Emerson Moog Modular Making Of CDM article

[GovernorSilver]

Includes some cool vids:

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2014/05/just-moog-engineer-explains-remade-keith-emersons-modular-videos-audio/#more-33329

[Doerfler]

excellent.

 

thanks as always.

[GovernorSilver]

No prob, man. If they made a full length documentary, I'd probably buy the DVD or at least Netflix it.

[Tusker]

Excellent Governor. Thank you very much.

[Tusker]

In the mid-90's an internet discussion prompted Gene Stopp (Keith's technician who is in these videos) to write a lengthy description of how Keith used the modular (and defend Keith from the accusation that Keith used the Modular like a big minimoog). I saved that post because it inspired me to go deeper into synthesis. I am posting it here because ... you can never have too much Emerson synth content, can you?

 

Here goes: first, see the chapter in Mark Vail's "Vintage Synthesizers" book about this machine if you want physical details about what's where. Okay, the main console near the bottom has all the main sound-producing modules in it. First there are three VCO's, each made from a 921A Oscillator Driver/921B Oscillator Slave pair. Now traditionally there are two or three 921B's for each 921A, but in here it's different. Under the VCO's are two CV routing/Mixer console panels (model = Console Panel #3). VCO 1 and 2 are controlled by the CV routing on the leftmost one, and VCO 3 is by itself on the CV routing of the rightmost one. Each CV routing panel has four switches on it, for switch control of system-wide CV's to control the attached VCO's. On this system, CV1 is the keyboard, CV2 is the ribbon controller, CV3 the the output of the sample & hold, and CV4 is external (seperate per panel on a 1/4" jack). The VCF a few modules over also has a CV routing panel, except on this one CV4-external is a voltaged-controlled reversible attenuator that is controlled by the programmer upstairs as well as the panel knob. All of these CV routing panels as well as the S-trigger routing panels are an important part of live sound changes - I'll get back to these later.

 

The Mixers in the two console panels under the VCO's are voltage-controlled by the programmer upstairs with Vac-Tecs. The sawtooth outputs of the VCO's go to one mixer, and the square outputs plus noise go to the other. Both mixer outputs go to the VCF (which is modded for multiple inputs). The output of the VCF goes to a VCA and envelope generator to provide the main lead sound output. The sine wave output of VCO 3 bypasses the VCF and goes to its own VCA and envelope generator. Another envelope generator goes to the VCF reversible attenuator mentioned above, and yet another envelope generator goes to the CV4 input on the console panel that controls VCO's 1 and 2. All envelope times are controlled by the programmer upstairs, with Vac-Tecs on the time contant pots, so you have to turn them all up or else the front panel will override the programmability.

 

The envelope generator that sweeps VCO's 1 and 2 is used for the "Hoedown" sound - some attack, all sustain, no release. The program for this sound must be selected - VCO 1 tuned to the root, VCO 2 tuned to the fifth, VCO 3 tuned to the root and not swept by the envelope because it's on a different console panel CV routing thing. This envelope, with

a different patch, is also used in "Aquatarkus" live for the falling tone thing, with attack = zero, sustain = 0, and decay = long.

 

Keith had a certain technique to get his long climbing pitch sweeps. The trick is to start at the low end of the keyboard, turn portamento up all the way, and then "walk" up the keys slowly. You can't just hit a low key then a high one, because since this is exponential portamento the pitch will just zoom up. This way he controlled the slow climb rate. Also he played legato but lifted keys enough to cause S-trigger glitches which would fire off the envelopes randomly during the climb.

 

We can use "Aquatarkus" live (I think it's on side 3 of the vinyl version of "Welcome Back My Friends...") to demonstrate all this stuff. First, assume VCO's 1, 2, & 3 into the VCF into the VCA, no modulation, all EG times = 0, all sustains = max, VCO 3 sinewave VCA/EG off (via console panel S-trig switch). Then:

 

* Beginning of song, organ intro, synth lead with VCO's tuned root-fourth-fifth.

 

* Change preset to VCO unison w/filter sweep

 

* Guitar chord/feedback during synth silence for re-configuration - disconnect VCO's 1 and 2 from all CV's so they sit at a low droning fifth interval, sample & hold at low sample rate through heavy lag randomly changing the VCF cutoff for a background "WWOOOOWWW" effect, VCO 3 sine wave solo turned on to play over this. The sample & hold also slowly triggers the main sound envelope, which has a long release, so that the drone is sustained. This goes on for a while, sine wave theme is from Dick Hyman's "Minotour", I believe.

 

* Solo ends, short silence while VCO's 1 and 2 are re-connected to CV1, the sample & hold infulence on the VCF and S-triggers is shut off, and delayed vibrato is added from some modules in the expansion cabinet above the main one (921 VCO at low frequency, gate-delayed envelope generator and mod depth VCA) and the patch is changed to VCO's in unison with the filter wide open and envelope times zero.

 

* Modular and Minimoog played together, in the typical Emerson "stretch both arms out and play two keyboards across from each other at the same time" style. The Minimoog is on top of the Hammond L-100, across from the C3/Modular setup.

 

* Solo gets a little delayed while "Hoedown" envelope generator is kicked in on VCO 1 and 2 CV4, set for attack = 0 and long falling decay, and portamento is set to max for the "walk up the keyboard". The EG fires off once in a while during the climb.

 

* VCO 1 and 2 EG mod turned off, solo ends. You may notice that the vibrato gets left on all the way to the end of the song.

 

Okay now it may appear that I have devoted my entire waking life to the pursuit of figuring out old ELP solos, but that's not the case! Believe me! I just happen to remember all of this from about five years ago. Okay I'll go on.

 

Regarding the ribbon controller - flip on CV2 on all console panels and the ribbon controller takes over. Oh yeah don't forget to enable it on the S-trig panel as well or the thing won't make any noise. Anyway during the ribbon controller solo in "Tarkus" (side 2, after "Stones of Years", I forget the name of the part) there's some "ray gun" noises produced by the ribbon controller - the pitch starts high and falls rapidly like repeated envelope triggers with attack = 0, decay = tiny, and sustain = 0. Here's the real story:

 

On the Moog 956 Ribbon Controller there is plastic coating on the metal ribbon to insulate it to keep the holding capacitor charge from being discharged by your finger so the pitch doesn't droop. Well on Keith's ribbon there is a gouge take out of the insulation about 7/8 of the way up, so if you touch this part the pitch will fall as the cap gets discharged through your finger. If you're comfortably sitting in a nice cozy living room playing the Moog it will discharge slowly. If you're on stage under hot lights sweating like a pig it will discharge quite rapidly. Press the ribbon down to the current strip and then let it up but keep your finger on the ribbon, and this is the effect. Now I don't know it this insulation was scraped away intentionally or if the ribbon got run over by a road case one day....

 

There's a few other things, like the sequencers controlling another voice made out of modules above the main console, or more esoteric FM effects, that are more subject to speculation so I can't be specific about those patches. I could ask Keith about it but 1) he probably won't remember and 2) he probably doesn't WANT to remember. One does get sick of things after a while, after all, even big Moogs.

 

Alright enough typing for now. Hope this was interesting....

 

- Gene

[TommyS]

V-cool! Thanks .

[mate stubb]

I saw ELP on their first American tour in an 1800 seat opera house. Before the show I was scanning the stage and to my disappointment didn't see anything resembling a Moog.

 

Then seconds before they came on, techs carried it out on a table. I thought they were being dramatic with it, but it turned out that they were working on it until the last second getting it tuned.

 

That show blew my mind.

[ksoper]

Oh, myyy!

 

http://home.comcast.net/~mightyb3/moneyshot.jpg

[SVG]

Where's the ribbon controller?

 

Stephen

 

 

 

 

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[Marzzz]

I first saw ELP in 1978, during the Works II tour. At one point still mid-way through the concert, KE hit a switch, there were explosions and flames, and the big modular turned 90° toward the audience, moved back and then sank below the stage. For the remainder of the concert it was not visible. He spent the rest of the concert playing the GX-1. I think there was a period of time in the late 80's where he didn't even tour with it. Considering how iconic it is, I'm glad to see it back.

 

And one can only hope that the Emerson Modular might be a forerunner to Moog actually producing some small modular systems, like the System 15, etc. Think there's a chance?

[Moonglow]

I saw the band "3" back in the late-1980's and before the show started there was a huge sheet over the Moog Modular. A few minutes before the band took the stage, the techs came out and pulled the cover off, and the audience erupted!

 

I had the pleasure of standing next to KE's modular when he and Greg Lake came to Merrillville, Indiana on their duo tour. I even touched it! I probably could have played it, but his tech was kind enough to let me briefly play his C-3 and I didn't want to push my luck....