You may consider Moog Slim Phatty. Modulations are limited but it has the typical moog sound, it is small, not limited to C4, has a good display and all functions are accessible directly from the panel. The main disadvantage - it requires up to 30 minutes of warming up.
I own a Minitaur too and adore its sound. I dislike the fact that it's capped off too, but I have my work-arounds in the DAW. I use it mostly with a DAW and that serves me really well. Even if I don't use the sound of the Minitaur, I use its midi-capabilities as a midi-controller on VSTi's. You get the lovely Moog feel on a virtual synth! I think that's great!
Love your backing track and appreciate that you've shared your long term thoughts. I'm on the fence about picking one up and researching the heck out of the Minotaur rn. It sounds so good, but I worry about it becoming unused after a while due to so many people claiming it's a 'one trick pony'.
Thanks a lot. We are over 1yr later and I'm still enjoying the Minitaur. My main gripe still stands (limited reach) but I am going to try an octave pedal someday (when I have the budget and time) to overcome that. The lack of tone shape options is somewhat compensated by adding 2 pedals to my setup. One is a cheap TubeMP Studio V3, which I overdrive like mad if I want this crunchy tone (check my last video where you can hear it in action th-cam.com/video/6rYPBLXq1h4/w-d-xo.html) The other one is the Deco V2, which can 'also' add a lovely stereo chorus. (and saturation) I'm not trying to convince you into buying one btw. Buy only what you need and often it's not more gear, but more time behind the knobs :) But for the 'one trick pony' part, yes it is, and yes I still use it daily.
@@tricks-and-tips Thx I'll check the new vid out. For that crunchy overdrive sometimes I'll loop in an Ibanez Tube Screamer pedal (rolled back mostly). I'll probably end up grabbing the Minitaur because it just sounds so good, and it's reassuring to know that you still held on to it all this time after questioning whether to sell it or not.
@@filmismorefun Yeah, anything that modulates the sound is a welcome addition to get more variation out of the Minitaur. But all in all, it's deep sub tones are something special and the reason why I still have it.
Thanks! And very true! I would probably be crazy. My plans are to keep it, since the sweet spot is so good, but yeah, I sometimes wish it had more reach and sound sharing options. Absolutely, the Collider sounds great. Did you check my long time review on it?
The problem with your alternative is that you will not get that super phat Moog bass synth sound. The lack of modulation can be mitigated by using modulation sources within your daw and assign them to midi cc. Bigwig provide the best environment to do that but I know you can do it in Ableton and in other DAWs too. The C4 limitation is the most annoying one IMO but if you sell it you will have to say goodbye to that fantastic Moog bass sound because unless you have the original Taurus pedal, nothing will sound like it. It’s kinda true that it’s a one trick pony but it does a trick that nothing else can do.
@@novalogue I'm going off this: th-cam.com/video/c44pQFlI9i0/w-d-xo.html They certainly sound similar, but no, not the "same". Besides, the Toro has limited contouring relative to Minitaur. The Toro is really just emulating the old, limited Taurus pedals that actually had pedals, but the Toro doesn't, so what's the point? A Model D would be better here if you really had to go down the Behringer route. For many of us, Minitaur is king for sound, function (with a few misses), form factor, and even price (entirely affordable on the second hand market).
I have a couple BS2's, one blue and the other black AFX. They just don't replace my Minitaur, flexible as they are (and they are flexible). The other "bass synth" mono I like is the Roland SE-02. I am incredibly unhappy with myself for not getting a Sirin when in production myself BTW. I didn't expect it to end as fast as it did, and didn't expect prices to skyrocket like they did.
Thanks. I played with a BS2 some time ago at a synth forum friend. It sounds great but not as a replacement indeed. An YES I am an idiot for not buying a Sirin when I could!
The other day been noodling a bit with M32 & DFAM. It can be limiting not to have presets. Otoh it always is an adventure to try to get a sound that works, if only for a bit of time it is fun. To have a synth like the Minitaur (one knob per function) in addition to a preset synth is very rewarding.
While i understand your criticisms, i would like to point out that this a synth of lineage. Its the progression of the taurus pedal. Thats probably why its a bit weird. The funny thing is that it IS a one trick pony, but isnt it the most sublime trick? Your background track truly demonstrated why we love it. Its like bass wrapped in silk. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you so much. (Dont sell it, it doesnt take up much room) 😉👍
Thanks for the reminder. Yeah, it is a great one trick pony, I'm just not sure if there is place for that in my 'small' setup, since I also want to use my other synths on bass duties sometimes, or have more variety in my sound. . But I am probably not going to sell it anytime soon. With the addition of the TubeMP Studio V3, I'm at least getting more grit out of it (if that is what I want), so that is a bonus. I'm also considering adding a good chorus pedal someday. So far I really like it's sweet spot, so that is a big bonus.
I love how everyone forgets there's an Audio In in the back of the Minitaur. That means you are one Korg Volca and a MIDI Thru box away from having a 5 oscillator monster with a Moog ladder filter.
Yeah, Although I will never use it myself, it’s a great option to have in the toolkit. Just wish it was stereo to be able to route my stage piano through it. Oh and wait, an extra drive circuit would make it perfect 🤩
As far as the hidden functions go, all of them can be called up without using the editor. Just memorize the button press combination on the front panel. If you don't have the cheat sheet, it can be downloaded from Moog music. There is also a work around for the higher octaves. Record the part into a DAW an octave lower and transpose the audio data up an octave. You might also have to raise the audio pitch an octave as well. I too missed the top octaves from the Minitaur so I got a Sirin as soon as they were available. I now have the bonus of being able to do 4 oscillator bass parts and since the Minitaur sounds so good playing bass octaves, now I can have 2 oscillators on each note of the octave. Hope some of this helps.
Thanks man. Not all functions have shortcuts unfortunately. (to my best knowledge) Some I use quite often. Like midi sync. (lfo speed), reset LFO on note and more. I know, I only need them when sound designing, so no big dealbraker. Although it does make the experienced more 'decoupled' compared to the Subsequent 37 for example. I'm playing the Minitaur live, so that octave trick is not gonna help. I do have an octave shift option on my bass pedal, but it is impossible (impractical) to use that while playing and sequencing (you have to engage it exactly after the last 'normal' note and disable it before you hit the normal C4 range again) I should have gotten the Sirin indeed. But I did not. And these are total 1st world problems. I love the Minitaur sound, it is just a limited synth and I have to decide if that is worth it for me. One question, since you have both, have you done an in depth comparison between the Sirin and the Minitaur? Is the Minitaur indeed 'better' on the bass notes? I have compared it to the Subsequent 37, but that has quite a different signal path, so it is not apples - apples.
Great analysis, agree with pretty much all your points. Another alternative to consider is the Waldorf Pulse 2: not capped at C4, has presets, has screen, small, great sounding (they say, I haven't tried it), and lots of modulation possibilities.
Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this already, but a classic use for an audio in on a synth like this is to plug its own headphone jack into itself. You get a little bit of overdrive this way.
Its not really a Bass synth, but another kind of killer mono synth that you can scoop up cheap is the arturia mini brute. Tons of modulation, aftertouch, velocity, but no presets at all. I bought that as my first synth instead of the Minitaur, and loved it for years. I gave it to a friend who wanted to get into synths, as I also had the BS2.
Great video and wonderful topic. I have a Subsequent 37 and I'm more a singer, guitarist. Was considering a Minitaur because it's easier to use. The S37 is a beast but I need to keep things more simple and practical as I play and record all instruments and no time or tech ability for anything resembling programming...
Thanks! I think the Subsequent is more easy to use because it has a screen and a keyboard :) So you don't need anything else, maybe a reverb + delay pedal. For live situations I would probably never use the Minitaur because you can't see on what patch it is. (unless you add some midi device that can read out the patch number) And I would still have to drag a midi keyboard around to play it. Maybe (if size is an issue) the Sub25 is a good middle ground. Still the nice 3 oscillator bass sound, but not as heavy and big as the 37 :)
Nice and super informative vid. NOthing sounds that warm as a Moog and for my point of view if I were you I would buy Eventide’s H90 to get more sound shaping options through a pedal or DAW workarounds. For me bass doesn’t have to go higher that you have demonstrated here so well. That level of sound can’ be reached by any other brand and it remains affortable as well so far from my point of view.
Thanks man. And I quite often feel the same way. But..... Sometimes I just wish it would go up to C3 or something. Because it sounds so good at C4 too :)
You could complement the Minitaur with an Electra One Controller. I have both. The Electra will allow you to see on what preset you are, and tweak all hidden functions, without the need of a PC. You can create your own presets, but there is a large user community behind it that shares their presets they make. You can tweak those to your own desire, making it suitable for your own live or studio environment.I myself made and published presets for a.o. the Minitaur, the Novation Summit, the Roland SE-02. For the Minitaur I added a saving function as well, but I plan also to add a bidirectional communication then you can see the patch name and the actual parameter settings, like I did on the SE-02. Electra’s current stock is rather low actually, but it might be worth at least to consider it as an addition to your set up. It might elevate your other synth gear to a new level as well.
I have read about that one. Looks like a great tool if you don't want to use a PC / laptop. But I always have a laptop on the side, so I can reach out to the editor, if I need more control for the Minitaur. But it really looks like a very flexible, well designed controller. Right now € 550,- is too big of a pricetag and too low priority for me :)
Good job on the background jam, it just sold me on getting one of these as my bass synth, I could feel that bass in my soul. Did you end up keeping or selling the minitaur?
Thanks man! Yeah, still have it. I added a deco V2 for saturation and chorus. That adds some extra sound shaping options. And I just realized there is nothing wrong with a great bass synth.
I've had my Minitaur for 5 years now and I still consistently use it. The only reason to move away from it to a more fully-fledged Moog sound is for performance, control, and expandability beyond what it's advertised for. I can't imagine myself moving away from this thing because it's a simple and efficient means to fill out the low end of my mix without any overly complicated means to achieve that fat Moog sound. Sometimes limitation with an instrument like this can streamline your music workflow and allow you to focus on getting the best out of the other instruments in your song.
Yeah, 80% of the time I feel that way too, but as I have other options to fill the low end as well, I'd love to get a bit more high with the Minitaur (as it sounds great at C4 and I feel it will sound great at C3 too) But they never lied about it. It is just a limited synth and if I don't want that in my setup, I have to replace it. 😀
I tried Erica Synths Basseline, good sound and tone modulation hands-on functions, but it's a PITA when it comes to Midi. It can only receive notes and CutOff, but the CutOff is not consistent and would not be manually responsive when changing sequence for example. This drove me crazy. But it sounds great as is and I don't think there's the C4 limit either. Then there's the Dreadbox Erebus and Hades. Both reissued for more quality and functionalities. Both semi-modular which is cool (Erebus has more possibilities in that regard). I personally didn't like the filter. Even if you can get a fat bass sound with both, the filters sounds thin and not too precise (for my taste). I also not a fan of 1/8" jack midi connection; the original Erebus had 5pin Din connectors but they scrapped it). Finally, I worked a lot with the Arturia MiniBrute 2S, which is very good. Its downside is the tuning. Even if I frequently verify the calibration, this instrument needs to be longly warmed up, and the time needed became longer by the years. That means you must have a tuner with it if you want to play with other musicians / instruments more precise. It is also a big bulky chunk on your table. I had it in several live setup and I just can't work with it anymore. So yeah the Minitaur has its downsides too, but they don't bother me at all. It is a solid piece of gear and it is fully Midi / CV / Gate compliant. I just love it. My 2¢.
I have only had the Minitaur (for this role) and over 1 year after making this video, it is still alive and kicking in the sub arena in my setup. So I think it will stay :)
Yeah indeed. Although the Minitaur does sound a bit fatter in the low end (I keep convincing myself that) And no way I’m gonna pay the collectors prices either. I was just too late. So now I try to settle down on its great sound. Limited but great….
Hi, nice review 😃 Totally share your point of view here! I love my Minitaur too, but the C4 can sometimes clog creativity. A couple of years ago when I got the Minitaur, it was nearly the same price as the Sirin, but I read that the Minitaur had more lows than the Sirin (don't know if it's really true, but well didn't know that the Sirin would be selling at those prices nowadays! 🤨). I also have the SE-02 and Circuit Mono Station (which is not really a BS2, but not very far). I still think that the Minitaur has a very different sound from these synths (reason why I decided to keep all of them 😅)
Thanks! Yeah, I have to stop myself from getting another mono synth. 2 should do the trick. But I know myself and probably will keep everything I will add 😜
I tried the BS2 yesterday. It is quite different indeed. Some overlap, but the Minitaur is 'better' in the low end. And the BS2 is much much more versatile. So I could replace the Minitaur with the BS2, but I don't want to right now. I feel the Minitaur has earned its place and I don't need one more monosynth.
Here are two more suggestions for a possible replacement: 1 - Korg Monologue 2 - Dreadbox Typhon I can personally vouch for the Typhon being a really great sounding and versatile mono synth. And, my cousin has a Monologue and he really enjoys it. I've never used a Bass Station 2, but that does seem like a pretty good mono synth itself. The Norand Mono seems pretty nifty, but is also kind of expensive.
The Monologue is a really fun synth with a fantastic sequencer. However, I don't think its quirky features, like the LFO being usable for FM synthesis and as an AR envelope, make up for its overall lack of modulation. Motion sequencing does to some degree, but that can be a slightly laborious process that also has limitations. It's cheap enough and fun enough that selling it kinda isn't worth the effort, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably get the BS2 (in that price range).
@@jc3drums916 The BS or the Typhon are suggested quite often. Or the Pulse 2. But I still feel like the Minitaur is not going anywhere soon. Even though it is capped.
the bass station 2 was my first synth ever and i spent nearly a year pushing its sonic capabilities and i can not say that i have ever reached them (especially considering the possibilities by MIDI control and the latest updates (AFX Mode!)). the bass station 2 can get really deep (and really annoying at times too because it takes a longlonglong time to get used to the under the hood features). what ended up being the main con for the bass station and also being the reason for me to get interested in the minitaur is the small formfactor and hands-on control mixxed with powerful midi-capabilities of the minitaur. the bass station 2 is not too heavy but the full size keyboard (which is pretty solid for sure) makes its formfactor basically a no-go for live shows and jams (except if u can travel by car of course).
Yeah, I get your point. The minitaur is a superb sounding bass synth and I’m quite sure it will be staying. Although I do wish it had more reach and waveforms, but still its amazing sounding for what it is made for!
Great jam! I have the Minitaur and the AFX Station (same as Bass Station 2). If I had to get rid of one, it would be the AFX Station. It's a wonderful synth, but the Minitaur is sooooo special. I don't think I'll ever get rid of mine. BUT, if you absolutely need to cover more ground, the AFX/Bass Station offers a ton of value and sounds fantastic. Really can't go wrong with either.
Thanks man! I do love the sound of the Minitaur indeed. And I’m quite sure I will keep both if I try a BS2 🤣 So that is a risk, since I don’t ‘need’ another mono synth
I tried the BS2 yesterday when I was jamming with a friend who happened to have one. And we both agreed that there is a lot of overlap, but they are not comparable. So I feel like I'm better off keeping the Minitaur and not replacing it with the BS2. I don't need 'another' mono synth, since I have the Subsequent 37 already, so I feel the Minitaur will be staying for now.
I own both the Minitaur and BS2.. was having the same doubts but still can’t force myself to sell the minitaur. Both are great synths and if possible I think it’s great to own both. IMO BS2 is way more versatile especially now with the AFX update but the Minitaur just has that sound that is undeniably Moog 🤌🏼. I tried the se-02 and although it did sound great i disliked the small form factor ( I also have limited space) and the knobs felt janky to me, I sold it after a couple of weeks. Another great option not mentioned would be the pioneer (dsi) as-1 it’s small form, patchable, and built in efx I don’t own one but I have tried it on multiple occasions and feel it’s a bit under rated. Definitely on my list to own at some point.
Funny enough, I tried the BS2 yesterday when I was jamming with a friend who happens to have one. So we compared the 2. They are different. But the BS2 is more versatile. However, the one thing the Minitaur does, it exceeds the BS2. So I'm not gonna replace it. Maybe one day, I will own both, but for now, Minitaur it is.
@@tricks-and-tips You're welcome. Thanks for your kind reply. But, truly, amazing beat you play here (you've programmed)... Today, when I came back home... first thing I did was searching for your track!! Man, in Germany we say: "Hammer Sound" Thanks for uploading!!!!
Gave this Little Moog two tries . Got rid of it in a month or two because the limited note range then another chance after the big V2 update gave it a lot of features it lacked and at least sync options so I could fake PWM , but same result . My BSII however is still on the rack since bought new and not going anywhere anytime soon either . Also it’s updates and e transformed it into another synth entirely. Can’t get much more bang for your buck and it sounds good .
Yeah, I get your point. And that is exactly my gripe. I was recommended both the BS2 and the Pulse2. But I'm a bit hesitant to get either one, since I know myself and I will probably end up liking all of them 😁
@@tricks-and-tips yeah the pulse 2 has always looked interesting, but never seen one irl though I had the original and never gelled with it it’s character fwiw
@@Death_By_Media I'll see if I will find one of these cheap used. But my first priority is probably getting a nice stage keyboard to fill one of the bigger gaps I have in my setup.
I have it, and i wouldn’t sell it because it’s just perfect for bass and mid range sequences. I’m planning to buy Dreadbox Typhon which will get me all the things i miss on Minitaur, plus it also has killer bass sound. 🤷🏻♂️
@@tricks-and-tips Nope. Had to get some plugins and sound banks, and now it’s synth time. I’m having a dilemma between Typhon and Microfreak with Walrus Melee. 🤦🏻♂️
Agree on all counts. At least I have a Sirin, so range isn't an issue for me, but all the other things are, especially the feature-poor VCOs. I should try to sell it and get a Sub37, but there's just something special about the sound of the Taurus-based synths, and I don't really have room for a Sub37 anyway.
Thanks! Yeah, I have a Subsequent 37 too. But the Minitaur is something special in the bass dept. I would love to also get my hands on a Sirin, but they are waaaaay too expensive!
@@tricks-and-tips I bought my Sirin the day it became available, justifying the purchase by saying a limited-release Moog could become a wise investment should I ever sell it. But I was still pleasantly surprised to find out how much Sirin prices have gone up since it sold out, considering the mixed reviews it received upon release.
Thanks a lot! I'm using my Roland MC-707 as the brain of my DAWLess setup. I still have the Minitaur, because it is very good at the one thing it does. My 'issues' (cons) are still there, but the sound is so good, I still have it.
Funny you don't mention the pulse 2 as a great aletrantive it solves most of your issues and sounds superb , and can be polyhponque with pulse OSC ... thks for your video , don't know why i ended up here (maybe because i watched some berhinger Toro videos ...lol)
Yeah, I was recommended that one too. Looks like a great machine for sure. At the time of selecting, I somehow missed it. I have a search on the marketplace for a 2nd hand Pulse 2, so if one comes around cheap, who knows. I read that they discontinued it recently. Unfortunately.
So did you keep it after all? There's something I don't like about how the Bass Station sounds, I think it lacks that beautiful smoothness that defines the Moogs.. I am thinking of getting a Minitaur although I already have a dreadbox Nyx and there is some overlap there.. Behringer Kobol also has got my attention. Idk.. how many analogue monosynths are too many? 😂
Yes, I kept it (at least until now). I tried a bass station II but indeed, I missed some of that warmth in the low end (great synth otherwise). There was a couple of (to me) new suggestions in the comments that look interesting - Waldorf Pulse 2 (looks the most interesting, but unfortunately only available on the 2nd hand market) - Toriaz as-1 (something that I don't like about it, not sure what) - Moog Slim Phatty (nice option, I read that it can be unstable) - Dreadbox Typhon (misses the warmth for me, from what I hear) But I have not tried them so far due to lack of time and a shift to FX pedals. What I did instead was add a Strymon Deco V2 to the setup and the Minitaur sounds so nice through that. So I'm good for now. And I am more looking into getting more FX pedals and a bigger interface and something with samples (these will eat up the budget for quite some years) and keep the Minitaur as 'what it is' (my bass synth). Not the most flexible one, but it sounds too good to get rid of. And yeah, how many mono synths do you 'need'.... Well, I have 2 now. Both Moogs. So I could use some more. But as I said..... First some other things.
@@tricks-and-tips We seem to have a very similar taste in sound. Last Xmas I almost bought a Toraiz for its great sound, playability and onboard effects but it's terrible for sound design and quite expensive. I also wanted to get a Deco V2 but since I mostly needed it for reamping, the plugin version is much more suitable and cheaper. Maybe I'll use this money to buy a chroma console instead in the future..
So what did you end up going with? Was really excited when I learned about the Sinitar but definitely not paying those prices. I'm stuck between a B Model D, B Cat, se-02 or some type of sub $800 moog with a nasty filter.
I still have the Minitaur and I decided I'm keeping it. I tried the Bass Station 2, which is a great synth too, but I liked the Minitaur sound better for bass sounds. I think there are good alternatives (Waldorf Pulse, Roland SE-02, Toriaz AS-1) but those all have their own things again, so what I did is add some FX pedals (tube preamp for saturation and the Deco V2 for chorus and more saturation) and I can use these when needed. Nothing is perfect, but for bass sounds, the Minitaur is one of the good options in this price range if you ask me.
My only complaint about the minitaur is that its missing a noise source 😪 I sold it years ago and got me a (K)Arp Odyssey module and I'm happy ever since.
Funny how many go thru the same journey with the Minitaur, I replaced it with a Dreadbox Typhon and haven't look back. the Typhon has a massive low end that can compete with the Minitaur easily. I term of sonic possibilities it destroys the Minitaur.
I really enjoyed this piece! I was wondering if you'd mention the Sirin (you did later in the video), I bagged one recently but the price was high (£850 if I recall correctly).
I had a bass station ii, i had to sell it, i don't really miss it though. A Minitaur I think I would miss. That sound. That filter, that osc!!! Rent be damned!! lol..
I tried a BS2 recently and it was super versatile, but not a Minitaur replacement for me :) I just added a Deco V2 to the setup and that is sitting behind the Minitaur now for when I need some chorus or saturation.
@@tricks-and-tips Nice. Yeah, i think the Minitaur is hard to beat. Right now I've got an original minilogue going through a jhs colour box v2. The colour box adds some transformer saturation to warm the tone a little bit, it's eq is nice to have so it can fit in better while jamming or recording, and you can crank it and get some gnarly fuzz if need be. Pretty sure its ment for guitar but I think its a good partner for the minilogue.
@@thegreatsiberianitch Yeah, I have looked at that one too, great box for sure. I seriously considered it but bought the Deco V2 instead, since I wanted some chorus too.
@@Tptkk Thank you even more :) Funny enough, I tried a Novation BS2 yesterday from a fellow synth friend. (that was one of the contenders) Wow, great sound. But. I think I will stick to the Minitaur for now. Better dive deep and get the most out of what I already have.
Just got my hands on a 2nd hand Minitaur because of this vid! Subscribed! Amazing sound you got here. I'm also considering that collider pedal because of it. Just wondering: does it have a lowcut possibility? To make sure the Mix doesn't get muddy with al that reverb / delay?
Nice! And thanks! Yes, the Collider has tone shaping options for both the delay and reverb. It depends a little on which algorithm you use, but all have the option to cut out the lows (which I almost always do) . Have a lot of fun with this great machine!
I am looking for my 1st synth. Its hard to chose one, to be happy. I think moog in a small box is my answer. Waiting for a good price for used one, from the 2nd hand. Looks like will never happen. SUB+!
Thanks for the sub! I personally don't feel the Minitaur is a good '1st synth' TBH. Now I don't know what you 'need', but this is a specific mono bass synthesizer that does one thing really well (deep bass lines). But it's limited range (C4) is hindering it compared to other synths. If you are after a mono synth, something like the Bass station 2 might be a better starter. - It's small, - equally affordable (especially on the 2nd hand market), - it has keys, - has a small display (which really helps) - It can do higher stuff too - It sounds great and is very versatile. I already have the Subsequent 37 from Moog, but otherwise I would have bought the Bass Station 2. One good tip (this goes for all synths btw) would be to also invest in a good reverb + delay option. I have the Source Audio Collider (both reverb and delay) and I'm very happy with that. The budget version would be the Zoom MS-70CDR Unless the synth has built in FX, they really need this to get a much nicer sound :)
@@tricks-and-tips Thank You soo much for so long answer Friend and sorry for long answer from my side. Looks like Minitaur is not in my range of interest (because of limited range > C4). Like I wrote, I am looking smthing cheap (~$120) and I think I found and bought my 1st synth: mb33. Waiting for delivery. I am not sure what I looking for so I have to try from cheap, used to... expensive... if any :) Novation??? I think I will go for moog/korg coze price never drops ;) Have a nice weekend Friend!
@@pierrenagonio Yeah, remember that the synth does not make the music. You do :) You can get any gear you want, but nothing replaces creativity and perseverance :)
When it's a synth from Moog or anything else like Make Noise it's NOT GAS when it's the only product that will do what is does, Being smart about it is the real challenge! For example if a module can be replaced with Behringer, I go that way.there is no substitute for the Labyrinth period! I've even tried sub octove pedals! Nothing gets that low and clear! I'm about to get a Muse and see if it does? I sincerely double it because the original Moog lineup didn't work that way, however new ownerspossonew practices. Don't know! Peace
Yeah, I'm probably not going to replace it with anything soon. I might want to add an octave pedal just to reach the C3, because I sometimes want to go there, but that will be an experiment :) That Muse sounds great btw.
Nice video and demo. I’ve had my Minitaur since they first came out and it’s been a great companion. Out of curiosity, what were you running yours through in this demo?
I started with a Sirin when the prices were relatively sane. Then bought another Sirin a month later again sane price Recently bought a grandmother dark as those prices are about to get silly I use these with key step pro and a helix Crazy setup
That sounds very very good! I was too hesitant to get a Sirin, as I already had a Subsequent 37 and were said to share the same sound (for what that is worth).... But I should have gotten one.
What should i get for my main Bass synth? Minitaur or Mother 32 or Pro One or Erica Bassline? i will be using an MPC X with MIDI out. also it has CV gate outs, not sure if they could be used to send a sequence to a Bass synth?
There are so many good options. For pure bass, look at the Minitaur for sure. Or if you want more reach, maybe the Waldorf Pulse 2. Or the Vermona Lancet. Or maybe the Novation BS2. All great synths, but I think for pure bass, there is something special about the Minitaur.
Not a pedal but there is waveshaper in FL studio and rob Papen predator vst fx - so if you’re running into DAW. But you can get some nice results with them! .
@@guymorrison4800 Thanks. I don't use my DAW for sound generation in this setup. It's all hardware, so a VST won't do it for me because of the way the setup is 'set up' :). (not against a daw, it's just not how this setup works) But I'll have a look for one. I have to say I'm using the Deco V2 for chorus and saturation now and it sounds great on the Minitaur, giving me more sonic variety, so I'm more happy already.
@@tricks-and-tips I’ve just had an issue with Minibrute 2 half an hour ago and to resolve I ran it through a boss me50b distortion setting - that helped and ‘kills’ some of those sorts of issues
The Minitaur is indeed a one trick pony that does that trick, well, better than any other synth short of the OG Taurus and Taurus 3 pedal synths. The analog design has more resolution depth in the bass spectrum of it's oscillators (just like the original Taurus sounds bassier than any other Moog synths) and that is what limits the analog note to C4 as a trade off. th-cam.com/video/3wNQjv_nRk0/w-d-xo.html As an example, this review shows that there are more overtones in the bass from the Minitaur than the Sirin. The Sirin sounds great, but only a Minitaur can give you the bass this round and full. Using it as a controller as someone mentioned is also a great bonus. Besides running outboard gear thru it's filter it's all about the bass. If you want/need that Moog Bass that nothing else quite can give you, than this bull is no BS. ;)
Yeah, in fact, this video is what made me get the Minitaur (after missing out on the Sirin). I have done a similar comparison with my Subsequent 37 (with only 2 oscillators of course) and the Minitaur has a tiny bit more edge indeed. But.... The difference is quite subtle and often I wish it had more reach. Especially since it sounds so good at C4. I'm never gonna buy a Sirin at these prices (the nonsense of collectors items), since I'm making music with my gear and not collecting them for the value. (I should have bought 10 when I could....) So yeah, it is what you say : a one trick pony that does that one thing very well and the question is if that is worth its place for me compared to a multi trick pony that does more, but is less good at this one trick. For now it is not going anywhere soon, but if I can get my hands on a cheap Pulse 2, BS2 or Typhon, I do want to compare them.
Real interesting. What is the sub37 sound like vs the minitaur? I have a mother32 which is the nicest osc and filter I’ve heard. No presets though, it is a pretty simple synth so easy to dial in, but I low key think about a sub37 in the future. Your jam sounds really nice I definitely hear that moog smoothness. I guess I’m interested to hear if you think the mt does something the sub37 doesn’t or if it’s just more for bass duties.
Thanks! Yeah, I have the subsequent 37 and it is a much more 'fully fledged' synth with much more to offer in terms of functionality and sound shaping options. I once did a 1:1 comparison between the S37 and the Minitaur. th-cam.com/video/i4jSRevZqVw/w-d-xo.html So you can hear for yourself. There is a slight difference to my ears, mainly the Minitaur that can be more raw in the low end. But it will be very hard to distinguish in the mix. And TBH, I would never trade in my Subsequent 37 for the Minitaur, as it can do so much more. Having the Minitaur is a luxury, but also sometimes a frustration, as it can 'only' do bass and that means I often grab the Minitaur for that, when I also have other nice options. But.... The sound is great. So I think I will just enjoy that.
also the as-1 is very popular for mono duties, its essentially a single voice from a prophet so variety of sound, it has an app but i believe u can access everything from the front, and also has a lil screen
NIce video and a great tune! This beast sounds ridiculously good... Is has some nice quality overtones, that very subdued screaming is very appealing to me. I own the BS2 and it is an absolute monster, but with its own character. It can sound moogie if you want, but can do much more. I must say I would like to have a Moog in my setup, just because of the fact it does one thing pretty damn well... But I wouldn't wanna part with my trusty BS2 either.
Thanks! Yeah, I am stuck 'on the other side' 😁 I would like to explore the BS2 because it is more versatile, but at the risk of wanting to keep them both. 😆 So every time when I run into the C4 'cap' or the limited sound shaping options, I lean towards getting the BS2. And then I let the Minitaur do 'its thing' and I decide to keep it.....
Hahahaha, hold on for dear life 😂 I’m quite sure I’ll sell it whenever I have no need for it anymore. But right now I’m still enjoying it a lot. Added some pedals to the mix and recently somebody suggested adding an analog octave pedal. Which sounded like a great idea, so that might be my next one.
@@tricks-and-tips I preordered the Taurus 3 and recently bought a Minitaur just because I suspect that they are going to discontinue it. You might have been happier with the Sirin. The Minitaur might pair much better with the K2 since they are both HzV. Just get a Minimoog and be done searching haha.
Hi, I have used several. Right now I double my Yamaha YC61 as a stage piano and midi controller for my setup. It makes no sense to get that expensive keyboard just as a midi controller, but I wanted a stage piano with great sound 'and' a midi controller in one, so it was a great choice for me. But for the Minitaur, anything with 2 octaves or more will do. I also use my 707 pads as a midi controller when I'm on stage or in the rehearsal room with the Minitaur.
I am very attracted with that one which would be my first Moog, of course part of G.A.S. But i have 2 simple questions: 1/ I have already a Novation Bass Station II, do you think Minitaur would be redundant ? 2/ I'm trying to get the bass sound from Stevie Wonder in "Secret Life of Plants" would Minitaur make a good job ?
😂 gassssss I know that all too well…. 1. The BS2 is more versatile and can do more than the Minitaur. But they sound different. I wanted to get my hands on a BS2 to compare them myself. But so far GAS led me to other purchases 😎 I think it is a bit redundant, but (just like in my setup) you can use 2 mono synths. One for bass and one for leads and arps. 2 I would have to check. I’ll come back on that one soon.
If you are referring to this song : th-cam.com/video/PveWXfUZEJg/w-d-xo.html that is a double bass. That will be hard to mimic with any synthesizer. I unfortunately can’t play one myself, although I’m a bass player, but I only played fretted basses so far. So you can get nice and warm sub basses out of the Minitaur. It really shines in that department, but not like how they play on that song.
Here is a playlist with all the jams / videos that I use the Minitaur in. It’s usually on bass duties 😂 th-cam.com/play/PLKuurBOwTJtjCs8JysI3OqIdaaVAHegfT.html
@@tricks-and-tips thanks a lot, the best dble bass emulation I have is using my Seaboard Roli 49 with Equator VST dble bass...but, yes, i also dream about getting and learning to play on a true dble bass. i'm hard of hearing, so I love bass. Pierre Michelot, who played with Miles Davis a long long time ago stated that dble bass is the only instrument you can listen to with your belly.
@@tricks-and-tips It's a true pleasure exchanging with you. GAS led me to the following: Bass Station, Deep mind 12, Kurzweil sp4-8, Behringer B2600, Roli Seaboard 49, Alesis SR18, Korg SQ1. So I am severely addicted and my new obsession is the Minitaur, also because I don't have any Moog in my set up... PS: I play also on my old upright acoustic piano and i have instruments I'm unable to play: a Hoffner violin bass guitar, a greek bouzouki and a saxophone... but I had the stupid idea to sell my beautiful Rhodes 88 when we moved from France to Texas. Whatever, I love music instruments. I've always been dreaming of getting my hands on a true acoustic double bass. My father used to play piano, organ, accordion, violin, trombone, guitar and drums, he was much more talented than me.
I have one and think it sounds too brassy. It doesn't sound anything like other Moogs for some reason. There is always a resonance. It sounds a lot better if you route the output through the headphones for feedback. th-cam.com/video/Moe6aVNCwvU/w-d-xo.html It can do sub bass great, which I used it for a lot, but other units can do that like SE-02, Dreadbox and even Nymphes for a little more that what you'd get for selling this.
Pleaaaaaase be serious!!! Minitaur is a BASS synth, so you don’t need More C4. ^^ Minitaur have unique filters, is programmable, and you, there are a ton of shortcut, that’s the only bad point.. It have CV gate too, use it with gears sequencer, it become a beast! (OT, DT?.. ^^) Keep it, you will be really not happy with bass station 2, even if it is good gear too… ;)
Yeah, I know. But it sounds so good at C4!!! I would love to get to C3 or something. I know that is not gonna happen, but I like versatile synths a lot. The Sirin does not have this cap, but I did not dare to get it new. If only I had…..
@@tricks-and-tips No worries about that Sirin, it does sound worse than the Minitaur for having that extra range. There was a comparison vid on youtube somewhere.
My minitaur was stolen lol but tbh it was meh ..I could never make it fit in my mixes was a lil to soft and bland .. I could never make it sound like a Moog source
I can record the Minitaur without if you want. Just the raw sound. I don't think I still have this specific jam, but I can work something out. But I personally never use it without some reverb (this was a lot because there was nothing else playing melodically) and I love that Collider reverb + delay) Sorry mate.
The best bass synth in the world. Higher notes, who cares. Higher notes can be done elsewhere, se02 for example. I dont see point in owning other moogs, when this is so cheap new.
Hahahahahaha. I have a Subsequent 37 and would not trade that one for anything. It is way more versatile than the Minitaur, but also way more costly indeed. The Minitaur sounds great, but its limitation can be a bit annoying sometimes (when I have another synth filling the sub end) But I'm still very much enjoying the Minitaur. It's just that it would sound so great at C3 and I really would love to use that. (I did do a multitrack once where I used only the Minitaur, some parts pitched up, yeah, it was a lot of Moogness)
I’m not sure if there is a technical reason (sonically) behind this C4 limit, or just a marketing trick. But at least I would love to get more reach on my Minitaur.
@@tricks-and-tips Even if there was a technical reason, the idea that it would be beyond Moog to implement a fix would be ridiculous. Sadly the only explanation is they expect you to buy a another synth from them. They have a huge amount of name value with synthesists and they've decided to cash out on it. When I first started playing synths a decade ago I dreamt of owning a Moog. Now I could afford one there isn't a single model that seems worth it, countless other companies make more interesting and more practical stuff. As you've written in your review it'll keep its value as long as you want to keep it and if you're enjoying it and making music with it that's all that matters. Thank you for the video, it's concise and interesting, and the track sounds really good. I hope you continue to enjoy making videos and music.
@@Patriotic_Eagle1995 Yeah, they did market it as a bass synth. (hence the name), so at least I can't blame them for not telling us. Luckily there are plenty good alternatives and maybe I will get one one day. I'm considering a Waldorf Pulse (that was recommended here) or a BS2. With the risk of me getting 'another' mono synth (and keeping them all 3 😁) Thanks for the comment, really appreciate it!
@@tricks-and-tips I've had the BSII for a few years and it's an absolutely tremendous synth. Endlessly fun to play and it sounds incredible in any octave 😉 The Pulse does have the size factor advantage though, I've come close to buying one several times solely for that reason. I don't think there is a wrong decision, but I know that I'll never sell my Bass Station II. It's an absolute beast and a total bargain.
This is the most helpful review of the Minitaur on YT. Thank you for putting it together.
Thank you. Glad it was helping you out.
This was my first analog monosynth and it will always have a special place in my heart! Thanks for sharing your journey!
Thanks!
Yeah, it was my second, but it has a sweet spot that I really like.
The MInitaur sounds absolutely awesome in this demo! 🙌👏👏👏
Thanks man. Yeah, it most certainly does. And I still have it because of that!
You may consider Moog Slim Phatty. Modulations are limited but it has the typical moog sound, it is small, not limited to C4, has a good display and all functions are accessible directly from the panel. The main disadvantage - it requires up to 30 minutes of warming up.
Yeah, thanks man. I did consider that before buying the Minitaur, but..... Yes. Well. Exactly that tuning.
I own a Minitaur too and adore its sound. I dislike the fact that it's capped off too, but I have my work-arounds in the DAW. I use it mostly with a DAW and that serves me really well. Even if I don't use the sound of the Minitaur, I use its midi-capabilities as a midi-controller on VSTi's. You get the lovely Moog feel on a virtual synth! I think that's great!
That is a clever way of using it indeed!
Never thought about that before.
@@tricks-and-tips try it! Works pretty well!
@@DEADLINETV I sure will.
I love the Moog knobs more than those on my midi controller!
Love your backing track and appreciate that you've shared your long term thoughts.
I'm on the fence about picking one up and researching the heck out of the Minotaur rn.
It sounds so good, but I worry about it becoming unused after a while due to so many people claiming it's a 'one trick pony'.
Thanks a lot.
We are over 1yr later and I'm still enjoying the Minitaur.
My main gripe still stands (limited reach) but I am going to try an octave pedal someday (when I have the budget and time) to overcome that.
The lack of tone shape options is somewhat compensated by adding 2 pedals to my setup.
One is a cheap TubeMP Studio V3, which I overdrive like mad if I want this crunchy tone (check my last video where you can hear it in action th-cam.com/video/6rYPBLXq1h4/w-d-xo.html)
The other one is the Deco V2, which can 'also' add a lovely stereo chorus. (and saturation)
I'm not trying to convince you into buying one btw. Buy only what you need and often it's not more gear, but more time behind the knobs :)
But for the 'one trick pony' part, yes it is, and yes I still use it daily.
@@tricks-and-tips Thx I'll check the new vid out.
For that crunchy overdrive sometimes I'll loop in an Ibanez Tube Screamer pedal (rolled back mostly).
I'll probably end up grabbing the Minitaur because it just sounds so good, and it's reassuring to know that you still held on to it all this time after questioning whether to sell it or not.
@@filmismorefun Yeah, anything that modulates the sound is a welcome addition to get more variation out of the Minitaur.
But all in all, it's deep sub tones are something special and the reason why I still have it.
best bass synth ever.
I still have it, so I’m probably keeping it
Your demo sounds incredible, you’d be crazy to part with it. Ps now I also want that pedal. My goodness, sounds like heaven
Thanks!
And very true! I would probably be crazy.
My plans are to keep it, since the sweet spot is so good, but yeah, I sometimes wish it had more reach and sound sharing options.
Absolutely, the Collider sounds great.
Did you check my long time review on it?
This one I mean th-cam.com/video/4MUpuNkwhm0/w-d-xo.html 😎
The problem with your alternative is that you will not get that super phat Moog bass synth sound. The lack of modulation can be mitigated by using modulation sources within your daw and assign them to midi cc. Bigwig provide the best environment to do that but I know you can do it in Ableton and in other DAWs too. The C4 limitation is the most annoying one IMO but if you sell it you will have to say goodbye to that fantastic Moog bass sound because unless you have the original Taurus pedal, nothing will sound like it. It’s kinda true that it’s a one trick pony but it does a trick that nothing else can do.
Yeah, that is why it is still in the setup (the lovely sound) and right now, I feel it will stay for a while 😎
... Toro ...
@@novalogue Toro sounds like shit, sorry. And it's even more limited than the Minitaur.
@@alexwestconsulting Did you compare both of them? They dont have the same sound?
@@novalogue I'm going off this: th-cam.com/video/c44pQFlI9i0/w-d-xo.html They certainly sound similar, but no, not the "same". Besides, the Toro has limited contouring relative to Minitaur. The Toro is really just emulating the old, limited Taurus pedals that actually had pedals, but the Toro doesn't, so what's the point? A Model D would be better here if you really had to go down the Behringer route. For many of us, Minitaur is king for sound, function (with a few misses), form factor, and even price (entirely affordable on the second hand market).
I have a couple BS2's, one blue and the other black AFX. They just don't replace my Minitaur, flexible as they are (and they are flexible). The other "bass synth" mono I like is the Roland SE-02. I am incredibly unhappy with myself for not getting a Sirin when in production myself BTW. I didn't expect it to end as fast as it did, and didn't expect prices to skyrocket like they did.
Thanks. I played with a BS2 some time ago at a synth forum friend.
It sounds great but not as a replacement indeed.
An YES I am an idiot for not buying a Sirin when I could!
The other day been noodling a bit with M32 & DFAM. It can be limiting not to have presets. Otoh it always is an adventure to try to get a sound that works, if only for a bit of time it is fun.
To have a synth like the Minitaur (one knob per function) in addition to a preset synth is very rewarding.
Yes I sometimes would like to have one of the semi modular Moogs too, but that really does not suit my way of working right now.
While i understand your criticisms, i would like to point out that this a synth of lineage. Its the progression of the taurus pedal. Thats probably why its a bit weird. The funny thing is that it IS a one trick pony, but isnt it the most sublime trick? Your background track truly demonstrated why we love it. Its like bass wrapped in silk. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you so much. (Dont sell it, it doesnt take up much room) 😉👍
Thanks for the reminder.
Yeah, it is a great one trick pony, I'm just not sure if there is place for that in my 'small' setup, since I also want to use my other synths on bass duties sometimes, or have more variety in my sound. .
But I am probably not going to sell it anytime soon. With the addition of the TubeMP Studio V3, I'm at least getting more grit out of it (if that is what I want), so that is a bonus.
I'm also considering adding a good chorus pedal someday.
So far I really like it's sweet spot, so that is a big bonus.
I love how everyone forgets there's an Audio In in the back of the Minitaur. That means you are one Korg Volca and a MIDI Thru box away from having a 5 oscillator monster with a Moog ladder filter.
Yeah, Although I will never use it myself, it’s a great option to have in the toolkit.
Just wish it was stereo to be able to route my stage piano through it. Oh and wait, an extra drive circuit would make it perfect 🤩
As far as the hidden functions go, all of them can be called up without using the editor. Just memorize the button press combination on the front panel.
If you don't have the cheat sheet, it can be downloaded from Moog music. There is also a work around for the higher octaves. Record the part into a DAW
an octave lower and transpose the audio data up an octave. You might also have to raise the audio pitch an octave as well. I too missed the top octaves from the Minitaur so I got a Sirin as soon as they were available. I now have the bonus of being able to do 4 oscillator bass parts
and since the Minitaur sounds so good playing bass octaves, now I can have 2 oscillators on each note of the octave. Hope some of this helps.
Thanks man.
Not all functions have shortcuts unfortunately.
(to my best knowledge)
Some I use quite often.
Like midi sync. (lfo speed), reset LFO on note and more.
I know, I only need them when sound designing, so no big dealbraker. Although it does make the experienced more 'decoupled' compared to the Subsequent 37 for example.
I'm playing the Minitaur live, so that octave trick is not gonna help. I do have an octave shift option on my bass pedal, but it is impossible (impractical) to use that while playing and sequencing (you have to engage it exactly after the last 'normal' note and disable it before you hit the normal C4 range again)
I should have gotten the Sirin indeed.
But I did not. And these are total 1st world problems. I love the Minitaur sound, it is just a limited synth and I have to decide if that is worth it for me.
One question, since you have both, have you done an in depth comparison between the Sirin and the Minitaur?
Is the Minitaur indeed 'better' on the bass notes?
I have compared it to the Subsequent 37, but that has quite a different signal path, so it is not apples - apples.
Great analysis, agree with pretty much all your points.
Another alternative to consider is the Waldorf Pulse 2: not capped at C4, has presets, has screen, small, great sounding (they say, I haven't tried it), and lots of modulation possibilities.
Thanks, never looked into that one, but I will!
I second that. The Pulse is one of my all time favorite monosynths. Fat and warm when you want, screaming like a banshee when you like :)
@@amosluyk Thanks!
I did look into it, it looks great.
For now I will probably keep the Minitaur to protect myself from keeping a 3rd monosynth 😆
Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this already, but a classic use for an audio in on a synth like this is to plug its own headphone jack into itself. You get a little bit of overdrive this way.
Thanks. Yeah, I tried that, but it’s not really pleasing what happens then. I have added the DecoV2 and that saturation does a good job.
Love the Minitaur, it is a keeper. To get a bit more modulation going use midi CC LFOs, just look up the midi chart in the manual.
Thanks man.
What do you use to send those CC's?
A DAW?
Yup, exactly why minitaur + digitone is so powerful
@@danielmulholland5869 I get it😃
Not the digitone, but your point!
Other things on the list that take priority
Its not really a Bass synth, but another kind of killer mono synth that you can scoop up cheap is the arturia mini brute. Tons of modulation, aftertouch, velocity, but no presets at all. I bought that as my first synth instead of the Minitaur, and loved it for years. I gave it to a friend who wanted to get into synths, as I also had the BS2.
Yeah, that one is nice too (the minibrute) but I really want presets.
You 'had' the BS2?
But sold it?
I still do, but have too many mono synths, Its in the closet right now, Im experimenting with the Analogue solutions fusebox.
@@jasonbeatty831 Hahahahahahaha. That is my worry too (getting too many mono synths)
Great video and wonderful topic. I have a Subsequent 37 and I'm more a singer, guitarist. Was considering a Minitaur because it's easier to use. The S37 is a beast but I need to keep things more simple and practical as I play and record all instruments and no time or tech ability for anything resembling programming...
Thanks!
I think the Subsequent is more easy to use because it has a screen and a keyboard :)
So you don't need anything else, maybe a reverb + delay pedal.
For live situations I would probably never use the Minitaur because you can't see on what patch it is. (unless you add some midi device that can read out the patch number)
And I would still have to drag a midi keyboard around to play it.
Maybe (if size is an issue) the Sub25 is a good middle ground. Still the nice 3 oscillator bass sound, but not as heavy and big as the 37 :)
What about the Moog Slim Phatty? Has a display, more control (with a very clever user interface), 3U 19" rack format and goes for about 650€.
Yeah, although I heard it can have tuning issues. But it's a nice alternative for sure. Especially the rack version.
Just throw some wood cheeks on it and you'll forget about the cons. ;)
Hahahahahaha. LOL.
They look great indeed, but my decksaver won't fit with them on the sides unfortunately.
Nice and super informative vid. NOthing sounds that warm as a Moog and for my point of view if I were you I would buy Eventide’s H90 to get more sound shaping options through a pedal or DAW workarounds. For me bass doesn’t have to go higher that you have demonstrated here so well. That level of sound can’ be reached by any other brand and it remains affortable as well so far from my point of view.
Thanks man. And I quite often feel the same way. But..... Sometimes I just wish it would go up to C3 or something.
Because it sounds so good at C4 too :)
I love that sound! Also the fx you're using create a nice atmosphere. I'm looking for a second hand one, hope to have my hand on it soon
Thanks. True. The Source Audio Collider sometimes feels like cheating. It shows why you pay some extra for these quality reverb pedals.
To get around the c4 issue, why not just throw in an analog octave up pedal after the Minitaur? Great video btw
Thanks. That is quite clever. :)
Have to dig into those.
Minitauer Sounds beautiful. I owned the Sirin but sold it after sampling most of the soundcolours
Realy good informative demo 👍👍👍
Yeah it does. I wish I had bought the Sirin when I could 😊
You could complement the Minitaur with an Electra One Controller. I have both. The Electra will allow you to see on what preset you are, and tweak all hidden functions, without the need of a PC. You can create your own presets, but there is a large user community behind it that shares their presets they make. You can tweak those to your own desire, making it suitable for your own live or studio environment.I myself made and published presets for a.o. the Minitaur, the Novation Summit, the Roland SE-02. For the Minitaur I added a saving function as well, but I plan also to add a bidirectional communication then you can see the patch name and the actual parameter settings, like I did on the SE-02. Electra’s current stock is rather low actually, but it might be worth at least to consider it as an addition to your set up. It might elevate your other synth gear to a new level as well.
I have read about that one. Looks like a great tool if you don't want to use a PC / laptop.
But I always have a laptop on the side, so I can reach out to the editor, if I need more control for the Minitaur.
But it really looks like a very flexible, well designed controller.
Right now € 550,- is too big of a pricetag and too low priority for me :)
This was such a great video. Well done.
Thanks man!!
Good job on the background jam, it just sold me on getting one of these as my bass synth, I could feel that bass in my soul. Did you end up keeping or selling the minitaur?
Thanks man!
Yeah, still have it. I added a deco V2 for saturation and chorus. That adds some extra sound shaping options. And I just realized there is nothing wrong with a great bass synth.
I've had my Minitaur for 5 years now and I still consistently use it. The only reason to move away from it to a more fully-fledged Moog sound is for performance, control, and expandability beyond what it's advertised for. I can't imagine myself moving away from this thing because it's a simple and efficient means to fill out the low end of my mix without any overly complicated means to achieve that fat Moog sound. Sometimes limitation with an instrument like this can streamline your music workflow and allow you to focus on getting the best out of the other instruments in your song.
Yeah, 80% of the time I feel that way too, but as I have other options to fill the low end as well, I'd love to get a bit more high with the Minitaur (as it sounds great at C4 and I feel it will sound great at C3 too)
But they never lied about it. It is just a limited synth and if I don't want that in my setup, I have to replace it.
😀
@@tricks-and-tips it's sad, but sometimes we do have to say goodbye to old friends
@@vijayjayant1081 not anytime soon.
I have other things on the list to invest in first. 😂
I tried Erica Synths Basseline, good sound and tone modulation hands-on functions, but it's a PITA when it comes to Midi. It can only receive notes and CutOff, but the CutOff is not consistent and would not be manually responsive when changing sequence for example. This drove me crazy. But it sounds great as is and I don't think there's the C4 limit either.
Then there's the Dreadbox Erebus and Hades. Both reissued for more quality and functionalities. Both semi-modular which is cool (Erebus has more possibilities in that regard). I personally didn't like the filter. Even if you can get a fat bass sound with both, the filters sounds thin and not too precise (for my taste). I also not a fan of 1/8" jack midi connection; the original Erebus had 5pin Din connectors but they scrapped it).
Finally, I worked a lot with the Arturia MiniBrute 2S, which is very good. Its downside is the tuning. Even if I frequently verify the calibration, this instrument needs to be longly warmed up, and the time needed became longer by the years. That means you must have a tuner with it if you want to play with other musicians / instruments more precise. It is also a big bulky chunk on your table. I had it in several live setup and I just can't work with it anymore.
So yeah the Minitaur has its downsides too, but they don't bother me at all. It is a solid piece of gear and it is fully Midi / CV / Gate compliant. I just love it. My 2¢.
I have only had the Minitaur (for this role) and over 1 year after making this video, it is still alive and kicking in the sub arena in my setup.
So I think it will stay :)
the C4 limitation gets me every time haha....That's why they made the siren or whatever I guess, but I don't want to spend that kind of $$ on it
Yeah indeed. Although the Minitaur does sound a bit fatter in the low end (I keep convincing myself that)
And no way I’m gonna pay the collectors prices either. I was just too late.
So now I try to settle down on its great sound. Limited but great….
Hi, nice review 😃 Totally share your point of view here! I love my Minitaur too, but the C4 can sometimes clog creativity. A couple of years ago when I got the Minitaur, it was nearly the same price as the Sirin, but I read that the Minitaur had more lows than the Sirin (don't know if it's really true, but well didn't know that the Sirin would be selling at those prices nowadays! 🤨).
I also have the SE-02 and Circuit Mono Station (which is not really a BS2, but not very far). I still think that the Minitaur has a very different sound from these synths (reason why I decided to keep all of them 😅)
Thanks!
Yeah, I have to stop myself from getting another mono synth.
2 should do the trick.
But I know myself and probably will keep everything I will add 😜
I tried the BS2 yesterday. It is quite different indeed.
Some overlap, but the Minitaur is 'better' in the low end. And the BS2 is much much more versatile.
So I could replace the Minitaur with the BS2, but I don't want to right now.
I feel the Minitaur has earned its place and I don't need one more monosynth.
@@tricks-and-tips I think that this is a wise decision 😊
@@2MinuteWarning I think so too (until I change my mind I guess 😆)
@@tricks-and-tips I totally know what you mean 😅😂
Here are two more suggestions for a possible replacement:
1 - Korg Monologue
2 - Dreadbox Typhon
I can personally vouch for the Typhon being a really great sounding and versatile mono synth. And, my cousin has a Monologue and he really enjoys it. I've never used a Bass Station 2, but that does seem like a pretty good mono synth itself. The Norand Mono seems pretty nifty, but is also kind of expensive.
Thank you!
That Typhon has been recommended quite often. I will dig into that one.
The Monologue is a really fun synth with a fantastic sequencer. However, I don't think its quirky features, like the LFO being usable for FM synthesis and as an AR envelope, make up for its overall lack of modulation. Motion sequencing does to some degree, but that can be a slightly laborious process that also has limitations. It's cheap enough and fun enough that selling it kinda isn't worth the effort, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably get the BS2 (in that price range).
@@jc3drums916 The BS or the Typhon are suggested quite often. Or the Pulse 2.
But I still feel like the Minitaur is not going anywhere soon. Even though it is capped.
Is the Typhon bassy? I've listened to sound demos, and it sounds fantastic. But, it was highlighting more mids and leads.
Yes, the Typhon has fantastic low-end.
the bass station 2 was my first synth ever and i spent nearly a year pushing its sonic capabilities and i can not say that i have ever reached them (especially considering the possibilities by MIDI control and the latest updates (AFX Mode!)). the bass station 2 can get really deep (and really annoying at times too because it takes a longlonglong time to get used to the under the hood features). what ended up being the main con for the bass station and also being the reason for me to get interested in the minitaur is the small formfactor and hands-on control mixxed with powerful midi-capabilities of the minitaur. the bass station 2 is not too heavy but the full size keyboard (which is pretty solid for sure) makes its formfactor basically a no-go for live shows and jams (except if u can travel by car of course).
Yeah, I get your point.
The minitaur is a superb sounding bass synth and I’m quite sure it will be staying.
Although I do wish it had more reach and waveforms, but still its amazing sounding for what it is made for!
Great jam! I have the Minitaur and the AFX Station (same as Bass Station 2). If I had to get rid of one, it would be the AFX Station. It's a wonderful synth, but the Minitaur is sooooo special. I don't think I'll ever get rid of mine. BUT, if you absolutely need to cover more ground, the AFX/Bass Station offers a ton of value and sounds fantastic. Really can't go wrong with either.
Thanks man!
I do love the sound of the Minitaur indeed.
And I’m quite sure I will keep both if I try a BS2 🤣
So that is a risk, since I don’t ‘need’ another mono synth
I tried the BS2 yesterday when I was jamming with a friend who happened to have one.
And we both agreed that there is a lot of overlap, but they are not comparable. So I feel like I'm better off keeping the Minitaur and not replacing it with the BS2. I don't need 'another' mono synth, since I have the Subsequent 37 already, so I feel the Minitaur will be staying for now.
Sounds great. Maybe you just need more synths. Ever considered modular?
Kidding. Sort of.
😂😂😂 yeah. Will you tell my wife I do? 😂😂😂😂
I own both the Minitaur and BS2.. was having the same doubts but still can’t force myself to sell the minitaur. Both are great synths and if possible I think it’s great to own both. IMO BS2 is way more versatile especially now with the AFX update but the Minitaur just has that sound that is undeniably Moog 🤌🏼. I tried the se-02 and although it did sound great i disliked the small form factor ( I also have limited space) and the knobs felt janky to me, I sold it after a couple of weeks. Another great option not mentioned would be the pioneer (dsi) as-1 it’s small form, patchable, and built in efx I don’t own one but I have tried it on multiple occasions and feel it’s a bit under rated. Definitely on my list to own at some point.
Yeah, exactly.
I’m ‘afraid’ I will keep both if I get the BS2 (and I should not get a third mono synth TBH)
Funny enough, I tried the BS2 yesterday when I was jamming with a friend who happens to have one. So we compared the 2. They are different. But the BS2 is more versatile.
However, the one thing the Minitaur does, it exceeds the BS2. So I'm not gonna replace it.
Maybe one day, I will own both, but for now, Minitaur it is.
amazing track!!! one of the best I#ve hear here on YT
@@apriltoronto5254 thanks a ton 🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@tricks-and-tips You're welcome. Thanks for your kind reply. But, truly, amazing beat you play here (you've programmed)...
Today, when I came back home... first thing I did was searching for your track!!
Man, in Germany we say: "Hammer Sound"
Thanks for uploading!!!!
@@apriltoronto5254😊😊
A good synth and a nice FX pedal and a bit of inspiration 😅
Gave this Little Moog two tries . Got rid of it in a month or two because the limited note range then another chance after the big V2 update gave it a lot of features it lacked and at least sync options so I could fake PWM , but same result . My BSII however is still on the rack since bought new and not going anywhere anytime soon either . Also it’s updates and e transformed it into another synth entirely. Can’t get much more bang for your buck and it sounds good .
Yeah, I get your point. And that is exactly my gripe.
I was recommended both the BS2 and the Pulse2.
But I'm a bit hesitant to get either one, since I know myself and I will probably end up liking all of them 😁
@@tricks-and-tips yeah the pulse 2 has always looked interesting, but never seen one irl though I had the original and never gelled with it it’s character fwiw
@@Death_By_Media I'll see if I will find one of these cheap used. But my first priority is probably getting a nice stage keyboard to fill one of the bigger gaps I have in my setup.
I have it, and i wouldn’t sell it because it’s just perfect for bass and mid range sequences. I’m planning to buy Dreadbox Typhon which will get me all the things i miss on Minitaur, plus it also has killer bass sound. 🤷🏻♂️
Thanks man.
Yes, I agree on the sound. It is one of a kind.
But.... Limited.
Still, I love playing it!
Did you get the Typhon already?
I tried the BS2 yesterday, but that is not a replacement for the Minitaur for me.
@@tricks-and-tips Nope. Had to get some plugins and sound banks, and now it’s synth time. I’m having a dilemma between Typhon and Microfreak with Walrus Melee. 🤦🏻♂️
@@_kortiko_ 😂
Yeah, always new things to explore 😝
Agree on all counts. At least I have a Sirin, so range isn't an issue for me, but all the other things are, especially the feature-poor VCOs. I should try to sell it and get a Sub37, but there's just something special about the sound of the Taurus-based synths, and I don't really have room for a Sub37 anyway.
Thanks!
Yeah, I have a Subsequent 37 too. But the Minitaur is something special in the bass dept.
I would love to also get my hands on a Sirin, but they are waaaaay too expensive!
@@tricks-and-tips I bought my Sirin the day it became available, justifying the purchase by saying a limited-release Moog could become a wise investment should I ever sell it. But I was still pleasantly surprised to find out how much Sirin prices have gone up since it sold out, considering the mixed reviews it received upon release.
@@jc3drums916 That is what I should have done :)
How do you like the Sirin so far?
First i love your music, what provide the sequence?, very interrested in this device moog minitaur, do you still love it?
Thanks a lot!
I'm using my Roland MC-707 as the brain of my DAWLess setup.
I still have the Minitaur, because it is very good at the one thing it does.
My 'issues' (cons) are still there, but the sound is so good, I still have it.
@@tricks-and-tips WHat you do with it.... KEEP IT!!!!!!
@@apriltoronto5254 I’m planning on doing just that 😃
Funny you don't mention the pulse 2 as a great aletrantive it solves most of your issues and sounds superb , and can be polyhponque with pulse OSC ... thks for your video , don't know why i ended up here (maybe because i watched some berhinger Toro videos ...lol)
Yeah, I was recommended that one too. Looks like a great machine for sure.
At the time of selecting, I somehow missed it. I have a search on the marketplace for a 2nd hand Pulse 2, so if one comes around cheap, who knows.
I read that they discontinued it recently. Unfortunately.
So did you keep it after all? There's something I don't like about how the Bass Station sounds, I think it lacks that beautiful smoothness that defines the Moogs.. I am thinking of getting a Minitaur although I already have a dreadbox Nyx and there is some overlap there.. Behringer Kobol also has got my attention. Idk.. how many analogue monosynths are too many? 😂
Yes, I kept it (at least until now).
I tried a bass station II but indeed, I missed some of that warmth in the low end (great synth otherwise).
There was a couple of (to me) new suggestions in the comments that look interesting
- Waldorf Pulse 2 (looks the most interesting, but unfortunately only available on the 2nd hand market)
- Toriaz as-1 (something that I don't like about it, not sure what)
- Moog Slim Phatty (nice option, I read that it can be unstable)
- Dreadbox Typhon (misses the warmth for me, from what I hear)
But I have not tried them so far due to lack of time and a shift to FX pedals.
What I did instead was add a Strymon Deco V2 to the setup and the Minitaur sounds so nice through that.
So I'm good for now. And I am more looking into getting more FX pedals and a bigger interface and something with samples (these will eat up the budget for quite some years) and keep the Minitaur as 'what it is' (my bass synth).
Not the most flexible one, but it sounds too good to get rid of. And yeah, how many mono synths do you 'need'.... Well, I have 2 now. Both Moogs. So I could use some more. But as I said..... First some other things.
@@tricks-and-tips We seem to have a very similar taste in sound. Last Xmas I almost bought a Toraiz for its great sound, playability and onboard effects but it's terrible for sound design and quite expensive. I also wanted to get a Deco V2 but since I mostly needed it for reamping, the plugin version is much more suitable and cheaper. Maybe I'll use this money to buy a chroma console instead in the future..
So what did you end up going with? Was really excited when I learned about the Sinitar but definitely not paying those prices. I'm stuck between a B Model D, B Cat, se-02 or some type of sub $800 moog with a nasty filter.
I still have the Minitaur and I decided I'm keeping it.
I tried the Bass Station 2, which is a great synth too, but I liked the Minitaur sound better for bass sounds.
I think there are good alternatives (Waldorf Pulse, Roland SE-02, Toriaz AS-1) but those all have their own things again, so what I did is add some FX pedals (tube preamp for saturation and the Deco V2 for chorus and more saturation) and I can use these when needed.
Nothing is perfect, but for bass sounds, the Minitaur is one of the good options in this price range if you ask me.
Thanks for this review
Thank, no problem!
It's not as glamorous as bigger Moogs but it really does have a lovely sound.
It does for sure. Just limited in design options and reach. But what it does, sounds great
My only complaint about the minitaur is that its missing a noise source 😪
I sold it years ago and got me a (K)Arp Odyssey module and I'm happy ever since.
Yeah, that is missing too.
Funny how many go thru the same journey with the Minitaur, I replaced it with a Dreadbox Typhon and haven't look back.
the Typhon has a massive low end that can compete with the Minitaur easily. I term of sonic possibilities it destroys the Minitaur.
Yeah, apparently we are all human after all 😜
I'll see what I will do. Dreadbox Typhon has been mentioned quite often so far.
Sounds excellent.
Very good video
Thanks Jeroen!
I really enjoyed this piece! I was wondering if you'd mention the Sirin (you did later in the video), I bagged one recently but the price was high (£850 if I recall correctly).
Thanks!
Yeah, I still regret not getting that when it was available in the stores for a good price…..
If they ever do a re issue….. 😎
I had a bass station ii, i had to sell it, i don't really miss it though. A Minitaur I think I would miss. That sound. That filter, that osc!!! Rent be damned!! lol..
I tried a BS2 recently and it was super versatile, but not a Minitaur replacement for me :)
I just added a Deco V2 to the setup and that is sitting behind the Minitaur now for when I need some chorus or saturation.
@@tricks-and-tips Nice. Yeah, i think the Minitaur is hard to beat. Right now I've got an original minilogue going through a jhs colour box v2. The colour box adds some transformer saturation to warm the tone a little bit, it's eq is nice to have so it can fit in better while jamming or recording, and you can crank it and get some gnarly fuzz if need be. Pretty sure its ment for guitar but I think its a good partner for the minilogue.
@@thegreatsiberianitch Yeah, I have looked at that one too, great box for sure. I seriously considered it but bought the Deco V2 instead, since I wanted some chorus too.
Take a look at the Erica Synths DB01 Bassline! And try to feed the headphone output into audio in of you want Drive on the Moog!
Thanks!
I tried that drive trick. But it was not what I was hoping for. Now I have a Tube MP Studio V3 behind the Minitaur. That works quite well!
@@tricks-and-tips And great showcase track btw!
@@Tptkk Thank you even more :)
Funny enough, I tried a Novation BS2 yesterday from a fellow synth friend.
(that was one of the contenders)
Wow, great sound. But.
I think I will stick to the Minitaur for now.
Better dive deep and get the most out of what I already have.
@@tricks-and-tips If you keep putting out sound like that, I guess that’s the best outcome! 🤘
@@Tptkk I hope to be doing just that.
I recorded a lovely jam the other day. I think it will be ready tomorrow (the video)
Great track!
Thanks Cameron.
I might build more around it with a full jam. Although I would need a lot of hands to do this live 😀
Just got my hands on a 2nd hand Minitaur because of this vid! Subscribed!
Amazing sound you got here. I'm also considering that collider pedal because of it. Just wondering: does it have a lowcut possibility? To make sure the Mix doesn't get muddy with al that reverb / delay?
Nice! And thanks!
Yes, the Collider has tone shaping options for both the delay and reverb. It depends a little on which algorithm you use, but all have the option to cut out the lows (which I almost always do)
.
Have a lot of fun with this great machine!
I am looking for my 1st synth. Its hard to chose one, to be happy. I think moog in a small box is my answer. Waiting for a good price for used one, from the 2nd hand. Looks like will never happen. SUB+!
Thanks for the sub!
I personally don't feel the Minitaur is a good '1st synth' TBH.
Now I don't know what you 'need', but this is a specific mono bass synthesizer that does one thing really well (deep bass lines).
But it's limited range (C4) is hindering it compared to other synths.
If you are after a mono synth, something like the Bass station 2 might be a better starter.
- It's small,
- equally affordable (especially on the 2nd hand market),
- it has keys,
- has a small display (which really helps)
- It can do higher stuff too
- It sounds great and is very versatile.
I already have the Subsequent 37 from Moog, but otherwise I would have bought the Bass Station 2.
One good tip (this goes for all synths btw) would be to also invest in a good reverb + delay option.
I have the Source Audio Collider (both reverb and delay) and I'm very happy with that.
The budget version would be the Zoom MS-70CDR
Unless the synth has built in FX, they really need this to get a much nicer sound :)
@@tricks-and-tips Thank You soo much for so long answer Friend and sorry for long answer from my side.
Looks like Minitaur is not in my range of interest (because of limited range > C4).
Like I wrote, I am looking smthing cheap (~$120) and I think I found and bought my 1st synth: mb33. Waiting for delivery.
I am not sure what I looking for so I have to try from cheap, used to... expensive... if any :) Novation??? I think I will go for moog/korg coze price never drops ;)
Have a nice weekend Friend!
@@pierrenagonio
Yeah, remember that the synth does not make the music. You do :)
You can get any gear you want, but nothing replaces creativity and perseverance :)
Nice!!! Dig it!
Thank you!
When it's a synth from Moog or anything else like Make Noise it's NOT GAS when it's the only product that will do what is does, Being smart about it is the real challenge! For example if a module can be replaced with Behringer, I go that way.there is no substitute for the Labyrinth period! I've even tried sub octove pedals! Nothing gets that low and clear! I'm about to get a Muse and see if it does? I sincerely double it because the original Moog lineup didn't work that way, however new ownerspossonew practices. Don't know! Peace
Yeah, I'm probably not going to replace it with anything soon.
I might want to add an octave pedal just to reach the C3, because I sometimes want to go there, but that will be an experiment :)
That Muse sounds great btw.
Nice video and demo. I’ve had my Minitaur since they first came out and it’s been a great companion. Out of curiosity, what were you running yours through in this demo?
Thanks 🙏🏻 yeah, it’s a lovely sounding piece of gear.
I usually run it through the Source Audio Collider.
I started with a Sirin when the prices were relatively sane. Then bought another Sirin a month later again sane price
Recently bought a grandmother dark as those prices are about to get silly
I use these with key step pro and a helix
Crazy setup
That sounds very very good!
I was too hesitant to get a Sirin, as I already had a Subsequent 37 and were said to share the same sound (for what that is worth)....
But I should have gotten one.
you run your synths thru the helix for fx? how are the digital fx in there?
@@voodoornb theres nothing better for ease of use
What should i get for my main Bass synth? Minitaur or Mother 32 or Pro One or Erica Bassline? i will be using an MPC X with MIDI out. also it has CV gate outs, not sure if they could be used to send a sequence to a Bass synth?
There are so many good options. For pure bass, look at the Minitaur for sure.
Or if you want more reach, maybe the Waldorf Pulse 2. Or the Vermona Lancet.
Or maybe the Novation BS2.
All great synths, but I think for pure bass, there is something special about the Minitaur.
Don't replace it!!
It has a sound that you can't find anywhere else.
Thanks! I won’t anytime soon.
nice melo - well done - i like it and you must make more music with this item ;-)
Thanks man! I agree, it sounds great and I have to appreciate it for that instead of wanting it to be more
Can you change presets without a computer? I would love to use it live with minimal tweaking
Yes. No problem
You could run it through a wave shaper
Thanks. Do you have a pedal recommendation?
Not a pedal but there is waveshaper in FL studio and rob Papen predator vst fx - so if you’re running into DAW. But you can get some nice results with them! .
@@guymorrison4800 Thanks. I don't use my DAW for sound generation in this setup. It's all hardware, so a VST won't do it for me because of the way the setup is 'set up' :).
(not against a daw, it's just not how this setup works)
But I'll have a look for one.
I have to say I'm using the Deco V2 for chorus and saturation now and it sounds great on the Minitaur, giving me more sonic variety, so I'm more happy already.
@@tricks-and-tips it’s ok anyway! 😃 overdrive or distortion done fussily also can help.
@@tricks-and-tips I’ve just had an issue with Minibrute 2 half an hour ago and to resolve I ran it through a boss me50b distortion setting - that helped and ‘kills’ some of those sorts of issues
Typhon :) - I have 2 - and keep the Moog.
Thanks!
I never considered that one myself but it sure looks good!
Sounds awesome
Many thanks!
It is a great synth (just a limited one :) )
The Minitaur is indeed a one trick pony that does that trick, well, better than any other synth short of the OG Taurus and Taurus 3 pedal synths. The analog design has more resolution depth in the bass spectrum of it's oscillators (just like the original Taurus sounds bassier than any other Moog synths) and that is what limits the analog note to C4 as a trade off.
th-cam.com/video/3wNQjv_nRk0/w-d-xo.html
As an example, this review shows that there are more overtones in the bass from the Minitaur than the Sirin. The Sirin sounds great, but only a Minitaur can give you the bass this round and full. Using it as a controller as someone mentioned is also a great bonus. Besides running outboard gear thru it's filter it's all about the bass. If you want/need that Moog Bass that nothing else quite can give you, than this bull is no BS. ;)
Yeah, in fact, this video is what made me get the Minitaur (after missing out on the Sirin).
I have done a similar comparison with my Subsequent 37 (with only 2 oscillators of course) and the Minitaur has a tiny bit more edge indeed.
But.... The difference is quite subtle and often I wish it had more reach. Especially since it sounds so good at C4.
I'm never gonna buy a Sirin at these prices (the nonsense of collectors items), since I'm making music with my gear and not collecting them for the value.
(I should have bought 10 when I could....)
So yeah, it is what you say : a one trick pony that does that one thing very well and the question is if that is worth its place for me compared to a multi trick pony that does more, but is less good at this one trick.
For now it is not going anywhere soon, but if I can get my hands on a cheap Pulse 2, BS2 or Typhon, I do want to compare them.
Real interesting. What is the sub37 sound like vs the minitaur? I have a mother32 which is the nicest osc and filter I’ve heard. No presets though, it is a pretty simple synth so easy to dial in, but I low key think about a sub37 in the future. Your jam sounds really nice I definitely hear that moog smoothness. I guess I’m interested to hear if you think the mt does something the sub37 doesn’t or if it’s just more for bass duties.
Thanks!
Yeah, I have the subsequent 37 and it is a much more 'fully fledged' synth with much more to offer in terms of functionality and sound shaping options.
I once did a 1:1 comparison between the S37 and the Minitaur.
th-cam.com/video/i4jSRevZqVw/w-d-xo.html
So you can hear for yourself.
There is a slight difference to my ears, mainly the Minitaur that can be more raw in the low end.
But it will be very hard to distinguish in the mix.
And TBH, I would never trade in my Subsequent 37 for the Minitaur, as it can do so much more.
Having the Minitaur is a luxury, but also sometimes a frustration, as it can 'only' do bass and that means I often grab the Minitaur for that, when I also have other nice options.
But.... The sound is great. So I think I will just enjoy that.
PS, here you can watch my long time S37 review :)
th-cam.com/video/qRrw9DmbzWE/w-d-xo.html
@@tricks-and-tips thank u i will check them out!
@@guyw6701 👍
also the as-1 is very popular for mono duties, its essentially a single voice from a prophet so variety of sound, it has an app but i believe u can access everything from the front, and also has a lil screen
NIce video and a great tune! This beast sounds ridiculously good... Is has some nice quality overtones, that very subdued screaming is very appealing to me. I own the BS2 and it is an absolute monster, but with its own character. It can sound moogie if you want, but can do much more. I must say I would like to have a Moog in my setup, just because of the fact it does one thing pretty damn well... But I wouldn't wanna part with my trusty BS2 either.
Thanks!
Yeah, I am stuck 'on the other side' 😁
I would like to explore the BS2 because it is more versatile, but at the risk of wanting to keep them both. 😆
So every time when I run into the C4 'cap' or the limited sound shaping options, I lean towards getting the BS2.
And then I let the Minitaur do 'its thing' and I decide to keep it.....
Anyone who gets rid of theirs is going to be watching the price skyrocket when they discontinue it.
Hahahaha, hold on for dear life 😂
I’m quite sure I’ll sell it whenever I have no need for it anymore. But right now I’m still enjoying it a lot. Added some pedals to the mix and recently somebody suggested adding an analog octave pedal. Which sounded like a great idea, so that might be my next one.
@@tricks-and-tips I preordered the Taurus 3 and recently bought a Minitaur just because I suspect that they are going to discontinue it. You might have been happier with the Sirin. The Minitaur might pair much better with the K2 since they are both HzV. Just get a Minimoog and be done searching haha.
@@Rhythmicons Hahahahahahahahahaha.
I'll stick with the Minitaur for now :)
Budget is gone.
What keyboard / midi controller are you using with your Minotaur?
Hi, I have used several.
Right now I double my Yamaha YC61 as a stage piano and midi controller for my setup.
It makes no sense to get that expensive keyboard just as a midi controller, but I wanted a stage piano with great sound 'and' a midi controller in one, so it was a great choice for me.
But for the Minitaur, anything with 2 octaves or more will do. I also use my 707 pads as a midi controller when I'm on stage or in the rehearsal room with the Minitaur.
@@tricks-and-tips thank you!
what about the behringer model d or aruturia minibrute 2s
Yeah, nice options. Although I need presets in my workflow, so that rules those out.
I am very attracted with that one which would be my first Moog, of course part of G.A.S.
But i have 2 simple questions:
1/ I have already a Novation Bass Station II, do you think Minitaur would be redundant ?
2/ I'm trying to get the bass sound from Stevie Wonder in "Secret Life of Plants" would Minitaur make a good job ?
😂 gassssss
I know that all too well….
1. The BS2 is more versatile and can do more than the Minitaur. But they sound different. I wanted to get my hands on a BS2 to compare them myself. But so far GAS led me to other purchases 😎
I think it is a bit redundant, but (just like in my setup) you can use 2 mono synths. One for bass and one for leads and arps.
2 I would have to check. I’ll come back on that one soon.
If you are referring to this song : th-cam.com/video/PveWXfUZEJg/w-d-xo.html that is a double bass. That will be hard to mimic with any synthesizer. I unfortunately can’t play one myself, although I’m a bass player, but I only played fretted basses so far.
So you can get nice and warm sub basses out of the Minitaur. It really shines in that department, but not like how they play on that song.
Here is a playlist with all the jams / videos that I use the Minitaur in.
It’s usually on bass duties 😂
th-cam.com/play/PLKuurBOwTJtjCs8JysI3OqIdaaVAHegfT.html
@@tricks-and-tips thanks a lot, the best dble bass emulation I have is using my Seaboard Roli 49 with Equator VST dble bass...but, yes, i also dream about getting and learning to play on a true dble bass. i'm hard of hearing, so I love bass. Pierre Michelot, who played with Miles Davis a long long time ago stated that dble bass is the only instrument you can listen to with your belly.
@@tricks-and-tips It's a true pleasure exchanging with you.
GAS led me to the following: Bass Station, Deep mind 12, Kurzweil sp4-8, Behringer B2600, Roli Seaboard 49, Alesis SR18, Korg SQ1.
So I am severely addicted and my new obsession is the Minitaur, also because I don't have any Moog in my set up...
PS: I play also on my old upright acoustic piano and i have instruments I'm unable to play: a Hoffner violin bass guitar, a greek bouzouki and a saxophone...
but I had the stupid idea to sell my beautiful Rhodes 88 when we moved from France to Texas.
Whatever, I love music instruments.
I've always been dreaming of getting my hands on a true acoustic double bass.
My father used to play piano, organ, accordion, violin, trombone, guitar and drums, he was much more talented than me.
I have one and think it sounds too brassy. It doesn't sound anything like other Moogs for some reason. There is always a resonance. It sounds a lot better if you route the output through the headphones for feedback. th-cam.com/video/Moe6aVNCwvU/w-d-xo.html
It can do sub bass great, which I used it for a lot, but other units can do that like SE-02, Dreadbox and even Nymphes for a little more that what you'd get for selling this.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll try that
I have added a TubeMP Studio V3 for some extra tube saturation. That actually sounds very nice too.
Don't sell it before buying the new one. Only afterwards you will know best what you need to do.
I'm not selling it anytime soon.
I have added the Deco V2 to the setup, which opens up a lot of new options.
That's easier said than done,most GAS situations involve using the money from the existing one to fund the next,nice thought though
Pleaaaaaase be serious!!! Minitaur is a BASS synth, so you don’t need More C4. ^^
Minitaur have unique filters, is programmable, and you, there are a ton of shortcut, that’s the only bad point..
It have CV gate too, use it with gears sequencer, it become a beast! (OT, DT?.. ^^)
Keep it, you will be really not happy with bass station 2, even if it is good gear too… ;)
Yeah, I know. But it sounds so good at C4!!!
I would love to get to C3 or something.
I know that is not gonna happen, but I like versatile synths a lot.
The Sirin does not have this cap, but I did not dare to get it new.
If only I had…..
@@tricks-and-tips No worries about that Sirin, it does sound worse than the Minitaur for having that extra range. There was a comparison vid on youtube somewhere.
@@alphazentauri Thanks, yeah, I saw that video. The difference was small, but it sounded more like the Subsequent 37.
Can you adjust the filter cutoff with an expression pedal while its playing?
Yes.
It has 4 CV inputs. One of them is for filter cutoff.
i love reading youtube
Thanks. I want to do more spoken stuff, but don’t have a decent mic yet. And for jam videos (what I do the most) I feel written is better.
My minitaur was stolen lol but tbh it was meh ..I could never make it fit in my mixes was a lil to soft and bland .. I could never make it sound like a Moog source
Oh that is sad to read!
Why always this reverb
I can record the Minitaur without if you want.
Just the raw sound.
I don't think I still have this specific jam, but I can work something out.
But I personally never use it without some reverb (this was a lot because there was nothing else playing melodically) and I love that Collider reverb + delay)
Sorry mate.
The best bass synth in the world. Higher notes, who cares. Higher notes can be done elsewhere, se02 for example. I dont see point in owning other moogs, when this is so cheap new.
Hahahahahaha.
I have a Subsequent 37 and would not trade that one for anything. It is way more versatile than the Minitaur, but also way more costly indeed.
The Minitaur sounds great, but its limitation can be a bit annoying sometimes (when I have another synth filling the sub end)
But I'm still very much enjoying the Minitaur. It's just that it would sound so great at C3 and I really would love to use that.
(I did do a multitrack once where I used only the Minitaur, some parts pitched up, yeah, it was a lot of Moogness)
Moog deliberately kneecapped this little synth which is a real shame, it could be great.
I’m not sure if there is a technical reason (sonically) behind this C4 limit, or just a marketing trick.
But at least I would love to get more reach on my Minitaur.
@@tricks-and-tips Even if there was a technical reason, the idea that it would be beyond Moog to implement a fix would be ridiculous. Sadly the only explanation is they expect you to buy a another synth from them. They have a huge amount of name value with synthesists and they've decided to cash out on it.
When I first started playing synths a decade ago I dreamt of owning a Moog. Now I could afford one there isn't a single model that seems worth it, countless other companies make more interesting and more practical stuff.
As you've written in your review it'll keep its value as long as you want to keep it and if you're enjoying it and making music with it that's all that matters. Thank you for the video, it's concise and interesting, and the track sounds really good. I hope you continue to enjoy making videos and music.
@@Patriotic_Eagle1995
Yeah, they did market it as a bass synth. (hence the name), so at least I can't blame them for not telling us.
Luckily there are plenty good alternatives and maybe I will get one one day.
I'm considering a Waldorf Pulse (that was recommended here) or a BS2.
With the risk of me getting 'another' mono synth (and keeping them all 3 😁)
Thanks for the comment, really appreciate it!
@@tricks-and-tips I've had the BSII for a few years and it's an absolutely tremendous synth. Endlessly fun to play and it sounds incredible in any octave 😉
The Pulse does have the size factor advantage though, I've come close to buying one several times solely for that reason.
I don't think there is a wrong decision, but I know that I'll never sell my Bass Station II. It's an absolute beast and a total bargain.
@@Patriotic_Eagle1995 Yeah, I agree on the BS2 being a bargain for what it offers!