Moog Modular (1964)

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Adding a keyboard to a synth was controversial — avant-gardists feared it imposed old thinking — but Moog's pragmatism won. He created a modular system where musicians connected blocks with patch cords, becoming sound designers. Despite the famous ladder filter's warm sound, sales were slow as the instrument seemed too complex.

The breakthrough was accidental: Wendy Carlos recorded Bach on a modular Moog. 'Switched-On Bach' became the first classical album in history to go platinum. Moog later joked: 'I became famous thanks to Bach, though I never played a note.'

Sources

1. Pinch, Trevor; Trocco, Frank (2002). Analog Days: The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer — Harvard UP
2. Vail, Mark (2014). The Synthesizer: A Comprehensive Guide — Oxford UP
3. Teboul, Ezra J.; Kitzmann, Andreas; Engström, Einar (eds.) (2024). Modular Synthesis: Patching Machines and People — Routledge
4. Holmes, Thom (2020). Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music, and Culture — Routledge

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