Moog Music facts for kids
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Exterior of Moog Music building in Asheville, North Carolina
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Formerly
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R. A. Moog Co. (1953-1972) |
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| Subsidiary | |
| Founded | 1953 Trumansburg, New York, U.S. |
| Headquarters | Asheville, North Carolina, U.S. |
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Key people
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Robert Moog, founder Mike Adams, president |
| Products | Synthesizers, Musical instruments, Signal processing |
| Parent | inMusic |
Moog Music Inc. (/moʊɡ/ mohg) is an American company that makes synthesizers. It is located in Asheville, North Carolina. The company was started in 1953 as R. A. Moog Co. by Robert Moog and his father. It was renamed Moog Music in 1972. Their early instruments included the Moog synthesizer, which was the first commercial synthesizer. Later came the Minimoog in 1970. Both of these were very important electronic instruments.
In 1973, Robert Moog sold Moog Music to Norlin Musical Instruments. He kept working there as a designer until 1977. In 1978, he started a new company called Big Briar. Moog Music went out of business in 1987. The Moog Music name was given back to Robert Moog in 2002. At that time, Big Briar started operating again under the name Moog Music. In June 2023, Moog Music was bought by inMusic.
Moog Music also helps manage Moogfest. This is a special festival for electronic music and music technology in Durham, North Carolina.
The Story of Moog Music
Starting with Theremins (1953–1971)
Robert Moog started R. A. Moog Co. with his father in 1953. Robert was only 19 years old. They built and sold theremin kits and theremins by mail order. A theremin is an electronic musical instrument you play without touching it. They first worked from his parents' home in New York City. Later, they moved to his own home in Ithaca. In 1963, the company opened its first real office in Trumansburg, New York.
In 1963, Moog met a composer named Herbert Deutsch. Deutsch had built a theremin using Moog's design. With help from Deutsch and other musicians, Moog built the Moog synthesizer. This was the first synthesizer that used a keyboard and voltage control.
By 1967, R. A. Moog, Co. was a bigger business. They still sold theremin kits. But most of their sales were for the large modular Moog synthesizer systems. The sound of the Moog synthesizer quickly became famous. This was thanks to Wendy Carlos's album Switched-On Bach. However, the instrument was very big, hard to use, and expensive. This limited how many people could buy it. The company was often in debt. They only made a profit one year, in 1969, after Carlos's album became a huge hit.
Changes and Challenges (1971–1977)
In November 1971, another company called muSonics bought R. A. Moog, Inc. The company moved to Williamsville, New York. It was renamed Moog Musonics, and then Moog Music, Inc.
In 1972, David VanKouvering joined the company. He helped set up many stores to sell Moog products around the world. The company had more success with the Minimoog. But other companies like ARP Instruments and Oberheim Electronics were also making synthesizers. This caused Moog Music, Inc. to go deeper into debt. In 1973, it was sold to Norlin Industries. By 1975, ARP had 40% of the synthesizer market. This meant Moog Music, Inc. was losing out.
In 1976, Norlin moved the company again. In 1977, Robert Moog's contract with Norlin ended. He left the company to start his own business, Big Briar.
New Technologies and Bankruptcy (1978–1987)
After the Minimoog, Moog Music, Inc. released other products. These included the Vocoder, Micromoog, Multimoog, Polymoog, and Taurus bass pedals. Many artists used these products. But none of them were as successful as the Minimoog. In 1978, Sequential Circuits released its Prophet-5. This became a new standard in the industry. It further reduced Moog's sales. Japanese companies like Roland, Korg, and Yamaha also started making good analog synthesizers that cost less.
The company tried making other things in 1981. This included subway repairs and air conditioning systems.
Around this time, digital synthesizers became popular. The Fairlight CMI was released in 1979. In 1983, the MIDI system allowed Yamaha to release the DX7. This was the world's first successful digital synthesizer. Moog Music tried to make digital synthesizers too. But they went out of business in 1987.
Robert Moog Returns (2000–2005)
In the 1990s, people started to miss the classic analog sound of Moog synthesizers. Musicians like David Foster still used them. Minimoogs became valuable collector's items. In 1994, the Moog Music name was bought by someone else. But after a legal fight, the name was returned to Robert Moog in 2002.
Moog Music moved to Asheville, North Carolina. They continued to make products from Robert Moog's old company, Big Briar. These included Moogerfooger pedals and theremins. They also made new products like the Minimoog Voyager, Little Phatty, Sub 37, and Mother 32. Some of these are still made and sold today. The company has grown because analog synthesizers have become popular again. Many new analog synthesizers are being released by companies like Moog, Korg, and Arturia.
After Robert Moog (2005–Present)
Robert Moog passed away in 2005. His friend and coworker Michael Adams became the company president. The company later became largely owned by its employees. In 2015, 62 employees owned 49% of the company's shares. The company has been making many new products. They also re-released special limited editions of old Moog synthesizers. They have also entered the Eurorack synthesizer market. This includes semi-modular synthesizers like the Mother 32, DFAM, Grandmother, Matriarch, and Subharmonicon.
In June 2023, Moog Music was bought by inMusic. In September, more than half of the staff in Asheville were laid off. The design and engineering teams moved to a new building.
From 2011 to 2024, Moog sold its synthesizers at the Moog Store. The factory still makes instruments. The Moogseum in Asheville continues to teach people about the company's history.
Famous Moog Products
Moog Synthesizer (1964)
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Robert Moog invented the Moog synthesizer in 1964. It was made of different "modules." These were separate parts that did specific jobs, like making sounds (oscillators) or changing them (filters). Users could connect these modules in many ways to create complex sounds. It also had a keyboard, which was familiar to musicians.
Moog showed the synthesizer at a conference in 1964, and it quickly became well-known. Artists like Paul Beaver and Suzanne Ciani started using it. In the 1960s, many famous bands used the Moog in their music. These included the Byrds, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Doors.
The biggest success for the Moog synthesizer came in 1968. This was with Wendy Carlos's album Switched-On Bach. It sold over a million copies and won three Grammy Awards. This album made "Switched-On" music very popular for a short time.
Minimoog (1970)
The original Moog synthesizer was very large. This made it hard for musicians to use it easily. So, Moog and engineers Jim Scott and Bill Hemsath built the Minimoog. The Minimoog had fewer modules and they were connected inside. It also added the pitch wheel. This allowed musicians to bend notes up or down. Its small size and many sounds made the Minimoog very successful. Over 13,000 units were sold in the next ten years.
After the Minimoog appeared on Yes's album 'Fragile' in 1972, many other artists started using it. These included Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
Other versions of the Minimoog were made, but none were as popular. In 2016, the company decided to re-release an updated Minimoog.
Taurus (1975)
The Moog Taurus was the first true Moog instrument for bass sounds. It was an analog synthesizer operated by foot pedals, like an organ. The first model had 13 pedals. The Taurus II had 18 pedals, and the Taurus III went back to 13.
Many progressive rock bands used the Taurus. These included Led Zeppelin, Rush, Yes, Genesis, and Dream Theater.
Vocoder (1978)
Moog had made his own vocoder in 1968. But Moog Music's commercial vocoder was released in 1978. It was based on Harald Bode's design. Many other companies already had their own vocoders, like Korg and Roland. The Moog vocoder was not as popular because it didn't work with MIDI, a common way for instruments to connect.
Moogerfooger (1998)
The Moogerfooger was introduced under Big Briar. It is an analog effects pedal. It allowed users to add the special sound-changing parts of the original Moog design to any sound. Some effects included ring modulation (making metallic sounds) and low-pass filtration (cutting out high sounds). The Moogerfooger was successful, and many models were made. It stopped being made in 2018, after 20 years.
Minimoog Voyager (2002)
In 2002, after getting the Moog Music name back, the company started making the Minimoog Voyager. This was an updated version of the famous Minimoog. The Voyager had a true analog sound path. But it also had digital controls. This allowed users to save their favorite sounds and offered many other new features.
Little Phatty (2006)
The Little Phatty was introduced in 2006. It was Moog Music's answer to the need for a portable and affordable analog synthesizer. This was the last instrument that Robert Moog helped design. It was released shortly after he passed away in 2005.
Sub Phatty (2013)
With the release of the Sub Phatty in 2013, Moog Music introduced a synthesizer with a completely new electronic design. This was the first new design since Robert Moog's death in 2005. This new synthesizer had a new sound and was easier to change settings. Its popularity led to other versions, like the Sub 37 and Subsequent 37. These added features like a sequencer and made controls even easier to access.
Mother-32 (2015)
People became interested in modular synthesizers again. The Eurorack synthesizer standard also grew in popularity. So, Moog Music introduced the Mother-32. It is a Eurorack-compatible synthesizer with Moog's special sound. Since then, they have released more modules and modular or semi-modular synthesizers.
DFAM (Drummer From Another Mother) (2018)
In 2017, Moog Music showed the DFAM at Moogfest. It was a follow-up to the Mother-32 series of Eurorack-friendly semi-modular synthesizers. The DFAM is a synthesizer for percussion. It can create powerful drum sounds.
Grandmother (2018)
Following the success of earlier modular synthesizer reissues and Eurorack options, Moog Music introduced the semi-modular Moog Grandmother synthesizer. It gave users the freedom of modular connections combined with the easy use of a regular synthesizer.
Matriarch (2019)
The Matriarch, introduced in 2019, is a bigger version of the Grandmother. It has a wider keyboard, more modules, and more connection points. It also has an analog delay effect instead of the Grandmother's spring reverb.
Subharmonicon (2020)
Continuing the Mother series, Moog Music introduced the Subharmonicon. It is a Eurorack-compatible semi-modular tabletop synthesizer. It is designed around the ideas of subharmonics (lower notes) and polyrhythms (multiple rhythms at once).
Moogfest
Moogfest is a festival that started in New York City in 2004. It honors Robert Moog and celebrates electronic music and technology. In 2010, the festival moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where Moog Music is located. In 2012, Moogfest moved to Durham, North Carolina. This was to focus more on technology and development, as Durham is a growing tech center.
The festival attracted famous artists like Keith Emerson, Laurie Anderson, Brian Eno, and Jónsi from Sigur Rós. It also featured workshops and presentations. These focused on building instruments, music technology, and research. For example, the Moog Werkstatt-Ø1 was first offered as a kit to build at the festival.
List of Synthesizer Models
- Moog modular synthesizer (1963–80, 2015–present)
- Minimoog (1970–81, 2016–2017, 2022–present)
- Moog Satellite (1974–79)
- Moog Sonic Six (1974–79)
- Minitmoog (1975–76)
- Micromoog (1975–79)
- Polymoog (1975–80)
- Moog Taurus (bass pedals) (1976–83)
- Multimoog (1978–81)
- Moog Prodigy (1979–84)
- Moog Liberation (1980–81)
- Moog Opus 3 (1980–83)
- Moog Concertmate MG-1 (1981–83)
- Moog Rogue (1981–83)
- Moog Source (1981–84)
- Memorymoog (1982–85)
- Moog SL-8 prototype (1983)
- Moogerfooger (1998–2018)
- Minimoog Voyager (2002–15)
- Moog Little Phatty (2006–13)
- Slim Phatty (2010–14)
- Taurus 3 bass pedal (2011)
- Minitaur (2012)
- Sub Phatty (2013)
- Sub 37 (2014)
- Moog Werkstatt-Ø1 (2014 kit, 2014 retail) limited kit for the 2014 Moogfest Engineering Workshop, retail release later that year
- Emerson Moog Modular (2014)
- Mother-32 (2015–present)
- Moog BFAM (Brother From Another Mother) (2016) limited kit for the 2017 Moogfest Engineering Workshop
- Subsequent 37 CV (2017) limited run of 2,000 units
- Subsequent 37 (2017–present)
- Moog DFAM (Drummer From Another Mother) (2017 kit, 2018–present) limited kit for the 2017 Moogfest Engineering Workshop, retail release in 2018
- Moog Subharmonicon (2018 kit, 2020–present) limited kit for the 2018 Moogfest Engineering Workshop, retail edition released in 2020
- Moog Grandmother (2018–present)
- Moog One (2018–present)
- Sirin: Analog Messenger of Joy (2019–present)
- Moog Spectravox (2019) limited kit for the 2019 Moogfest Engineering Workshop
- Moog Matriarch (2019–present)
- Moog Mavis (2022-present)
