A
monophonic analog synthesizer with a 32-note
keyboard and limited very 10-voice
polyphony.
Designed by
Moog for
Radio Shack's
Realistic line in the early
80s. Also known as
Model 42-4000.
The MG-1 was designed as a simple and inexpensive consumer synth. It closely resembles the Liberation and Rogue models in its architechture.
2 syncable and detuneable VCOs are featured for sound generation. VCO1 is switchable between sawtooth and square waveforms, and VCO2 offers saw and pulse. A pink noise generator is available, as well as a "bell tone generator" which is actually a ring modulator modulating the oscillators' square waves. There is a simple mixer to adjust the levels of each sound source.
As a filter the unit has Moog's often used 24dB/octave self-oscillating ladder VCF with its own simple ASR envelope generator plus controls for cut-off, frequency, resonance and envelope amount.
A single LFO with triangle, square and random (sample/hold) is available for modulation. It can be routed to the oscillators and the filter.
The MG-1 is basicially a monophonic synthesizer, but a 10-voice polyphonic mode can also brought in with the mixer. However, the polyphony only offers a very thin organ-like tone with a single VCF and EG for all voices.
Stereo phono plugs work as the audio outputs along with a headphones jack. Maybe to save as much $$$ as possible, the traditional pitch and mod wheels were left out completely.
1/4" CV/gate inputs and outputs are available for external control. Several companies including Kenton Electronics are manufacturing and selling MIDI-converters for the MG-1. Modifying the synth to route external sounds through the filter is reportedly quite easy.
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