Moog
Moog Synthesizer Co-Inventor and Educator, Herb Deutsch, Dead at 90
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 wi...
Watch Rolling Stones Co-Founder Keith Richards Create Ambient Electronic Music
Who knew Rolling Stones guitarist and songwriter Keith Richards also played with modular synthesizers? In a clip unearthed by Far Out Magazine, the legendary musician is seen making experimental electronic music on a modular synthesizer. The footage shows Richards arranging cords and cables to create ambient sounds as a soft, dreamy hum emanates from the machine, most likely a Moog. The clip comes from an obscure documentary called Umano Non Umano, which was screened at the 30th Venice International Film Festival. The film’s title translates to “Human Not Human.” Mario Schifano, an Italian painter known for exhibiting alongside Andy Warhol, released the doc in 1969, per Far Out. According to IMDb, “artists and poets meet in a dreamlike space be...
This Random Pennsylvania Warehouse Preserves Electronic Gear Used by Kraftwerk, Jimi Hendrix, More
Located about an hour north of Philadelphia, Harleysville, Pennsylvania is not exactly an EDM destination town. However, a warehouse in the town of 9,500 is reportedly the resting place of a treasure trove of rare electronic music artifacts used by legendary artists from the 1930s through the late 80s. The nearly 3,000-piece collection was started 20 years ago by Vince Pupillo, a longtime fan and player of electronic music. Over time, he became known as “the guy who would buy instruments that otherwise might be thrown away,” according to a report by WHYY. “I did whatever I had to do to get those instruments under one roof and preserved,” Pupillo said. “A lot of musicians and folks in the music industry, they want to preserve their legacy, and they see what we’re doi...
Moog Accused of Enabling Misogyny, Verbal Abuse, Assault in Civil Rights Lawsuit
Moog, the famous synthesizer company based in Asheville, North Carolina, has been accused of workplace discrimination, verbal abuse, physical assault, and misogyny in a new federal civil rights lawsuit. According to The Asheville Blade, former sales assistant Hannah Green is suing the company for over $1 million to “make sure Moog Music never does this to anyone else ever again.” Green was hired as a sales assistant in 2018 and a “personal assistant to the head of sales.” By the end of the year, she was a full-time staff member that managed 20 accounts on her own, but her job title was never updated to reflect the additional tasks she was assigned beyond her job description. Linda Lafferty, the then-head of Moog’s sales department, allegedly promised Green an official title change “soon.” ...
Jamila Woods Teams Up with Peter CottonTale on “Breathe My Name” for Moog’s Explorations in Analog Synthesis EP: Stream
Peter CottonTale and Jamila Woods have teamed up on “Breathe My Name”, a new song from Moog Music’s freshly released EP, Explorations in Analog Synthesis. Stream the full project below. As with every other song on the 7-track EP, “Breathe My Name” was built around instruments and accessories included in the synthesizer company’s new Moog Sound Studio package. Accordingly, the beat combines R&B and ethereal synth-pop as Woods sings lyrics like, “It’s all on me, blessed burden/ You fall on knees, who you saving/ You know my name/ You don’t know my face.” Explorations in Analog Synthesis also features songs by Bonobo, Julianna Barwick, Dan Deacon, Madame Gandhi, Martial Canterel, and Ela Minus. Moog Sound Studio is marketed as a complete synthesizer package and features two variants, Moth...
Learn About the Revolutionary Moog Modular Synthesizer in New Virtual Moogseum Tour
All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Moogseum, which was forced to shutter due to the impact of COVID-19. After its debut in 1964, the Moog modular synthesizer single-handedly revolutionized music production as we know it. However, despite its ubiquitous presence in the electronic music zeitgeist, its usage remains somewhat of a lost art in today’s dance music landscape. The Moogseum, located in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, was developed and launched in 2019 to educate music fans about the history of the seminal synth created by Robert Moog. It features an array of exhibits dedicated to Moog’s pioneering work, including a one-of-a-kind visualization dome that invites attendees to see how electricity translates into sound. Despite its initial success, howe...
