Moog Music Labyrinth: A Patch Designer’s Playground of Voice Architecture

Labyrinth is introduced as a unique synthesis instrument, with Moog Music positioning it as a fresh take on modular voice design. The stated goal is to combine elements from various synthesis traditions, resulting in a device that encourages users to rethink their approach to sound creation.

Rather than simply rehashing classic subtractive or West Coast paradigms, Labyrinth is built to offer a new pathway through sound design. The structure is intentionally intricate, inviting users to explore the interplay between its components and discover unexpected textures through hands-on experimentation.

At the core of Labyrinth’s sound are two oscillators: a sine wave VCO and a triangle wave mod VCO. The mod VCO stands out for its extended range, capable of sub-audio rates, making it useful as an LFO as well as an audio source. Both oscillators are routed into a mixer, which is inspired by classic Moog circuits and is designed to saturate and clip when pushed past noon, adding harmonics to otherwise pure waveforms.

The mixer doesn’t stop at just combining oscillators. It also features a ring modulator output, a variable tone noise generator, and a DJ-style filter for shaping the noise. This section of the voice path is all about stacking and shaping raw materials before they head into the more complex processing stages, setting the stage for a broad palette of timbres.

One of Labyrinth’s most intriguing features is the ORDER switch, which lets users rearrange the processing sequence between the voltage-controlled wavefolder and the state-variable filter. With the switch up, the wavefolder feeds into the filter; with the switch down, the filter runs into the wavefolder. There’s also a parallel mode, where both paths operate independently and are blended at the output.

This flexibility means the same raw material can be sculpted in dramatically different ways. The blend control becomes a powerful tool, allowing users to morph between the outputs of each path or their processed combinations. The video demonstrates how this routing opens up a wide array of sonic textures, from subtle harmonic shaping to aggressive distortion.

While the video focuses primarily on the internal voice path, it closes by hinting at the vast potential unlocked by Labyrinth’s patch bay. Even without patching, the module offers a wealth of sound design options, but integrating the patch bay allows users to break out of the fixed routing and dive into truly experimental territory.

Moog suggests that once users are ready to start patching, the possibilities expand exponentially. The patch bay is positioned as an invitation to explore, encouraging modular enthusiasts to push the boundaries of the instrument and discover new sonic landscapes through creative routing and modulation.