Grandmother – Moog’s New Semi-Modular Synth

Gearheads rejoice! Legendary American synth builders at Moog have announced the release of a limited series synth called the Grandmother. The synth is a callback to the heyday of Bob Moog’s original lineup of synths from the 1960’s and 1970’s, it’s fully analog with no digital components for saving/recalling presets. The unit features modules for arpeggiation, sequencing, a spring reverb, an analog filter and an external audio input. External instruments can be routed through the Grandmother’s effects modules via that input.

The synth has a relatively straightforward layout so those not typically inclined on pure analog won’t have too hard a time getting started right away. For all those sound explorers out there you’ll be pleased to interact with the 41 patch points on the synth, each of which can be routed to external Eurorack gear or Moog systems for further modulation. Moog’s Mother series (Drummer From Another Mother, and Mother-32) has really hit a trend with the patchabillity angle and we can’t get enough!

As opposed to the other Mother series synths the Grandmother spreads its patch points across the modules making it a bit easier to follow the signal flow of cables. Plus, each module has a fun color to distinguish it from the next (unlike say, the Sub37). We’re huge fans of the color scheme, by the way, it’s a refreshing look from Moog’s typical black and chrome designs. The Grandmother Moog is priced at $999 in the United States but most retailers are lowering it down to $899 (no word on international pricing yet); the first 500 units will have limited edition signatures printed on them and come with a Moog brand denim jacket too.

Grandmother key features:

• 100% analog synthesizer with 32-note Fatar keybed
• 2 Analog Oscillators with selectable waveshape and hard sync
• Classic 4-Pole 10Hz-20kHz Ladder filter
• Patchable 1-Pole High Pass filter
• Analog ADSR Envelope Generator
• Analog LFO with audio-rate capabilities
• DIN MIDI In/Out/Thru and USB MIDI
• Semi-modular design, requires no patching to play
• 41 patch points with 21 inputs, 16 outputs and a Parallel-Wired 4-jack Mult (all normalized connections can be interrupted for full modularity)
• Hardware Spring Reverb can be used to process external sounds
• 1/4” External audio input for guitars, drum machines, and more
• Arpeggiator
• Sequencer (up to 3 sequences with up to 256 notes each)
• Patchable bipolar attenuator
• Works with Mother-32, DFAM, Eurorack modular systems and more

Check out this sweet demo video from the engineers at Moog!

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