It is essentially a 16v analogue with a mod matrix that approaches the Kurzweil VAST architecture. The mod matrix (with the latest firmware) allows for functions!
Could you explain that statement a little bit more? Are the functions all that goes into VAST directions, or is there more to it?
Unfortunately I don't have a Moog One and played it only three or four times at Thomanns before it was removed from their showing room. And there never was time to dive in deeply...
I'll try to answer that. First, what I liked about Kurzweil's VAST was 2 things: 1) almost anything could modulate anything else, and 2) because of the functions, the complex modulations could be achieved (using various functions a+b, a-b, a/b, (a+b)/2, (a/2)+b... where a and b could be anything from a long list of modulation sources). This offered some very nice modulation capabilities that ranged from subtle to wild.
As for the Moog One... It's very capable in terms of modulation. The modulation section of the manual alone is 11 pages. And I'm not sure what the limit on modulation slots is (I've never run out, though I think someone said 40, but again, not sure)... and modulation setups can be independently saved and recalled in new presets.
Every slot has a source and destination (of course), but add to that a "controller" and a "transform". So you could have an LFO (Source) modulate filter cutoff (destination) with an amount scaled by velocity (controller) and then square that result (transform) to create an almost parabolic effect.
Originally the Moog One's mod source / controller / destination list looked like this:
But the newest improvements came with Version 1.3 which added some Function to the transform list as well as new source and destinations... and if you just read the manual, you would miss it because the cool stuff in Version 1.3 was detailed in release notes but the manual wasn't changed.
Here's the relevant portions of the release notes:
VAR 1 - 10 allows for some powerful capabilities. For example, have a complex modulation row modulate (with complexity) another modulation row.... up to 10.
Or create a modulation setup where you have the same Source / Controller / Transform sent to a Var, and then that Var is used as the source in several rows (so you don't have to repeat the source / controller / transform work on each row) AND have that VAR modulate each successive row by different controller / transform amounts....
And the list of transforms and functions very much reminds my of what the K2xxx was capable of. It's different, but it reminds me of the depth that was available in the Kurzweil. Just reading through that list gives me tons of ideas. And other parts leave me scratching my head wondering what the hell I would do with that.
And keep in mind, a lot of that modulation capability in the Kurzweil was often (by me at least) put to use to make the machine sound more analog / organic. With the Moog One, you have this capability
in an analog machine.
... and this is why I am unlikely to ever part with the Moog One. It's near mathematically impossible for me to explore all of it's possibilities.