audiobriefs
7:57in productionCh. 1 · Monophonic by design/ 7:57 · ceiling 15 min
Synths & drum machines

Multimoog

Moog · 1978

The Multimoog trades Minimoog reliability for aftertouch and routing—then demands you earn every note.

The Multimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer built by Moog Music from 1978 to 1981. Derived from the Micromoog, it adds a second circuit board to deliver aftertouch and expanded modulation routing—features missing from the Minimoog. It was intended as a less expensive alternative to that flagship instrument. It does not store patches. It drifts. It demands attention. But it gives aftertouch control over filter, pitch and amplitude in real time—rare in 1978.

Synths & drum machinesSynthesisThe seventiesHardwareSynthesis across the network →
Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 0:48
    Monophonic by design

    It is monophonic and fully analog—no digital components, no polyphony, no compromise on signal path.

  2. 2:03
    Micromoog plus

    It shares the Micromoog’s core board—but adds a second board to expand modulation and add aftertouch.

  3. 3:20
    Aftertouch first

    Aftertouch was rare in 1978—and absent in the Minimoog—yet here it is, wired directly into the modulation matrix.

  4. 4:36
    Less expensive, not lesser

    It was built to undercut the Minimoog—not replace it—so it keeps its voice architecture but adds what the Minimoog lacks.

Worth your time?

Yes. Use the whole thing.

3.5/ 5
What works
  • audio/instruments
  • audio/sound-design-and-sampling
  • audio/studio-craft
What does not
  • audio/daws-and-software
  • audio/dj-gear
  • audio/effects-and-pedals
  • audio/guitars-and-amps
Use it if
  • audio/synths-and-drum-machines
  • audio/keyboards-and-organs
  • audio/studio-and-recording
Skip it if
  • audio/headphones-and-hi-fi
  • audio/microphones-and-preamps
  • audio/mixing-and-mastering
The written brief1 min read

What it is and what it was built for

The Multimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer built by Moog Music from 1978 to 1981. It was derived from the Micromoog circuit board, with added circuitry, to serve as a less expensive alternative to the Minimoog.

How it works, in terms a player would use

It routes modulation from LFOs, envelope generators and keyboard tracking to oscillator pitch, filter cutoff and amplifier level. It has dedicated aftertouch sensing on the keyboard, sending voltage to any destination the player selects.

What it does better than anything else

It gives more real-time control over modulation destinations than the Minimoog—especially via aftertouch—while staying fully analog and monophonic.

What it does badly

It drifts in pitch and tuning across sessions. It offers no memory for patches. Its build quality is inconsistent: some units fail early, others hold up.

What people made with it

Players used it for lead lines, basses and expressive solos where aftertouch added articulation—particularly in live progressive and synth-pop contexts of the late 1970s.

Who should use it, and who should not

A player who values tactile, immediate modulation routing and aftertouch on an analog monosynth—and who accepts manual retuning, no patch memory, and variable reliability—should use it. Anyone needing recall, polyphony or studio stability should not.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you want monophonic analog expression with hands-on routing and do not need polyphony, presets or stability beyond a few minutes of warm-up.

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Oberheim OB-8

Oberheim · 9:33

The OB-8 doubled your control—not your voices—and made Oberheim’s ‘System’ the only way to chain synths, drums, and sequencers in 1983.

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