Back in 2011, Moog opened its iOS synth account with Animoog, a futuristic app instrument that played on the company’s illustrious heritage. However, the mobile music-making market has moved on over the past ten years, and now it’s time for something new.
Say hello, then to Animoog Z - a “complete transformation” of the original Animoog that, once again, is powered by Moog’s Anisotropic Synth Engine (ASE). It seems that this is more than just a minor tweak to the formula, though - the app has been totally redesigned and comes with significantly increased functionality.
Animoog Z offers 16 voices of polyphony and, under the hood, is based on wavetable and vector synthesis. The idea is that you navigate through the app’s X, Y, and Z axes to create evolving and layered sounds.
There’s a built-in, configurable keyboard that can control pitch and pressure per-voice (or send MIDI out), and Animoog Z supports MPE, too. The sound library includes everything from digital and spectral sources to classic analogue waveforms from Moog oscillators, all processed with boutique analogue gear.
New for Animoog Z is the timbre editor, which enables you to record and design your own custom timbres. You can import WAV files, too.
Other features include polyphonic modulation - slide your fingers across the keyboard to control multiple per-voice parameters - and polyphonic pitch shifting, which enables you to manipulate the pitch of each note within a chord. There are three six-stage DAHDSR envelopes, along with three independent LFOs and a modulation matrix.
As you’d expect, Animoog Z has a classic four-pole Moog ladder filter, along with Delay and Thick modules and other effects. There’s a flexible arpeggiator, and a looper that enables you to record your performance and overdub new layers or play along live.
Animoog Z is a universal app that runs standalone on iPad, iPhone and Mac, and also as an AUv3 on these platforms. It can also run through a VST wrapper if you want integration with DAWs that support AUv2, AUv3 and VST3.
The free version of Animoog Z comes with a range of artist-designed presets, and you can upgrade to get more content and full functionality for $9.99. Additional preset packs are also available to purchase, or you can just take a punt by using the smart randomisation function.
Find out more on the Moog website. You can check out the video above to see synth legend Susan Ciani integrating the Animoog Z with her Buchla modular setup for an improvised performance.
