Moog Liberation

Should you have difficulty figuring out how to determine the effects of manipulating knobs and sliders then, you need to ask yourself how many brain cells you have left. Obviously,I've got a few left to spare! I do not like presets. The only preset feature that would of been nice is some kind of patch storage capability.

Yes, there's polyphony! Limited but, not dissatifiying as you can mix it with the monosynth section. Never Had any desire to use it with any sort of external fx processor! use, with appropiate sound system is of course more than rewarding! Alright, I'll disclose this much I'm all about rhythym section and keys. I currently play the liberation through an ampeg V-4b+EV cabinet. I can't tolerate menus and unnecessary technical jargon. My first synth was digital and regretted paying insane amounts of money for an instrument that was puzzling to figure out then, replaced a year or two later. There's no sequencer and could care less(button music isn't satisfying or gratifying to me). The Liberation is pre-midi and the only benefit midi presents to me is the ability to interface it with/to my computer Then, that's what cv/midi converters are for!

As mentioned before, ease of use is unparalled as is the case with most analog gear. Some say the liberation is all to common to the mg-1 and the rogue. To a fair degree they're accurate however, there is the force sensor/aftertouch which is also found on the Multimoog(expressive indeed)! The left hand controller also adds some more to my appreciation of the instrument. the picth ribbon also enables it produce tremelo hammer on/off effects(unique for a synth)! To further my appreciation of this synth; the sounds represent instruments not imitate them! I love the raw,gritty sounds this beauty can make! If tweaked properly she can deliver phat timberes comparable to a mini!

Had her for 4 years and not a problem yet other than lubing the sliders. I definitely would and have taken her out on the town and other than routine maintainence, I've had no problems and the only maitainence being lubing the sliders.

There is no company sponsored support for this product however, at the time of this posting there appears to be a fair amount of techs out there to repair older gear and most components are readily available from distributors like mouser, etc.

Definitely irreplaceable. If stolen, God help the thief if caught! playing for close to Fourteen years and have other gear as well and don't like to be snobby or brag. Love the Liberation, It's an endless pallete of sonic enjoyment. As mentioned before, Only wish It had a sort of patch storage capability.

It is very basic, and you can learn it in a few hours. The bigest problem with it could be getting a sound you love back if you should move any of the knobs.

monophonic and it is aftertouch sensitive.
About right for the price at the time it was built

So I see everyone in this forum keeps saying it doesent have what the Minimoog does... Well, my story is: I have owned one liberation and two minimoogs for over 10 years; and seting both oscilators on the liberation on saw, one to the lowest octave possible and the other one just one or two above, get the right filter setting and it will blow anything you could ever get out of the minimoog. I have not really heard fater sounds out of too many machines and believe me, I LOVE the mini.

not really, youll be lucky if you ever get the exact same sound twice.

It is what it is. Just a collectors item

A severely limited beginner synth if you need portability in your list of requirements. Features a joke by today's standards.

Monophonic. No effects. No MIDI. No sequencer.

Definately NOT a Minimoog sound!!!! It's NOT just a question of programming something good when the synth engine/layout/archetecture is SO limited. Take this advice from a MemoryMoog owner, do NOT buy this synth for the "Moog" sound. It's for photo ops at best.

Great! Just call Moog music for support! Oh, wait..........

Great! Just call Moog music for support! Oh, wait..........

If it were lost or stolen i would take the cash and buy a PPG Wave 2.V VST plug-in and SMOKE the sounds that this could NEVER make!!!

Presets? Patch Editor? Software version?
Uh, you just tweak the knobs and switches. YOU ARE the patch editor.
Knobs rule. It doesn't get any easier than this.

The Liberation is best used as an expressive monophonic instrument. It won't get the sound of the Minimoog but the left hand controller and the force sensor (keyboard pressure) makes up for it.
Dual VCOs with hard sync, octave switches (three octave range), triangle, ramp, and fixed pulse waves independent per VCO (not shared like Rogue/MG-1); ring mod; pink noise; 24dB Moog filter; two VCF/VCA ADS EGs with shared release/decay ala Minimoog; LFO with S&H, triangle, and square routable to VCOs and/or VCF and controllable from either mod wheel or force sensor. The LFO has a rate LED so you get a visual idea of the modulation rate and you can autotrigger the EGs from the LFO.
The left hand controller is the cool stuff. That great pitch ribbon is there and IMO it's a lot easier to play it horizontally than vertically on the Micromoog. Then there are several wheels. The Mod Wheel is to the right of the ribbon. Next to Mod is the filter wheel which is spring loaded, then a wheel for volume. To the left of the ribbon is a glide on/off switch, and the force sensor setup which lets you select whether the force sensor controls LFO amount or just a CV, and there's a wheel for adjusting the amount of force.
The left hand controller is ideal for expressive playing. The ribbon is right under your hand and you can easily reach the mod wheel with your pinky while using the ribbon.
What is WAY cool is the force sensor. You can control LFO amount, like having a mod wheel under the keyboard. Or bend VCO pitch with pressure. Here's a cool one - sync the VCOs and the force sensor doesn't bend pitch but it SWEEPS THE SYNCED VCO! Ultra cool. Forget trying to emulate the Minimoog folks, stack on some FX or stompboxes and WAIL on this thing.
Yes it has a polyphonic section but it's a cheesy TOS system, IE square wave key on/off like a cheesy organ. Yes it goes through the filter and VCA but it's not very effective.
No CV/trig input, so you can't sequence it. CV/Trig output only. Interface box has range/scale trims so you can control your non-Moog synths from the Liberation. BTW, the CV out includes keyboard CV, pitch bend, *and* LFO modulation CV. I tried it with my Minimoog and it was handy using the Liberation's expression controls on the Minimoog, plus I can spare the Mini's 3rd VCO for audio not LFO.
No audio input to the filter either. Built before the age of MIDI. This is not trivial to put a MIDI interface in. Trust me, I'm a tech and I have the schematics.
The keyboard isn't the Pratt-Read but it's not that awful Panasonic dome contacts like on the later Sequential Pro-Ones.

Don't buy one if you want the Minimoog sound. You'll get the basic Minimoog lead but that's it. If you're a player you'll enjoy the Liberation but if you're a sequence surfer look elsewhere.
The VCOs don't go low enough for sub-bass either and the VCO octave switches are kind of limiting. VCO1 octaves are 32, 16, and 8 while VCO2 octaves are 16, 8, and 4. You can't get unison VCO beating in the bass range.
I use the Liberation for leads and the expression responds very well, especially when used with echo/reverb. I tend to NOT think Minimoog when dialing up a sound, I think sax or lead guitar. Big difference.

Had it since 1988 and it's held up. Stays in tune great.

Moog Music quit making these in 1983 and the original company folded in 1987. Parts are standard and easy to get though.
WARNING: TAKE IT TO A SHOP AND HAVE THE FOAM REMOVED FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PANEL. That foam deteriorates into its original petroleum form and turns to sticky goo which gets all over and is hard to clean up. If the foam particles get in those slidepots they're toast. Don't wait DO IT NOW.

I got this in 1988 when nobody wanted the analog stuff so don't hate me for the price I paid. It had a blown 3080 in the force sensor circuit but was otherwise fine.
It doesn't get a lot of use but it's a great expressive controller. Its highlight was when I played the solo from "Frankenstein", that solo has so much going on in it that only the Liberation could pull it off, and I could ham up the act too. No more guitar players hogging the spotlight!
I own seven Moogs; Minimoog, Source, Micromoog, Memorymoog, Polymoog, Taurus II, and the Liberation.
The Liberation wins for expression and has a better filter than the Polymoog. The Micromoog has way better modulation options (great noise maker) and the Source and Minimoog takes the prize for ballsy bass and leads. And then there's the Memorymoog... I tend to approach the Liberation as a distinct instrument and use its expression controls to the max, I don't even think Minimoog when playing it. Yeah the Liberation is short on extreme modulation and balls but it has that great force sensor system.
It'd be cool if it could be used for bass but to tell the truth it's hard to play at that end of the keyboard while it's strapped around your neck. Here's a tip: buy a wide strap and the weight won't be so bad. I got a leather strap that is three inches wide on the shoulder and it's comfortable. Don't forget straplocks too.

It's an analog synth. No hidden menus here. I suppose some of the sound possibilities are hidden from those who don't know any thing about subtractive synthesis, but just start turning some damn knobs. Also, make a blank paper diagram of the panel & document sounds you like.

Well, it's monophonic 2-osc, w/ a square wave polyphonic osc in the mixer section. I've used it on some recordings to get a pretty cool synth horn section SpLAT! since the monophonic oscillators are high-note priority, as someone already mentioned. Look out Joe Zawinul! No MIDI, but the power supply unit does have jacks for control voltage (CV) output, so someone w/ initiative could use it as a MIDI controller. No built in effects. Sounds great through stomp box pedals, especially a little grimy delay on leads.

MOOG. If you like synthesizers, you'll love it. Plus, the knobs, the black color, shape & the fact you can STRAP IT ON are just so retro. It is extremely expressive to play, especially the left hand controls & force aftertouch which have already been well described.

Well, they are all old, & they all still work, don't they? They are relatively easy to fix in the hands of an experienced technician. They do need love & gentle care, but mine had gone through periods of abuse & disuse. It is a constant in the universe. :) You do need to use some kind of stress relief on the cable (I drilled a little hole in the body & screwed in a small pipe fitting through which I ran the cord) as the jack is a weak link in the design. Replacing the cable like mentioned above is a good idea.

Hmm... find a good local service technician, or if you know about electronics, do it yourself.

If it were lost or stolen, I would die. It is worth way more than what I paid, even at the time. I have been playing seriously for about 12 yrs. Lots of other gear... There is nothing I don't like about it, & there is NO comparison to anything else. I kind of wish it didn't draw so much pwr so you could make it wireless. That would be ideal.

Well, this one is really basic, so the user-surface is quite easy to handle...
Just a few toggles and sliders...thats it !
For easier handling, the panel is mounted with a little angle towards the user
(just alike the Mini), so you can see your adjustments when have it strap-on :-)
The keyboard takes some time to get along with because of the force-sensing bar
below the keys which makes a little 'warbeling' sense of touch :-).
To prevent the power supply from damage, i keep in a flightcase (look at the filigrane
trigger connector !). The synth is connected to its separate power supply via a 6-pin
XLR connector.

The Liberation is a simple two-oscillator synth...but there are some little features
which make the 'Lib' a really cool beastie ;-).

Force-sensitive keyboard:
This ist REALLY COOL! The force sensor can be routed individually
to pitch bend, filter cutoff, pitch modulation depth, filter modulation depth & sync depth!

Ribbon controller:
Hands on! :-) This one has same function as a pitch wheel, but with much more
human feel :-) You can tap like a guitarist or add finger vibrato...very expressive!
The Liberation also features noise, ring modulator, and...yes, a polyphonic section ! :-)
The (fully !) polyphonic section delivers pure square wave sound which can be modified
by filter an amp section, but no vibrato or pitch bend at all. Since the synth section is
high note priority its very cool-sounding to play synth an poly section together for cords.

Global tuning is acieved by separate tuning knobs for synth and poly section.

A portamento (glide) effect can be added to the synth section...and be switched off by a rocker toggle
which is located in the neck. This is very usefull for solo-playing :-).

Only one LFO with tri, square and sample&hold wave but with LED-indicator for visual
speed control! :-) A 'trigger' switch allows to route the LFO to the keyboard trigger circuit,
so the synth plays without touching the keys... little kinda strange when playing live *lol*.
Destination of the LFO can be selected to be force control, off, and wheel by two 3-position toggles.

Osc 1 offers saw, tri and pulse wave, osc 2 offers saw, tri and square wave.
Each osc has a 3-position octave switch, osc 2 is one octave above osc 1 and has also
an 'interval'-knob for free adjustment. The osc's can be synced together for rich lead sounds.
The sync depth can be adjusted by the 'interval'-knob or controlled via the keyboard force... REALLY COOL!
Because the force sensor can be switched to modulation, the sync depth can be modulated by the LFO if
you press the keyboard harder! (very strange, but sounds FANTASTIC ! :-) ).
Another rare feature ist the ring modulator. It outputs the sum and difference frequencies of both
oscillators! Just turn the interval knob an get some real metallic and strange space-a-like sounds!

I did some modification on the ring modulator level... I think Moog had planed only to 'enhance'
the normal oscillator outputs with the ring modulator feature, so they kept it down in level.
To use the ring modulator at adequate levels (like osc 1 & 2), just change R 231 / 100 kohms
into 56 kohms to get propper output signal :-). R 231 is located nearly in the middle of the main PCB.

The noise generator seems to be a 'pink noise'-type... lots of bass frequencies.

All sound sources can be mixed on the center-located mixer section.

The filter is the one-and-only 24dB Moog cascade...pure design with cutoff, emphasis (resonance) and
envelope amount controls. Filter keyboard tracking can be switched from 'off' to 'half' to 'full'.
The VCA is quite simple and can only be controlled by its envelope generator.
The envelope (contour) generators (one for filter, one for VCA) offer attack, decay/release,
and sustain controlls and a release switch which is used for both filter and VCA envelope generator.
A LED indicator gives visual indication everytime the envelopes were triggered.
The sliders offer a wide range, so precise adjustment is a little difficult... even in live
situations :-)

Another nice feature are the neck controls... There are 4 wheels: master volume, filter cutoff
(which is spring-loaded for return to 'zero'), modulation amount and force sensor sensitivity.
Two rocker toggles are used for glide on/off and force sensor destination (s.a.)...and, of course,
the ribbon controller is located in the neck :-).

What more can i say... this one sounds awfull crazy :-)! Guitar-like leads, killer basses,
strange noises, nifty 'Doc Mabuse-like' cords... PURE MOOG AT IT'S BEST ! :-))
If you can't afford an Mini, try this one...! You'll be satisfied :-)
And this is a strap-on synth... so join your bass and/or guitar band-mates in the front row ! :-))

I got mine used from a studio, so it was in good shape. Just like any analogue, it needs a little
re-adjustment from time to time. Take care on the multi-pin cable.. i've replaced the original
Cannon XLR's by Neutrik's, because of their better cable de-tension.
The body is made completely of wood and the whole thing is a little heavy-weighted... But with
a well adjusted strap, that's no prob ;-)

I never checked out Moog's service, so i don't know anything about that... I have the schematics
and I'm a technician, so i will do repairs by myself...;-)

Very Moog, easy to handle, cool sounds, affordable price, and cool lookin'... So what do you
want more? If you have the chance to get one, GRAB IT!! ;-))

10. It just dosen't get any easier that this! A fair amount of sliders for producing sounds and really cool modulation scources.

You can choose mono or poly. The keyboard action feels good, and the force sensor is a nice touch. Has a pitch ribbon, Very expressive but takes a little getting used to. You can also have the sample and hold work as a generic arpeggiator. It has 3 wheels on the neck, one for volume, the other modulation, and the last the force sensor sensitivity. I wish you could midi this beast, but I hear that's a pain in the arse. It should come with a long ass multi-pin cable and the seperate power supply with a c/v interface. And nifty straplocks so ya don't drop it!

Aw damn, Now I hear a lot of liberation bashing and I really really can't see why! It sounds friggin' fantastic! Great bass sounds and killer leads. Remember, it's in all how you program it to sound. I find the force sensor to be an excellent feature, just press a little harder on the keys and you can control the modulation from there. The pitch ribbon is something else! You can try to tap like a guitar player and it sounds pretty cool. This instrument can work for any style of music, JUST TWEEK IT DAMMIT!

Well, my force sensor is a little broke, I think it happened when it was shipped. The thing, in a guitar like fashion is made outta WOOD! really nice! Craps right on an sh101 in this category. I certainly plan on gigging it. Well, isn't that what it's for? ;) Like any analog, just take care of it and it should be fine.

Yeah, OK. If you have the schematics you can probably have somone fix it no problem, unless you're an electral engineer.

Oh damn, I'd kill if it were stolen! This machine is very cool with a certain flavor all it's own, very new wave. And very addicting to play! And as for the weight factor, it ain't tooo bad, sorta like a bass guitar. It can make a huge range of sounds if you just use your imagination! You can even squeeze a 303 out of it if you're into that kinda thing. Of course it's old and analog, take a while to warm up and you gotta tune it, . Over all I gotta say if you ever have an opportunity to play it DO IT! you won't be dissapointed, really!