Double Exposure

flickr by davetron5000.

Update: Great story via mikeford in the comments:
"a number of years ago my power supply went out on my etherwave theremin, so I called the big briar company to see about ordering a new one. usually, two really nice ladys answer the phone. However that morning I call up and a mans voice answeres. I proceed to inquire about my replacement and paused.."are the ladies out today?"
No the oldermans voice answers, "they are running alittle late." a silence of about 6 seconds on my end and I realise I am talking to Dr. MOOG HIMSELF! I an trying to think of somthing to ask, and the realistic moog comes up in my mind and the good doc tells me the whole history of the modle, especially the story about the felt around the sliders that turns to goop after so manny years and how to cleen it up. He "says" look, if you have any problems with that, just ship it to me and i will take care of cleaning it upit, no charge." WOW!!May god rest his soul! "

Moog vs. Big Briar Moogerfoogers

Analog Industries has a post up on his Moogerfoogers. What's intersting is he noticed a difference between the Big Briar and the Moog build quality. He states both are built like a tank, but the Big Briar pedals feel more solid. Title link takes you to the post. If anyone has a pedal from each, please feel free to comment.

The Bob Moog Memorial Museum

Via The Bob Moog Foundation:
"We envision the Bob Moog Memorial Museum as both an information resource and a place to connect with Bob's spirit. The Museum will house Bob's personal and professional archives, which include: writings, photos, instruments, schematic drawings, articles written by and about him, an extensive collection of electronic music, and other Moog artifacts. The goal is to make this an educational, interactive museum open to students, researchers and music historians, and for all people interested in engaging with the Moog legacy. We are also considering an exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame."

And via Ileana Grams-Moog on Caring Bridge:
"To preserve his home and workshop in Big Briar Cove, near Asheville, as a museum and archive of his life and work, as well as a nature preserve. It would be a place to connect with him as a craftsman (he partly designed the house, laid the floors, plumbed and wired it, arranged the spring-fed water system, and cut the wood to heat it), as a historian of electronic music (he left a remarkable collection of slides and records of electronic music), as a designer of musical instruments ( through an extensive archive of material about him, and in the building where he hand-built theremins for many years), and as a nature lover (the house is surrounded by old second-growth forest full of animals, birds, and plants native to Western North Carolina). This project is particularly dear to my heart. He loved Big Briar Cove, and it would be a place for his fans to connect with him on many levels."

Shot of Bob Moog's house via this post.
I can't wait to take my daughter there. She and I will finally get to see where all the magic came from.

Bob Moog Portrait by Wendy Carlos - Happy Birthday Bob

Today would have been Bob Moog's 72nd birthday. I've been waiting to put this shot up. A portrait by none other than the woman who possibly started it all, Wendy Carlos.

Happy Birthday Bob. Thanks for everything.

Caring Bridge
Moog on Wikipedia
Big Briar
Moog Music
Wendy on Wikipedia

Synton Docs

Another from John Loffnik. I updated my earlier post on the Synton Modular to include this, and I figured it warrented a new post as well. Interesting bit is that Bob Moog's Big Briar was distributing the Synton in the US. Check out the order sheet pictured below. Title link takes you to a couple more shots including a system photo brochure and module descriptions.

Click image for a bigger pic.

Synton Modular

Update via the comments. Cool. Thanks John!

"Synton 3000 Modular Documents

These documents are from 1984 when Big Briar, Bob Moog's company, was distributing Synton in the US. The Synton 3000 appears to be a modest and cost effective but capable system. This is a banana jack system.

http://www.wavemakers-synth.com/synton/Synton_3000.html

For other interesting historical synths visit my Wavemakers site linked below.

John Loffink
The Microtonal Synthesis Web Site
http://www.microtonal-synthesis.com
The Wavemakers Synthesizer Web Site
http://www.wavemakers-synth.com

--------------------------------------------------------------


Synton Modular on the bay. Via Luca of SYTHOSIUM. Title link takes you to his site with some other interesting items including Snoop's Minimoog! : ) Thanks Luca! Two shots saved for posterity:

Minimoog Model E

Update: From Tom at Music Thing via the comments of this post:

"They still own the name in the UK - you can't buy any Moog products here, they're all badged 'Big Briar': If you look at these product pages, you won't see any mention of Bob at all:
http://www.turnkey.co.uk/tkweb/stockdetail.jsp?sku=BIGB-VOYAGERS&context=BSTOCK
or
http://www.turnkey.co.uk/tkweb/stockdetail.jsp?sku=BIGB-PHASER&context=BSTOCK "

Interesting! I didn't know that.

Another rarity up on the *bay. This one is a Moog Minimoog Model E. What's so rare about it? Well, the original Moog Minimoog production run stopped at Model D. The Model E is a remake produced in the UK in 1999. Title link will take you to a SOS article on the Model E. Side Note: There was also the Donimoog produced in the US. This was the company Bob Moog fought over to get the Moog name back, not the UK Moog Music Ltd.

"The Minimoog 204E was an authentic reissue from Moog Music Ltd. which was based in Wales. They acquired the rights to the name in the UK some time in the '90's. I don't know how many they made (I waited six months for mine) but I do know they folded some time in 2000, so I was lucky enough to get one when I did. This makes this version of the Minimoog somewhat of a rarity."

Click here for a bigger pic.

Happy B-Day Leon Theremin!

Image via Wikipedia.

Just read that he would have been 109 today on Create Digital Music.

Thought I'd put up a link to Wikipedia's article on Leon, but there isn't one! Someone put one up! I did however find one on the theremin with the following pic though. BTW, Bob Moog started with theremins which were always dear to him. When he left the synthesizer business, he started up Big Briar and made theremins. Moog Music still makes em as part of their Etherwave product line.

Update: I'm a loser. Cikira corrected me in that it is Theremin, not Theramin! So I looked up Leon Theremin on Wikipedia and there is a section on him. Funny thing is the link on Wikipedia takes you to the article on the theremin but leaves the address "theramin." I missed it. Also proper etiquette is lower case T for the instrument and upper case for Leon Theremin, and his original Russian name was Lev Sergeivich Termen, anglicized later to Leon Theremin. Sorry Leon. Thanks Cikira! : )