Minimoog Model D returns as interest in analog synthesis continues to grow
Image Credit: Resident Advisor
Over the last ten years, vintage analog synthesis has become a prominent trend in music production.
Well, the Moog Model D entered the scene quite a while ago – 52 years to be exact.
The influence it has had on electronic music is immeasurable, but the Moog Mode D couldn’t keep up with the explosion of affordable synthesizers and compact digital audio technology at the end of its first run 40 years ago.
The Moog Model D was first manufactured between 1971 and 1981. After its discontinuation in ’81, we saw it return in 2016 since a trend in interest in analog synths was on the rise. But its 2016 return didn’t go as Moog had expected and they ran out of its key components not long after its release and so it was shelved again.
New year, new Moog Model D
But the Model D’s return to the synth market wasn’t meant to be a limited run. Does that mean Moog’s intention is to keep it as a current product this time?
Either way, Moog has assured vintage synth fans everywhere that the Model D is still to be built by hand to its original specifications. It has the same through-hole design as the 1970s model, and it’s still housed in a hand-finished aluminum chassis inside a handcrafted Appalachian hardwood cabinet.
But the modifications Moog made to the Model D 2016 remain. Among others, some examples of these modifications include:
- An LFO
- A keyboard with velocity sensitivity and after-touch (with corresponding CV jacks)
- MIDI integration
Meanwhile, a new addition to the synth is a spring in the pitch wheel, making it return to the center upon release.
Additional merchandise like cases, dust covers, and even t-shirts are available too. But these don’t tell us much about whether the Moog Model D is here to stay. But at least you can grab yourself a pretty cool t-shirt!
Gear News reports that the price of the latest reissue of the Moog Model D will be £5299.
The Moog Model D is above the budgets of many synth enthusiasts. So why not grab yourself some professionally produced synthesizer samples from RouteNote Create for free?