Moog Satellite

Moog Satellite Image

A rinky dink version of the Minitmoog for budding synthesists from the early seventies. The Satellite is shaped after the organ-type synthesizers from its era. Although cased in a nice looking wood case the Satellite boasts little features. It's a single-vco monophonic preset synthesizer. Preset sounds include brass, reeds, strings, bell, and the far-out new lunar sound. The 37-note keyboard is slim and presets are selected from the clunky flip-switches just below the keyboard. Left hand performance controls offer modulation, pitch bend and filter sweeps. You won't find much use for a synth like the Satellite these days but it would make a nice collector's item. It has been used by Vangelis.

13 Visitor comments
Felip
April 16, 2009 @ 12:44 am
I used one of these for several years in the 70's. It worked very well for me - I couldn't afford an Arp or Mini, and this little guy did the job. It was based on organ technology, for sure, but it had a surprising amount of flexibility, and I used it to good effect. I'd love to have one now! I think you're being too critical. For the money, it did a lot.
Vudu12
March 13, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
I got one a year ago and have used it tons, I find it great for bass despite other comments I have seen on it. I've used it for bass on about 15 tracks already. Its my $100 1974 moog sound bass machine, haven't used it for much else. Looks all beat up but cheaper than a mini!
Graham
November 23, 2008 @ 5:45 am
I owned one of these back in the 70's, and only threw it away a few years ago. It had a great sound for a preset, but was notoriously unreliable, even though I only ever used it in a home studio. It used the same key contacts as my Thomas organ and I bought it from a Thomas dealership - I am pretty sure they manufactured them under licence from Moog. The key contact was made by a light wire for each key hitting a metal rail and therby completing the circuit. The slighest bit of dirt between the two and no sound! For those who have this problem, try pulling it apart and using a soft pencil eraser to clean the contacts. Strangely, I rarely had the same problem with the organ, even though it used the same method.
 
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  • Demos & Media
  • YouTube Thumbnail
    Video 1
    - MOOG SATELLITE Demo Pt. 1 vintage synthesizer 1974

  • Specifications
  • Polyphony - Monophonic
  • Oscillators - 1 VCO
  • LFO - Yes
  • Filter - Yes
  • VCA - Yes
  • Keyboard - 37 keys
  • Memory - None, except for preset sounds
  • Control - CV/Gate
  • Date Produced - 1973-79

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