MOOG SOUND LAB UK
SELF-CONTAINED PORTABLE ANALOGUE SYNTHESISER STUDIO, 2014
MOOG MUSIC INC. (US)
The Moog Sound Lab (MSL) UK is a unique, self-contained, portable analogue synthesiser studio especially created by Moog Music Inc. (US) as the basis for an open-access artistic and educational studio, and the big sister to Moog’s own long-running, factory-based unit, situated in their North Carolina headquarters.
The MSL offers artists access to create new works for both performance and/or subsequent release via the specially created Moog Recordings Library label, which will launch this year.
The UK version is based at University of Surrey at their Institute of Sound Recording in Guildford, with technical engineering by Future Sound Systems UK and the generous support of the Bowers & Wilkins Society of Sound programme, AMS-Neve mixing desks and Prism Sound analogue to digital convertors.
The MSL is based around an extremely rare prototype of Moog’s 2015 reverse-engineered System 55 reissue, and features an extensive interchangeable bank of MoogerFooger sound-processing units, a vintage Taurus Bass Pedal unit and a number of Moog keyboard and rack-mounted synths. Ancillary equipment includes a range of units, from the contemporary Elektron rhythm composer to a vintage Roland Space echo — when all brought together, they create a unique studio; a veritable Stradivarius of electronic instrumentation.
BIO
Originally created to commemorate the life and work of founder Robert ‘Bob’ Moog on the tenth anniversary of his passing, the MSL initially performed at The Moog Concordance concert series at the Barbican Main Hall and Art Gallery in London — presenting, amongst others, the final concerts of Keith Emerson and Suicide’s A Punk Mass.
Subsequently, the MSL has established an ongoing residency series at Birmingham City University and the forthcoming Birmingham Conservatoire, curated by the Supersonic Festival, and has appeared at the Bowers & Wilkins Stage WOMAD Festival and the ACE Hotel, London artists-in-residence series, and toured the UK and mainland Europe with US ambient ensemble Stars Of The Lid, along with its regular ongoing duties at Surrey University for their student-access programme and serial onsite curated recording sessions.
SOUND CHECK marks the MSL’s first trip to Ireland.