GEAR 2021: Moog has announced that its Model 15 iOS modular synth app is making the jump to the Mac, becoming the company’s first official desktop soft synth in the process.
Released in 2016, Model 15 is a recreation of one of Moog’s classic hardware modulars, and offers you oscillators, filters, envelope generators, mixers and modulation options. While the original synth was monophonic, this version can also be used as a 4-voice polyphonic instrument.
• NAMM 2021 is cancelled, but we'll be covering all the big January gear announcements right here on MusicRadar.
So far so good, but there are a few compatibility issues to bear in mind. For a start, there’s no Windows version, and if you want to run Model 15 on the Mac you’ll need to have installed Big Sur, the latest version of Apple’s operating system (something that many musicians won’t yet be inclined to do). On the plus side, Apple Silicon Macs are supported.
It’s also worth noting that, while Model 15 will run in Logic, GarageBand and MainStage as an Audio Unit v3 plugin (the format that was originally designed for iOS), this isn’t the same as the standard AU format, so it looks like other non-Apple DAWs won’t be able to host it. You can also use the Model 15 standalone, though.
The Mac compatibility is part of a free update for the existing Model 15 app, so anyone who already owns it will get it. There’s also a new free expansion pack that features 80 modular patches, and seven tutorials that explain and explore the concepts of modular synthesis. As such, the Model 15 could also be seen as a useful educational tool.
Find out more on the Moog website. The Model 15 is available on the Mac App Store priced at $30/£29/€33.
