing completely, but it also places them in a very different manufacturing environment where the brand is largely irrelevant. So i wouldn't call it balanced myself, perhaps "mixed" is more like it, some have faired better than others. What inmusic do well is reduce a brand to its most successful products - but that's often at the expense of the what the brand is about - but hey, that's business.
@@MoltenMusicTech Survival of the fittest, as in, those best able to adapt. InMusic has a track record of ensuring that those brands who can, adapt. Akai being a prime example. Moog will fare similarly well, I expect/hope.
Well, one can hope, but survival of the fittest just means the arseholes are the only ones left. Not sure i want that.
@@MoltenMusicTech I try not to come across that cynical - even if tend to think that way … lol. Who hurt you?! ☺️
I don't think I'm a cynic, I think I'm generally quite chipper and up beat in my videos. But i think it would be dishonest to paint everything as being awesome when we have a detailed track record to go on. I miss Alesis synths, I miss the quality of M-Audio interfaces, I've reviewed M-Audio, Akai and Alesis MIDI controllers and you can't tell them apart. I have this whimsical ideal that brands can have character and personallities built on the people behind them. Inmusic, while successful in sales, drains the personality out of their brands. Air, BFD and Arkaos, all brands I've bought into only really exist as a comodity rather than a product to put your faith in or feel part of their journey. So while Moog will continue to exist I fear it will be devoid of any of the personality that made the brand amazing. They've cut out all the distributers who championed Moog to the shops and customers. The firing of 30 staff and the potential closure of the original heart of the company is not a great sign that everything is fine, especially as we all gave Inmusic the benefit of the doubt to start with. Does any of that matter to a brands ability to make money and our opportunity to have synths? Probably not. But things are lost in the process, and that's a shame. That's not cynicism, it's observation. But hey, if it gives someone an opportunity to do something fantastic with a classic brand then I am definitely open to that - we'll just have to see.
Even though the quality will be the same coming out of China, prices for "Ashville Era" Moog will probably skyrocket for as collectors collect them for no other reason than they were assembled in Ashville.
4ms makes exactly the wav recorder module you describe. It functions just how you say one should.
i think the meta module could offer a more direct way to interface similar to zoia euroburo and poly hector - but with a more direct UI... could be wrong here but just a thought
Great show as always. Thank you. On Analog Solutions going big, it really makes sense, and I think you pointed it out yourself in the earlier Segmint about tiny little pocket operator like devices… I think we’re seeing a shift back to sizable instruments. As the world moves away from the pandemic and gets back into live performance, there’s an element of showmanship and ease of use on larger instruments. Now, I don’t know that everything is going as large as Colossus, but I personally never liked the really small pocket operator tool. They felt like toys to me, and it’s hard to sell a performance on stage when you look like you are just fiddling with your phone. Maybe I am just old, but I am encouraged to see instruments with some heft again, even if my back says something different. ;-)
Heft is a good word.
The RUclips captioning interpreted your pronunciation of DAW as "door". I kept wondering "What the heck is this about? Is there some new standard or technology I was previously unaware of? What is this 'door' of which he speaks?".
I *really* wish the new MIDI controllable mixers supported *14 bit CC*.
7-bit CC kills mixing smoothness. At least for me, renders the whole product lines useless. Have to use a 14-bit converter and CV regardless.
Likewise for the new CV converter. Bummer.
Interesting to hear your thoughts, especially on the little itty bitty boxes. they never appealed to me for the same reasons. I need a control surface I can work. I won't even get 2hp modules anymore.
I may be the only person who watched your show and got zero feelings of G.A.S. I just need to learn better how to use what I own already.
Most moog parts were already manufactured in asia, they only did assembly in america
Needs magnet thimbles, then you could have chords! :D
Do you do live One on One Tutorials? I have a powered case and three modules and I don't know anything about modular.
I haven't done, no - how would that work do you think?
@@MoltenMusicTech Usually people use Zoom to live lessons. I'm looking for the basic fundamentals of modular system.
I would suggest the best way forward would to become a Patreon and from there anything is possible.
@@MoltenMusicTech Hello again, can you provide the link to your patreon please.
Forgot to ask which level of patreon do I need for one one instruction?
Woovebox: $250
Any of the Elektron boxes: At least $500 used, close to $1k used
Woovebox: Sampling, synthesis, sequencing, drum machine, all in one unit.
Any of the Elektron boxes: You can buy a Digitakt for sampling, a Digitone for FM synthesis, etc. It won't take up a ton of desk space or cost you thousands.
I know, the interface is a bit more cramped/requires more menu-diving than...wait. Does it really require that much more menu-diving than any of the Elektron units?
I dunno mate, I don't quite see how any of your criticisms of the Woovebox hold up when compared to other hardware in its price range, or even beyond its price range. If you don't care for the smaller grooveboxes, just say so and move on, or don't even mention them, since it's clear that you don't give a fig about them? Not all of us have the budget or space for a room full of bigger synths and other instruments.
The idea is that I'm reporting on new products so whether I give a fig about them is neither here nor there. I'm here to share an opinion on a thing and so ignoring it or moving on doesn't seem to be doing anything any justice. User interface is important and, I feel, that sometimes the clamour to stuff as much into a tiny space as possible can be at the expense of usability. I don't like the Elektron boxes either! There are plenty of small and affordable things that invite you into play - from the AIRA minis, to the Kastle to the POs - but there has to be a point at where the feature set overwhelms the ability to use the bugger.
The Woovebox is great and you'll find plenty of other opinions about it and all i wish to do is share mine from a position of observation. Not everything can be awesome to everyone.
Shared on the twatter..now plz do some more jams with Deckards Dream module in the Nifty Keys...maybe paired with Knight Rider?
Unlike the regular news, I can watch Molten Music Monthly without getting an ulcer.
Edit: Riddle me this: Why is Moog getting bought out and shut down while Analogue Solutions is going full steam ahead? Does it come down to management?
How about a collab between Synth East and Synth Fest and calling it Synth Feast?
Yeah, we could have it in Wisbech - heart of the fens
Advice for recording sir: Recognise your anxiety, and just lean into playing a character. Fake it till you make it, Mr. Media celebrity!
I've had many issues with various new Moog products over the last 4 to 5 yrs, from items turning up DOA, to crackling potentiometers and dodgy power connection points,
- all brand new products.
It got to the point, I made a conscious decision not to buy any more Moog.
I love the man, his synthesizers, etc, but not the recent QC standards...
Not being snarky, just my own personal experiences.
love to ALL, feel no hate
I imagine that can be frustrating.
QC could actually IMPROVE, then … who knows?! 🤷🏻♂️ I haven’t had any issues with Akai products, of late …
Moog has been headed to this outcome for at LEAST 10 years. Possibly the only way they could have remained viable would have been to stay small/premium in the US, but investors prefer bigger short term profits over medium long term. Voyager -> Voyager Classic -> Minimoog and the modular kit should have been the only thing happening stateside other than design/prototype/manufacturing engineering for everything else built overseas starting with Little Phatty - which is exactly what inMusic will now do. Doing assemble/test/package stateside instead of in the same factory doing the parts combined with extra margin for the label lead to this inevitability. Not liking any of that does not change the fiscal realities of running a viable business.
How dare you, how dare you, ridiculing my favorite and beloved M8 😂 - of course i get your point, but among the tiny stuff, the M8 is very versatile and rather superior with its sound possibilities and connectivity. And brilliant for a couch bound person like me. Plus, when i have the energy I can hook it up to the rest of my gear and start building on top. I do like bigger synths or tools with knobs per function, but for me the interface of the M8 is top notch and really well designed. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and thoughts on the news 👍 (spelling/grammar edits...)
Well it takes all sorts 😁😎😶🌫️
@@MoltenMusicTech absolutely
Theme tune reminds me of Bit Trip Beat...
I’m crushed by this very sad MOOG news … Jesus Christ on a bike, how the fuck did it come to this? 😮😢
I can’t believe you haven’t got the silver plaque yet. Where is everyone?
Moog lost its cache as something special when Bob passed, as often happens for creator owned brands.
KORG revived ARP Instruments back from the dead, but no one romanticize's that brand compared to Moog...human biases at play. 😎
Moog needs more mods and a bit of elektron and DSI merge with the old moog sound. They need to reinvent.
you are probably right
Can't support this new variant of Moog. tired of the destruction of manufacturing jobs in the west. While I was considering the Moog Sub37, I am glad I got the Sequential Pro 3 instead.