Organizers of the Audio Developers Conference (ADC) shared this session video from ADC ’17, featuring a technical look at how Moog engineers are building user interfaces.
The video captures a session led by Geert Bevin, Senior Software Engineer and
Amos Gaynes, Product Design Engineer on Designing and implementing embedded synthesizer UIs with JUCE.JUCE is a platform, based on C++, for building high-performance, cross-platform audio and music software.
In their presentation, Bevin and Gaynes are careful not to reveal anything about the upcoming Moog synthesizer hardware that they’re working on.
But they talk specifically about creating a user interface for a hardware synth; using shallow navigation in hardware UI’s; examples of devices, like NI’s Maschine, that combine knobs with rich graphical UI’s; and when to use dedicated hardware controls.
All of which suggests that Moog is working on a new synthesizer that will look very different than its predecessors.
Video Summary:
JUCE has become an ideal platform to develop embedded UI applications. Moog engineering discusses C++ JUCE front-end application design on top of streamlined Linux distributions. This talk focuses on practical solutions with code examples, including: maintainable user-interface and user-experience design, code and application architecture, unit and functional testing, efficient message handling and dispatch, domain-specific interfaces, APIs promoting consistency and correctness, patch storage and retrieval, and application-specific scripting.
That’s a nice way of saying that it won’t be the Moog analog poly that people want.
Wrong conclusion.
Its all about the user interface of audio devices. Part of a user interface are the hardware things we already know: knobs, buttons and sliders, but also software related things, such as an LCD display. All of these can be found on a Moog Sub37 for instance.
On any programmable synth you’ll find a microprocessor and associated software (for the USB, MIDI interfaces and for the programmability).
Analog sound synthesis can be very well combined with that, as shown today in various tablet applications able to control modular (eurorack) synths.
This is not just guessing on my part. I’m on a similar, although slow and unfunded, project and have an article on part of that available on the internet: http://www.rven.eu/articles/user_interface_management_framework.pdf
Ah, and have you really heard anyone requesting a reissue of the poly or memory moog? Not to say that these are bad synths, they were simply too far ahead of their time to be technically feasible.
It’ll just be a Voyager with a touch screen. The size screen he showed with his hands was voyager sized. There’s still a panel with heaps of knobs etc… nothing new to see here.
release DFAM to the public please.
It’s coming. Production prototype (not Moogfest kit) has already leaked.
Source?
Yes, source please?
Release any eurorack module please!!!
M32 is euro
I’d like to see something with no “keyboard”. Something along the lines of a linnstrument or hakan that is natively and deeply embedded to the underlying synth architecture that doesn’t require years of midi mapping and testing to make it expressive and intuitive.
I couldn’t care if it has a moustache, just make it sound interesting!
Would be great to see them breakaway from their ‘analog’ roots to creating pure groundbreaking digital synths
Yes!
When I watched this, I thought: Hardware Animoog.
Whatever it is, it will have a graphic + knobs UI, a powerful polyphonic engine, and support MPE. That combo alone makes it a lot more interesting to me than a retro poly moog reissue. The poly moog failed for good reasons, and there are a lot more interesting possibilities now.
That’s what they are doing….just wait
Best comment, so far.
Moog, be innovative as you was in the 70s! Do not replicate your past forever!
I just want a good hardware controller / audio interface for their Model 15 app.
That would be great, but hardware controllers are expensive. Analog / hybrid audio generating components are not. Be prepared to pay a price similar to the hardware Model 15 😉
Maybe $1000 vs $3500-$10,000.
This is intriguing I hope they bust out something else pretty wild, it sounds like they are
At this point in music technology it would be amazing to see a company break away and do something unique to push synthesis forward. That’s asking a lot but another subtractive synth or another remake is going to further continue the trend of moving backwards in my opinion. I think Geert and co. are just the team to do this. Not bashing Roland or Korg here but I’m definitely applauding companies like Teenage Engineering, if Moog were to step into that realm of creativity I would be very impressed and overjoyed, they could change the game once again. Fingers crossed.
Fully agree with you, Mr. Fruit. But the video is not about that, its about the user interface. Personally I don’t feel any attractivenss in the Roly’s and Haken’s out their, although I appreciate their inventiveness and strive to change user interfaces as we currently know.
For these topics (synthesis techniques and user interface techniques) I’d like to skip a 25 years and see what sensible and amazing results will have been achieved then.
LOL. Put the name Moog in any article and you’ll see these wild comments exploding in any direction 🙂
What’s wild about the comments? It’s a comments section…
Many comments off topic, many comments just about what people personally like or desire, unfounded opinions and between the lines much fun and a few very intelligent comments (and yes, I tend to be a little ‘wild’ sometimes also). Thats what I mean, generally just enjoying what’s on people’s mind.
Ok , point taken.
You’re new to the whole internet thing huh?
@Drümünkey,
No, I’m not. But yes, I’m naïve and rather uncapable of moving around social areas on www.
Amos has grown into an excellent presenter from his first NAMM. He is a real pro.
amos wore his “church of satan” jacket tonight! 😉
I hope it will be better than the Editor for the Moog MP-201 Multi-Pedal they announced several years ago.
They will probably introduce a touchscreen with hardware controls and they will call it “innovation”.
Moog have yet to do a polysynth.Their prices are high for the spec but it is good to see synthesisers being made in greater numbers than at anytime. Good luck Moog, but consider the budget restrictions of most of us.
Er, no.
Polymoog, Memorymoog and some paraphonics.
It’s a hardware Animoog.
Upon further thought… I think they should do a steam powered and mechanical analog instrument. Let’s bring back the Wurlitzer!
And it will cost $40K and only used by established wealthy musicians, Doctors and Lawyers. That seems to be there new market.
But don’t worry, in two years Behringer will make a clone that will purists will hate but us normals will be able to afford.
Moog is typically overpriced for the features on offer – although it may be accurate given the quality of components, who knows.
Anyways, Im thinking a lot more synths will be moving towards an “all-in-one” type of situation now that technology itself is so much more capable.
Oh please no… “all-in-one” will bring us back to the “workstation” concept.
you may not like the “workstation” concept, but unfortunately you do not speak for the rest of the world, or more importantly, the companies that design, engineer, and market synthesizers
but hey – you are certainly entitled to your “opinions”
Hardware Animoog is a decent bet.
Theremini is already a sort of ‘hardware Animoog’. Waldorf have just announced what essentially amounts to a ‘hardware Nave’.
Just give us a great sounding synth and poly after touch with pressure and lateral sensitivity, the ability to bend notes from the keybed like we had on the CS series from Yamaha only better with velocity, poly aftertouch and pressure sensing with a great set of moog filters and maybe add FM or wavetable, done, I will buy it.
It’s just another masterpiece that Behringer will be copying 40 years from now!
They are releasing an analog poly before the end of 2018. 2 models, an 8 and a 16 voice. I can’t state my sources but it’s fact. Price for the 8 voice is $6000 usd.