In October of 2002, Ken Soper made a road trip to Asheville, NC, to pick up his Minimoog Voyager Signature Edition, Model #131, right from the source.
He made a home video of the visit, that not only documents his trip, but offers a historical view of the Moog Music of 2002.
The video captures Mike Adams, president of Moog, bringing in the people that assembled the instrument meet Soper and to see how much fun he was having with his new instrument. And Bob Moog, himself, stops by to ask Soper for his impressions.
Soper’s second video, below, captures his tour of the Moog factory, from the same day:
via Deckard Trinity
How cool is that? That definitely would have been such an honor. I’m sure that experience is something Ken will treasure for as long as he lives.
very very cool.
Bob Moog must have been the most awkward genius evar…. He looks so uncomfortable.
This exhibits what you really get when you buy a Moog! People always complain of the price (understandably so given the average income of a rising synthesist I’m sure) without first thinking of this human element… Is it not incredible to anyone else that one of the best and most iconic synthesizer manufacturers is here in North America in Asheville, NC of all places?! Support local synthesizers!
The face is does around 2m37s is priceless.
A shorter companion to the Voyager unboxing video. After speaking with Bob and getting a brief and humbling lesson on the Etherwave theremin, Steve Dunnington took us around the corner to the Voyager production room. This was the entire factory. I wish I had a couple more seconds of the burn-in rack–it’s cool to see all those synths stacked up and glowing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vzHdLT20Ec&feature=youtu.be
I remember this day – Ken was like a kid at Christmas! It’s always an enjoyment to watch someone take something you helped create out for a test drive. SO nice to see Bob again…*snif*
(And yes, I did all of my own stunts in the making of this film… )
Cool video. Brings back memories of my Mom driving me down to the music shop to pick up my brandnew shiny Mini model D in 1978 that I saved up a good year for. Anyone know how stable these Voyager’s are, on both the Model D’s I owned I would have to open them up every week or two and swab the contacts with alchohol and a cotton swab to get rid of the squeals. Ahh contact cleaning, Hammond oil, Rhodes tine regulation, I miss the good ol days 🙂
Hi August!
@Chris S: The Voyager is extremely stable and built like a tank. Tuning has never been an issue. I’ll give it 5-10 min to warm up before recording it, but even sitting under the air vent in my studio, it won’t go out of tune. I had a 6xxx Model D that needed the service you described about once a month. The Voyager isn’t like that at all. Bob nailed it.
Thanks for the reply Ken. Though I’ve never really missed my old analog synths, this one has peaked my interest ever since they came out.