Moog Music Voyager Old School User Manual

Table of Contents

THE BASICS

5

6

8

THE COMPONENTS

A. Mixer Section ........................................................

APPENDICES

A – Speci cations .................................................................

Page 3

And, if you are ever near Asheville, N.C. USA, please come by the Moog factory. We’d love to see you!

Warm Regards,

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

This User’s Manual is organized into convenient sections to assist you in setting up, playing and exploring

your new Voyager OS.

The

section explains how to unpack, setup and connect the Voyager OS, and provides

The

section offers detailed explanations of the Voyager OS components that create and modify

The

Appendix

provides additional information, such as technical speci cations, service and suppor t info, and

At the back of the manual, you’ll  nd a

that de nes important synthesizer terminology, and several

pages for programming and documenting your favorite sounds.

Throughout the manual you will see icons that offer additional information. Here’s what they mean:

This icon indicates an important note concerning the operation of the Voyager.

This icon indicates a useful performance or programming tip.

This icon indicates technical information for the advanced user or the technically curious.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

The Voyager is shipped with the following items:

What you will need

that will provide the proper support (the Voyager Old School weighs approximately 40 lbs.) and will not

The Voyager’s universal power supply will operate with

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

Turn the Voyager OS power ON. The LFO RATE LED will be begin to blink at the rate set by LFO RATE

volume to a comfortable listening level.

The sound produced by the Voyager OS is determined by the various knob and switch settings on the front

To create your own sounds from scratch, it’s best to start from a default patch con guration. This will give

you a familiar starting point and guaranty that sound will be produced. To set the Voyager OS to a default

you a basic one-oscillator square wave sound that will act as a blank canvas for your sonic creations.

After you adjust the Voyager panel controls to the default settings, try the controls to the right of the Mixer,

and

to see

When working with the Voyager, keep in mind that many of the controls are interactive, so there is

frequently more than one way to control a single parameter. This may be a source of confusion at  rst.

control of the

Volume Envelope

is all the way down, and the

ATTACK

and

knobs are set to zero, there will be no output. Similarly, if you have a sound where the

AMOUNT

knob for the

is set to zero, then changing the Filter Envelope

ATTACK

control

will likely result in no audible change. To use your Voyager to its fullest potential, it is very important to

Warranty registration

web site at www.moogmusic.com and click on the “Product Register” tab. If you complete all the requested

Voyager. The warm up period may be longer if the Voyager has been stored outside the recom-

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

The Voyager OS is a monophonic analog performance synthesizer that is a successor to the classic Model D

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

The Voyager’s back panel offers con-

There are 14 CV inputs and 2 CV out-

tion CV/Expression Pedal input, while

jacks identi ed with a blue nut indicate

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

To understand the signal  ow of the Voyager OS, it’s helpful to consider the three types of signal rout-

Audio Path

The Voyager’s audio path includes all of the signal sources and signal modi ers that produce an audio

The Oscillator section includes controls for selecting the octave and waveforms, adjusting the tuning of

the second and third oscillators, for setting the oscillator sync and linear FM functions, and for setting the

frequency range and keyboard control for Oscillator 3.

The Mixer section is where the oscillators and other sound sources (noise and external input) are

The Filter section is responsible for altering the harmonic content of the combined sound sources. The

Voyager’s Filter section contains two  lters that work together in two different modes.: Dual LP and

features a lowpass and highpass  lter in series, creating a Bandpass  lter response. In either mode, the

the difference between the cutoff frequencies. The outputs of the  lters are routed to the Voltage

The VCAs shape the volume level of the audio signal using time-varying control signals called Envelopes.

The Envelopes section (part of the control voltage path) contains one Envelope Generator to control

the Filters, and one Envelope Generator to control the VCAs. The Voyager’s audio path is illustrated

The Voyager OS Audio Path

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

When a key is pressed, a Gate and Pitch Control Voltage (CV) are produced. The Gate signal is used to

trigger both the Filter and Volume Envelope Generators (EGs). The Pitch CV is used to determine the

Amount knob. The basic control voltage path is illustrated below.

The Voyager OS Control Voltage Path

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Basics

The Voyager OS Modulation Buss

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

with the Mixer section. Then we’ll cover the Oscillators, Filters, Envelopes, and Output Sections, the LFO and

A. The Mixer Section

The Mixer combines the main sound sources of the Voyager. It’s a good place to start when creating a new

The  ve sound sources are:

The audio output of the Mixer is routed to the Filter through an insert jack on the

Voyager’s back panel. If an inser t cable is plugged into this jack, the Mixer output can

for more information).

The

controls in the Mixer allow each oscillator to be switched ON or OFF, and mixed

The

control is used to mix noise with the other sound sources. The Voyager’s Noise source is

wind noise component to traditional instrument emulations, or for adding subtle coloration to a sound.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The

The jack on the back labeled “Mix Out/Filter In” is an insert point between the Mixer output and the Filter

to the ring of the jack. A cable fully plugged into the jack breaks the connection between the Mixer and the

As always, experimentation is encouraged!

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The Oscillators are the main sound source of the Voyager. The oscillators in the Voyager are all analog

Voltage Controlled Oscillators, or VCOs. They feature a temperature regulation circuit that provides them

with excellent tuning stability. The VCOs can produce a total musical range of 8  octaves! In addition, the

frequency of oscillator 3 can be set to the sub-audio range (<20Hz) for use as a second LFO.

there are switches for Oscillator 2 sync to Oscillator 1;

The frequencies of the Oscillators are controlled by a number

the Keyboard CV and the oscillators to slow the changes

Tune control, and the output of the Mod Busses when the

switch that selects the relative frequency range. To hear how it

works, turn off Oscillators 2 and 3 in the Mixer. Switch Oscillator 1 ON and set its level to 5. Play a note

You can use this control to change the frequency range that the keyboard controls. The panel markings

from 32’ up to 1’ are octave standards based on organ stops.

control. When the control is in the center position, the oscillators

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

Wave:

WAVE

(waveform) control. The legend on the front panel

WAVE

control is rotated.

the square and rectangular waveform, you can get pulse width

front panel individually for each oscillator, modulation through the

The

switch is one of four switches located at the bottom of the oscillator panel. In the ON

1-2 SYNC

switch synchronizes Oscillator 2 to Oscillator 1. Oscillator sync is an effect caused

frequency heard is that of the reset oscillator. As the frequency

when Oscillator 2 is set to a higher octave than Oscillator 1.

The

3 KB CONT

switch disables keyboard control of Oscillator 3 when in the OFF position. By disabling

the keyboard control, you can use Oscillator 3 as a drone or as a modulation source whose frequency

to OFF increases the amount by which the Oscillator

control changes the frequency of

The

switch selects the frequency range of Oscillator 3. When the switch is in the LO position,

When the switch is in the HI position, Oscillator 3 operates with the same available frequency range as

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

Two other panel controls interact with the Voyager Oscillators: Fine Tune and Glide

The

FINE TUNE

control is used to tune the Voyager’s oscillators +/ – 2 semitones

for matching an external reference pitch.

the rate of the glissando. The glide rate can vary from a very fast to a very slow

switch in the Voyager keyboard left-

Additional CV Connections (Input)

The

jack allows you to connect an external CV or expression pedal to control the Voyager’s pitch.

All three oscillators are effected by this connection. The effective input range is -5 to +5V, where a positive

voltage).

Wave:

The

WAVE

jack allows you to connect an external CV or expression pedal to control the oscillator wave-

forms. All three oscillators are effected by this connection. The effective input range is 0 to +5V, resulting in

WAVE

dial panel setting, making it

to force the width of the rectangular wave so skinny that it becomes silent.

Additional CV Connections (Output)

The

jack outputs the keyboard pitch control voltage, allowing you to control external CV gear. The

The

jack outputs a gate trigger signal every time a key is pressed. The Gate signal is a +5V trigger

that can be used to trigger external envelope generators, sequencers, or other sources.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

frequencies while allowing others to pass through. To understand the operation of  lters and how they

vibe of the original hardware.

The  rst is ‘Cutoff Frequency’. The cutoff frequency is the point at which an audio

frequencies below the cutoff frequency and rejects frequencies above the cutoff. A

the lowpass section de nes the maximum frequency that will pass through, while the

Another key  lter term is the ‘Cutoff Slope’. The cutoff slope determines the amount

The last  lter term to consider is ‘Resonance’. Resonance refers to a peak that appears at the cutoff

frequency. In synthesizers, this resonant peak is usually an adjustable parameter (called ‘ Resonance’ ) that

the sound being  ltered, those overtones are reinforced. This gives the

the  lters’ cutoff frequencies track the keyboard note that is played. As

you play higher on the keyboard, the cutoff frequency goes higher, too.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The Voyager’s Dual Lowpass mode provides two

The

knob controls the frequency cutoff of

frequency, or adjusted to different cutoff frequencies

control. When the two  lters are

RESONANCE

control affects

the Dual Lowpass mode, the

control changes

the cutoff frequency of both  lters, and the

the two  lters creates a variable passband. In this mode,

the

RESONANCE

control affects only the Lowpass

The Voyager has two voltage controlled  lters (VCF’s) that can be con gured either as dual lowpass  lters

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The

knob is the main  lter control. This sets the cutoff frequency of both  lters in Dual Lowpass

through the  lter. This is why as you turn the control clockwise the cutoff frequency becomes higher and

the sound becomes brighter. Of course, to hear the effect of a lowpass  lter it helps to have a signal rich

control changes the center frequency of the passband.

The

control is used to determine the difference between the cutoff frequencies of the two  lters

control knob is centered, the cutoff frequencies of the two

control to +1 in

control

control is swept, two resonant peaks are heard, giving the  lter a unique quality.

control sets the difference between the cutoff frequencies by

control is fully clockwise, the

The

RESONANCE

control causes feedback in the  lter circuit that adds harmonic emphasis at the cutoff

frequency. This control affects the Lowpass  lter(s) in either  lter mode, but not the Highpass  lter. When

the

control is all the way down, the lowpass  lters act as a tone control, rolling off the high

control is turned down. As the resonance increases, the  lter begins to form

control is

turned up the peak increases in strength until the control is set to about 8 or higher, where it begins to self-

The

KEYBOARD CONTROL AMOUNT

knob allows the  lter cutoff to follow the key played on the

Voyager keyboard. A higher key will cause a higher cutoff frequency. This allows a sound to retain its

The  lter

switch selects either the Dual Lowpass con guration (DUAL LP) or the Highpass/Lowpass

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

When triggered, EG’s produce a time-varying control voltage that has a

this pro le are Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release, sometimes abbrevi-

Attack determines the character of the onset of the sound. The EG’s

ATTACK

knob controls this parameter by adjusting the time it takes

for the envelope to go from zero to full value (in other words, the

fade-in time). The

control adjusts the second stage in the

to drop from the full level to the level set by the

control.

The envelope will remain at the Sustain level as long as an envelope

control determines the time it takes for the en-

velope to transition from the Sustain level to zero (refer to the ADSR

The Voyager has two identical EG circuits; one EG is dedicated to the

the ampli er (to control the volume). Both EG’s can also be used as

Additional CV Connections

The

jack allows you to connect an external CV or expression pedal to control the  lter cutoff

frequency. Both  lters are effected by this connection, regardless of the  lter mode setting. The effective

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Attack:

The

ATTACK

control sets the attack time of the corresponding envelope generator, from 1 msec to 10

The

control sets the decay time of the corresponding envelope generator, from 1 msec to 10

The

control sets the corresponding level for the sustained part of the envelope.

The

control sets the release time of the corresponding envelope (the time for the envelope

to transition from the sustain level to zero), from 1 msec to 10 seconds.

Amount To Filter:

AMOUNT TO FILTER

control that adjusts the amount of the  lter

AMOUNT TO FILTER

control has both positive and

dial

dial setting.

When the gate is off, the Release portion of the envelope is executed as shown below. The switch

KEYB/ ON/EXT

selects whether the envelopes are triggered from the keyboard, or from

(Keyboard) triggering is selected, the envelopes are triggered by

for

(On/External), the envelope gate source defaults to ON if nothing is plugged into the

their respective

controls. This is useful for keeping the envelopes sustaining without holding

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The release time of the envelopes is set by their respective

control knob, but this control can also

switch located in the left-hand control

Additional CV Connections:

The

jack allows you to connect a footswitch or input a CV gate signal to remotely trigger both

switch is set to

switch is set to ‘KEYB’, any input on the

jack will be ignored.

The

jack allows you to connect a footswitch or input a CV gate signal. Pressing the footswitch

the setting of the

switch.

The

jack is a CV input for external control of the Voyager’s envelope time constants, using either a

voltage applied to the

jack will decrease the attack, decay and release times from the envelope

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The Voyager has two audio outputs. There is a Voltage Controlled Ampli er (VCA) for each output, which

the Master Volume control. The Volume Envelope Generator modulates the output VCAs.

The

knob is the main volume control. Full-clockwise is

This

knob controls the volume that appears on

the

jack. Full-clockwise is maximum output, full-

The

connection is a ” TRS jack that outputs the

Voyager signal to a pair of stereo headphones.

Additional CV Connections:

Volume:

The

VOLUME

jack allows you to connect an external CV or expression pedal to control the output

volume. Both VCA’s are effected by this connection. The effective input range is 0 to +5V, where

The

jack allows you to connect an external CV or expression pedal to control panning between

the right and left outputs. The effective input range is -5 to +5V, where -5V = Fully Left and

jack, the pedal will reach its full

jack. Note also that you will

voltage does not go below 0V.

volume of the Voyager OS

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The Modulation Busses allow you to select a variety of modulation

two Mod Busses are labeled MOD BUS 1 and MOD BUS 2, and

to fade in and fade out the desired modulation. If nothing is plugged

AMOUNT

control sets the total modulation amount.

The diagram below shows the con guration of a single Mod Bus, but

the controls and selections for both busses are the same.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

Two controls modify the amount of modulation sent to the destination: the selected controller (set with the

knob) and the

AMOUNT

control. When the selected controller is a performance control

the selected controller is an envelope, the modulation varies according to the envelope parameters. In both

AMOUNT

control always sets the maximum amount of modulation.

To try out a simple modulation effect, make the following settings:

control to about 6 Hz

WAVE

control to ‘LFO’

control to ‘PITCH’

selector to ‘MOD WHEEL’

AMOUNT

control to 2

These settings allow the Mod Wheel performance control to be used to fade in the modulation, which

tion Busses offer a wealth of modulation possibilities which make the Voyager OS an incredible sound

The

There are six selections available:

The

control selects the destination of the modulation. The modulation destination is cho-

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The

dial selects from six modulation controller options. The Controller selections are:

Wheel in the left-hand controller section.

when this is selected, the Mod Bus AMOUNT control will set the total amount of

Amount:

The

AMOUNT

control

AMOUNT

control is set to 0, no modulation will pass. When

AMOUNT

is set to

the envelopes)

Additional CV Control

The

jack

The

jack allows you to apply an external modulation source into the MOD busses. The input

control is set to ‘ON/MOD2’, the voltage applied

to this jack becomes the Modulation Source.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The Voyager OS has a dedicated Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO). The LFO produces triangle and square

waves as well as stepped and smoothed Sample & Hold (S&H) signals over a range of approximately 0.2 to

The Voyager’s CV Interface jacks on the back panel of the Voyager allow additional

the S&H Gate input, it will disconnect the LFO trigger; an external gate signal can

then be used to trigger the S&H circuit. Similarly, a plug inserted into the S&H

when the S&H circuit is triggered, the voltage at the tip of the plug is held at the

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The

control sets the frequency of the LFO. The

control frequency range is approximately 0.2

to 50 Hz.

Wave:

The

WAVE

control selects the LFO waveform. There are four waveforms available:

Triangle

Additional CV Connections

The

jack accepts an expression pedal or a control voltage from -5 to +5V. A positive voltage

control.

The

jack accepts a footswitch or a +5V Gate input. Closing the footswitch or applying a gate

The

jack accepts an expression pedal or a control voltage from -5 to +5V. The voltage on this jack

The

jack accepts a +5V Gate input. Applying a gate signal here will trigger the Sample and Hold

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The Voyager OS has a 44-note keyboard (3 octaves,

These voltages can be used as modulation

VX-351 CV Expander.

To the left of the keyboard is the Left Hand Controller Panel,

which contains the Pitch Bend and Mod Wheel performance

The Voyager OS keyboard priority is LAST NOTE, and the trigger mode is LEGATO. ‘Last Note’ means that

tion of notes on the keyboard is held down, the keyboard Gate signal is high (in other words, Single Trigger

Trigger mode the next time the unit is powered up unless the top two keys of the keyboard are held down.

This spring-loaded performance control affects the pitch of all three oscillators.

The pitch bend amount is

The Pitch Bend amount is set by an internal jumper. Although most players will be comfortable

with the factory default setting (+/-5 semitones), wider or narrower ranges can be set by recon guring

This performance control adjusts the amount of modulation that is sent to the modulation destination when

the Mod Buss

The

switch turns the Glide function ON and OFF. The glide rate is controlled by the

The

switch is used to shorten the release time of both the Filter and Volume envelopes. You will

switch is

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The

and

outputs on the Voyager OS are unbalanced ” TS jacks for use with

When just the

output is connected, both channels are summed to this output. A stereo

and

outputs are used. When the Voyager Filter is set

to ‘Dual Lowpass Mode’, the

output can be used to get a monophonic sound that is unaffected by

the Filter’s

control.

This is an unbalanced ” TS input that accepts any instrument or line level signal and routes the signal to

the Mixer. A dedicated

input control on the Mixer adjusts the signal level.

This is a ” TRS jack that is used for inserting a processing device between the Voyager’s Mixer and Filters.

The tip is the send and the ring is the return (see the illustration on page 14).

The CV/Expression Inputs are ” TS jacks color coded with a red nut. These jacks accept an input from

– Do not alter the power connector in any way. Doing so can

The back panel provides for all of the Voyager’s connectivity, including power, audio and CV expansion con-

This is a standard AC power inlet. Use only a power cord designed to mate with this receptacle. The

Voyager power supply is designed to work with power inputs of 100-240 VAC; 50-60 Hz.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - The Components

The Gate/Footswitch Inputs are ” TS jacks color coded with a blue nut. These jacks accept an input from

Accessory Port:

The Voyager OS has a DB-25 connector which connects to the optional VX-351 Voyager CV Expander.

This device outputs all the CV and Gate signals that are generated by the Voyager on ” jacks. For more

will trigger the envelopes. Make sure that the Volume Envelope SUSTAIN control is set to

CV Output:
The Keyboard Pitch CV (labeled ‘KB CV’) is available at this output. This CV is scaled to 1V/octave. The
actual voltage corresponds to the last note played on the keyboard.

Gate Output:
The Keyboard Gate (labeled ‘KB GATE’) is available at this output. This signal is a +5V trigger signal that is
generated with each key press.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

Appendix A - Speci cations

form control, 1 Noise source, 5-input Mixer,

Transmits monophonic velocity and after-

touch control voltages

(range is internally adjustable)

AC Power Inlet (universal power supply,

that allow external control of

various CV and Gate functions)

Accessory Output Port (DB25 connector)

for optional VX-351 CV Expander

jacks on

TRS jack on

front panel. Dedicated Headphone

Volume control.

Weight:

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

Appendix B - VX-351 CV Expander

were known as modular synthesizers, because each function of the synthesizer was contained in a single

was not without its drawbacks, however, which include:

Time – creating sounds from scratch takes a lot of practice, patience, and time.

templates, and, due to its smaller size and weight, the synth can actually be carried to gigs without having to

front panel, the Voyager OS offers even more functions than the original Minimoog, and provides expansion

full advantage of this capability, you need a way to access all of the Voyager’s control voltage signals, both

The VX-351 Voyager CV Expander is an add-on product that expands

your Voyager OS into a semi-modular synth. The VX-351 contains

on ” jacks (19 CV outputs

for reducing or inverting the strength of a CV signal, and two 4-way

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

To connect the VX-351, locate the male end (the end with recessed pins) of the DB-25 cable - this

Align the cable properly and make the connection. Use the thumbscrews to lock the connection.

ACCESSORY PORT”.

Voyager’s

control will change the rate that the Filter Cutoff moves up and down. This

the VX-351 Attenuators. Set the Attenuator amount to zero. Using another ” cable, make a

the Destination.

This is a very basic use for the VX-351, but it demonstrates the fundamental concept of how to use it:

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

VX-351 CV Output Expander - Description

The following is a description of the outputs and functions contained in the VX-351 CV Output Expander.

TOUCH

This group of four outputs is not used with the Voyager OS.

This group of outputs is generated from the Voyager’s Keyboard. There are three control voltages (Pitch,

Velocity and Pressure) and one gate signal.

VEL:

This is the CV determined by the velocity used to press a key.

This is the CV determined by how much pressure is exerted on a key after it is pressed.

This is the gate signal generated when a key is pressed.

WHEELS

This group of outputs is generated from the Voyager keyboard’s Left Hand Controller Wheels.

This is the CV generated from the Mod Wheel.

This group of outputs is generated from the MOD1 and MOD2 jacks on the rear panel of the Voyager.

that determines how much of the PEDAL/ON Mod Bus Source goes to the PEDAL/ON Mod

Volt signal at the MOD1Input. The Voltage that appears at the MOD1 Input is duplicated at the

Voyager that is an external modulation source for the Mod Busses. With nothing plugged into

the MOD2 jack, the voltage that’s present at the MOD2 jack is +5V. When a CV is plugged

that appears at the MOD2 Input is duplicated at the MOD2 output.

This group of outputs is generated from the Voyager’s LFO. There are two CV waveforms available here

TRIANGLE: This is the triangle wave output of the LFO.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

This group of outputs is generated by the Mod Buss signals. They are the Modulation source after being

WHEEL: This is the output of the Mod Wheel Mod Buss. It is the Mod Wheel SOURCE shaped by the

AMOUNT

control and the MOD WHEEL.

AMOUNT

control and the signal at the

This group of outputs is the output of the Envelope Generators.

VOLUME: This is the CV output of the Volume Envelope Generator.

This group of outputs is generated by the Sample and Hold Circuit.

ATTENUATORS

The VX-351 contains two attenuators. An attenuator is used to reduce the amount of a CV signal. The

The VX-351 contains two 4-way Multiples, or ‘Mults’. A Mult is used to distribute a single source to multiple

this case, all three of those parameters will be controlled simultaneously by the LFO.

use a CV mixer (like the

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

TOUCH

Y

A

VEL

WHEELS

TRIANGLE

WHEEL (Note 4)

VOLUME

The table below shows the effective ranges of the VX-351 Outputs.

VX-351 CV Expander Outputs

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

VX-351 CV OUTPUT EXPANDER

Vol Env

Atten 1/Amount

Atten 2/Amount

A list of the Expander connections (like the one shown below) is a convenient way to document CV

on the VX-351 are not used. These jacks are omitted on the above list.

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

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The following are some simple ways to use the VX-351 with the Voyager OS. Gather up some ” patch

This will con gure the Mod Wheel as a volume controller. Perform the following steps:

AMOUNT:

Voyager’s VOLUME jack.

to 60 (about 9 o’clock) and turn the

GLIDE

and

theremin-like patch where the volume and timbre is completely controlled by your left hand

while you play the notes with your right hand.

This is an alternative to triggering a sound from the Voyager by pressing a key. In this example, the last key

you press will determine the pitch, but the LFO will continuously trigger the star t of the envelopes.

Voyager’s Envelope Gate (ENV GATE) Input.

switch to ‘ON/EXTERNAL’. You should immediately

control while you tweak

the

and Envelope controls.

Attenuator.

WAVE jack.

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The Moogerfooger® CP-251 Control Processor makes an ideal

two waveforms (Triangle/Square), a Sample & Hold circuit with two

Voyager, so the CP-251 and VX-351 add an extra level of modulation

The LFO in the CP-251 can be used for common modulations such as vibrato, tremolo, auto-pan and

To try any of the examples shown below, begin by connecting the CP-251’s LFO Triangle output to an At-

tenuator Input, then follow the example to complete the modulation routing.

To create Vibrato:

jack. On the CP-251, set the LFO

control to 6 Hz (about 1 o’clock), and adjust the

ATTEN-

control to about ‘0.5’ on the dial (a very low amount). This con guration will produce a

control considerably higher will result in wild

To create Tremolo:

VOLUME jack. On the CP-251, set the LFO

ATTENUATOR

control to ‘10’ on the dial. This will produce a constant tremolo effect. Adjust the

To produce Auto-Panning:

jack. On the CP-251, set the LFO

control to ‘10’ on the dial. This will produce a constant panning effect. Adjust the LFO

Appendix C - Using the CP-251 with the Voyager

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To produce a modulated  lter effect:

control to 6 Hz (about 1 o’clock), and adjust the

ATTENUATOR

to about ‘2’ on the dial. This will produce a cyclical tonal variation as the  lter cutoff

frequency is modulated. Setting the CP-251’s LFO

control considerably higher will result in

wild timbral textures, while a very low setting will create a slowly evolving  lter sweep.

This is a handy little trick that can be used to lower the  lter cutoff as you play higher on the keyboard. This

control to ‘0’

ATTENUATOR

control level to -5.

and

ATTENUATOR

controls to taste.

A Sample and Hold circuit can be used for more than generating random voltages. One type of modulation

wave into discreet voltage levels that resembles a staircase. We’ll use two LFO’s for this; a slow one for the

Voyager’s Sample and Hold Input jack (S&H IN).

control to about 6 Hz (about 1 o’ clock on the dial).

the Voyager’s Sample and Hold Gate Input jack (S&H GATE).

WAVE

AMOUNT:

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from the Mult to the Mixer 1 & Mixer 2 inputs. Set the Mixer 1 & 2, and Master levels to

We’ve covered some basic uses of the Voyager and the VX-351 and CP-251. Other CV compatible

analog effects can be incorporated to further expand the sonic palette.

With all of the control options provided, the possibilities for sound creation are nearly limitless!

We’ve just scratched the Surface

The examples provided here are just a few of the synthesis possibilities afforded by the Voyager OS and our

you should always connect a source to a destination, and that you shouldn’t combine multiple source CVs

without a mixer. We encourage you to experiment, as there are many possibilities for exploring synthesis

– whether you are trying to duplicate a sound or effect you heard, or if you are trying to make a sound that

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Appendix D - SynthesisTutorial

the low end) to about 20,000 Hz (on the high end). The frequency of

A second perception of sound is its volume or loudness. Loud sounds

Amplitude, which is measured in Decibels (dB).

A third perception of sound is its tone color, also known as its timbre. There is no standard of measurement

for timbre, so instead we use familiar terms to describe the tone color of a sound – bright or dull, buzzy or

they decrease as the frequency goes up, so a 200hz harmonic will be louder than a 300Hz harmonic, which

will be louder than a 400Hz harmonic, and so on. Note that there are some sounds that contain overtones

that are not mathematically related to the base pitch. These include the ‘metallic’ sounds created by percus-

timbre) to create new sounds and simulate existing ones. This process is called Synthesis. There are a

to achieve the desired sound.

A synthesizer design based on subtractive synthesis typically consists of three main components and three

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The Oscillator is the starting point of Subtractive Synthesis, for it is here that the initial sound is created. The

The pitch of the oscillator is primarily determined by the keyboard, which creates speci c pitches based on an

The waveform determines the harmonic richness of the audio signal. There are four basic waveforms common

to most synthesizers: sawtooth, square, triangle and sine.

The sawtooth wave is the richest sounding of the four waves. It contains all

for brass and string sounds, bass sounds and rich accompaniments.

The square wave possesses a hollow sound compared to the sawtooth,

An interesting aspect of the square wave is that the waveshape can be

wave. By changing the shape of the wave, new harmonics are introduced.

for creating lush pads. Many synthesizers allow you to dynamically control

the shape, or ‘width’ of the pulse wave using modulation sources such as a

The Subtractive Synthesis Model

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triangle wave has a soft, slightly buzzy sound that is suitable for high-

The sine wave is the purest waveform of them all. It has no harmonics,

waveform and level (volume) parameters. Several oscillators make possible rich and complex sound source

to combine them with the oscillators, or process the external audio by itself using the synthesizer compo-

The combined sound sources are routed to the Filter, a circuit that removes or reduces frequencies (and

A Lowpass  lter gets its name because it allows low frequencies to pass

through while removing or reducing the high frequencies. The point

to the  lter’s ‘slope’, which is a measure of how well the  lter works.

The slope of a  lter is expressed in decibels per octave (dB/Oct). The

Voyager  lter is rated at 24 dB/Oct, which creates a dramatic reduction

Another important  lter parameter is the  lter resonance. Resonance ampli es the frequencies at the

The Filtered signal is routed to the Ampli er, which controls the gain (volume) of the signal. The Ampli-

The Oscillator, Filter and Ampli er are voltage controlled, meaning that they respond to changes in voltages.

voltage, the higher the cutoff frequency. For the Ampli er, this means the higher the voltage, the greater the

volume. Since each of the three main components respond to a voltage, the entire synthesis system thus

further vary the sound.

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whenever a key is pressed. The level of the control voltage signal is a function of which key is pressed - the

The keyboard’s control voltage signal is commonly routed to the oscillators to control the pitch, and it can also

trigger signal is routed to the Envelope Generators to trigger the envelopes.

The second

auxiliary component is the Envelope Generator, or EG. The

voltage that is typically used to control the gain of the ampli er, or the

The EG is triggered from a Gate signal that is generated every time a

The Voyager’s Envelope Generators have four stages that can be set individually:

Attack – The time to go from zero volts to the maximum voltage (the fade in time).

The last auxiliary component to mention is the Low Frequency Oscillator,

typically used to send modulation control signals to the main components.

vibrato by varying the pitch of the oscillator. If you send that same LFO

variations in the sound, making the sound more dynamic and interesting.

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two extensive modulation sections, and the Voyager’s third oscillator can act as an additional LFO. As you

would expect, synthesizers that offer more than one of each component provide a broader palette for

worth of explanations and examples. For tunately, a number of excellent books have been written on the

As with all musical instruments, practice, exploration and experimentation are an important par t of achiev-

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Appendices

Appendix E - Service and Support Information

tory basis. This warranty covers defects that Moog Music determines are no fault of the user. In countries

for service.

You must obtain prior approval in the form of an RMA (Return Material Authorization) number from Moog

What we will do

transport. If the product has been abused, damaged in transit, or is out of warranty, we will contact you with

you do not have web access,  ll out the all the information on the included warranty card and mail to:

Attn: New Product Registration

Asheville, N.C. USA 28804

Appendix F - Caring for the Voyager Old School

Voyager’s wood casing can be cleaned with a guitar polish, or a  ne furniture polish. Heed the safety warnings at

the beginning of the manual. Don’t drop the unit. If you are shipping your Voyager to the factory for servicing,

we recommend using the original shipping carton, or an ATA approved Road Case. Shipping the Voyager in a

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SAFETY: Do not open the chassis. There are no user

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To further enhance the functionality and appearance of the Minimoog Voyager OS, Moog Music offers the

following optional accessories. For complete information on everything listed here, including pricing and

The EP2 Expression Pedal is the  nest expression pedal available. Its smooth action gives it the feel

VX-351 CV Expander

The VX-351 Voyager CV Expander provides all the CV and Gate outputs of the Voyager OS on standard ”

The CP-251 Control Voltage Processor offers a number CV processing options that can be used with any

Voyager, Moogerfooger analog effects module, or other voltage-controlled gear. The CP-251 provides a dual

waveform LFO, Noise Generator, Sample-and-Hold circuit, as well as two active attenuators, a Lag Processor,

voltages to produce the incredible variety of sounds and effects that analog synthesizers are famous for.

VX-351 Rack Mount Kit

The VX-351 Rack Mount Kit allows you to mount any combination of two CV Expanders or CV Processors

The FS-1 Footswitch is a heavy-duty footswitch in a steel enclosure. The switch is a momentary, normally

with a ” mono phone plug attached.

touring schedules.

Appendix G - Accessories

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Accessories (Con’t)

Voyager Gig Bag

Voyager. The gig bag is made of heavy-duty nylon material, with double-stitched construction and a pouch

for your cables and accessories.

Voyager Extended Warranty (available to US customers only)

The Extended Warranty adds three years to the Voyager’s standard one-year warranty, providing you a total

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ADSR – Abbreviation for Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release, the four stages of an envelope control voltage

Amplitude – The strength of a sound’s vibration measured in Decibels (dB). Amplitude corresponds to the

the CV, the higher the gain, or volume).

volume) over time. For example, when a string is plucked, its amplitude is suddenly very loud, but then

the plucked sound is very bright, but then the brightness fades away. This describes the Tonal envelope

tone) and ampli ers (affecting volume).

varying signal that can be applied to any voltage-controlled circuit. The Envelope Generators in the

Voyager have four adjustable segments: Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release, also sometimes referred to as

ADSR. The Attack, Decay and Release segments are speci ed as time parameters, while the Sustain seg-

ADSR envelope. This trigger is called a gate signal, and it’s produced whenever a key is pressed on the

the gate signal turns off. When the gate is on, the Envelope Generator is triggered and the envelope

.

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A  lter has a cutoff frequency that determines the point at which frequencies begin to be removed. A

frequency are removed and frequencies above the cutoff are passed through. A bandpass  lter has two

two terms are not always interchangeable. Frequency is an objective measurement of a sound, while pitch

while the other oscillator is known as the ‘carrier’. The carrier oscillator is the one you hear. When

the modulator frequency is very low (about 6Hz), the effect is described as vibrato. As the modulator

frequency is raised into the audio range, new modulation frequency components are created, and the effect

the harmonic series. These sounds are typically pleasing to the ear and generally the consecutive vibrations

which the harmonics are not mathematically related. Their waveforms look chaotic. White noise is an

the pitch of a VCO, results in vibrato. Changing the LFO waveform to a square wave will result in a trill.

An LFO modulating a VCA with a triangle wave creates tremolo.

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frequency is determined by one or more control voltages. Changes to these voltages correspond to

time a trigger or gate signal is received. Sample and hold circuits commonly employ white noise as a signal

taken. Since the signal source is noise (a random audio signal), the output of the S&H circuit is also random.

The sampling interval is typically controlled by a low frequency oscillator (LFO). By adjusting the speed

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Timbre – Pronounced ‘tamber’, it refers to the quality of a sound by its overtones. An unprocessed sawtooth

wave has a bright timbre, while a triangle wave has a mellow timbre.

Tremolo – Technically a form of low frequency amplitude modulation, tremolo is a smooth audible pulsing of

volume. In synthesizers, tremolo is produced when a 5-6Hz LFO triangle or sine wave signal is applied to a

voltage controlled ampli er.

Waveform – The shape of an oscillator’s vibration. This shape determines its timbre. Commonly used

waveforms in subtractive synthesis include sawtooth, triangle, square, or rectangular. Different waveforms

A square wave has only odd harmonics, and sounds bright but hollow, like a clarinet. A rectangular wave

VCA – Shor t for Voltage Controlled Ampli er, a VCA is an ampli er circuit where the gain is a function of the

VCF – Short for Voltage Controlled Filter, a VCF is a  lter circuit where the  lter cutoff frequency is a function of

the control voltage. A VCF is used to control the timbre of a sound. In the Voyager, the VCF is paired with

the Filter Envelope Generator for dynamic control. Other CV sources for the VCF include the Keyboard

Amount, Modulation Matrix and Filter CV Input.

VCO – Short for Voltage Controlled Oscillator, a VCO is an oscillator circuit where the oscillator frequency is a

function of the control voltage. In the Voyager, the VCO is primarily controlled from the keyboard. Other

Vibrato – Technically a very low frequency modulation, vibrato is a smooth, mild pitch warble. In synthesizers,

vibrato is produced when a 5-6Hz LFO triangle or sine wave signal is applied to a voltage controlled

Voyager OS – A monophonic analog performance synthesizer that is a successor to the classic Minimoog

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Voyager OS User’s Manual - Glossary

Just like the original Minimoog, the best way to record your patches for later recall is to document them us-

To help get you started on your musical explorations, here are a couple of sample patches of typical

visit the Voyager OS section on the Moog Music web site (www.moogmusic.com).

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Text and illustrations by Greg Kist, Steve Dunnington

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