This was a piece I wrote for Ask Audio magazine.
Click the link below to read the full article.
Whilst the concept of synthesizers already existed, most of the synths designed prior to Moog’s ground breaking modular and keyboard breakthroughs were either Theremins or hand-built bedroom experiments which lacked the sound quality we strive for today. The unmistakable Theremin sound was often the basis of many sci-fi movies in the 50’s as the other-worldly warblings they produced were perfect for informing the viewer a flying saucer from another planet was about to land on Earth. But there lay the issue. It was essentially a sound effect, a novelty. Not really considered a true musical instrument. At the time, few people had considered synthesized sounds would someday become a credible alternative to traditional instruments. That is until Bob Moog and his team came along and shook things up a bit.