thanks a lot! Do you find that the A4 and the OB-6 complement eachother well in your creations?
I still have to make a track with the OB-6…
Every times I play with it I enter a bubble of pleasure that leaves me joyful but trackless.
2 Likes
I would say Pro3, but then I would also say I believe the Pro2 is better and far more flexible.
Pro2 is insanely deep in what it can do, and I don’t believe the Matriarch is anywhere near that level?
sounds like a good deal
3 Likes
I have a PRO3, and although I don’t have a Matriarch, I’m working with someone who does.
We talked a lot about the differences, and some day we want to get them together to see what sounds happen.
As we sent audio clips back and forth to compose stuff (the new normal), I can say they both sound amazing. The stereo filters on the Matriarch are esp wonderful, and the bass on the PRO3 is the real deal.
One big difference for me working on the PRO3 is changing patches. I simply could not deal with taking photos with your phone, and re-patching for a few min on the Matriarch. I much prefer “digital routing” where it’s instant to move between patches / programs.
The guy with the Matriarch loves modular, so he sees it as an adventure each time.
It’s more of a find something cool, then sample it, and move on approach.
Also he pointed out to me that the Matriarch can do a ton without cables.
Overall, I’d say this. If you love modular, or the idea of it, and even have some, the Matriarch is a huge extension to it. The PRO3 has CV IN and OUT, but it’s a whole new level with the Matriarch. On the other hand the PRO3 is a very cool hybrid with analog filth and bass for days.
It’s built in step sequencer is far more capable IMO (not quite Elektron, but cool and unique in its own way.)
2 Likes
Thanks for asking. I actually did something that, for me, was unexpected. At least, I was trying not to do it. I put off buying either and took the plunge into modular. I’d been using VCV rack heavily for a couple of years and I knew that’s what I really wanted to do but, fearing the initial investment, I’d been resisting and had actually been treating myself to various other synths as if to stave off the desire.
But I’ve definitely decided against the Pro 3 and when the store I deal with gets some of the black Matriarchs, I’ll be going for one of those.
Sorry I can’t offer any hands-on reports about the Matriarch yet.
1 Like
I’m not a big modular guy at all (bought and sold a Grandmother), but I’ve had the Matriarch for about 4 months, and I love it. I wanted a mojo monosynth, and it delivers in spades. It doesn’t do grimy as well as the Pro 3 demos I’ve heard (not played one yet), but the drive breaks up and distorts in a very musical way. The FM can get you some of the more exotic timbres, but it’s not going to take you to wavetable territory. The triple sync is also really powerful.
Despite the lack of patch memory, I find it fast to work with. You develop a box of tricks pretty quickly. Stringing out patch cables and setteing up intricate modulation routings isn’t something I’d want to do on stage, but it’s great in the home studio. The four voice para is nice, but I mostly use it in two voice mode or 4osc mono for that extra kick. The sequencer is simple but very powerful and very fun to play. Set up 4 patterns, swap between them, transpose, punch in live mutes/slides/trills to spice things up. Ideas just seem to fall out of it, with lots of stuff left I want to try.
I was in the same boat, deciding between the MM and the P3. No regrets so far.
3 Likes
I love the sound of the Grandmother, and the Matriarch, and I also dig semi-modular. But how cool would it be if they put that sound engine in a case like the Subsequent 37, and you could have patch memory and whatnot as well. Moog should do like Fender does, and make alternate universe synths. You could also get the subsequent sound engine in the matriarch case. That would be a cool sound engine for semi-modular.
1 Like
I was considering the Matriarch, but went with the Pro3SE for the patch memory. I absolutely love it. My pal has the Matriarch and it’s a fantastic synth too.
All the patch points on the Moog must make for a fun time with a Modular, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out with the Pro3.
4 Likes
I’m planning to sell the Grandmother and some pedals for a Pro3. I just don’t get the patching stuff and patch memory would be nice. The Grandmother seems limited to me. Matriarch seems like double but still limited. I really want a Mono/Poly but the Pro3 seems to cover the same functionality I’m looking for at a more affordable price.
I guess if you have a nice modular already then Matriarch might look limited to you.
Working through the Moog Patchbooks for it, I’m often pleasantly surprised by the “dang, didn’t know it could do that too!” effect.
3 Likes
I’ve been drooling over a Matriarch for some time now, but I have recently learned a lot about the Pro 3, and I am completely torn between the two now.
Apples and oranges it seems, so it’s a really hard call. The initial appeal of the Matriarch was the knob per function, zen approach of patch, record, move on… but the depth and ease of modulation (that sequencer!) on the Pro 3 is just sooo tempting.
I feel like I’d get much more practically out of the Pro 3, but I am still drawn to the sound and workflow of the matriarch.
All of my synths are screen based (Nord A1, Virus TI, Digitone) and the matriarch would be a departure from that workflow, which would be nice, but then I see how fast you can modulate anything on the Pro 3, and it just seems like a sound design playground.
Help!
2 Likes
Get a Pro 2.
9 Likes
It’s a tough call if choosing between the two. I had wanted both the Matriarch and Pro 3 for some time, and a while back went with the Matriarch. I don’t regret it at all, but still would like a Pro 3 because they are just different enough from each other. And the Pro 3 offers some nice CV sequencing/modulation options that would be great to use in conjunction with the Matriarch, along with some nice extra filter options on the Pro 3.
I can say that the Matriarch is as you describe. It’s Instant, you get turning knobs/patching, then grab your sound and move on. And it just sounds great. It’s got a beautiful character, and I can get such great sounds out of it before even pulling out the patch cables. The stereo filter and the stereo delay are the icings on the cake, and the delay almost becomes part of the sound/character at times rather than an effect at the end of the chain. I am also looking forward to trying out the Pro 3 though and can’t wait to see how that one is as well in person.
I usually suggest to pick the one where the core sound appeals to you the most. Synths that naturally sound good to me are the ones that I just want to play. Whether that’s the Pro 3 or the Matriarch is up to you. I think they both sound great, I have uses for both of them, but they do have very different characters.
2 Likes
Get a Syntrx.
1 Like
If you are also interested in the MonoPoly, I think the question to ask yourself is do you want to play chords. If you want to play chords with a 7th, you can’t do that with the Pro 3. Outside all of the subjective and architectural differences between the Matriarch and the P3, that is a clear dividing line.
The Matriarch is best suited, imo, for experimenting with physical patch cables and messing with knobs and switches to see if you find happy accidents. I’m not sure what you mean exactly by “fast modulation”. If you elaborate more on the modulation sources and destinations you have in mind, and even better the desired modulation rate in Hz, perhaps you can get more help on your question(s) in that area.
Pro 3 has patch memory, while Matriarch doesn’t, and thus might be better suited for live playing if you want to use a wide variety of sounds on the same synth. I’m not seeing any indication of you actually like the Pro 3 sound though.
1 Like
Thanks for your thoughts!
By fast modulation, I just meant that the workflow that they implemented for assigning modulations on the Pro 3 is very elegant/quick. For such a deep synth, they made it very easy to do — tap source, move the knob that is the modulator, tap destination, move the knob that is the destination. Done. No menu diving. There are tones more options for modulation on the Pro 3, so coupled with that fast assignment workflow, it seems like a fun and quick workflow.
I do indeed enjoy the sounds coming out of the Pro 3 demos, it is just different than that Moog sound.
Like I said, apples and oranges really… diverging paths ahead…
Appreciate the clarification.
In some ways, the Pro 3 workflow may be faster than the Matriarch’s. On the Matriarch you sometimes have to move your eyeballs closer to read the labels of the patch points to see what you’re patching to and from, especially if one of the patch points you want is on the back side of the keyboard. The patch points in the Mult sections can be input or output so sometimes I have to follow a cable to remind myself where the input came from, so I can then remember whose signal is going out to the other connected cables in the Mult.
Oh, one thing to think about is whether you intend to send MIDI to the synth, and if so are you going to rely heavily on MIDI to use the synth like sending a bunch of CCs and/or whatnot. There are several issues with the Matriarch MIDI. I haven’t encountered them myself because I didn’t buy it with the intention of spitting all kinds of MIDI at it, but if that’s your think you may want to research that.
Of course if MIDI is a big thing for you, it follows you should look into how peeps are finding the Pro 3 for MIDI slave duties too.
The two of them together would be awesome, heheh
2 Likes