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Minimoog Model D Synthesizer
Classic Analog Synthesizer
The Minimoog Model D was the first portable synthesiser. Released in 1970, its small size, portability and accessibility made it popular among musicians. Many iconic sounds of the ’80s and ’90s were produced on it, including the bass in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Here’s how you can recreate this sound in Minimoog Model D Synthesizer.
Set the octaves
First, set the knobs in the Oscillator Bank panel. The Range knobs adjust the octave, so from the top down, set the three Range knobs to 16, 16 and 32, which creates a unified, one-octave sound. And don’t forget to switch on the Osc. 3 Control.
Decide the waveform
Also found on the Oscillator Bank panel are the Waveform knobs. From the top down, set them to the second, third and fourth setting from the right respectively. The combination of these waveforms will change the tone of the sound.
Next, in the Mixer panel, you can control the volume of the oscillators. Set all three Volume knobs to 10, and turn on the switches located directly to the right of each knob, while keeping the others switched off.
Change the tones
This part is key to replicating the sound in “Thriller”: on the Modifiers panel, use the Filter to add temporal changes to the sound. Set the Cutoff Frequency to -3, which cuts overtones and generates a muffled sound. Then set Emphasis to 5 to control the cut threshold; and finally, set the Amount of Contour, which determines the overall intensity, to 4.
In the next row of knobs, set the Attack Time to 0, Decay Time to 10 and Sustain Level to 5. Attack Time signifies when the sound first starts playing, Decay Time is the time from the buildup to the decay and Sustain Level refers to the volume when the decay ends.
Together, these three items are called the “envelope generator”, and they can be found on many analogue synthesisers. It causes a temporal change to the Filter that you just set above.
Make final touches
Although all the settings will affect the tone, the envelope has the most noticeable effect on the tone’s impression. For example, reducing the Decay Time and Sustain Level in the Loudness Contour panel will result in shorter, more staccato sounds, while increasing them will create a long, decayed sound that’s similar to an organ. If you want the sound to gradually get louder, increase the Attack Time. Just tweaking each knob in the envelope generator will result in a completely different sound.
Finally, there’s a switch to the upper left of the keyboard; flip it to the left to magnify the keyboard and make it easier to play. Now it’s showtime!
Although it’s been several decades since the first Minimoog Model D hit the market, its unique sounds still offer loads of possibilities for the world of music today. Once you’re done playing “Thriller”, why not experiment and create a sound of your own?