The Slim Phatty is a monophonic analog synthesizer

Analog synthesizer

An analog or analogue synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. The earliest analog synthesizers in the 1920s and 1930s such as the Trautonium were built with a variety of vacuum-tube and electro-mechanical technologies...

 manufactured by Moog Music

Moog Music

Moog Music is an American company based in Asheville, North Carolina which manufactures electronic musical instruments. The current Moog Music is the second company to trade under that name.-R.A. Moog Co. and the original Moog Music:...

 since 2011. It is considered to be an entry-level synthesizer in the Moog family. Its design is based on the Little Phatty

Little Phatty

The Little Phatty is a monophonic analog synthesizer manufactured by Moog Music since 2006, preceded by the Voyager and succeeded by Voyager Old School. Its design was conceived, in part, by Robert Moog himself, and is the last instrument to have that distinction, although the primary engineer was...

, which in turn is a more modernized version of the Minimoog Voyager

Minimoog Voyager

The Minimoog Voyager or Voyager is a monophonic analog synthesizer, designed by Robert Moog and released in 2002 by Moog Music. The Voyager was modeled after the classic Minimoog synthesizer that was popular in the 1970s, and is meant to be a successor to that instrument.-Design:Like the original...

. It is among the first synthesizers created and produced following the death of Moog

Moog synthesizer

Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...

 founder Robert Moog

Robert Moog

Robert Arthur Moog , commonly called Bob Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.-Life:...

 in 2005. The Slim Phatty is also the first Moog (beside the Little Phatty) that is capable of USB connectivity. It was infered that Moog would be releasing a new and possibly more stripped down synthesizer when reports surfaced that Moog had registered a trademark for the name "Slim Phatty".

Features

The Slim Phatty is able to make use of MIDI controller integration via out, in, and "thru" channels. The only other Moog synthesizers that can boast this capability are the Little Phatty, Minimoog Voyager, and the early Memorymoog+. It also features two robust oscillators, diverse tuning controls, and the patented “Moog Ladder” filters. Also included are a large number of patches or preset sound settings. Unlike many synthesizers, it does not possess a keyboard, so a MIDI or other sound input is required in order to create sound to modulate or filter. It is also small in size, and weighing in at roughly 5.5lbs. For these reasons, the Slim Phatty is useful in both studio recording and live playing.

Comparison to Little Phatty

As noted above, the Slim Phatty is essentially a stripped down version of Moog's Little Phatty. Moog removed the keyboard, as well as the pitch and modulator wheels, and compacted the entire setup into a unit that is only seventeen inches wide. For these reasons, many may find the control panel a little cluttered, although the use of smaller knobs and buttons helps alleviate this issue. Like its counterpart, the Slim Phatty possesses an "Overload" control, which acts a filter drive that "supercharges" the filter and sound. It also shares firmware versions with the Little Phatty, which gives it more flexibility - such as intergration with the Little Phatty in polyphonic mode. Its lightweight and small size also give it an edge in regards to portability.