X

Appendix B Synthesizer Basics 499
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 signicant 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, aordable, and easy-to-use synthesizer. After three prototypes were built, the Minimoog
Model D was released in the summer of 1970.
In contrast to previous modular synthesizers, it was neither necessary nor possible for players to
connect the modules of the Minimoog as they saw t. All of the modules’ connecting circuitry
was hard-wired at the factory. The type and number of modules was also xed. This simplied
manufacturing considerably, and cut costs dramatically. A major marketing campaign saw the
Minimoog become a huge success. Without alteration to its basic design, 13,000 Minimoogs were
sold worldwide, right up to 1981.