Moog Music’s Muse: Analog FM Synthesis Unleashed

The video opens with a brief history lesson, reminding us that frequency modulation synthesis was once a digital stronghold, largely due to the stability and complexity required of its oscillators. Moog Music positions Muse as a bridge between these worlds, offering the classic warmth of analog circuitry with a feature set designed to make FM synthesis not just possible, but genuinely engaging in the analog domain.

Muse’s voice path is fully analog, but it’s the routing options and programmable envelopes that set it apart. The manufacturer is keen to point out that while digital FM synths are known for their cold, metallic timbres, Muse brings a different flavour—one that’s inherently more organic and unpredictable. This sets the stage for a hands-on exploration of FM synthesis, with the promise of sonic results that are both familiar and refreshingly new.

With the oscillators tuned, Muse’s FM routing comes into play. The video shows how oscillator two can modulate oscillator one, with the FM amount dynamically controlled by the filter envelope. This approach mimics the classic FM workflow, where a VCA shapes the modulation depth, resulting in those signature metallic and percussive sounds.

Cross-modulation is introduced by enabling bidirectional FM between oscillators one and two, dramatically increasing the harmonic content. Muse allows independent scaling of FM amounts in both directions, letting users tame or accentuate specific frequency interactions. Adjustments to minimum and maximum FM levels, as well as octave shifts, provide further control, making Muse a flexible tool for sculpting complex analog FM textures.

The final section explores Muse’s deeper modulation capabilities. A third operator—the modulation oscillator—can be routed to modulate either main oscillator, with its pitch amount also envelope-controlled. The video demonstrates swapping between filter and VCA envelopes for different dynamic shapes, and even enabling velocity sensitivity for expressive FM depth control.

Muse’s mod map interface reveals the various routings at a glance, encouraging experimentation with envelope assignments and modulation depths. By combining analog FM with features like analog filters and diffusion delay, Muse offers a playground for intricate sound design. The flexibility of its envelopes and modulation paths makes it a compelling choice for those seeking to push analog FM synthesis beyond its traditional boundaries.