Moog DFAM

Gat · August 6, 2020, 4:26pm

2 years ago a friend lend me the DFAM paired with a BeatStep pro. for one week and i had the best experience with a synth.
I record some DFAM live sessions on a Tascam DR44WL and arrange it and process it a bit with ableton.
This is the result https://oskult.bandcamp.com/track/dfam-kolektor

I really love the DFAM and i will buy it.

My present setup:
-Octatrack (clock & midi CC send)
-1 or 2 ipad connected to an Iconnectivity Audio4+ (clock & midi CC received from OT)
-TR8 (slaved by OT) and sometimes other machines… I use midi solutions quadra thru v2 if i need.

So, my goal is to sequence the DFAM with the Octatrack and or the Ipad, all clocked.
I dont want a BSP because it too big, the USB out is fragile and honestly i dont like his sequencer since i have an elektron sequencer

I know the Doepfer Dark Link, CV.OCD, Korg SQ-1 can convert midi to CV but if i can save money without buying another hardware i will be happy…

On IOS (ipad, iphone… i have 4 of them) we have LINK.
I already send my midi out from OT to my ICA4+ in AUDIOBUS then AUM is hosted inside AUDIOBUS for the Midi clock transport & Midi Offset features which is work really nice.
All my apps are sync with the amazing LINK protocole.

So i need solutionS to sync a DFAM without sacrificing an OT track just for sending a click…
I want to optimise the flexibility off my iconnectivity Audio4+ and the fact i have many iDevices.

It can work if i send a click from one iDevice (clocked with LINK) audio jack 3.5 mm to the DFAM adv/clock?

Gat · August 10, 2020, 4:54am

Looks that the thing i need

colectivo_triangular · October 15, 2020, 12:55pm

Here’s a demo I’ve done with the DFAM. Mostly Techno, Industrial and some Ambient sequences. Maybe you find it useful.

Enthalpi · November 23, 2020, 8:54pm

Hi,
I’m wondering about the DFAM decksaver if it can fit with patch cables plugged on the Matrix. Does someone have it ?

Thanks

Anna_GearWear · November 24, 2020, 9:49am

hi, I make dustcovers. You can check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/gearwearpoland

Enthalpi · November 24, 2020, 10:29am

Thanks for the link but it doesn’t answer to my question
Does the “genuine” decksaver (or yours) allow to let the patch cables in place ?
Moreover, I dont have Facebook account. Do you have a shop online ?

Anna_GearWear · November 27, 2020, 9:26pm

sorry for late answer, it is quite busy here I make custom dustcovers (felt or cordura) and cases (felt). I can make almost any cover. I have an access to Moog DFAM so I can adjust it properly. I don’t have an online shop (yet), rn I’m selling via facebook and some Polish advertising portal. Here are some examples of my dustcovers:

blushresponse · December 18, 2020, 6:55pm

A bit of a DFAM jam

DonovanDwyer · December 19, 2020, 4:02am

Just ordered one!

d4ydream · December 19, 2020, 4:32am

No matter what I tweak on it, it always sounds awesome. I think you’ll really enjoy it and grats on the purchase!

spikysimon · December 19, 2020, 11:47am

A fine choice sir

Giwrgos · January 29, 2021, 7:21pm

Hey guys,

i don’t know if this has been addressed but I thought I should post it here and maybe someone could find it useful.

here’s how one could sync Digitakt, Mother32 and DFAM:

You can have ASSIGN OUTPUT of M32 sending signals to DFAM without M32’s sequencer running.
Instead M32 will be sequenced from Digitakt and all three devices will be synced, with Digitakt being the master.

Set M32’s ASSIGN OUTPUT source to be MIDI CC4. Now every time Digitakt sends a MIDI CC4 message to M32 the ASSIGN OUTPUT will output a signal from -5V to +5V depending on MIDI CC4 value (0 to 127). M32’s sequencer doesn’t have to be running in order for this to happen.

DFAM’s ADV/CLOCK input expects a signal from 0V to +5V but it also has to be a fast changing signal otherwise it will be ignored. So if M32’s ASSIGN OUTPUT sends a signal in this range and fast changing enough, DFAM’s sequencer will be advanced one step. So patch M32’s ASSIGN OUT to DFAM’s ADV/CLOCK IN and go to Digitakt.

MIDI OUT from Digitakt to MIDI IN of M32. M32 receiving MIDI in channel 1.
Go to a MIDI TRACK in Digitakt and set CHAN in [SRC] to 1. Now Digitakt is sending MIDI in channel 1 too.

Now go to [FLTR] and activate VAL1.

Next go to [AMP] and set SEL1 to CC4 which is FOOT CTRL. Now Digitakt is sending CC4 MIDI messages to M32.

Go to your MIDI TRACK and set it 16 steps long. Activate ALL steps. Everything from 1 to 16 will be red. Now press FUNK and mute ALL of them. From red they will be now yellow. Now go to [FLTR] and set VAL1 for all odd numbered steps (that’s 1, 3, 5, to 15) to greater than 90. Every even numbered step mast have VAL1 set to 0.

Now if you press PLAY on Digitakt the MIDI TRACK’s 16 step sequence will start. In step 1 a CC4 message of value 90 will be sent to MIDI channel 1. This message will be detected by M32 which is receiving on channel 1 and a positive signal will be sent from M32’s ASSIGN OUTPUT to DFAMS’s ADV/CLOCK and the sequencer will advance one step.

Here is this solutions’s disadvantage: If you set MIDI TRACK’s step 2 VAL1 lower than 90 the signal of M32’s ASSIGN OUTPUT will be negative Volts so the ADV/CLOCK input on DFAM will do nothing because it expects 0V to +5V. If you set the VAL1 greater than 90 (90 to 127), M32’s ASSIGN will output a positive signal but because the previous one was already high the signal from step1 to step 2 won’t change fast enough and it will be also ignored by DFAM (this explanation is my guess so take it with caution). This means that you can only have 8th note and higher clock divisions.

Now you can have another MIDI TRACK on Digitakt sending MIDI to channel 1 too and have it note sequencing M32, or use the same TRACK and unmute (turning them back to red) the steps you want to play notes on in M32. Of course you can expand the TRACK’s step length and play with different clock divisions by changing the VAL1 90 and 0 alternation. For example step1-90, step2-0, step3-0, step4-0 step5-90 and you have quarter note clock division. What you have to remember is that in order for DFAM to advance on one step of the MIDI TRACK the previous one has to be set to sent MIDI CC4 with value 0.

Sorry for the big explanation. This is intended for less experienced users. Any thoughts or different ideas would be more than welcomed

DonovanDwyer · January 29, 2021, 8:12pm

triple stand hack + overlay

HooBass · March 20, 2021, 6:11pm

Jukka · March 30, 2021, 9:14pm

Moog Sound Studio — Two new products containing the DFAM

Moog just announce two “new products”, in two versions called the Moog Sound Studio.

One has a Mother 32 and a DFAM. The other has a Subharmonicon and a DFAM.

Included with each is an audio mixer and power distribution hub, a two-tier rack mount kit, patch cables and a patch cable organizer, guided exercises and patch book, educational materials, games to encourage experimentation, custom studio artwork designed exclusively for Moog Sound Studio owners, and plenty of creative inspiration. And a pair of dice !

The package is probably intended for younger experimenters, middle school/high school, but i immediately found this inspiring and fun. The artwork is fun with cutouts and colorful graphics. Patches done at random should give hours of fun.

Moog Sound Studio main page:

I already own a DFAM, and as of now you can’t buy this as separate pieces — I can hear the requests already.

ADDED: Clarification, i mean by this you can’t buy the extras separately that are added to this package deal. The three synths are still on sale by themselves. Refer to the statement made toward the end of the Synthtopia article where it says:

We asked Moog if these will be available separately for existing Moog Eurorack system owners. They do not have plans to sell them separately at this time.

GovernorSilver · March 30, 2021, 6:34pm

I do have ambitions to eventually add both a DFAM and a SubH for cross patching fun with the Matriarch. Both together plus the 2-tier rack are $1407 at most shops. I think $42 more to get the little 4-input mixer/power distributor, cable holder, artwork, etc. for this studio bundle is fair.

I see Chuck Levins already has it in stock.

Jukka · March 30, 2021, 6:42pm

I see the Sound Studio now has its own thread.

Thank you g0r0s.

LyingDalai · October 21, 2021, 8:35pm

Some reading about what DfAM is as an industrial concept:

PurpleWizard · December 16, 2021, 3:51pm

So I recently hooked up my DFAM after hardly using it for almost 3 years and noticed all kinds of noisy ticks while the sequencer was running but while the mixer section is completely turned down. Now I’m not completely sure wether it has always done this and/or wether this is normal behavior for the machine. (I’ve gotten quite a bit better in my understanding of synthesis which really freed up much of my awareness for active listening so I wouldn’t be surprised if I just missed it when I just got it)

I still have a month or so left on the warranty so I would really appreciate some feedback from other users on wether or not this is normal behavior.

After some vigorous testing I was able to figure out 3 things.

1: the mixer section has some very faint bleed through, meaning that if crank up the gain loud enough, all three voices can be heard (were it very faintly) while all three voices are turned fully down in the mixer. I can also hear it under normal non-cranked use in some circumstances.

2: it’s quite noisy overall, resulting in a noise tick every time the VCA is triggered, reminiscent of the noise oscillator when triggered intentionally. It isn’t the noise generator bleeding through though, which apparently is the case with some units, because it’s still there when I plug in an external sound source. It’s also quite a bit louder than the mixer bleed-through. Plus: I got a Subharmonicon recently and that one isn’t noisy at all

3: Not really a problem but unless the VCF EG is perfectly at 0, there is a noticeable tick/thumb, regardless of the cutoff position. I found 2 other people talking about this on the moog forum, so perhaps this is normal behavior. I just don’t understand it, since I would expect the filter not to move to begin with when it’s already fully open.

diswest · December 24, 2021, 5:31pm

Some non standard use of DFAM