The Realistic (Moog) MG-1: Part 5

[boztone]

Thank you so much for these videos, Marc. I saw one of these MG-1's on craigslist and watching your videos convinced me to pick it up. I am loving it so far, and my band mates really dig it, too.

Thanks, again.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@boztone Glad I could help!

[KELLYMISFIT1970]

i miss radio shack remeber buying mine from them

[PaulFitzZaland]

Wow, thanks for this series! I recently posted a classified add looking for a Roland SH-1000, SH-2000, or Mini-Korg and someone responded by offering me an MG-1 for $100. I didn't know anything about the little Moog but an online search led me here. Your enthusiastic and thorough demonstration made it clear that i needed to jump at the offer. I did and now I'm the proud owner of a very funky little synth.

This is how I wish all the online demos were handled. Nice job!

[briel]

I really want one of these. But I want an old one that I can fix up myself.

[PaulFitzZaland]

@briel at this point they're all old and will probably need maintenance from time-to-time as they continue to age.

Right now (January 2012) there are several on e bay and at least one looks like a fixer-upper.

Cheers!

[SoelJametz]

4:20-End always makes my head explode. That is such a fantastic sound and progression, especially when you add that fifth.

I'm so tempted to splurge on one of these just to create that sound

[CraigSpannier]

6:48 sounds like that daft punk song "short circuit"

[colmas]

@CraigSpannier it totally does! you know they sampled some prince song for that

[ultimatenerd22]

One word describes my feelings towards this synth, and it is "want."

[Elmokorvo]

No link to part six? :[

[AutomaticGainsay]

@Elmokorvo There is now! Thanks for the tip!

[deeroks1]

my only "problem" with your demos is that u rarely play bass sounds...always upper register cheese. other than that your reviews are thorough.



[AutomaticGainsay]

@deeroks1 Well, on this synth, there isn't much in the way of bass because it has limited range on the low end! But you're right, I should focus more on bass sounds! Next time, I'll keep your point in mind! Thanks for watching!

[jpmartineau]

@AutomaticGainsay I for one enjoy the upper register cheese.

[DiederikYBaan]

@AutomaticGainsay

I was thinking just the same! I love the sounds on this machine and am so close to buying, but how bassy is it if you would for instance compare it with a little phatty?

Thanks!

[feildmouse]

I used to really want a mini moog.

[Seishinbunretsusho]

Prior to watching this, I was bothered that there wasn't a pitch wheel. Now I give a negative amount of shits. Thank you, good sir, for taking the time to do these demos.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@Seishinbunretsusho Thank you VERY much for watching! I'm glad I've gotten across the benefits of this keyboard!

[jabberwalky]

it seems to yield quite a bit.  Quite impressed by it's yieldiness

[AutomaticGainsay]

@jabberwalky It's yieldful.

[invisiblepickle]

is there any chance you can tell me what chords you are playing between 4:40-5:20?

it sounds so beautiful. thank you.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@invisiblepickle D G Am7 DM7 D(2nd inv.) Dsus D Dsus GM7(2nd inv.) F A D E7 D E7 D9 Gsomething A D

If you use it, give me credit... even if I was improvising. ; )

[invisiblepickle]

@AutomaticGainsay thanks so much! watching your videos convinced me i need an MG-1 in my life.

[YARANAYR66]

Great video series yielding a compelling demo.

Cool keyboard. Also the main "axe" of The Dead Air Fresheners, one might add. Named the "$5 Machine" for the price that was paid for it. (We was "American Pickin'" way before Mike and Frank.)

[AutomaticGainsay]

@YARANAYR66 Thanks for watching, and thanks for the info!

[Pied777]

2:34 ... ''which, I mean, Holy crap ! ''lmao

[ktoedtman]

Thanks for these great videos, what a great teacher you are! Can't wait to get my hands on one of these little puppies.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@ktoedtman Thank you so much. I am glad to help! You'll be happy you got one!

[AutomaticGainsay]

@ktoedtman Thank you so much. I am glad to help! You'll be happy you got one!

[AutomaticGainsay]

@ktoedtman Thank you so much.  I am glad to help! You'll be happy you got one!

[AutomaticGainsay]

@ktoedtman Thank you so much. I am glad to help! You'll be happy you got one!

[fffunky1201]

Hi Marc

Many thanks for these great videos explaining the MG1. I have one and havn't used it much as I've never really got the best out of it. Your explanations have really helped me understand whats going on and I'm really looking forward to getting its dust cover off and fireing it up again. I had thought of selling it quite a bit recently, but not now!!

Thanks again

Stuart

London UK.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@fffunky1201 I am very glad to be able to help, and to help your MG-1 get some use!

[Dogboy73]

I was watching one of these on e-bay. Starting price £300. It's up to £400 now & it's bound to go up more I reckon. I wish, wish, wish & had of bought one of these a few years back when nobody knew WTF it was!!! :-(

[AutomaticGainsay]

@Dogboy73 It sounds like people in the UK are beginning to appreciate them more than in the US. It's a shame you can't buy one in the US, as it would be considerably less expensive for you due to the exchange rate alone! I hope you can find an affordable one!

[Dogboy73]

@AutomaticGainsay I think finding ANY affordable vintage analogue monosynth these days is like trying to find rocking horse s**t! BTW the MG-1 I was watching on e-bay ended up going for £400. That's about $650!!! The second hand market for vintage analogue just gets sillier every year! :-)

[Dogboy73]

I'm amazed by what this little synth is capable of doing! I nearly fell of my chair when you said it had polyphony!! I want one :-) Great demos BTW.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@Dogboy73 Thanks for watching!

[Dogboy73]

@AutomaticGainsay I almost bought a Korg monoPoly after watching your vid on that. I was sold & there was one on e-bay ...... but they price went way to high in the end. The same thing is happening with the MG-1 now!!

[The2080]

hey does this synth have cv connections to use with a sequencer or an arpeggiator ?

[AutomaticGainsay]

@The2080 Yes! It has a CV input and a trigger input!

[jebus0000]

that's it I'm getting one! Mostly because after watching all 5 videos I'm an expert on this synth!!

thanks! learned a lot about synthesizers in general.

[AutomaticGainsay]

@jebus0000 Thanks for watching, and I'm glad I could help!

[matthehat]

What I love about your videos is that you always look like you're having fun when you're playing around with the synths. It's just how I am when I'm mucking round looking for new sounds, there's a bit of a sense of childhood enjoyment

[cien1975]

I really bought the little gem (it wasn't cheap) and I'm still amazed what fat sounds this simple looking thing can do. Excellent design. Well done, Mr. Moog.

This still might be a totally underrated synth.

[jehano1]

how much is it usually in US dollars

[HolyKatana]

@jehano1 I've seen them generally at around $350-$400. Generally.

[skyprop]

"Holy Crap" ! At 2:36

[paperpichu]

Thanks for the joys of the Realistic Moog. Cool little thing.

[ratonme]

Great videos... Now i feel my Rogue is less synth than the MG-1... Thanks a lot.. ;)

[AutomaticGainsay]

@ratonme Thanks, and I'm sorry! : )

[javiceres]

Brilliant

[muzboz]

Cool set of videos. I want to try to make a setting like that last few minutes of playing, on my MicroKorg. Sample and Hold, Polyphonic, with the 2nd Osc set 1/5th above Osc 1. I'm pretty new to synths, but I think I can do it!

Loved your video on the beach about aspect ratios, too. Gold.

<:) All the best!

Murray

[AutomaticGainsay]

@muzboz Hey, thanks for watching! Good luck with your synthesis efforts! I suspect you'll be able to do it, too.

[funkballz]

Thanks for the great vids, would love to see you demo that CS-50!

[KALSoundProductions]

6:30 Has the best sound with the fifths!!

[guitarharpsichord]

I guess Roland was impressed with the MG ..there are 5 MG presets on the RS-5 synth..

[09fod]

loving the sounds from 6:20 tell the end

[wolveshawksandkites]

Wow. The sound around 6 minutes in is amazing. I'm definitely going to have revisit my MG-1.

[cien1975]

Someone offered me that synth and I wasn't sure if I should buy it. Now I know ... thanks for the video!

[magikroom]

When that Sample and Hold kicks in...I'm in love...:-)

[AutomaticGainsay]

Me too! I couldn't believe that a synth so often decried as cheap and useless actually had that feature, and that it could be applied to the filter and polyphony!

[soundmanhaven1]

I remember playing on one in tandy back in 1980.wow i didn't think it was this good i made a mistake should have got it while it was cheap £249 then....

[AutomaticGainsay]

They have been stubbornly resistant to synth-value-inflation in the States. I think I bought this one for around $300 (which was a bit excessive at that time) in 2006 or so. I sold it for $400 just last year. You can still get them for cheaper than that in the States, but you always have to make sure that they do not suffer from the black goo issue.

[jarrydn]

Amazing demonstration. Didn't realise just how versatile the polyphonic section could be!!!

My dad has one of these kicking around in his shed. Might have to show him this video and get him onto bringing it back to working order :)

[AutomaticGainsay]

The polyphonic section is the main reason I made this series... I really wanted people to see and hear something about it that wasn't some mocking dismissal... it's much more versatile than any review or comment I've seen would have you think. Get that thing out of the shed, and clean out the black goo if there is any!

[GNeuman]

Amazing to think that feature-wise for the price this synth had zero competition at the time and yet has remained largely undiscovered until this day.......

Conversely, the TB303 IMHO is such an overated piece of kit and commands to this day huge respect and 2nd hand value.

Best get one of these whilst you can............

Great series, thanks for posting :-))

[rolandsh1000]

stunning work with this gem!

but now you _have_ to get a Moog Liberation. it shares much (all?) of the same architecture and sound sources with the MG-1, except has 2 envelopes and a wealth of performance controls, including a touch sensor in the keybed that can drive a sync sweep.

[alecjahn]

Yep, you got me. I had no clue you could get that sound out of something like this.

[F0nkyNinja]

Marc Doty with his "Hugely cool sound" lol :)

[JingleJoe]

8:00 onwards is fricken amazing O_O

[AlainHubert]

I enjoy the enthusiasm. I can't help but wonder if your 2 parts series on the Korg Mono/Poly could not have been a 5 or 6 parts without all the edits ?

I've noticed that there isn't much editing on this 6 parts series. Because, having both the MG1 and MP myself, I feel the MP has as much, if not more, to offer than the MG1. But you're right it can't play a polyphonic, filtered, sample-and-hold, sound. But it can do much more with the chord memory and arpeggiator that the MG1 can't.

[AutomaticGainsay]

Alain, you're right. When I was doing the earlier videos, I was desperate to fit the whole demo into 10 minutes. In the case of the MonoPoly, the content simply did not fit, so I had to make it two part. With the MG-1, I simply demonstrated everything the synth could do. Whereas in previous demos, I cut out a lot of the playing, in this, the ARP, and the MS-20, I didn't. The MonoPoly could be stretched into a much longer series... but I don't have it anymore!

[AlainHubert]

@AutomaticGainsay

I guess you didn't love your MP as much as the MG1 ?

[thedcase]

Where can i get one of these?

[AlainHubert]

@thedcase

Ebay is one sure place. Local online ads is another.

[umajunkcollector]

I've seen them on ebay for like 300$+.