Arturia Minimoog V User manual

ARTURIA – Minimoog-V – User’s Manual
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USER’S MANUAL
M
MI IN NI IM MO OO OG G- -V V
Version 2.0

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Programming:
Nicolas Bronnec
Pierre-Jean Camilieri
Sylvain Gubian
Xavier Oudin
Gilles Pommereuil
Cédric Rossy
Robert Boc uier (v2.0)
Vincent Travaglini (v2.0)
Graphics:
Yannick Bonnefoy (Beautifulscreen)
Thomas & Wolfgang Merkle (Bitplant)
Morgan Perrier (v2.0)
Manual:
Jean-Michel Blanchet
Houston Haynes
Tom Healy
Xavier Oudin
Gilles Pommereuil
David Poncet
Mitsuru Sakaue
Noritaka Ubukata (v2.0)
Antoine Back (v2.0)
Soun - esigners:
Jean-Michel Blanchet (v1.0 & v2.0)
Clay Duncan
Celmar Engel
Mateo Lupo
Chris Pittman
Klaus Peter Rausch
Klaus Schulze
Scot Solida
Noritaka Ubukata
Katsunori Ujiie
Thomas Koot (v2.0)
Very special thanks to:
Robert A. Moog, Michael Adams, Houston Haynes
Thanks to:
Steve Dunnington, Randy Fuchs, Roger Luther (moogarchives.com), François
Haÿs, Mark Vail, and the numerous beta testers.
© ARTURIA S.A. – 1999-2009 – All rights reserved.
4, Chemin de Malacher
38240 Meylan
FRANCE
http://www.arturia.com
Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment
on the part of Arturia. The software described in this manual is provided under the terms of a license
agreement or non-disclosure agreement. The software license agreement specifies the terms and conditions for
its lawful use. No part of this manual may be produced or transmitted in any form or by any purpose other than
purchaser’s personal use, without the express written permission of ARTURIA S.A.
moog® and minimoog® are registered trademarks in the UK to Alex Winter.
In all other countries Moog® and Minimoog® are registered trademarks of Moog Music Inc.
Other products, logos or company names uoted in this manual are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective owners.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 FROM THE FIRST MOOG SYNTHESIZERS UP TO TAE ...................................... 6
1.1 THE GENESIS OF THE MINIMOOG SYNTHESIZER............................................. 6
1.2 A BETTER EMULATION THANKS TO TAE
®
...................................................... 10
1.2.1 Aliasing-free oscillators:....................................................................... 10
1.2.2 Better reproduction of analog waveforms:.............................................. 10
1.2.3 Better reproduction of analog filters ...................................................... 12
1.2.4 Implementation of the soft clipping ....................................................... 13
2 INSTALLATION............................................................................................ 14
2.1 WINDOWS INSTALLATION (2000, XP, V ISTA )..................................................... 14
2.2 MAC OS X INSTALLATION ............................................................................... 16
3 AUTHORIZATION ........................................................................................ 17
4 QUICK START .............................................................................................. 20
4.1 U SING THE PRESETS ...................................................................................... 20
4.1.1 odifying this preset ........................................................................... 21
4.2 T HE PLAYING MODES ..................................................................................... 22
4.3 O VERVIEW OF THE “C LASSIC ” MODE ................................................................... 24
4.4 T HE “E XTENDED ” MODE .................................................................................. 25
4.4.1 The modulation matrix ........................................................................ 25
4.4.2 The LFO............................................................................................. 26
4.5 T HE ARPEGGIATOR SECTION ............................................................................. 27
4.6 T HE EFFECTS SECTION ................................................................................... 27
4.6.1 The chorus ......................................................................................... 27
4.6.2 The delay........................................................................................... 28
4.7 T HE REAL TIME CONTROLLERS AND MIDI ASSIGN .................................................... 28
5 THE INTERFACE........................................................................................... 30
5.1 U SE OF PRESETS .......................................................................................... 30
5.1.1 Choice of a bank, sub-bank, preset ....................................................... 30
5.1.2 Creation of a bank, sub-bank, preset..................................................... 31
5.1.3 Saving a user preset ........................................................................... 32
5.1.4 Import/ Export of a bank of presets ...................................................... 32
5.2 T HE SOUND MAP .......................................................................................... 33
5.2.1 Opening the sound map....................................................................... 35
5.2.2 The sound map interfaces .................................................................... 36
5.2.2.1 The sound map main interface ....................................................................... 36
5.2.2.2 The Sound Map overview............................................................................... 37
5.2.2.3 The instrument type filter window .................................................................. 38
5.2.2.4 Preset snap shot memories............................................................................ 39
5.2.2.5 The “Morphing” interface ............................................................................... 39
5.2.2.6 The list preset manager ................................................................................ 41
5.3 U SE OF CONTROLLERS .................................................................................... 42
5.3.1 Potentiometers ................................................................................... 42
5.3.2 Switches ............................................................................................ 42
5.3.3 Pitch Bend wheel ................................................................................ 42
5.3.4 Virtual keyboard ................................................................................. 43
5.3.5 IDI control ....................................................................................... 43
6 THE SYNTHESIZER ...................................................................................... 44
6.1 T HE OSCILLATORS ........................................................................................ 45
6.2 T HE MIXER ................................................................................................. 46
6.3 T HE FILTER AND ITS ENVELOPE .......................................................................... 47
6.4 T HE OUTPUT VOLUME AND ITS ENVELOPE .............................................................. 48
6.5 T HE POLYPHONIC MODE , THE PLAYING MODES ........................................................ 49
6.6 T HE PITCH BEND AND MODULATION WHEELS .......................................................... 50
6.7 T HE M OTION R ECORDER ................................................................................. 51

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6.7.1 The otion Recorder activation/deactivation ...........................................51
6.7.2 Playing recorded otion curves .............................................................51
6.7.3 Recording a parameter motion curve in real time.....................................52
6.7.4 Erasing a recorded automation in real time .............................................52
6.7.5 Quantizing a motion curve ....................................................................52
6.7.6 Setting the modulation amount of a motion curve....................................53
6.7.7 The parameters available for the otion Recorder....................................53
6.7.8 Editing a motion curve..........................................................................54
6.7.8.1 The Edit tools .............................................................................................. 54
6.7.8.2 The Curve Editor screen................................................................................ 55
6.8 THE VOCAL FILTER .........................................................................................55
6.9 T HE LOW FREQUENCY GENERATOR .......................................................................57
6.10 THE MODULATION MATRIX ................................................................................57
6.11 T HE ARPEGGIATOR .........................................................................................58
6.12 T HE CHORUS AND STEREO DELAY ........................................................................59
7 THE BASICS OF SUBTRACTIVE SYNTHESIS ................................................. 60
7.1 T HE THREE MAIN ELEMENTS ..............................................................................60
7.1.1 The oscillator, or VCO...........................................................................60
7.1.1.1 Triangle ...................................................................................................... 61
7.1.1.2 Sawtooth .................................................................................................... 61
7.1.1.3 S uare........................................................................................................ 62
7.1.1.4 Pulse Width Modulation ................................................................................. 62
7.1.1.5 Synchronization ........................................................................................... 62
7.1.1.6 Fre uency modulation .................................................................................. 63
7.1.2 The noise module ................................................................................63
7.1.3 The ixer ...........................................................................................64
7.1.4 The filter or VCF ..................................................................................64
7.1.4.1 The cut-off fre uency ................................................................................... 64
7.1.4.2 The resonance ............................................................................................. 65
7.1.5 The amplifier or VCA ............................................................................66
7.2 O THER MODULES ...........................................................................................66
7.2.1 The keyboard ......................................................................................66
7.2.2 The envelope generator ........................................................................66
7.2.3 The low frequency oscillator ..................................................................67
8 A FEW ELEMENTS IN SOUND DESIGN.......................................................... 69
8.1 S UBTRACTIVE SYNTHESIS .................................................................................69
8.1.1 A simple bass sound.............................................................................69
8.1.2 A 3 oscillators lead sound .....................................................................71
8.1.3 A polyphonic accompaniment ................................................................72
8.2 T HE MODULATION MATRIX ................................................................................73
8.2.1 Using the arpeggiator ...........................................................................75
8.3 T HE EFFECTS OF THE MINIMOOG V ......................................................................76
8.3.1 The stereo chorus ................................................................................76
8.3.2 The stereo delay ..................................................................................77
9 MODES OF USE OF THE MINIMOOG-V.......................................................... 79
9.1 S TANDALONE ...............................................................................................79
9.1.1 Launching the application .....................................................................79
9.1.2 Setting preferences..............................................................................79
9.1.3 Configuration of an instrument: the tool bar............................................80
9.1.3.1 Configuring MIDI routing............................................................................... 80
9.1.3.2 Configuration of the keyboard zone ................................................................ 80
9.1.3.3 Configuration of the octave ........................................................................... 80
9.1.3.4 Configuration of the audio input and output..................................................... 80
9.1.4 Information on rate of processor use......................................................80
9.1.5 Panic..................................................................................................81
9.1.6 Saving an instrument ...........................................................................81
9.2 VST™ ......................................................................................................81
9.2.1 Installation .........................................................................................81

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9.2.1.1 For Windows................................................................................................ 81
9.2.1.2 For Mac OS X............................................................................................... 81
9.2.2 Using the instrument in VST mode ........................................................ 81
9.2.3 Connection to a IDI track .................................................................. 82
9.2.4 Saving presets.................................................................................... 82
9.2.5 Automation ........................................................................................ 82
9.3 P RO T OOLS ™ ............................................................................................. 83
9.3.1 Installation......................................................................................... 83
9.3.2 RTAS and HTD standards................................................................... 83
9.3.3 Opening the instrument ....................................................................... 83
9.3.4 Connection to a IDI node................................................................... 84
9.3.5 Saving presets.................................................................................... 84
9.3.6 Automation in Pro Tools ....................................................................... 84
9.4 D IGITAL P ERFORMER ™ .................................................................................. 85
9.4.1 Installation......................................................................................... 85
9.4.2 Opening the instrument ....................................................................... 85
9.4.3 Connection to a IDI node................................................................... 85
9.4.4 Saving presets.................................................................................... 85
9.4.5 Automation ........................................................................................ 86

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1FROM THE FIRST MOOG SYNTHESIZERS UP TO TAE
“ ind you, neither of us had any idea where this was leading”*
1.1 THE GENESIS OF THE MINIMOOG SYNTHESIZER
Robert A. Moog was born in May 1934 in New York. With a passion for music (he took
piano lessons for 12 years), he was introduced to electronics by his father, an engineer.
During his adolescence he discovered the Thereminvox plan, invented during the 1930’s
by a Russian engineer, Leon Theremin (or more exactly Lev Sergeivitch Termen).
Seduced by this instrument with its never before heard sounds, he began to produce his
own models and founded his own company in 1954.
Fre uenting musical professionals, and in particular electronic and concrete music, Moog
realized that there was a real demand for electronic instruments of a higher uality.
One of the first clients to come to Robert Moog, the professor of music Herbert A.
Deutsch, asked him to listen to a song he had composed. Moog is immediately convinced
and they decided to associate their work. Their co-operation produced the first voltage
controlled oscillator (VCO).
In 1964, the first prototype of a Moog synthesizer was produced. It was a modular
system with a voltage controlled filter (VCF), an envelope generator, a white noise
generator, a trigger and two keyboards each with a generator module (sawtooth, triangle
and s uare) as well as a voltage controlled amplifier module (VCA).
A second prototype, grouping those new modules all together, was built during summer
1964 and shown at the AES (Audio Engineering Society) autumn show, where Moog took
advantage of an unused stand. In 1965, upon the success encountered at this show,
Moog decided to release the 900 series for sale.
The R.A. oog Company at Trumansburg, NY
Courtesy of Roger Luther, MoogArchives.com
In 1967, Moog decided to release different machines, each with a certain number of
modules. This marked the birth of modular systems I, II and III. In 1968 worldwide
recognition came with the success of “Switched-On Bach” by W. Carlos. This album,
where classical music is played on a Moog, sold over one million copies and won 3
Grammy awards.
*: Bob Moog, uoted by Mark Vail, in his book Vintage Synthesizers © Miller Freeman 1993

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The modular system III (1967)
Courtesy of Roger Luther, MoogArchives.com
Success grew, and big groups like Tangerine Dream, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones
would also become modular Moog owners.
In 1969, the company which at that time had around 40 employees was building up to 3
modulars per week and the order book was always full. The modular synthesizer series
had 5 years of high sales, and sold around 200 models in the United States*.
However, the sales would rapidly decrease, because the gigantic proportions of modular
units puts a damper on the interest of most musicians and also prevents the instrument
from entering most music shops, and therefore from being known. Furthermore, a
serious competitor, ARP, has just arrived on the market.
In the same time, Bob Moog received re uests for a more compact instrument that could
be transported more easily, directed more to stage than studio. With the help of an
engineer from Berkeley, Jim Scott, and the advice from numerous musicians he was
about to create another legendary synthesizer: the Minimoog…
“Here it is! A compact, moderately priced electronic music synthesizer designed for live
performance.” This is the way the Minimoog is introduced on the very first promotional
brochure, in the midst of 1971. The Minimoog synthesizer re uired several months of
research and development and 4 prototypes, before leading to the commercial model.
More than 12,000 units were sold until 1981. They were uite far from the 10 modular
units per month that Moog Music produced in the late 60’s.
*: In 2003, Arturia has released a software emulation of the famous modular Moog synthesizers under the
name of Moog Modular V.

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oog synthesizers sales figures - 1967-1971
Courtesy of Roger Luther, MoogArchives.com
The very first Minimoog prototype was called Model A. Three other versions, B, C and D,
followed. This last model is the final and most common incarnation of the Minimoog
synthesizer and the only one that was put into production in large numbers. The choice
of wood rather than plastic for the cabinet prevailed from the beginning, simply because
Robert Moog preferred to follow the advice of musician friends, rather than drawings
coming from Moog’s industrial engineers. The Model D was first introduced at the NAMM
convention in June 1971. It was Moog’s first exposure to the music instruments industry
- and the industry's first exposure to synthesizers. The reception is rather cold as,
according Robert Moog himself, “ ost dealers didn't know what to make of a musical
instrument with words like Oscillator Bank and Filter printed on the front panel”*
inimoog odel A (prototype)
Courtesy of Roger Luther, MoogArchives.com
*: op. cit.

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inimoog odel D
Courtesy of Roger Luther, MoogArchives.com
The Minimoog knew an unparalleled success during the 1970’s. Artists and bands like
Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Keith Emerson, Jean-Michel Jarre, Klaus
Schulze, and Rick Wakeman used the synthesizer, notably for the typical sound and its
very warm uality, which is excellent for basses and lead sounds.
After the production stopped in 1981, there had been during the 1990 decade, several
failed attempts to restart production of the Minimoog. With the arrival of computer music
technologies, the Minimoog has been very often mimicked as a virtual instrument, with
little success. Arturia Minimoog-V is the latest avatar, and thanks to the TAE

technology,
we dare to think it is probably the most accurate Minimoog emulation available on the
market.
Now, Moog Music Inc. develops a modern version of the Minimoog hardware synthesizer
under the name Minimoog Voyager, a new version of the Minimoog that has uite a few
innovations in its own right.
oog plate affixed on the very first inimoog prototypes
oog plate affixed on inimoog D series
Courtesy of Roger Luther, MoogArchives.com

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1.2 A BETTER EMULATION THANKS TO TAE
®
TAE
®
- standing for True Analog Emulation - is a new technology dedicated to the digital
reproduction of analog circuits.
When implemented in software code, TAE
®
algorithms guaranty the respect of hardware
specifications. This is why the Minimoog-V offers an unparalleled uality of sound.
In detail, TAE
®
means:
1.2.1 Aliasing-free oscillators:
Standard digital synthesizers produce aliasing in high fre uencies, and also when using
Pulse Width Modulation or FM.
TAE
®
allows the production of totally aliasing-free oscillators in all contexts (PWM, FM…),
and at no extra CPU cost.
Linear frequency spectrum of an existing well-known software synthesizer
Linear frequency spectrum of the oogular oscillator made with TAE
®
1.2.2 Better repro uction of analog waveforms:
Original analog oscillators used capacitors charge and discharge cycles to produce
common wave shapes (saw tooth, triangle, s uare). This means that waveforms were
slightly curved. TAE
®
allows the reproduction of the capacitors discharge.
Aliasing

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Temporal representation of a waveform on a Minimoog
Temporal representation of the waveform from a different inimoog-like software synthesizer
Temporal representation of the inimoog-V waveform thanks to TAE
®
In addition, original analog oscillators were unstable. Actually, their wave shape was
always slightly different from one period to another. In addition, due to analog hardware
sensitivities, new period trigger times varied with the temperature and other
environmental conditions.
TAE
®
simulates the instability of oscillators, helping to create warmer sounds, often given
the affectionate term of “fat”.

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1.2.3 Better repro uction of analog filters
TAE
®
allows the emulation of analog-designed filters in a much more precise way than
any existing digital filter. In particular, TAE
®
has managed to reproduce the legendary
Moog 24dB low-pass resonant filter with great respect towards the original.
Comparative response filters
Standard 24dB digital low-pass
resonant filter from a typical
software synthesizer
Very selective 24dB resonance
filter of the Minimoog
TAE made Moog resonance filter:
first 24dB resonant filter to be that
selective

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1.2.4 Implementation of the soft clipping
In analog synthesizers, particularly at Moog’s, the resonant filter as the VCA uses a
current limiting function, preventing the signal from being too loud (soft clipping).
TAE
®
reproduces this current limiting function, making the sound more natural. It also
allows filters to enter self-oscillation like original hardware synthesizers do.
-1,5
-1
-0,5
0
0,5
1
1,5
-1
-0,8
-0,6
-0,4
-0,2
0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1
Soft-clipping transfer function
Low
-
pass resonant filter
Input
Output
Current limiting
emulation

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2INSTALLATION
2.1 WINDOWS INSTALLATION (2000, XP, V ISTA )
Insert the CD-ROM into the drive. Explore the contents of the CD-ROM, double click on
the icon named “Minimoog-V Setup.exe”.
At the first step of the installation, choose the destination folder for the Minimoog-V
installation. By default, it will be installed in this location:
C:\Program Files\Arturia\minimoog V
You can change the destination with the Browse button.
Choose the installation folder
The Minimoog-V will be installed as a standalone application. The following stage will let
you choose to install the Minimoog-V as a plug-in. To do this, choose the protocol(s) that
you wish to use (VST or RTAS). For more information on these protocols, go to Chapter
8.

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Choice of protocols
For the VST protocol, you must choose an installation folder in order for the host
application to use the Minimoog-V as a plug-in. If you do not know how to make this
choice, go to Chapter 8.
Choice of VST plug-in installation folder

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The installation program now has enough information to complete the installation. When
the installation process is completed, please proceed to authorization step (Chapter 3).
2.2 MAC OS X INSTALLATION
Insert the CD-ROM into the drive. Explore the content of the CD-ROM, then double click
on the icon named “Minimoog-V Setup Mac”.
Follow these steps:
read and accept the End User License Agreement,
select a destination.
When prompted, enter the administrator name and password of your computer in the
authentication window.
Authentication window
The Minimoog-V will next be installed as a standalone application, but also as VST, AU
and RTAS plug-ins.
The installation program now has enough information to complete the installation. When
the installation process is completed, please proceed to authorization step (Chapter 3).

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3AUTHORIZATION
Now your Minimoog-V has been installed, you have to authorize the synthesizer.
Contrary to 1.x versions that used an “original CD + license number” protection scheme,
the Minimoog-V 2.0 uses the Syncrosoft “Soft-eLicenser” full-software solution. Avoiding
the use of a USB port, this system allows using the synthesizer on one machine which
must be connected to the Internet during the authorization process.
To transfer your license on another computer, or simply use the inimoog-V on several computers (one
instance at a time), you will need:
_ to use one USB-eLicenser hardware dongle (sold separately, also used by many other software editors);
_ to follow the License Transfer Wizard inside the License Control Center.
This transfer, requiring a valid Internet connection, can be done in both ways:
_ from Soft-eLicenser to USB-eLicenser;
_ from USB-eLicenser to Soft-eLicenser.
Please check the Syncrosoft documentation installed on your computer for any further technical detail.
Connect your computer to the Internet, then launch the License Control Center. This
application has been automatically installed on your computer; it is accessible there:
Windows: Start > Programs > Syncrosoft > License Control Center
Mac OS X: Finder > Applications > License Control Center
The hereunder screenshots have been taken under a ac OS X running computer; however the process is
strictly identical under a Windows 2000/XP/Vista running machine, same functions apply, only the graphical
user interface differs.
In the License Control Center main window you should see a “SeL” software dongle
installed onto your computer.
License Control Center main window, showing an empty Soft-eLicenser.

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In the License Control Center menu, go to Wizard > License Download, then click
Next.
When prompted, enter the 32-digit Activation Code; this code is written on the
little plastic card attached to your User’s Manual.
Click on Validate to see if the license is a correct one, then click Next.
Enter the activation code
The License Control Center is now ready to download the software license that will allow
you to use the minimoog V. Click on Start, the progress bar should anime until download
completion. A popup window will confirm, just click OK, then Finish.
License download confirmation window
Now the main License Control Center window should show your Minimoog-V license
installed and activated.

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License is installed and activated
It’s now time to launch the Minimoog-V synthesizer!

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4QUICK START
This chapter will help you get to know the main aspects of how the Minimoog-V works.
You will be presented an overview of the different parts of the synthesizer while using the
program for the first time. You will find a detailed description of all visible settings and
controllers in the chapters that follow.
Chapter 6, “A few elements of sound design”, is specially recommended for users who
have never worked with a subtractive synthesizer before and who wish to learn the
basics in this domain.
Overview of the minimoog V
4.1 U SING THE PRESETS
Use of presets is one of the major areas of evolution when the Minimoog-V is compared
to the original, which couldn’t save sounds!
With the Minimoog-V, a preset (memorized sound) contains all of the parameter settings
of the synthesizer plus the extension panel and the different real-time effect controllers
necessary to reproduce the sound.
To get to know a few of the different sounds contained in the Minimoog-V, we will select
a simple bass preset.
To do this, click on button aside the “BANK” LCD display (this display shows the
name of the current bank in use). When you click, you will see a dropdown menu
indicating the available banks. Choose the “J.M.Blanchet” bank.
When this menu is open, it expands the sub-menus allowing you to reach the “SUB
BANK” and “PRESETS” of a sound designer with a single click.