The Moog Minimoog Model D is one of the most revered synths ever made. For decades, it’s defined the sound of monophonic analog synthesis—huge bass, screaming leads, and only one note at a time.
But we couldn’t help wondering: what if the Model D could play chords?
So we decided to build the ultimate Moog polysynth by linking six Moog Geddy Lee Minimoog Model D synths together to create a massive six-voice Model D. The result is exactly what you’d imagine: enormous, unruly, and very cool.
To make it work, we first matched the core settings across all six synths so each voice started from the same patch. A keyboard controller sent MIDI into a MIDI-to-CV converter, which then split the signal into individual pitch and gate outputs for each voice.
Those voices were triggered sequentially—one through six—so every note of a chord fired a different Model D. From there, we intentionally tweaked each synth slightly to add subtle variation between notes, giving the whole setup a more organic, vintage polysynth feel.
Finally, we added a bit of post-processing—using the Arturia Chorus Jun‑6 and some delay—to push the sound even further into huge, swirling territory.
Is it the most practical way to build a polyphonic synth? Probably not. But six Minimoogs playing together? That’s the kind of over-the-top experiment we couldn’t resist.