Moog Music MINITAUR User Manual
VCA
/
VOLUME
5KHz
20KHZ
CUTOFF
ENVELOPE
20Hz
VCO 2
FILTER
320Hz
80Hz
FREQ
FINE TUNE
MIDI
MIX
EG AMOUNT
RES
FILTER
AMPLIFIER
VCO 2 LVL
MOD
VCO 1 LVL
VCF LFO AMT
ATTACK
DECAY/
RELEASE
GLIDE RATE
GLIDE
SUSTAIN
RELEASE
VCO LFO AMT
LFO RATE
MINITAUR
Congratulations on your new Minitaur Analog Bass Synthesizer, a powerful, compact
Moog synthesizer with a classic one knob per function design. At only 8.5" x 5.25"
and less than 3lbs, the Minitaur puts legendary analog Moog bass into a package
designed to fit seamlessly into all of your performance and production environments.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
PLEASE READ BEFORE USING THIS PRODUCT
When using the Minitaur, these basic precautions should always be followed.
1. Read all the instructions before using this product.
2. Do not use the Minitaur near water.
The Minitaur will bring you many happy years of creative and sonic enjoyment. We
are sure you are anxious to start playing, so refer to the “Getting Started” guide or look
over the Setup and Connections section to get going. At some point, we encourage
you to spend some time with this manual to discover all that the Minitaur has to offer.
Don’t forget - Experimentation and learning will reward you with a lifetime of
rich synthesizer experiences.
3. This product, in combination with an amplifier and headphones or speakers,
may be capable of producing sound levels that could cause permanent
hearing loss. Do not operate for a long period of time at a high volume level
or at a level that is uncomfortable. If you experience any hearing loss or
ringing in your ears, you should consult an audiologist.
4. Keep the Minitaur away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers,
and other products that produce heat.
5. The product should be connected to a power supply only of the type
described in the operating instructions.
6. The power supply should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused
for long periods of time.
7. Care should be taken so that liquids are not spilled into the front panel.
8. The Minitaur should be serviced by qualified personnel when:
a. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled onto the product.
b. The product has been exposed to rain.
c. The product does not appear to operate normally or exhibits
a marked change in performance.
d. The product has been dropped or the enclosure damaged.
!
DANGER -- INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING TO RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC
SHOCK, OR INJURY TO PERSONS: Do not open the chassis. There are no
user serviceable parts inside. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel only.
CONTENTS
UNPACKING AND INSPECTION
THE BASICS
Unpacking & Inspection•••••••••••••••••••••
Setup and Connections••••••••••••••••••••••
Overviews and Features•••••••••••••••••••••
Signal Flow•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Basic Operation••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
THE COMPONENTS
Oscillators••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Glide••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Mix••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Filter••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Envelopes••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Release•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Modulation•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Volume•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Input/Output Panel••••••••••••••••••••••••••
MIDI OPERATIONS
MIDI CC Table••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
APPENDICES
A. MIDI Implementation Chart•••••••••••••••
B. Service & Support Information•••••••••••
C. Caring for Minitaur•••••••••••••••••••••••
D. Using the CP-251 with Minitaur•••••••••••
E. Specifications••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
4
4
6
8
9
9
11
11
12
14
15
16
17
18
22
25
26
27
27
29
CHECK THE CONTENTS IN THE SHIPPING CARTON
The Minitaur is shipped with the following items:
1. The Minitaur Analog Bass Synthesizer
2. A 12VDC Power Adaptor
3. A “Getting Started” guide
4. Registration Card
5. Earplugs
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
1. A MIDI keyboard or MIDI controller
2. A MIDI cable
3. A USB cable to connect the Minitaur to a host computer (for USB MIDI)
4. A 1/4” instrument cable and amplifier, or a pair of headphones with
an 1/8” plug
SETUP AND CONNECTIONS
NOTE: We encourage you to read the entire manual at some point to learn
more about the instrument and gain a better understanding of what you
can do with the Minitaur.
SET U P
Use care when unpacking your Minitaur, and be sure to save the carton and
all packing material in case you need to ship it for any reason.
CONNECT TO POWER & MIDI
Connect the supplied Power Adaptor to the Minitaur’s 12VDC power jack on the
back of the unit. The Minitaur’s universal power supply will operate with a
power source from 100 to 240 Volts AC, 50/60Hz. Using a 5 Pin MIDI cable,
make the connect
IN on the Minitaur. The Minitaur is set to receive messages on MIDI Channel 1, so
make sure your controller is set to transmit on MIDI Channel 1. If you are using
USB MIDI, connect the U SB cable from the Minitaur to a USB port on your
computer. The Minitaur’s USB drivers are automatically installed, and it will appear
as ‘Moog Minitaur’ (Mac OSX or Win 7) or ‘USB Audio Device’ (Win XP) in the
MIDI Device selection options of your computer’s MIDI software.
ion between MIDI OUT of your MIDI controller and the MIDI
4
POWER UP
Apply power to the Minitaur and to your MIDI controller.
CONNECT TO AMPLIFIER
Set the Minitaur’s volume control to minimum before connecting to an amplifier,
mixer, or headphones. Set the amplifier volume to a comfortable listening
level, and then slowly bring up the volume on the Minitaur as you play a few notes.
NOTE: Use caution when adjusting initial volume levels, especially if connected
to a subwoofer.
START PLAYING
Since the Minitaur is a Bass Synthesizer; it operates exclusively in the lower
note range (MIDI notes 0 - 72). This means that the Minitaur will respond
to your playing from ‘C4’ (an octave above middle ‘C’) downward. Play
some notes, tweak some knobs and have some fun!
DOWNLOAD THE MINITAUR EDITOR PROGRAM
Register your Minitaur online at www.moogmusic.com/register to download
the free Minitaur Editor Program. This allows you to load and save patches
and access all of the Minitaur’s under the hood fe atures. Registering your
Minitaur also initiates your warranty, ensures you receive the latest software
updates, and gets you a nifty sticker!
OVERVIEW AND FEATURES
The Minitaur is a monophonic Analog Bass Synthesizer with a 100% analog audio
path. It is based on the legendary Taurus I and Taurus 3 Synthesizers. The Minitaur
features 2 ultra-stable voltage controlled oscillators, a genuine Moog low pass
filter, 2 envelope generators and a modulation circuit. The Minitaur has a classic
one knob per function design in a rugged performance package that is small
enough to take with you anywhere.
FRONT PANEL
NOTE: A warm up period of about 15 minutes is recommended for the Minitaur
to reach concert pitch. The warm up period may be a little longer if the Minitaur
has been stored outside the recommended operating temperature range.
The recommended operating temperature of the Minitaur is between 50 and 100
degrees Farenheit. It is safe to operate the synthesizer outside of this range, but the
Minitaur’s voltage controlled oscillators may not remain in tune. It is also recommended that the Minitaur not be exposed to direct sunlight while operating.
5
OSCILLATORS
Two Voltage Controlled Oscillators with selectable Sawtooth (original
Taurus) and Square waveshapes.
MIX
Mixer for adjusting VCO levels independently.
FILTER
Classic Moog 24dB/Octave Low Pass Filter with adjustable Resonance.
ENVELOPES
Twin Minimoog style ADSR Envelope Generators for modulating the
Filter ( VCF) and Amplifier (VCA). The Envelope Decay and Release
se gmen t s are con tro lle d by the D ECAY knob , w hil e t he Rel ease
segment is enabled or disabled via the RELEASE switch.
MOD
MIDI-syncable Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO) with Rate control and
and individual VCO and VCF AMOUNT controls.
6
BACK PANEL
SIGNAL FLOW
To understand how the Minitaur generates sound, take a look at the diagram
below. It shows the flow of Audio, Control Voltage and Modulation signals in
the Minitaur. Heavy lines indicate audio signals, which flow from left to right.
Lighter lines indicate Control Voltages (CV’s), which flow from the top and
from the bottom. Dotted lines indicate Modulation routings.
HEADPHONE OUT
1/8” Stereo Headphone Output.
AUDIO OUT
1/4” Unbalanced Output.
AUDIO IN
Exter nal Au dio Input for processing au dio throug h the Mixer and Filte r
section of the Minitaur.
CONTROL INPUTS
Analog control inputs for Pitch, Filter, Volume and Gate. Use control
voltag e or a M oog EP2 exp re ssion ped al to connect and co ntrol the
Minita ur with eve rything f ro m M oog erfooger s to modula r system s.
MIDI
DIN MIDI and USB MIDI offer complete control of the Minitaur’
s sound engine.
PITCH CV INPUT
OSCILLATORS MIX FILTER VOLUME
1
MODULATION
AUDIO INPUT FILTER CV INPUT VOLUME CV INPUT
(AMPLIFIER)
/
/
2
ENVELOPES
GATE
FILTER
ADSR
(LFO)
MIDI IN >
PITCH CV
MIDI/CV CONVERTER
VCA
VOLUME
ADSR
GATE INPUT
AUDIO
OUT
HEADPHONES
The Minitaur’s source signals are created by two Voltage-Controlled Oscillators (VCO) which are mixed with the External Audio Input. The Mixer
Output is routed to the Filter, where the tone is sculpted according to the
Filter parameters and the Filter ADSR Envelope. The signal is then passed
to the Amplifier (VCA) stage, where the Volume ADSR envelope shapes it.
Finally, the signal is routed to the Output section, where
the final level is
set by the Volume control knob.
For most users, MIDI will be the main source of control for the Minitaur. Each
time the Minitaur receives a MIDI “Note On” command, it produces a Pitch CV
and Gate signal in response. The Pitch CV signal sets the Pitch of the Oscillators,
while the Gate signal triggers the Filter and Volume ADSR Envelopes.
The Minitaur can also be operated via CV and Gate trigger connections,
for a more ‘old school’ method of control. Both control methods (MIDI &
CV/Gate) can be used at the same time, although some combinations of
control signals may cause unpredictable results.
NOTE: DIN MIDI IN is not passed to USB MIDI OUT
7
8
BASIC OPERATION
The Minitaur responds to MIDI messages on both DIN and USB MIDI Inputs.
In addition, Minitaur’s knobs and switches transmit MIDI Control Change
(CC) commands via MIDI USB, allowing parameter adjustments to be
captured by any MIDI-recording device. Minitaur has an LED MIDI indicator
that indicates MIDI activity on either the DIN MIDI or USB MIIDI connector.
To further extend the Minitaur’s capabilities, there are additional parameters
that can be accessed via MIDI control. A complete list of all MIDI CC commands
can be found on page 22-23.
THE COMPONENTS
OSCILLATORS
The Oscillators are the main sound source of Minitaur.
They create electronic vibrations that can be tuned
and amplified into sound that we can hear. The
Minitaur’s VCOs can produce a total musical range
of 6 octaves.
OSCILLATOR 1 (VCO 1) serves as a master Oscillator
to which OSCILLATOR 2 (VCO 2) is tuned. Two
independent switches select the waveform for
each Oscillator (Sawtooth or Square). A FINE TUNE
control adjusts the master tuning of both Oscillators.
FINE TUNE:
Adjusts the frequency of both VCOs by approximately +/-1 semitone. The
FINE TUNE control does not transmit MIDI.
MIDI ACCESSIBLE CONTROL
VCO 2 BEAT (CC# 18):
Selects the fine frequency offset for VCO 2. The adjustment range is
+/- 50 cents.
Default = 64.
NOTE SYNC (CC# 81):
When enabled, NOTE SYNC forces both oscillators to start at the same
time, eliminating any phase dif ferences at the start of each “Note On”
command. This ensures energy is consistent at the start of each new note.
Default = OFF.
EXTERNAL CONTROL
The PITCH CV jack on the back panel is a CV input for external control of
the Oscillator pitch. This input controls the frequencies of both Oscillators.
A 1 volt change of this voltage will change the pitch by one octave. The
jack accepts 0 to +5 volts, or an expression pedal like the Moog EP-2.
The frequencies of both Oscillators are affected by a number of sources. The
main source is a ‘Note On’ command transmitted from an external MIDI
controller or DAW. The ‘Note On’ command is translated into a Control
Voltage that allows the Oscillators to be played in an equal-tempered scale.
Other control sources include Minitaur’s GLIDE circuit, VCO 2 FREQ, the
PITCH CV INPUT, the FINE TUNE control, and the output of the MODULATION
(LFO) circuit. The highest pitch produced by Minitaur’s Oscillators is C5
(523.25 Hz) or MIDI note value 72.
PANEL CONTROLS FOR THE OSCILLATOR
OSCILLATOR 1 Switch (CC# 70):
Selects a Sawtooth (LED OFF) or Square wave (LED ON) for VCO 1.
OSCILLATOR 2 Switch (CC# 71):
Selects a Sawtooth (LED OFF) or Square wave (LED ON) for VCO 2.
VCO 2 FREQ (CC# 17):
Sets the frequency offset of VCO 2 from VCO 1. The offset range is +/-1
octave. Center position tunes VCO 2 in unison with VCO 1. NOTE: If playing
between notes 60 and 72, the pitch of VCO 2 is limited to note 72 (C4)
regardless of this control setting.
9
PERFORMAN CE TIP S:
• For punchy bass lines, try using NOTE SYNC to keep the
energy at the beginning of each note the same.
• A steady control voltage applied to the PITCH jack will
offset the base pitch of both oscillators. You can use this
feature to transpose the oscillators to any desired interval.
• To recreate the classic Taurus sound, choose the Sawtooth
wave for one or both oscillators.
10
Loading...