The original Moog Model 15 was a mighty modular beast, offering anyone who was willing to navigate its patch bays some of the thickest, richest, most versatile sounds in the world of modular synthesis. But up until now, if you wanted to experience the power of the 15 for yourself, the closest you were likely to come was the limited-edition reissue, and even that would send you back 10,000 big ones. That has changed with the arrival of Moog’s Model 15 Modular App, which retails for a nicer price at $30.
Moog has gone to great pains to recreate all the classic features that made the original version of the 15 so special, from its celebrated 921-series oscillators and 904A low pass filter to its 907 fixed filter bank. There are also advantages the original machine’s users never had, besides the ability to carry it in one’s pocket. There are tutorial presets that walk you through the creation of patches and show you how the signals flow. And when your first patch point has been picked, all other possible patch destinations are highlighted to make your moves less complicated. The app offers complete MIDI integration, including dedicated audio bridge and MIDI bridge modules, and it supports current iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad technology.
In the video below, you can see legendary electronic musician Suzanne Ciani exploring the app’s possibilities. The sounds she has created on it are available as an expansion pack from the in-app store.