Moog Music Minimoog Voyager XL - Manual (Page 7)

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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.