Moog Minimoog synthesizer reference sheet from 1980.
This sheet is a member of the family of Moog reference sheets from 1980. I blogged about the Polymoog reference sheet from the same series last February.
Similar to the Polymoog sheet, I've seen links to low resolution scans of the front of this Minimoog reference sheet around the Web (everyone loves a great picture!), including synthmuseum.com. But not the back of the reference sheet- which in my opinion, contains all the juicy nuggets of great information that we love.
And when I say 'we', I do realize I am probably referring to me and two other people. Maybe that person in Churchill, Canada that keeps showing up in my stats. And maybe the person from Kiev, Ukraine. Seriously, though - I really do appreciate everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to read my blog.
Back to the scans.
The front of this reference sheet stands out for one reason (well, apart from the great photo) - the ad copy includes the term 'musically engineered'. Moog had been using the term 'musical engineering' to describe their gear for quite a while by this point, including this 1977 advertisement, and in my opinion, at least partly in response to ARP's buzzword 'human engineering'. Even Octave Electronics got in on the 'engineered' action with their Cat SRM reference sheet.
But the back of the reference sheet is where the fun begins. Unlike the Polymoog sheet, the top of the Minimoog sheet includes a wire frame outline of the front panel, pitch/mod wheels, and top view. I really dig wire frame outlines but unfortunately only some of the reference sheets in this series included them. They seem all scientific or something. Even the Octave Cat SRM reference sheet I mentioned above also included a wire frame outline.
Most two-sided reference sheets I've come across include a wire frame image on the backside. Probably because it is a lot cheaper than printing another colour photo. Plus, there just isn't the room for a close-up of the panel in a two-pager. Many of the four-pager fold-out reference sheets I've come across like the one for SCI's Prophet-5 (will post in the near future) had the space to include a close-up of the panel on the inside pages rather than a wire-frame outline, while one-siders like ARP's Odyssey sheet (another future post :o), only included the front photo due to even greater space constraints.
I can't explain the two-sided ARP Soloist Mk II sheet I've posted in the past - it definitely had the room on the back for a wire frame outline, even though it doesn't really follow the standard 'reference sheet' format.
But definitely a missed opportunity in my opinion.
1 comment:
Oh, hello 80s! I'm digging the classy font and the purple-y background (not to mention the right-justified text on the front.) It's very pretty, but the technical drawing definitely gives it some much-needed geek-cred.
And, just a thought...was the ARP sheet meant as a mail-out? Maybe folded-over and addressed on the blank section?
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