Moog Minimoog Model D Analog Synthesizer

Minimoog Model D: Own the Legend

It’s been over a half century since the Minimoog Model D reshaped the sound of modern music, and Moog has resumed production of the game-changing analog monosynth. A meticulous re-creation, the 2022 Minimoog Model D sports the original circuit path with three punchy oscillators and Moog’s legendary Ladder Filter. But Moog also added popular modifications such as a dedicated LFO, a CV output, MIDI, custom reissue transistors, a robust modern power supply, and more. You’ll also delight to the touch of the Mini’s premium velocity- and aftertouch-enabled Fatar keybed and the feel of the silky-smooth pots as you dial in searing leads and basses that rattle the walls. This is the iconic sound you remember from countless hit records — you’ll be blown away by the Minimoog Model D.

The genius of the Minimoog

Jump in the time machine and travel back to 1971 — the year that Walt Disney World opened, Alan Shepard played golf on the moon, and Intel introduced the first commercial microprocessor. In the little town of Trumansburg in upstate New York, Dr. Robert A. Moog was soldering together the future of music, one circuit at a time. Bob and his small staff of engineers and craftspeople worked overtime to meet the surging demand for the Minimoog after its launch the previous year. There was a good reason for the instrument’s resounding success. The Minimoog Model D marked the point when synthesis broke away from academia. Previously, universities were pretty much the only entities with the budget (and the space) for the massive modular synthesizers that came before. The genius of the Minimoog was that it distilled the essence of those behemoths into a portable monosynth optimized for live performance. In the process, Bob Moog had created the archetype for all analog synthesizers to come.

Altering the course of modern music

The ’70s spawned an avalanche of fusion bands melding rock, jazz, funk, and other genres — and the Minimoog was right at the center of it all. As a solo voice, the Minimoog gave keyboardists an axe that could go toe to toe with a lead guitarist plugged into a wall of amplifiers. But the Mini also lent itself to crafting massively heavy bass lines and celestial pads. In the later part of the decade, it would go on to power the synth-pop insurgency that dominated the airwaves through ’80s and into the ’90s, its inimitable sounds eventually becoming a cornerstone of both hardware and software synth patch libraries. In the modern era, Moog has released limited editions of the Model D only sparingly. At Sweetwater, the 2018 release was snapped up quickly by astute synthesists who jumped at the chance to own the real deal. If you missed out, now is your chance to own the legend!

Over 50 years of hit records

From Yes and Kraftwerk to Chick Corea and Jan Hammer, the Minimoog was de rigueur for progressive rock and jazz heavies blasting their way into a brave new world of popular synthesis. From the 1970s onward, the Minimoog has been heard cross-genre on classic recordings by Herbie Hancock, Rick Wakeman, Steve Winwood, Bob Marley, Bernie Worrell, Giorgio Moroder, Toto, Rush, Gary Numan, Michael Jackson, Nine Inch Nails, Dr. Dre, and countless others. Who can forget that killer “Thriller” bass line? The Moog sound remains a vital ingredient in TV, game, and motion picture scores and sound design, and a staple of all well-stocked virtual instrument libraries. But why play with software when you could break out of the box and rock the real thing? Used Minis in decent operating condition command a pretty penny — if you can find one. Today’s Minimoog Model D is your opportunity to own the genuine article at a lower cost, complete with state-of-the-art upgrades — and a warranty. This one’s a no-brainer.

Modern upgrades onboard

While no changes were made to the original sound engine or audio signal path, the 2022 Minimoog Model D has been refined with modern upgrades. These include a dedicated LFO with triangle and square waveshapes, a premium Fatar keybed with velocity and aftertouch (both available via top panel CV jacks with trim pots), full MIDI integration, and a mixer feedback mod that sends the Mini into screaming overdrive with the simple twist of a knob. And, for the first time ever, the pitch wheel is now spring-loaded with a center dead band, facilitating enhanced playability.

The Minimoog legend lives

The Mini’s famously fat, punchy sound is mainly attributable to its discrete circuitry and the filter being overdriven. But analog synthesis is not always about blistering leads, blippy sounds, and weapons-grade bottom end. Granted, the Minimoog wrote the book on these things, but it’s also capable of eerily accurate simulations of acoustic instruments such as woodwinds, brass, and strings. From aggressive to serene, the Mini deploys a universe of sonic bliss. It’s been the iconic go-to monosynth for 50 years and counting, and today’s Minimoog Model D keeps the legend very much alive.

Simply irresistible

Clad in a tour-tough, hand-finished aluminum chassis and smartly finished in a locally sourced hardwood cabinet, the 2022 Minimoog Model D is both road ready and gorgeous. Sounding as powerful and vibrant as ever, the Mini’s legendary lowpass ladder filter, beastly oscillators, and richly saturating mixer feature the exact component configuration and through-hole design of a 1970s Minimoog Model D. And the sound is to die for. For touring professionals, there’s an optional fitted ATA road case available. Simply put, the Minimoog Model D reissue is irresistible: the most iconic synth ever, brought up to modern spec. You’re going to love it.