Serge Modular Music Systems brochure, 1981

Outside

Inside

Serge Modular Music Systems mailing brochure from approximately 1981.

I never really dove into Serge gear - maybe because I've never come across it in all my years of synth-ing. Moog and Roland modulars, and more recently Eurorack, were more accessible, and so received most of my attention. This also led me to put Serge on a pedestal somewhat. Or maybe that's not the right word. If I think of it, I'll add it in later.

The next best thing to getting my hands on an actual Serge modular, is to get my hands on Serge documents. Brochures, manuals, etc. And the one that I always came across on the Web - mostly on e-Bay, was this brochure. And I'm sure I was about a day or so away from hitting the relatively expensive "Buy it now" button more than a few times when I came upon this brochure quite by accident.

One of my readers actually contacted me and made a very generous offer to send me a wack of brochures, records, catalogs and sell sheets from the likes of Moog, Aries and Serge - including this beauty - just for shipping costs. After a few back-and-forth emails of me talking him out of it (what?!?!), we came to an agreement that allowed him to make some good money on some really well-kept documents, me winning a few items off eBay and still getting a good deal and a few freebies, and generally good karma all around.

Thanks Stanley! Appreciated!

Like I was saying, every time I saw one of these Serge brochures pop up on eBay I became more and more interested. My curiosity was building to the point that it was almost killing me. I'd seen scans of the brochure's front cover around the Web, and was really intrigued. Mostly, I just wanted to know what that paper felt like in my hand as I read it. It sure looked like it had "weight". Quality. Was it a heavy stock? I had to know.

And I figured if I had to know, others wanted to know too. So, scan it I did. :)

That's front image is actually a little deceiving. I'm so used to Moog-sized modules (even though I've been on a Eurorack streak lately), I always have it in my head that ALL modulars must be huge. But then the other photo with the hand brings it's real size into perspective and I see just how cute this thing is!

The brochure provides a nice overview of Serge Modular, but unfortunately there's no date on it! Luckily, with one quick Google search, I managed to find a transcribed version of parts of this brochure on this Serge Web site that includes the exact same photos. That Web page attached a 1981 date to it so figured I'd give this brochure a 1981 date as well.  That site has a lot of other great info as well including my favorites - history and price lists. Yum. Definitely check it out.

Carbon111 also has a Serge Modular Web page set up with some interesting info including a scan (Zip'd file of PDFs) of "The Original Serge Guidebook" that was apparently shipped with systems in the 70s and 80s. Wow. great stuff.

Quadslope.com also seems to have some good info and is a good jumping off point to Serge forums, music, and videos.

I'm sure a few more Google searches would allow me to dive quite a bit deeper into Serge, but its just too sunny and warm out at the moment. Time to enjoy a nice breakfast outside in the morning sun before starting my work day a little late.

Don't worry, I let my boss know I'd be a little late getting in today.

Just too dang nice out.