Moog Grandmother: build a kit

7 drum sounds this box makes on its own, in the order to build them.

Record each hit with the sampler, recorder, or DAW you use.

Routing — Played from its own 32-note keyboard, from the arpeggiator or the 256-step sequencer, or over MIDI IN.

This block draws on the Moog Grandmother User’s Manual (Version 2), pp.11-21; its values are starting points.

Everything else about the Moog Grandmother

  1. 1KICK 1Kick with the envelope cabled to Oscillator 1’s pitch

    kick · hard

    Routing — Two cables: + ENV OUT to OSCILLATORS 1 PITCH IN for the drop — there is no normalled envelope-to-pitch route on this box — and KB VEL OUT to CUTOFF IN, without which p.30 says the accent is inaudible

    • ENVELOPE · + ENV OUTOSCILLATORS · 1 PITCH IN

      The pitch drop — a short DECAY makes it a click, a longer one a boom

    • ARP/SEQ · KB VEL OUTFILTER · CUTOFF IN

      Makes a sequencer accent audible — the accent envelope only exists at this jack

    • OSCILLATOR 1 OCTAVE32'(32', 16', 8', 4')
    • OSCILLATOR 1 WAVEFORMTRIANGLE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 OCTAVE16'(16', 8', 4', 2')
    • OSCILLATOR 2 WAVEFORMTRIANGLE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • SYNCOFF(OFF, ON)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 FREQUENCY0st(-7…7 st)

      12 o’clock is unison with Oscillator 1

    • OSCILLATOR 182% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 1 o’clock the mixer starts to overdrive

    • OSCILLATOR 20% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • NOISE0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • CUTOFF120Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • RESONANCE30% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 3 o’clock the ladder self-oscillates

    • ENVELOPE AMT66% travel(0…100 % travel)

      12 o’clock is off; either way from there

    • KBD TRACKOFF(1:2, OFF, 1:1)
    • ATTACK0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • DECAY14% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • SUSTAIN0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • RELEASE12% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • VCA MODEENV(ENV, KB RLS, DRONE)
    • VOLUME78% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • MIX0% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Fully clockwise is reverb only, no dry

    • GLIDE0% travel(0…100 % travel)

    Record one hit with your recorder as KICK 1.

  2. 2SNARE 1Snare: noise over a short mid tone, both through the ladder

    snare · hard

    Routing — No cable. Noise is one of the three normalled mixer channels, so the body and the crack share one filter and one envelope

    • ARP/SEQ · KB VEL OUTFILTER · CUTOFF IN

      Makes a sequencer accent audible — the accent envelope only exists at this jack

    • OSCILLATOR 1 OCTAVE8'(32', 16', 8', 4')
    • OSCILLATOR 1 WAVEFORMTRIANGLE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 OCTAVE4'(16', 8', 4', 2')
    • OSCILLATOR 2 WAVEFORMSQUARE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • SYNCOFF(OFF, ON)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 FREQUENCY5st(-7…7 st)

      12 o’clock is unison with Oscillator 1

    • OSCILLATOR 146% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 1 o’clock the mixer starts to overdrive

    • OSCILLATOR 230% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • NOISE88% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • CUTOFF2400Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • RESONANCE44% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 3 o’clock the ladder self-oscillates

    • ENVELOPE AMT30% travel(0…100 % travel)

      12 o’clock is off; either way from there

    • KBD TRACKOFF(1:2, OFF, 1:1)
    • ATTACK0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • DECAY16% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • SUSTAIN0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • RELEASE14% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • VCA MODEENV(ENV, KB RLS, DRONE)
    • VOLUME74% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • MIX12% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Fully clockwise is reverb only, no dry

    • GLIDE0% travel(0…100 % travel)

    Record one hit with your recorder as SNARE 1.

  3. 3TOM 1Tom: one triangle, envelope to pitch, a touch of noise for the skin

    tom · hard

    Routing — Two cables, the same pair as the kick's: + ENV OUT to OSCILLATORS 1 PITCH IN, shorter and shallower, and KB VEL OUT to CUTOFF IN for the accent (p.30)

    • ENVELOPE · + ENV OUTOSCILLATORS · 1 PITCH IN

      The pitch fall that makes it a tom and not a click

    • ARP/SEQ · KB VEL OUTFILTER · CUTOFF IN

      Makes a sequencer accent audible — the accent envelope only exists at this jack

    • OSCILLATOR 1 OCTAVE16'(32', 16', 8', 4')
    • OSCILLATOR 1 WAVEFORMTRIANGLE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 OCTAVE8'(16', 8', 4', 2')
    • OSCILLATOR 2 WAVEFORMTRIANGLE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • SYNCOFF(OFF, ON)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 FREQUENCY2st(-7…7 st)

      12 o’clock is unison with Oscillator 1

    • OSCILLATOR 180% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 1 o’clock the mixer starts to overdrive

    • OSCILLATOR 222% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • NOISE18% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • CUTOFF700Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • RESONANCE38% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 3 o’clock the ladder self-oscillates

    • ENVELOPE AMT32% travel(0…100 % travel)

      12 o’clock is off; either way from there

    • KBD TRACKOFF(1:2, OFF, 1:1)
    • ATTACK0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • DECAY24% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • SUSTAIN0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • RELEASE20% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • VCA MODEENV(ENV, KB RLS, DRONE)
    • VOLUME74% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • MIX10% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Fully clockwise is reverb only, no dry

    • GLIDE0% travel(0…100 % travel)

    Record one hit with your recorder as TOM 1.

  4. 4METALLIC 1Hard sync, and FREQUENCY as a timbre knob rather than a tuning one

    metallic · bright

    Routing — No cable. p.11: "Sync is useful for creating sharp, metallic, and flange-like sounds"

    • OSCILLATOR 1 OCTAVE8'(32', 16', 8', 4')
    • OSCILLATOR 1 WAVEFORMSAW(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 OCTAVE4'(16', 8', 4', 2')
    • OSCILLATOR 2 WAVEFORMSAW(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • SYNCON(OFF, ON)

      Lit, so FREQUENCY varies the sync timbre rather than the tuning, over a range p.12 does not print

    • OSCILLATOR 2 FREQUENCY64% travel(0…100 % travel)

      With SYNC lit this sets the sync timbre; the manual prints no scale for it

    • OSCILLATOR 130% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 1 o’clock the mixer starts to overdrive

    • OSCILLATOR 288% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • NOISE0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • CUTOFF4800Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • RESONANCE22% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 3 o’clock the ladder self-oscillates

    • ENVELOPE AMT34% travel(0…100 % travel)

      12 o’clock is off; either way from there

    • KBD TRACK1:1(1:2, OFF, 1:1)
    • ATTACK0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • DECAY26% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • SUSTAIN18% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • RELEASE20% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • VCA MODEENV(ENV, KB RLS, DRONE)
    • VOLUME70% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • MIX14% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Fully clockwise is reverb only, no dry

    • GLIDE0% travel(0…100 % travel)

    Record one hit with your recorder as METALLIC 1.

  5. 5METALLIC 2Linear FM from Oscillator 1 into Oscillator 2

    metallic · dirty

    Routing — One cable: OSCILLATORS 1 WAVE OUT to OSCILLATORS 2 LIN FM IN. p.13 calls linear FM here "brash, metallic, or bell-like"

    • OSCILLATORS · 1 WAVE OUTOSCILLATORS · 2 LIN FM IN

      Oscillator 1 is the modulator, so its level in the mixer is down and only Oscillator 2 is heard

    • OSCILLATOR 1 OCTAVE8'(32', 16', 8', 4')
    • OSCILLATOR 1 WAVEFORMTRIANGLE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 OCTAVE4'(16', 8', 4', 2')
    • OSCILLATOR 2 WAVEFORMTRIANGLE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • SYNCOFF(OFF, ON)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 FREQUENCY-5st(-7…7 st)

      12 o’clock is unison with Oscillator 1

    • OSCILLATOR 10% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 1 o’clock the mixer starts to overdrive

    • OSCILLATOR 290% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • NOISE0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • CUTOFF3200Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • RESONANCE30% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 3 o’clock the ladder self-oscillates

    • ENVELOPE AMT28% travel(0…100 % travel)

      12 o’clock is off; either way from there

    • KBD TRACK1:1(1:2, OFF, 1:1)
    • ATTACK2% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • DECAY34% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • SUSTAIN10% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • RELEASE26% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • VCA MODEENV(ENV, KB RLS, DRONE)
    • VOLUME68% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • MIX22% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Fully clockwise is reverb only, no dry

    • GLIDE0% travel(0…100 % travel)

    Record one hit with your recorder as METALLIC 2.

  6. 6NOISE 1Noise alone, filtered hard and driven into the mixer

    noise · dirty

    Routing — No cable — the noise generator is normalled to its own mixer channel

    • OSCILLATOR 1 OCTAVE8'(32', 16', 8', 4')
    • OSCILLATOR 1 WAVEFORMSAW(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 OCTAVE8'(16', 8', 4', 2')
    • OSCILLATOR 2 WAVEFORMSAW(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • SYNCOFF(OFF, ON)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 FREQUENCY0st(-7…7 st)

      12 o’clock is unison with Oscillator 1

    • OSCILLATOR 10% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 1 o’clock the mixer starts to overdrive

    • OSCILLATOR 20% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • NOISE96% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • CUTOFF3600Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • RESONANCE56% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 3 o’clock the ladder self-oscillates

    • ENVELOPE AMT24% travel(0…100 % travel)

      12 o’clock is off; either way from there

    • KBD TRACKOFF(1:2, OFF, 1:1)
    • ATTACK0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • DECAY30% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • SUSTAIN24% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • RELEASE26% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • VCA MODEENV(ENV, KB RLS, DRONE)
    • VOLUME66% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • MIX16% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Fully clockwise is reverb only, no dry

    • GLIDE0% travel(0…100 % travel)

    Record one hit with your recorder as NOISE 1.

  7. 7IMPACT 1Impact: noise and both oscillators at once into the spring tank

    impact · hard

    Routing — No cable. The tank is what makes it an impact rather than a hit — p.21's MIX at maximum leaves only the reverb

    • ARP/SEQ · KB VEL OUTFILTER · CUTOFF IN

      Makes a sequencer accent audible — the accent envelope only exists at this jack

    • OSCILLATOR 1 OCTAVE32'(32', 16', 8', 4')
    • OSCILLATOR 1 WAVEFORMSAW(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 OCTAVE16'(16', 8', 4', 2')
    • OSCILLATOR 2 WAVEFORMNARROW PULSE(TRIANGLE, SAW, SQUARE, NARROW PULSE)
    • SYNCOFF(OFF, ON)
    • OSCILLATOR 2 FREQUENCY-6st(-7…7 st)

      12 o’clock is unison with Oscillator 1

    • OSCILLATOR 188% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 1 o’clock the mixer starts to overdrive

    • OSCILLATOR 284% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • NOISE76% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • CUTOFF1800Hz(10…20000 Hz)
    • RESONANCE48% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Past 3 o’clock the ladder self-oscillates

    • ENVELOPE AMT52% travel(0…100 % travel)

      12 o’clock is off; either way from there

    • KBD TRACKOFF(1:2, OFF, 1:1)
    • ATTACK0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • DECAY46% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • SUSTAIN0% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • RELEASE70% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • VCA MODEENV(ENV, KB RLS, DRONE)
    • VOLUME78% travel(0…100 % travel)
    • MIX84% travel(0…100 % travel)

      Fully clockwise is reverb only, no dry

    • GLIDE0% travel(0…100 % travel)

    Record one hit with your recorder as IMPACT 1.

Not in this kit

Bring clap, rim, closed hat, open hat and ride from another box or a sample library.