Moog Taurus
| Taurus | |
|---|---|
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Taurus I
|
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| Manufacturer | Moog Music |
| Dates | 1975–1981 (I) 1981–1983 (II) 2010–2012 (III) |
| Technical specifications | |
| Polyphony | monophonic |
| Timbrality | monotimbral |
| Oscillator | 2 |
| LFO | none (I, II) 1 (III) |
| Synthesis type | analog subtractive |
| Filter | 24dB/oct resonant low-pass |
| Attenuator | ASR envelope |
| Storage memory | 3 preset, 1 user (I) none (II) 52 patches (III) |
| Effects | none (I, II) distortion (III) |
| Input/output | |
| Keyboard | 13 pedals (I, III) 18 pedals (II) |
The Moog Taurus is a foot-operated analog synthesizer designed and manufactured by Moog Music, originally conceived as a part of the Constellation series of synthesizers. The initial Taurus I was manufactured from 1975 to 1981; a less successful redesign, Taurus II, followed from 1981 to 1983. Instead of a conventional keyboard, the Taurus uses an organ-style pedal board similar to the pedal keyboard of a spinet organ. This control method was chosen because the Taurus was intended to be played by foot while the player's hands played one or more keyboards. While the original Taurus featured its own synthesis engine, the Taurus II was essentially the same as the Moog Rogue. In 2010, Moog issued the Moog Taurus III, which, despite the addition of some features, closely emulates the analog circuitry of the Taurus I.
The Taurus is associated with progressive rock, and has been used by bands like Dream Theater, Genesis, Yes and Rush, among others.
The Taurus was originally intended to be part of a larger Moog Music synthesizer ensemble called the Constellation. In addition to the monophonic Taurus, the Constellation would have included two keyboards: the monophonic Lyra and polyphonic Apollo. The intention was that the Apollo and Lyra be played with both hands, while bass notes could be played by foot on the Taurus. The sound shaping controls are protected by a removable plastic window in order to avoid accidental adjustments while playing. The Constellation configuration was used prominently on the 1973 Emerson, Lake & Palmer album Brain Salad Surgery. The band also used the Constellation on their subsequent tour, albeit without the Taurus pedal. However, the Constellation was never formally released. Instead, the Apollo synthesizer was redesigned by Moog's Director of Engineering, David Luce, and released as the Moog Polymoog from 1975 to 1980; the Taurus I pedal was released as a separate unit from 1975 to 1981. The Lyra synthesizer was never commercially released. William Alexander, an engineer for ELP, described the Lyra as "a Minimoog on steroids".
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