Moog Voyager XL User manual
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Table of Contents
FOREWORD from Cyril Lance .................................. 4
THE BASICS
How to use this Manual ....................................... 6
Setup and Connections ........................................ 7
Overview and Features ........................................ 10
Signal Flow .................................................................... 12
THE COMPONENTS
A. Mixer Section ........................................................ 16
B. Oscillator Section ................................................ 18
C. Filter Section ......................................................... 21
D. Envelopes Section .............................................. 24
E. Output Section ..................................................... 27
F. Modulation Section .......................................... 28
G. Primary LFO/S&H Section .......................... 31
H. Keyboard & LH Controllers ......................... 33
I Ribbon Controller ................................................. 34
J Touch Surface Controller ................................. 35
K. Modular Patch Panel ........................................... 36
L. Back Panel .................................................................. 44
M. Interface Panel ...................................................... 45
THE USER INTERFACE
Panel Mode ............................................................................ 46
Edit Mode ................................................................................ 50
Master Mode ......................................................................... 65
How the Voyager XL handles MIDI ........................ 78
APPENDICES
A – Touch Surface LFO S&H: In Use ....................... 83
B – MIDI Basics .................................................................. 84
C – Initialization Parameters ...................................... 86
D – Synthesis Tutorial ....................................................... 88
E – MIDI Implementation ............................................... 93
F – Service & Support Information .......................... 94
G – Caring for the Voyager XL .................................... 94
H – Specications ................................................................. 95
GLOSSARY ...................................................................................... 96
PRESET LIST .................................................................................. 100
User’s Manual
Minimoog
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Foreword
In early September 2005, Ileana Grams Moog asked me to go out to Bob’s place in the country and see what
the state of his workshop was. That day in North Carolina was impossibly beautiful. As we drove up a long,
windy gravel driveway in Turkey Cove, we came to this idyllic spot surrounded by mountain laurels, oaks and
babbling creeks. Standing there was a steel outbuilding eerily similar to my own workshop. This was the place
Bob called “Big Briar”.
Feeling a bit like Indiana Jones, we gured out which old key opened the building and turned on the
lights. Piles of papers, parts of electronics, old synthesizers, solder, screws, knobs, and tools were scattered
everywhere. Since I never had the chance to know Bob very well, I felt a little bit like I was transformed
back to a time when he must have been busy tinkering in his shop plying his unique blend of intuition and
intelligence.
After about an hour of poking around, my foot hit something hard on the oor – I looked down and there
was a black trash bag at my feet, just lying there like it had been abandoned and forgotten.
I opened it up and it was one of those moments when angels actually sing (of course, this time the voices
sounded very much like something from an old Wendy Carlos track…).
Inside this bag was a Minimoog in pristine condition. On it was a plaque stating it was one of the last 25 made
on the Minimoog line. I just started laughing. How BOB! This is how I was slowly starting to know him better;
this mythic instrument was probably brought in one night, placed on the oor as he headed to his workbench
to nish some circuit, and then forgotten.
The Minimoog has a very special place in the history of electronic instruments. They are loved, played, abused,
coveted, hidden away so as not be touched, talked about, blogged about, and on and on. They were noisy,
unstable, quirky, funky – everything that makes for a great soulmate! Now it’s 40 years later, and the Voyager
XL was born out of the desire to celebrate this history.
When we at Moog discussed this project, we decided that we needed to celebrate more than the Minimoog
per se, but the larger legacy of Bob’s work. To hark back to the original modular approach and to encourage
musicians to really take advantage of what I consider to be the singular most important aspect of our
instruments: the Control Voltage. Something so basic and simple but it is still revolutionizing the world of
sound.
The XL was born out of a lot of evolving ideas both internal and external since I have been here with Moog.
The request for a larger keyboard, the desire for Ribbon Controller, and for more LFO sources with different
ranges to further expand a musician’s ability to modulate – one of the most fundamental aspects of musicality.
We also felt strongly that this needed to be on the front panel. All these features needed to be immediate,
playable, and fully analog – they DEMAND you to craft your sounds and to architect your soundscapes in the
organic way that made the original modulars so magical.
The XL’s larger keyboard allows you to create much longer harmonic ideas but should also encourage you
to use this keyboard as a polyphonic controller and then further blow down the sonic doors by feeding
this polyphonic source back into the Voyager via the External Audio adding a whole other dimension of
possibilities!
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I am extremely excited about this instrument. It, of course, builds upon the Minimoog Voyager–Bob’s
seminal synthesizer–yet adds another option to our family of synths from the small (our new SLIM Phatty)
to the large (the Voyager XL). Each of these instruments have their own personality, their own voice, and
excel in different ways. But they all are direct descendants of that funky little Minimoog sitting on the oor
of Bob’s workshop that I stumbled upon accidentally that day. They are all direct descendents of the passion
that you, the artists, have put into making your voice heard through this incredible legacy.
As with any instrument, we spend many, many hours discussing and debating features with our customers.
I am extremely appreciative of the huge contributions and always-informative conversations with Moog
guru Brian Kehew, as well Drew Newman, Eric Levy and Roger O’Donnell among others. This continual
collaboration with the artists who use our instruments allows us to craft tools that meet the visions and
inspirations of folks like yourself.
HUGE thanks to my incredibly brilliant and dedicated engineering team: Steve Dunnington, Amos Gaynes,
Rich Shaich, and Eric Church. Nothing is possible without them (including my sanity!). Special thanks to Rudi
Linhard, Axel Hartman, David Rankin and Core Design for their expert contributions. To the terric team at
Moog who are involved in building, shipping, and selling instruments around the world – you are a wonderful
bunch! Thanks to the tireless efforts of our marketing team which gets the news out to you and beyond
and also continually strives to keep Bob’s vision alive. Thanks also to Greg Kist for this incredible manual – a
treasure trove of knowledge and help on the instrument.
To all of you who continually give us your ideas, your passions and your music – you are the bedrock of
Moog Music. We appreciate you all and honor what you do with our instruments. We can’t wait to hear
what you do with the XL.
Finally, without Mike Adams, our president, Moog Music would not be here and especially not continue to
maintain the excellence of spirit and intention through these times. His tireless work and fortitude cannot
be understated. The fact that we are here to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the MiniMoog owes a lot to
his vision and skills.
This morning I brought the rst working XL home and plunked it down in my living room. My six-year old
son’s eyes lit up and he jumped up on a little chair, turned it on, and immediately started crafting his own
sounds, plugging cables in and out, listening, adjusting and grooving – for over an hour until I unplugged it so I
could get back to work (he was not happy about that)!
Now it’s your turn!
It brings me great pleasure to present the Minimoog Voyager XL to you. I hope it brings you a lifetime of
pleasure and inspiration.
Sincerely,
Cyril Lance
Senior Engineer and Chief Technical Alchemist
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
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Voyager XL 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 XL.
The Setup and Connections section explains how to unpack, setup and connect the Voyager XL, and provides
a quick start to get you up and running with your new instrument.
The Components section offers detailed explanations of the Voyager XL components that create and modify
sound.
The Panel Mode, Edit Mode and Master Mode sections provide in-depth descriptions of the Voyager XL
menus, options and operation.
The Appendix provides additional information, such as technical specications, service and support info, and
making connections to optional external equipment. First time users should read Appendix D Synthesis Tuto-
rial, where you will nd an explanation of sound and subtractive synthesis.
For those interested MIDI interface specics, see the section titled How the Voyager XL handles MIDI, as well
as Appendix E, MIDI Implementation. Those who are new to MIDI should rst read MIDI Basics, found in Ap-
pendix B.
At the back of the manual, you’ll nd a Glossary that denes important synthesizer terminology, and a table
listing all of the Voyager XL Presets.
Icons
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. XL
This icon indicates a useful performance or programming tip.
This icon indicates technical information for the advanced user or the technically curious.
How to Use this Manual
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
For those of you who can’t wait to play your new Voyager XL synthesizer (completely understandable!), The
following should get you set up and running quickly.
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 Voyager XL.
Check the contents in the shipping carton
The Voyager is shipped with the following items:
1. The Voyager XL Synthesizer
2. Patch Cable Kit
3. Power cord
4. This User’s Manual
5. Warranty registration card
What you will need
In addition to the Voyager and provided accessories, you will need:
1. A stand or table sufcient to support the Voyager XL
2. A ” instrument cable (for mono) or two ” instrument cables (for stereo) and an
amplier, or a pair of headphones
3. A properly wired AC outlet.
4. A few ” patch cords for trying various connections
Set up
Make sure you have an adequate place to set it up. You will need a sturdy keyboard stand or at surface
that will provide the proper support and will not easily topple. Use caution when lifting the Voyager XL out
of the carton, and be sure to save the carton and all packing material in case you need to ship the Voyager
XL for any reason.
Connect to Power and Amplier
Make the connections as shown below. Connect the Voyager XL’s power receptacle (on the back panel) to
a wall outlet using the supplied AC power cord. The Voyager XL universal power supply will operate with a
power source from 90 to 250 Volts AC, 50/60Hz. Do not switch on the power yet. Set the Master Volume
control to minimum before making the connection to an amplier or headphones.
Setup and Connections
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
Now Power up
Turn the Voyager XL power ON. The LCD screen will light up and display an “XL” start-up message. After
a few seconds the start-up screen will disappear and the current preset will appear in the display. The name
of the current preset location (bank and preset number) will appear on the top line and the preset name
will be displayed on the middle line of the LCD screen:
Test for Sound and Set Levels
Play a few notes on the Voyager XL keyboard while turning up the volume of your amplication. Set the
volume to a comfortable listening level.
Start Playing
Use the -1/+1 buttons to scroll through the presets. All preset locations are loaded with sounds from the
factory (128 presets each in 8 banks). There are a total of 1024 preset locations in memory – 896 of which
are user programmable. Note that once a preset is called up, you can tweak the parameters to your liking
using the front panel controls. Any changes made to the current preset will cause the display to change as
shown, with asterisks added to the preset name indicating that the preset has been modied:
If you make changes to a preset and want to return to the original sound, simply press ENTER. You can
toggle between the stored preset and the current edited preset by pressing the EDIT button and selecting
the COMPARE TO PRESET function. This function will allow you to toggle back and forth between the
original preset and the edited preset using the CURSOR button (for more on the COMPARE TO PRESET
function, see page 51). If you wish to save your changes, press EDIT and select the SAVE PRESET function
(for more on the SAVE PRESET function, see page 64). Any changes made to a preset will be lost if they
are not saved once you change to a new preset.
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
Making Your Own Sounds
To create your own sound from scratch, it’s good to start from the Voyager XL default parameters. This
can be done by the ‘Initializing Parameters’ command. Press the EDIT button, and press the +1 button until
INIT PARAMETERS is highlighted, then press ENTER. Use the CURSOR button to select ‘Yes’ and press
ENTER. This loads the default parameters temporarily into the current preset location. The default sound
is a basic one-oscillator square wave sound–think of it as a blank canvas for your sonic creations. Try the
controls to the right of the Mixer, one at a time, starting with FILTER CUTOFF, and notice how they affect
the sound. Then try combining different tones with the Mixer and Oscillators 2 and 3. Finally experiment
with the Mod Busses to see how different types of Modulation affect the sound.
To operate exclusively from the front panel and not from the presets, the ‘Real Panel Parameters’ must be
loaded. First initialize the parameters as described above. Then press the PANEL button twice. Use the -1
button to highlight ‘REAL PANEL PARAM’. Press ENTER, and you will see the prompt ‘Load actual panel
parameter? Yes/No’. Use the CURSOR to select Yes and press ENTER. The sound produced by the Voyager
is now determined by the settings of the front panel independently of preset memory.
When working with the Voyager XL, 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. For
instance, if the Sustain level of the Volume Envelope is all the way down, and the Attack and Decay times are
at zero, there will be no output. In another example, if you have a sound where the AMOUNT TO FILTER
control for the Filter Envelope is at zero, then changing the Filter Envelope ATTACK control will likely result
in no audible change. To use your Voyager XL to its fullest potential, it is very important to understand the
workings of all the controls and how they interact in order to understand how a sound (or lack thereof) is
produced. Don’t get frustrated, simply work systematically until you know what each control does and how
it interacts with other Voyager XL parameters.
The Voyager XL is recommended for an operating temperature between about 50 and 100 degrees
Fahrenheit. It is safe to operate the synthesizer outside of this range (between 0 and 125 degrees F),
but the Voyager’s voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) may not remain in tune.
It is recommended that a warm up period of about 15 minutes be allowed before using the Voyager.
This warm-up period is necessary for the proper operation of the VCO’s (the warm up period may be
longer if the Voyager XL has been stored outside the recommended operating temperature range).
Warranty registration
Moog’s on-line warranty registration system is the best way to activate your warranty. Access the Moog
web site at www.moogmusic.com and click on the “Product Register” tab. If you complete all the requested
information, Moog Music will send you a complimentary gift.
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
Overview and Features
Front Panel:
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
Back Panel:
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Voyager XL User’s Manual - The Basics
To understand the Voyager XL internal signal ow, it’s helpful to consider the three types of signal rout-
ings in the system: the audio path, the control voltage path, and the modulation path.
Audio Path
The Voyager XL audio path includes all of the signal sources and signal modiers that produce an audio
output. These include the oscillators, mixer, lters and ampliers (VCAs).
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
selected and mixed together. The output of the Mixer section is routed to the Filter section through a
Mixer Out/Filter In jack on the Voyager’s rear panel. This jack allows you to interrupt the signal routing
between the Mixer and Filter to insert an external effect, or take the output of the Mixer directly.
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
HP/LP. Dual LP mode features two lowpass lters in parallel, while HP/LP (Highpass-Lowpass) mode
features a lowpass and highpass lter in series, creating a Bandpass lter response. In either mode, the
Filter Cutoff control affects the cutoff frequency of both lters, and the Spacing control is used to adjust
the difference between the cutoff frequencies. The outputs of the lters are routed to the Voltage
Controlled Ampliers (VCAs).
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
below.
Signal Flow
The Voyager XL Audio Path
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