In the fall of 1969, there were still a great many peoÂple who’d nevÂer heard a synÂtheÂsizÂer. And even among those who had, few would have known how its unfaÂmilÂiar sounds were actuÂalÂly made. Hence the imporÂtance of the segÂment from the BBC proÂgram TomorÂrow’s World above, which introÂduced the Moog synÂtheÂsizÂer (origÂiÂnalÂly creÂatÂed by Robert Moog) to viewÂers across Britain. HavÂing come on the marÂket four years earÂliÂer, it would go on to change the sound of music — a project, in fact, on which it had already made seriÂous inroads, with such Moog showÂcasÂes as the Doors’ “Strange Days” and Wendy CarÂlos’ Switched-on Bach havÂing already become culÂturÂal pheÂnomÂeÂna unto themÂselves.
ManÂfred Mann would also do his part to make an impact with the Moog. CallÂing him “the Moog pioÂneer of rock music,” FideliÂty magÂaÂzine’s Hans-JĂĽrÂgen Schaal writes that “Mann lent his instruÂment out to be used to proÂduce the first Moog solo on a record by EmerÂson Lake & Palmer. He even did the keyÂboard work himÂself on the first Moog solo by UriÂah Heep.”
It is Michael VickÂers, a mulÂti-instruÂmenÂtalÂist vetÂerÂan of ManÂn’s eponyÂmous band, who demonÂstrates the Moog for TomorÂrow’s World by playÂing a variÂety of melodies through it on a keyÂboard — though not before plugÂging in a series of patch cords to creÂate just the right elecÂtronÂic sound.
Whether or not the BBC viewÂers of 1969 had ever heard anyÂthing like the Moog before, they almost cerÂtainÂly hadÂn’t seen anyÂthing like it before. Despite lookÂing less like a musiÂcal instruÂment than like a piece of milÂiÂtary hardÂware, it actuÂalÂly repÂreÂsentÂed, like most techÂnoÂlogÂiÂcal advanceÂments, a step forÂward in ease of use. As preÂsenÂter Derek CoopÂer puts it, the Moog “proÂduces sounds in a matÂter of minÂutes which would norÂmalÂly take radioÂphonÂic experts with their comÂpliÂcatÂed equipÂment,” like the BBC’s own Daphne Oram or Delia DerÂbyshire, “days of work and mulÂtiÂple re-recordÂings to achieve.” Not that the averÂage hobÂbyÂist could afford the Moog seen in this broadÂcast back then — nor, for that matÂter, can the averÂage hobÂbyÂist afford the $35,000 a faithÂful re-creÂation of it costs now.
via LaughÂing Squid
RelatÂed conÂtent:
Bob Moog DemonÂstrates His RevÂoÂluÂtionÂary Moog ModÂel D SynÂtheÂsizÂer
How the Moog SynÂtheÂsizÂer Changed the Sound of Music
Thomas DolÂby Explains How a SynÂtheÂsizÂer Works on a Jim HenÂson Kids Show (1989)
Watch ComÂposÂer Wendy CarÂlos Demo an OrigÂiÂnal Moog SynÂtheÂsizÂer (1989)
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
It’s shameÂful, to put it mildÂly, that this artiÂcle doesÂn’t menÂtion Robert Moog who INVENTED the Moog synÂtheÂsizÂer.