Moog is synonymous with both modular and regular synthesizers. What they did brilliantly with the Grandmother is to bring the flavor of their historic modular synth modules into an instantly playable semi-modular synthesizer. Fat both in form and in sound generation it’s the perfect place to start your modular journey. The layout and functionality lend itself to experimentation and you can’t help but want to explore.
The Grandmother features 9 distinct modules. From left-to-right you get an arpeggiator/sequencer module, then modulation, 2 oscillators in a single module, a mixer, a utilities module including a mult and attenuverter, a filter module, an envelope and finally an output module and the mix for the spring reverb.
All of them are wired together behind the scenes to give you a regular synthesizer that’s good for playing. However, there are also 41 patch points that allow you to take the thing apart and wire it up however you want. These patch points let you take signals out and bring other signals in. So, you can take sound or part of the sound or some of the control into other modular places. That’s why modular synthesis is so awesome.
The quality of the build and sound is exactly what you’d expect from Moog. The keyboard is a rarity in modular but it gives you the advantage of not needing anything else — it’s an instrument in its own right. It’s solid, musical and wants to be explored.
Street Price: $899
moog.com