MOTM

All of these issues are on my mind right now. My first design discussions 
with my sister were this past week-end. So, since it is fun for me to talk 
about this Im posting my thinking on the issues you presented. 

**Portable versus Console**

will you gig? will you not gig? will you gig once in bluemoon? I think this 
the most significant issue on which all others rely. 

This needs to be coupled with the question of what does the word "stage" mean?
Is it a raised platform, either in a theater like environment or something 
temporary in a hall of some sort? Or is it simply "where the band plays."

My whole conception of my case is based on the idea that I will use this on 
number of gigs and that for me the word stage is far more likely to be "the 
place where the band plays." 

therefor *Portability* is essential

BUT in terms of expansion, it seems somewhat rediculous to go out with a very 
large number of modules. As it stands, my case will house all the modules I 
own (or will own upon delivery and completion of my 410 and 120), but then it 
will be filled. It isnt out of the question that I will have more modules 
than can fit in my case by the time the case is finished (seiously, how long 
can I go using the Pro-2000 for my portamento...i mean I can have variable up 
and down lag time??? VC lag appears much more fun). But expansion for a live 
unit does not seem realistic. I will continue to add to my system, but those 
modules will be in a larger more sedintary case. I will first be expanding 
into a pop-up mixer case.

I think live one can easily have too many modules. Unless you have so many as 
to be able to prepatch a few sounds (see Keith's moog and his preset Tarkus 
patches)

Unless of course you are doing gigs in a tangerine dream style of music 
(which I think is very cool music, but I dont really play it) in which case 
you probably have tons of gear to begin with and are used to this sort of 
thing (or at least deal with it).

*Stability* see my definition of the word stage. that is the main force 
behind my keeping the cabinet 6 inches deep.

*Ease of Construction* granted I had a bit of apprehension before I soldered 
my modules together, I did not know I would both enjoy DIYing and have 
acceptable skill to do it. I have tried using a saw before......Im a piano 
player! Keep that thing away from me!

Seriously, I lucked out on this one. My sister is building my cabinet. She 
worked for two years for a specialty furniture store in Burlington Vermont, 
is a scupltress (with degrees and everythang), and is starting a job a 
middlebury college as an assistant to the art and theater department...she 
has skills for both construction and the kind of problem solving needed for 
cabinet building. And perhaps we can put the art students at middlebury to 
work for us.

("You soldered it all yourself?....wow.....Robby, you were never ever a 
craft-y person")

ed. note: It is doubtful I could have assembled these things as well as i did 
if it wasn't for Paul's excellent writing skills. Do you think Roland would 
fly (and pay him a large sum of $) Paul to Japan so he can give their 
technical writers a seminar?

"Rigidity"--See ease of construction

"power" definately a pain in the butt. Power on the back? 10" deep. Power 
sharing between the cabinets....not really looking forward to that (must be 
done for next order of modules, I will have 11 powered modules when i get my 
newest order). I think the next cabinet will be both larger and have its own 
power supply. I gave up on "power on the back" partly because I realized that 
limitations (as in fewer modules) can lead to inspiration. 

*flexibility*  half my stuff stays set up in my studio and half of it gets 
packed up every thursday around 5:30pm, taken to gigs, and set back up 
saturday or sunday (or monday)...depending on gigs. Some stays in cases and 
only gets taken out for gigs (I have two set ups for my piano sounds) I 
wouldnt mind a large piece that stayed in one place next to my OB-8, but I 
also need to be able to move some of it around. 

*Indefensible Rationalizations*  modular always looks cool no matter what the 
size  :)

**Angled versus Flat**  tuff one. Im doing my current cabinet flat. If it was 
3 rows tall instead of 2, i would definately do it angled. My favorite 
looking MOTM 3 rows or smaller is the Eldhart one on David Bradley's page. 
The Synth of Doom is my favorite looking modular synth....reminds me of that 
big polyfusion that Toto had (or has) and of Keith Emerson's moog. 

call me crazy if you want, I like the way MOTM looks more than Moog 
(actually, my guess is most of you guys do too). In fact I like the way MOTM 
looks more than any of the other ones...except maybe a 2600 and Ill always 
have a special place in my heart for an 8 voice oberheim (cough cough...SEM 
filter?)  

I would love to have an angled, 4 tier, wood cabinet. Not unlike the synth of 
doom, but that puppy aint going nowhere. Although I would certainly belive it 
if David Bradley posted that he has taken it out for performances. 

Im doing it tolex as I am doing a small gig oriented cabinet. If it was not 
going to be visting the bars and lounges of Hoboken and Manhattan with me, I 
would make it wood.

**Back or No Back** Must have a back live. This is one of the reasons why I 
will not be happy with a pop-up mixer case. Live, my motm may be on the floor 
or may be on a chair. I am likely to put the filters on the top row and leave 
the CV and the gate lines plugged into VCOs and EGs. Refer to my definition 
of "stage." I dont trust patrons or audience or myself. Someone posted a few 
weeks back that their MOTM survived at least one beer attack. Thats a chance 
I'ld rather not take.

Heres one you missed:

Removable front cover? becomming more important to me. In transit it is 
likely to be a good idea. I havnt sprung this issue on my case builder 
yet.....but I could do something simple like a just a piece of wood with foam 
on the inside. 

anyway...there have been moments over the last couple of weeks for me where I 
wished Paul gave us cabinet options, but it is kinda fun working the cabinet 
thing out myself (with the help I have). And Paul is way too busy to worry 
about cabinets (SEM filter?). I had targetted this past sunday as my live 
debut of my MOTM, but that did not happen. I spend far more time performing 
in front of an audience than I do in a studio and I am dying to take my MOTM 
out. 

It was only a few years ago that I was doing gigs with a Roland u-220 and a 
DX7. People would come to see us play and ask other guys in the band how I 
could peform with toys. It didnt bother me much because I could play circles 
around most of those guys. Now live with a Kurzweil Sp76 (or fatar studio 
900--88 weighted keys--and kurzwiel micropiano, depending on gig), Roland 
xp30 (its a ROMpler, but lighter than a rhodes and not half bad at immitating 
one), Waldorf Q rack, and eventually my MOTM makes me very very happy. And 
gives me better equipment than most have. Certainly in Hoboken NJ. I cant 
even bring my self to even turn my SH-101 on anymore now that I have MOTM, 
let alone bring to a gig (cant sell it for more modules, I am the original 
owner and it was the first keybaord I had that was not a hand-me-down from my 
Dad).

Now if I could only figure out a way to fit the OB-8 on stage  (cough 
cough...SEM filter? old oberheims are my favorite synths after 
MOTM)..............

Rob