Moogfest, the annual festival honoring the pioneering work of legendary synthesis figure Bob Moog, is in full effect today through the weekend.
Featuring workshops, presentations and a cadre of performers from Gary Numan to GZA to Explosions in the Sky, the event incorporates nearly every facet of Moog’s legacy in music in a four-day celebration of waves and knobs.
Although Durham is currently packed to the gills with famous faces, a few figures making their debut this year are the stars of the show.
Moog Geodesic Sampler
Moog Geospatial Reverb
First up is Moog’s limited-edition modular units. Available only at the festival for a select number of patrons, these were developed in tandem with the company’s crowdsourced Global Synthesis Project, which allows users to create unique compositions of field recordings from around the world through a modular medium.
Next in line is the festival-exclusive Brother from Another Mother. Part synth, part sequencer, and all modular, the BFAM is the next step in the groundwork laid out by the Mother 32 introduced last year. Billed as an event exclusive, only time will tell if this little giant will be available to the public in the future.
Festival-Exclusive Brother from Another Mother
And finally, we come to the main stage attraction: the Model D reissue. The importance of the original unit cannot be overstated. Billed as the archetype for the modern synthesizer, the Minimoog (coined “Model D” for being the fourth iteration released to the market) compacted the previously bulky and expensive synthesizers into streamlined, affordable units. These woodclad titans paved the way for artists like Keith Emerson, Rush and Kraftwerk to explore new aural landscapes and bring synthesis to the fore of the popular music landscape.
Encapsulating the iconic design elements of the original with forward-thinking updates, the Model D is a paragon of analog synthesis.
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For now, the Moog Model D is only be available for purchase on-site in the Moog Store by Guitar Center.
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