It's simple and easy to play, so it's great for newcomers or the synth-curious. Compared to the massive Voyager and Taurus synths, it's easy to schlep, making it an attractive synth for gigging musicians. And while it isn't cheap (street price is around $1,300), it's certainly easier on the wallet than other Moogs, which cost twice as much.
It's a standard monophonic synth, and fairly stripped-down (hence "Little"). On the base are 37 keys, a mod wheel, a spring-loaded pitch wheel and switches for changing octaves. Up top are knobs for controlling the dual analog oscillators, modulation, filters and envelope generators. There are 100 preset voices, and the keyboard is loaded with fun sounds for all tastes – classic funky leads, super-fat bass tones, wooshy-washy psychedelia and plinky percussion.
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The Little Phatty has been around for a spell – the original version was released in 2006. On this model, the Little Phatty Stage II, some key features have been updated (so excuse me while I geek out for a moment).
There's a new arpeggiator that can be applied to any preset, with a selectable latch mode. The tempo of the arpeggiator can be set using tap-tempo, or by using the new MIDI clock sync feature that matches the rate of the arpeggiator or LFO with your other MIDI sequencers. If your world is strictly post-five-pin, there's a MIDI-over-USB function. The addition of the USB port means the LP Stage II can also be used as a USB controller for whatever software you're using. In my tests, I never had to install a driver.
Oh, and one other new feature here: all-black side plates have replaced the wood-clad design of yore. So it looks a little more "nouveau goth" than "British prog."
Most of those updated features will probably only appeal to synth-heads or serious electronic musicians. To everyone else, all that really matters is what it sounds like when you turn it on and start playing it. And that's where the Little Phatty really shines.
>This is one of the easiest synths to grok, and, consequently, one of the most fun to play. You just switch it on, touch a key, and it starts making cool sounds.
I'm no Geddy or Herbie, but I've fiddled with a lot of synths. This is one of the easiest synths to grok, and, consequently, one of the most fun to play. You just switch it on, touch a key, and it starts making cool sounds. You don't really need to know much about how the knobs work – in fact, there are so few knobs, the intimidation factor is very low and it's easy enough to reach up and start experimenting. When demonstrating the test unit it for friends, a ten or fifteen-second orientation was all that was required.
The simplicity of the thing can feel limiting in the age of the does-it-all digital synth. Newbies ask why you can't play a chord (it's monophonic, and only sounds one note at a time), and there aren't any digital representations of pianos or organs.
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