9

The term was officially introduced in 1956 with the debut of the RCA Electronic Music
Synthesizer Mark I, developed by American engineers Harry F. Olson and Herbert Belar.
Its dual-voice sound generation system consisted of 12 tuning forks, which were stimulated
electromagnetically. For its time, the instrument offered relatively sophisticated
signal-processing options. The output signal of the sound generator could be monitored
by loudspeakers and, amazingly, recorded directly onto two records! A single motor
powered both turntables and the control unit of the Mark 1. The synthesizer was controlled
by information punched onto a roll of paper tape, which actually enabled continuous
automation of pitch, volume, timbre, and envelopes. It was as complicated as it
sounds-handling was anything but a dream, and spontaneous playing was impossible.
The First Voltage-Controlled Synthesizers
With the exception of the Telharmonium, which was conceived prior to the advent of
the thermionic valve, these precursors to the modern-day synthesizer were all based on
tube circuitry. This made these instruments relatively unwieldy and certainly volatile. After
the transistor became available in 1947/48, more rugged, smaller, and thus portable,
instruments were soon to come.
At the end of 1963, American innovator R. A. (Bob) Moog met the composer Herbert
Deutsch, who inspired Moog to combine a voltage-controlled oscillator and amplifier
module with a keyboard in 1964—the first prototype of a voltage-controlled synthesizer.
This collaboration with the German musician prompted Moog to extend his range of
modules and to combine them into entire systems. It wasn’t until 1967, however, that
Moog actually called his diverse mix-and-match systems synthesizers.
Moog’s achievements spread by word of mouth, and Moog, always keen to elicit the
feedback of his customers, continued to add further modules to his line. Wendy Carlos’
LP release “Switched-On Bach” (1968) was responsible for the breakthrough of Moog’s
instruments. The record featured Moog’s modular synthesizers and was one of the earliest
commercial multitrack recordings. The album’s success introduced the synthesizer to a
wider audience and made the name Moog synonymous with the instrument. Hoping to
capitalize on the new sounds that synthesizers made available, and match Carlos’
commercial success, numerous studios, producers, and musicians acquired Moog modular
synthesizers. In 1969, as many as 42 employees produced two to three complete modular
systems every week at Moog’s production facility.
Working independently, an engineer named Donald Buchla had conceived and
implemented the concept for a modular, voltage-controlled synthesizer. This coincided
with Moog’s version. Buchla also developed his first instruments in close cooperation
with users. The inspiration for his first synthesizer originated with composers Morton
Subotnik and Ramon Sender, of the San Francisco Tape Music Center. Although he began
working on this instrument in 1963, it didn’t make its public debut until 1966. By design,
Buchla’s instruments catered primarily to academia and avant-garde musicians, so they
never garnered the public attention and acclaim of Moog’s synthesizers.
373Appendix Synthesizer Basics