Kimmel at Large – Moog Legacies

 

Kimmel At Large

Contributed Article & Photographs

by Peter Kimmel

 

This years’ NAMM Show, led me to seek out the origins of synthesized music. I found myself standing at the Bob Moog Foundation booth at various times throughout the show interacting with the Foundation’s resident Synth Guru, Marc Doty.

 

Marc Doty is a synthesist, composer, and educator. In 2006, Marc started one of the first analog synthesizer demonstration channels on YouTube, after being interviewed several times by Sonic State in England. The channel met with substantial success for its kind, and now has more than six million views.

Marc's demonstrative style includes information about the functional aspects of synthesis as well as the history of the development of synthesis in addition to descriptions of specifics of sound and functionality in regard to the synthesizer being demonstrated.  This style has made Marc's videos into more than just demonstrations.  They are in-depth educational seminars.

 

In the summer of 2011, Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation, brought Marc onboard for a "residency" at the Bob Moog Foundation in order to help fashion a Bob-Moog-centric science of sound curriculum to be used in the Foundation's educational efforts.  Marc was ideal for this residency, as he has a degree in Music Education, and is a living result of the legacy of Bob Moog.  This residency was originally intended to last a month. It was then extended to a month and a half.  At the end of it, The Bob Moog Foundation asked Marc if he would relocate to Asheville, NC for a permanent position.

 

Marc was given the title "Archive and Education Specialist", as his education experience and knowledge of the history of synthesis would aid with the Foundation's educational and preservation efforts.  The skills Marc developed in graphic design and video production are also a large part of his position.

 

At the NAMM Show, when Marc wasn’t conversing with customers, self-described synthesizer geeks, and members of the electronic music intelligentsia, Marc was curator of demonstrations on Michael Lehmann Boddicker’s noted custom Moog Modular synthesizer located in the Bob Moog Foundation booth for the duration of NAMM 2015, and demonstrating other historically relevant synthesizers the Bob Moog Foundation features in their booth.

 

The invention of the Moog Synthesizer in 1964 revolutionized the sonic possibilities available to music artists for expressing their creativity. Dr. Bob Moog was an innovator in the world of electronic music. For half a decade, he worked to expand the boundaries of sonic expression. His legacy of his work has forever impacted the lives of musicians, and modern music, around the world.

The Bob Moog Foundation strives to preserve the past and inspire the future. For example, second graders can participate in Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, an experiential 10-week sound science curriculum that utilizes observation and interaction with instruments such as synthesizers, theramins and kazoos.  One of Marc's duties at the Foundation is to train the teachers who will be teaching the curriculum to students.

 

 

During this years’ NAMM Show, the Bob Moog Foundation booth enjoyed visits from Stevie Wonder, Keith Emerson, David Rosenthal from Billy Joel, Morris Hayes (from Prince) among others.

 

 

Marc’s favorite experience of NAMM2015? His personal, private extended conversation with Stevie Wonder on the subject of Synthesis.

Learn More about Moog at moogfoundation.org

 

 

 

 

 

More about Mark Doty and Videos at Automatic Gainsay

On Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AutomaticGainsay

AutomaticGainsay

 

 

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MONOPRICE 600850: A Sound Investment in Audio Perfection

Audio Equipment Review: Monoprice 600850 “Lollipop-Style” Large Diaphragm Condenser

Ever have to make a decision of what type of microphone you need for recording the perfect audio track, having a very limited budget, but not wanting to settle for 2^nd rate or “cheap” quality. Now you can enjoy the flexibility of multiple polar patterns in a single microphone and a price where it is not only the affordable option, but the most intelligent.

The Model600850 “Lollipop-Style” Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone from Monoprice is a completely Class-A microphone, featuring a generous 32mm capsule with cardioid, figure-8, and Omni polar-patterns, 10dB pad, and high-pass filter.

This microphone is designed to rigid specifications and can compete against competitor microphones in price ranges that surpass a $1000.00 cost level; however, Monoprice offers this fantastic piece of technology at a retail price of only $349.00.

This unit features a 32mm gold-sputtered, 8 micron diaphragm with switchable Cardioid, Figure 8, and Omnidirectional polar patterns, allowing you to tailor the microphone’s response to each specific recording requirement.

 

 

 

 

 

Featuring both a switchable High Pass filter set to 6dB per octave at 150Hz, to reduce the proximity effect, a switchable -10dB pad prevents overloading or damage to the microphone when in the high SPL conditions. The Monoprice 600850 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone is not just systematically flexible but built of sturdy construction, making it one of the most durable products to be released today.

As with all other condenser microphones, this mic requires +48V Phantom Power (±4V). It comes with a shock mount, which isolates the microphone from any vibrations present in the mic stand and comes in a beautiful metal-reinforced hard case for storage and transport, being designed to withstand use in the studio or on the road.

In our studio, we tested the unit in every conceivable manner with our resident artists ranging from Instrumental and Jazz to Hard Rock and Metal Vocals, sounding instruments in proximity and single “Mic to Room” variables and collected the ambient wave patterns that we got from room acoustics. The Monoprice 600850 was able to pick up every sound element with complete clarity.

 

MONOPRICE

We plan on continuing our review with more depth in the weeks to come, including a Video review and sound samplings, in the meantime, please check out the reviews from the Monoprice website, they are very accurate and coincide with our findings. You can check out more about the Monoprice 600850 “Lollipop-Style” Large Diaphragm Condenser at the Monoprice Website.

Specifications:

Lollipop-Style Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone

Product ID: 600850

 

 

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