Herb Deutsch, the co-inventor of the revolutionary Moog synthesizer, has died at the age of 90.
Deutsch was a seminal figure in music technology during the ’60s and ’70s. In 1964, he teamed up with Bob Moog to develop what eventually evolved into the first-ever Moog synthesizer. Deutsch’s work in the project was primarily on the keyboard interface’s design.
The goal for the Moog was to be a “small and affordable music synthesizer” that wouldn’t limit its accessibility for those who wish to create with it because of a hefty price tag.
“People have accused me of modesty, but actually I think that someone else would have been int he same place and gotten to a similar point within a short time,” Deutsche said in an early-aughts interview with Moog. “It was a direction that fit into the history of technology and its inevitable link with the arts.”
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Deutsch was also a lifelong educator and composer, frequently teaching people about Moog synths and how they operate. He taught at New York’s Hofstra University for more than 50 years and he was also the chair of the college’s music department.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Deutsch’s influential work changed the trajectory of synthesizers and music technology as we know it. His indelible contributions will continue to inspire sonic explorers and creators around the world.
“There is nobody more important to Moog legacy than Herb Deutsch,” the Bob Moog Foundation wrote in an Instagram post. “His deep creativity, curiosity, intelligence, and pursuit of musical frontiers prompted Bob Moog to design the first Moog synthesizer with Herb’s invaluable guidance and collaboration. As the prototype evolved into larger modular systems, Herb and Bob worked together to promote this revolutionary instrument, with Herb composing and performing on them and teaching about them at seminars and in his classroom.”
The team at EDM.com expresses our sincere condolences to the family, fans, friends and loved ones of Herb Deutsch.
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