Novation let us know that their limited-edition MoroderNova – a new version of the MiniNova that synth patches and styling inspired by Giorgio Moroder – is now shipping.
The numbered run of 500 signature MoroderNovas have a custom design, branded with Giorgio’s signature ‘moustache and shades’ insignia, and featuring silver/black styling.
Novation says that its sound designers have created patches to match the original Moroder sounds, from the timbres of Moroder’s disco classics with bands such as Sparks and Donna Summer, to the sounds of the Top Gun and Scarface soundtracks, and his recent work with Daft Punk.
Here’s what Novation says about the MoroderNova release:
They’re out there.
The only 500 Limited MoroderNova Synthesisers in existence are currently on their way to dealers – right now – and you’re the first to know about it.
They’ll be landing in the next week.
Authorised Novation dealers know whether to expect some, so now’s the time to go searching.
You have a week’s head start over everyone else, good luck and happy hunting.
Pricing and Availability
The Novation MoroderNova is available now in a limited edition of 500 units. Suggested retail price is $624.99 (MAP $449.99),
Still waiting for the limited edition Vangelis CS-80..
Still waiting…
Unless you are a die-hard Moroder fan, I can’t really see the point of this. Its not going to increase in value. It more of a promo item for his latest album.
Who put this damned thing in the dryer and shrunk the keys?? Nine out of ten doctors agree that mini-keys will shrivel your genitalia, mainly because they own Fatar stock.
The mini key thing is getting sooo obnoxious. Complaining about the keys on a product that came out 4 years ago.. a bit much
Agree. Get over it. Mini-keys are popular with both consumers and many professional musicians.
So like it or not, they will continue to appear on new products.
People complaining about them won’t change the fact that more like them then don’t, otherwise companies would not make them.
I think this would stand up if we often heard users rejoice at a new mini-key synth, but they don’t; do they?
My opinion has always been, if you are making a synth with mini-keys then make it a sound module, with class compliant USB MIDI; so it is an easy process to sell a sound module with a market full of USB connected and powered keyboards – you could have a option of selling the sound module with your own USB keyboard – mini-keys or otherwise – for the odd dumbo who can’t get their head around plugging a cheap USB keyboard in, if such people exist in a mobile world!?
The issue with mini-keys is strong. I don’t see an issue if a young person is making a conscious decision to play mini-keys only as a instrument – they can get very good at that for a low cost. Yet when we watch a good keyboard player on mini-keys their skill falls apart, they seem to adapt well to a mono-solo, but they can’t get those hand shapes right for chord play – very hard to get into a meaningful flow state when someone is adapting play. So we are selling them a cheap synth which is ironically overpriced, as it has a keyboard attached that they will never use, and it looks like a toy in a professional setup, because it is shaped like a toy-piano.
Mini-keys have their place, just like mini-guitars – it is an early entry point to a real instrument for a child with small hands – and that is all, yet that is often seen as a bad call – some say, teach them the real thing or nothing. A toy-piano is called a toy, because it is pretending at being the real thing in size, shape and tone – so we need to call these thing “toy-keys” and not “mini-keys”. It is a really a question of profession consistent tools for consistent profession creative people.
This miniNova is pretending to be an analog synth, like how a toy-piano is pretending to be a piano, either have the size, shape or tone of the real thing it is pretending to be, which is a hard thing to get around.
I still say its my right as an American to stomp my tiny hooves in righteous indignation if things don’t meet my idea of the right specs. No, that’s BS. I just think the money is wasted on minikeys you have to trigger from elsewhere if you play with more than two fingers. Minikeys don’t require the same level of woodshedding sweat as full-sized ones, which leads more people to “make” music than compose a little more deeply. Just IMO, especially since I still play a couple of hardware modules. Those don’t have keys at all and it makes zero difference to their usefulness. A Novation sound engine for $500 is a ridiculously good deal.
at least isn’t blue…
Pointless.
I wish synths did come customisable in colours you want, that’d be fun. Like timbuk2 messenger bags do.
Lou, I love your idea of varied colors. You can get 25-key XKeys in 4 colors now, all of which look good. I wonder how much it would cost at the factory level to offer a swappable faceplate (or even whole visible case) in semi-bright shades of red, blue, green, yellow and purple? Of course, I would darned well PRE-ORDER one so they don’t get left with unsold stock over just the color. I hate black-on-black controls, so I’d love a good alternate turquoise or Sledge yellow front to help the feng shui. Fun idea.
BTW, I haven’t heard a bad Novation synth, ever. I got to play a 12-voice Nova module and when the company coined the term ‘liquid synthesis,’ they weren’t overstating it. “Lush” seems like too weak a word. They have a sound all their own and I think its one of the best in the business. The Mini is on my Top 5 List of Stuff I Don’t Need That I’d Still Use Because Holy Bleep, Listen To That.
The only thing from novation that impresses me is the bass station 2. It suits my desire for knob per function and a warm powerful sound.
I would make all my gear in creams and pastels I think. Astronauts on the international space station lacked colour in their life so primary colour panels are used in every day instruments so stimulate their visual cortex or something.
I think it’s sad that electronic musicians have to surround themselves by poorly designed plastic boxes which look more like power boards than the beauty of a cello, and use colours of throwaway 80s plastic junk when the technology is available to make things of true beauty.
I understand there’s cost involved. But I’d be up for paying $100 for a custom case, or a choice.
My microbrute upgrade from dull grey to white improved visibility and my mood simultaneously.
So are the patches exclusive to this or can they be ported and or copied to the Mininova??
Waiting on the Jeff Mills 909 and the Brian Eno DX-7…
Why would anyone get this when they could have a Bass Station 2 or an Ultranova for close to the same price?
Because it sounds good, is polyphonic and is less than $500.
It’s not rocket science why this and the microKorg are popular. The hard thing is explaining to someone that’s not a chin-stroking bearded synth freak why the hell they’d want a keyboard that “can’t play chords”.
Chords are highly over-rated.
Chords and melody can live in harmony together.
“It’s not rocket science”, I find that an odd expression in today’s world. Isn’t rocket science placing a large amount of explosive in a tube, hardly rocket science – oh, but it is…
I think one astronaut summed it up by saying; just before launch he realized he was sitting on top of a large bomb built by the lowest bidder on a government contract. Which I guess is the total sum of rocket science!
I like to champion the expression, “it is hardly theoretical physics”.
Ultranova is polyphonic, sounds great an has far more onboard controls and I’ve seen them around the web for under 500.
I saw him on The Tonight Show a couple of weeks ago and he was playing a system1.
I wish Novation would fix the bugs on the Mininova first.