10.6

726Logic Pro Instruments
Early voltage-controlled synthesizers
With the exception of the Telharmonium, which was conceived prior to the advent of the
thermionic valve, the precursors to the modern-day synthesizer were all based on tube
circuitry. This made these instruments unwieldy and 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. Deutsch inspired Moog to combine a voltage-controlled oscillator and amplifier
module with a keyboard, and in 1964 the first prototype of a voltage-controlled synthesizer
was constructed. 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’s
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’s
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.
The Minimoog
Moog and Buchla’s voltage-controlled synthesizers were modular. One chassis, or several,
housed the power supply and the actual modules. The inputs and outputs of the modules
had to be interconnected via a confusing tangle of patch cords before the synthesizer
would make a sound. Establishing these connections properly was an art unto itself, and
obtaining useful settings on the modules required significant expertise.
Moog realized that these modular synthesizers were too complex and expensive for the
average musician and were likely to fail if sold through traditional music retailers. In 1969,
Moog collaborated with engineers Jim Scott, Bill Hemsath, and Chad Hunt to design a
compact, portable, affordable, and easy-to-use synthesizer. After three prototypes were
built, the Minimoog Model D was released in the summer of 1970.