A Timeless Classic

Just like its predecessor, the MONOPOLY comes with four VCOs, each with four switchable waveshapes such as triangle, reverse sawtooth, pulse width modulation and pulse width. Each VCO’s octave, level and tuning can be adjusted separately with their respective knobs. Setting the VCOs to PWM mode allows you to route the signal to one of two analog LFOs again with four selectable waveforms and adjustable frequency for some more advanced sound creation. Blend the VCOs with different waveshapes together and add a bit of cross-modulation to get some piercing leads and gigantic bass notes that are totally going to give your audience the goosebumps.

Sculpting a Masterpiece

The MONOPOLY includes a VCF and VCA, each with its own ADSR that let you adjust the shape of the envelope to create notes that are short and percussive or long and atmospheric. You can even add in a bit of white noise by turning up the Noise knob. This dramatically spices up your waveforms and gives you full control of your sounds, letting you shape your tone any way you want. Sweep the Cutoff knob on the VCF from left to right while setting the resonance to just the right amount and listen as your note transforms from a low rumble to a sizzling crescendo that’s just perfect for creating the right atmosphere in your next cyberpunk epic.

Key Assign Mode

With the Key Assign Mode section you can select how the MONOPOLY operates, whether it’s in Unison mode, which plays all four VCOs at once when a key is pressed, Polyphonic mode or Unison/Share mode which shares the VCOs according to the number of notes played. There’s also a Chord Memory mode for creating complex harmonies with a single key press. Start off in Poly mode, press the hold button, play your chord and hit the Chord Memory button. Now you’ll be able to play that chord with a single key. Combine all these modes in your next production and you’re on your way to having a truly amazing song that will really get the crowd moving.

The Keys Please

The MONOPOLY features 37 semi-weighted keys with velocity functionality. Pitch can be raised or lowered using the Bend wheel, while modulation depth is controlled with the MG1 wheel. You can even select what each wheel modifies as well as its intensity in the Wheel section.

Controls and Connectivity

We just can’t help ourselves – like you, we’re gear heads too. For those who want the numbers, the MONOPOLY has 62 knobs and buttons, all laid out on a tiltable front panel in a highly intuitive format that puts the joy back into your music creation. The MONOPOLY also includes multiple in and outputs for controlling filter cutoff, oscillator pitch and CV/Gate as well as MIDI.

Unleash Your Imagination

When it comes to recreating the classic sounds of an era like the 1980s, with a few modern features, there’s nothing like the Behringer MONOPOLY, portable and so very affordable.

Visit your dealer to experience the amazing MONOPOLY or get yours online today!

A Brief History of Analog Synthesis

The modern synthesizer’s evolution began in 1919, when a Russian physicist named Lev Termen (also known as Léon Theremin) invented one of the first electronic musical instruments – the Theremin. It was a simple oscillator that was played by moving the performer’s hand in the vicinity of the instrument’s antenna. An outstanding example of the Theremin’s use can be heard on the Beach Boys iconic smash hit “Good Vibrations”.

Ondioline

In the late 1930s, French musician Georges Jenny invented what he called the Ondioline, a monophonic electronic keyboard capable of generating a wide range of sounds. The keyboard even allowed the player to produce natural-sounding vibrato by depressing a key and using side-to-side finger movements. You can hear the Ondioline on Del Shannon’s “Runaway”.

Storytone Piano

Designed by famous piano manufacturer Story & Clark in association with RCA, the Storytone piano debuted at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Hailed as the world’s first electric piano, the Storytone is prized by musicians and collectors alike for its realistic piano sound – only 500 or so were ever built.

Mellotron

Finding a high level of acceptance in the 1960s, Harry Chamberlin’s Mellotron was an electro-mechanical keyboard that generated sounds by playing back pre-recorded tape loops. Although temperamental and prone to pitch and mechanical issues, the Mellotron was used extensively by many U.K. artists. Classic tracks from the Moody Blues “Days of Future Passed”, the Beatles “Strawberry Fields Forever”, and the Rolling Stones “She’s a Rainbow” are prime examples. Attribute author: By Buzz Andersen from San Francisco, California, United States Mellotron | NAMM 2007

Arp 2600

Manufactured by ARP Instruments, Inc., the Arp 2600 was one of the most successful synthesizers to come out of the 1970s. They were ideal for players new to the synth world and allowed patches to be changed via switches or 1/8" audio cables. The list of recordings and artists that used the venerable Arp 2600 reads like a veritable Who's Who of rock, pop and jazz, and includes The Who, David Bowie, John Lennon, Depeche Mode, Edgar Winter, Frank Zappa and Herbie Hancock – to name just a few. An Arp 2600 was even used to create the voice of the Star Wars character R2-D2. Attribute author: The original uploader was Kimi95 at Italian Wikipedia - http://www.vintagesynth.com/arp/arp2600blue.jpg e http://www.vintagesynth.com/arp/arp.php, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7708499

Minimoog

Designed to replace the large, modular synths being used in pop music at the time, Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog developed the Minimoog in 1971. The monophonic instrument became the first truly all-in-one, portable analog synthesizer. Thanks to its 3 oscillators and 24 dB/octave filter, the Minimoog produces an extremely rich and powerful bass sound and is still in high demand today. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman said the instrument “absolutely changed the face of music.” Attribute author: glacial23 - Early Minimoog Uploaded by clusternote, CC BY-SA 2.0

Yamaha CS-80

In 1976, Yamaha released their CS-80 8-voice polyphonic synthesizer, which provided velocity-sensitive keys and aftertouch that worked on individual voices. The analog instrument featured a ribbon controller, which allowed the user to perform polyphonic pitch bends and smooth glissandos. Composer Vangelis used the CS-80 extensively in the Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire soundtracks. The CS-80 also provided the bass line heard in the BBC 1980 series Doctor Who theme song. Image attribution: Pete Brown from Gambrills, MD, USA (DSC00539) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Sequential Circuits Prophet 5

Sequential Circuits introduced the Prophet 5, which was the first analog 5-voice polyphonic synthesizers to provide onboard memory storage of all patch settings for instant recall. The great-sounding Prophet 5 revolutionized the synthesizer world and, in spite of its rather expensive price tag, became one of the most successful synths of all time. Designed by Dave Smith and John Bowen, the Prophet 5 was the keyboard of choice by a very long list of performers that includes Peter Gabriel, Philip Glass, Journey, The Cars, Thomas Dolby, Duran Duran, Gary Numan, Pink Floyd, and countless others. Image attribution: original uploader was Felix2036 at Dutch Wikipedia derivative work: Clusternote (Sequential_Circuits_Prophet_5.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Which brings us to 1977...

A Passion for Keyboards

Our founder, Uli Behringer has a deep passion for keyboards. Born in the small town of Baden, Switzerland in 1961, Uli grew up in a musical family where his mother taught him to play the piano at the tender age of four. His father was a scientist who built a massive organ in the family home and taught the young lad all about electronics. So at the age of 17, Behringer built his first synthesizer – the UB-1. Later, while attending college to seek a degree in audio engineering, Uli put his electronics knowledge to use, building his own equalizers and signal processors to fill the gap left by the university's inability to provide enough proper studio gear. Word soon spread about how good his products were, and he began building gear for his friends – the Behringer legacy had begun. The rest, as they say, is history...