MOOG LITTLE PHATTY
Posted on Thu 07 October 2010 in entries
Offering that classic Moog sound in a compact package the Little Phatty is the synth to be seen with on this summer's UK festival circuit...
Few names in modern music come with such a rich heritage as Moog, and since almost single-handedly inventing modern synthesis back in the 1960s, Bob Moog’s synth designs have become true icons. Now at last, the Little Phatty analogue synth brings Bob Moog’s genius within reach of us mere mortals!
100% Analogue
Moog synths are renowned for their rich, fat sound and the Little Phatty doesn’t disappoint. It’s a true monophonic monster that puts you in control of a 100% analogue signal path (no digital emulation to be found here, folks!). Thanks to its two ultra-stable voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) and a voltage-controlled filter (VCF), you can instantly dial in killer bass sounds, super-fat lead lines and a whole range of beautifully programmed patches. Close your eyes and you could almost be playing one of Moog’s flagship MiniMoog Voyagers… the sound is that good!
The Sound Engine
The heart of the Little Phatty’s sound is based around the two analogue VCOs with continuously variable waveforms, letting you gradually dial your way through triangle, sawtooth, square and pulse waveforms for total flexibility.
The smooth and creamy VCF has a cool overload feature that allows you to add controlled levels of distortion, while envelope generation is taken care of via two ADSRs. And things get really interesting when you reach the LFO section, which boasts four waveforms and allows you to create anything from standard vibrato through to wildly outrageous sound effects. The only limit with all this control is your imagination.
Loaded With Features
Despite all this sonic horsepower, the Little Phatty’s feature set is powerful yet really easy to use. A 37-note velocity-sensitive keyboard, spring-loaded pitch wheel and modulation wheel are all standard, plus Moog went the extra mile to round off the Little Phatty with some neat extras, including a MIDI clock sync that allows you to synchronise the LFO and arpeggiator rate to the tempo of your MIDI sequencer, drum machine or software.
The arpeggiator is a great performance feature that also syncs to MIDI clock, while the tap tempo feature brings LFO and arpeggiator tempo sync functionality to situations where there is no MIDI clock. Finally you can even connect your Little Phatty directly to a computer running the Little Phatty editor/librarian.
Well Connected
In addition to audio in/out, MIDI and USB, the Little Phatty is blessed with an arsenal of external connections, including Pitch CV In, Filter CV In, Volume CV In and Keyboard Gate In. The possibilities for control and experimentation are absolutely endless.
If you’ve yet to experience a real Moog synth, or thought the Moog sound was beyond your budget, then pop in-store for a Little Phatty demo. But be warned, once you plug it in you’ll be smitten forever!
LITTLE GORILLAZ
Jesse Hackett of Gorillaz is just one of a number of high-profile artists using Moog synths this summer. As he prepared for the band's headlining set at Glastonbury, Jesse waxed lyrical about his Little Phatty...
"You just turn it on and get great sounds. It's very easy to use and manipulate, and the oscillators and filters are straightforward. The sound cuts really well in the mix, the basslines stand out and you can get really nice lead patterns"
LITTLE PHATTY TECH SPECS
Keyboard: 37 mini keys
Editability: Two VCOs, one VCF, four-stage envelope generators
Polyphony: Mono (one voice)
MIDI: In, Out, MIDI over USB, MIDI Clock sync