Moog Liberation

The Moog Liberation was one of the first commercially produced "keytar" synthesizers, released in 1980 by Moog Music. The instrument is comparable to the Moog Concertmate MG-1 and the Moog Rogue, but it is most closely related to the Moog Prodigy; however, as a keytar, the Liberation was designed to be played in the same posture as one would play a guitar.

Liberation
ManufacturerMoog Music
Dates1980
Technical specifications
PolyphonyMonophonic (Osc1&2)
Paraphonic (Poly)
Oscillator2
LFO1
Synthesis typeAnalog subtractive
Filter1 low-pass
AttenuatorASD
Storage memorynone
EffectsRing modulation
Input/output
Keyboard44 keys
Left-hand controlRibbon controller
External controlCV/Gate

The Liberation features two monophonic voltage-controlled oscillators and a polyphonic section that can play organ sounds. Both oscillators can be set to triangle, sawtooth, or square waveforms and switched over a 3-octave range. The keyboard is aftertouch-sensitive and the neck features spring-loaded wheels for filter cutoff, modulation, and volume, as well as a ribbon-controlled pitch bend. The Liberation has a single voltage-controlled filter and 2 ADSR envelope generators. A 40-foot cable connects the Liberation to its rackmounted half which houses the power supply and CV/Gate output sockets.

Notable users

Jean-Michel Jarre plays a Liberation on the DVD release of Oxygène Live in Your Living Room. It also appears in the bonus section with Jarre describing the instruments.

The Human League used a Liberation in the songs "Empire State Human", "Being Boiled", and "Circus of Death" at the Wickerman Festival in July 2009.

Other artists who have used the instrument include Didier Marouani of Space, Tom Coster of Santana, Phoebe Legere of Monad, Damon Edge and Tommy Cyborg of Chrome, Roy Goudie, Herbie Hancock, Joy Electric, Mark Jenkins, Bryce Kushnier of The Fancy Few, Ascites, Abuse Tactics, Light of the World, John Malloy, The Moog Cookbook, Danny Peyronel of UFO, Tom Schuman, Michael Busse of Spider Murphy Gang, Six Finger Satellite, Stereolab, Spiral-Shaped Mind, Page McConnell of Phish, Jakobínarína, and Saga. Though Devo is commonly associated with the Moog Liberation, the band never used it on stage or in the studio, only in music videos and for a promotional ad for the synthesizer.

A Moog Liberation was also used as a prop in the How I Met Your Mother episode "Glitter."

Images
  • Neck
  • Control panel
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