Google on Their Bob Moog Tribute

via the Official Google Blog

May 22, 2012 at 9:00 PM

"In the mid-1960s, Dr. Robert Moog unleashed a new universe of sounds into musicdom with his invention of the electronic analog Moog Synthesizer. The timbre and tones of these keyboard instruments (true works of art in and of themselves) would come to define a generation of music, featuring heavily in songs by The Beatles, The Doors, Stevie Wonder, Kraftwerk and many others.

When people hear the word “synthesizer” they often think “synthetic”—fake, manufactured, unnatural. In contrast, Bob Moog’s synthesizers produce beautiful, organic and rich sounds that are, nearly 50 years later, regarded by many professional musicians as the epitome of an electronic instrument. “Synthesizer,” it turns out, refers to the synthesis embedded in Moog’s instruments: a network of electronic components working together to create a whole greater than the sum of the parts.

With his passion for high-tech toolmaking in the service of creativity, Bob Moog is something of a patron saint of the nerdy arts and a hero to many of us here. So for the next 24 hours on our homepage, you’ll find an interactive, playable logo inspired by the instruments with which Moog brought musical performance into the electronic age. You can use your mouse or computer keyboard to control the mini-synthesizer’s keys and knobs to make nearly limitless sounds. Keeping with the theme of 1960s music technology, we’ve patched the keyboard into a 4-track tape recorder so you can record, play back and share songs via short links or Google+.

Much like the musical machines Bob Moog created, this doodle was synthesized from a number of smaller components to form a unique instrument. When experienced with Google Chrome, sound is generated natively using the Web Audio API—a doodle first (for other browsers the Flash plugin is used). This doodle also takes advantage of JavaScript, Closure libraries, CSS3 and tools like Google Web Fonts, the Google+ API, the Google URL Shortener and App Engine.

Special thanks to engineers Reinaldo Aguiar and Rui Lopes and doodle team lead Ryan Germick for their work, as well as the Bob Moog Foundation and Moog Music for their blessing. Now give those knobs a spin and compose a tune that would make Dr. Moog smile!

Posted by Joey Hurst, Software Engineer"

Be sure to see: Bob Moog Google Doodle Demonstration: How to use it!
For those that missed it, there was an update to that post as well.

Bob Moog’s Birthday Garners Google Recognition and Industry Support

The Bob Moog Foundation Press Release:

"May 23, 2012 Asheville, NC-- The Bob Moog Foundation is joined by supporters worldwide in their celebration of the anniversary of the synth pioneer’s 78th birthday. Global technology leader Google released their latest doodle, an interactive, synthesizer-based, playable logo, which honors Bob Moog’s inventions. The Moog Doodle can be played using a mouse or by typing to make nearly limitless sounds. Keeping with the theme of 1960s music technology, a keyboard is patched into a 4-track tape recorder allowing the play back and sharing of songs via short links. The doodle can be viewed and played at www.google.com.

Google software engineer Joey Hurst’s plains the impetus behind the Moog doodle, "With his passion for high-tech toolmaking in the service of creativity, Bob Moog is something of a patron saint of the nerdy arts and a hero to many of us here at Google."

BMF Archive and Education Specialist Marc Doty has posted a 15 minute video demonstrating the various parameters of the doodle synthesizer. His video has over 8,000 views and has been picked up by Mashable and the Washington Post. The video can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/JFkWqi

To promote the incredible doodle tribute, the Bob Moog Foundation is hosting a contest on the home page of its website. Music fans from around the world can share their musical creations in the comments section of the blog on the home page of www.moogfoundation.org. A winner will be chosen and awarded Arturia’s Dr. Bob’s Collector’s Pack, which includes award-winning Minimoog and modular Moog software (valued at over $300).

Furthering the celebration, Moog Music, Inc. will donate 50% of all online clothing and merchandise sales on May 23rd to the Bob Moog Foundation. For every $350 raised, the company will also donate one Etherwave Theremin to the Foundation’s educational initiative, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool. This promotion includes their brand new line of product-inspired apparel boasting graphics bold enough to induce a geekfest for synth enthusiasts everywhere. Moog instruments are not included in the annual event.

Moog Music clothing and merchandise can be purchased from the company’s online store: www.moogmusic.com/products/clothing and www.moogmusic.com/merch.

Spectrasonics, creators of the much heralded Omnisphere “soft-synth” and creators of the Bob Moog Tribute Library, have added to the already robust library of 700 sounds another 78 in recognition of Bob’s birthday. Spectrasonics continues to be one of the Foundation’s greatest contributors to continuing the legacy. Visit http://www.spectrasonics.net/products/tribute/ for more information about the BMF Tribute Library.

In the realm of esoteric electronics, starting on May 23rd Hollow Sun Records and electronica maverick Atomic Shadow are donating proceeds from the Shadow’s first two albums to the Bob Moog Foundation. This tribute honors the coincidence that Atomic Shadow and Bob Moog share a birth date and a passion for innovation and music. The albums can be purchased at the discounted price of £3 for a limited time at http://www.hollowsunrecords.co.uk.

Early Girl Eatery in Asheville, North Carolina, where Moog often ate lunch, is hosting the Bob Moog Birthday Salute, honoring its hometown innovator by donating 20% of their total sales from May 23 to The Bob Moog Foundation. The restaurant is open from 7:30am-9:00pm. www.earlygirleatery.com. Marc Doty will perform three sets of live music throughout the day. Anyone who donates $1 or more to the Foundation while at the restaurant will be entered in a raffle to win various Moog-inspired items."

Hollow Sun Promotes Bob Moog Foundation with Atomic Shadow

via Hollow Sun Records

"Atomic Shadow shares the same birth date (May 23rd) as the late, great Dr Robert Moog. inventor of the Moog synthesiser.

In recognition of this coincidence, for a limited time, we've decided to make The Shadow's first two albums, 'Project Berna' and 'Creatures From Beyond', available for just £3 each with all proceeds to be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation.

The Bob Moog Foundation ignites the innovator in us all through exposure to interactive educational experiences that draw from Dr. Bob Moog's legacy of groundbreaking work at the intersection of music, science, and imagination.

Maverick electronic explorer, Atomic Shadow, is at the forefront of modern abstract electronica using as he does true retro equipment from the 50s and 60s ... test oscillators, reel-to-reel tape machines for feeding in tape loops or tape delays, etc., and a hint of modernity with MoogerFooger pedals. His music invokes influences from the likes of Tod Dockstader, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and others. Atomic Shadow's electronica is moody and dark, sometimes chilling, sometimes challenging, sometimes whimsical, always intriguing.

He was recently runner up in the London Science Museum's 'Oramix' remix competition judged by Brian Eno, DJ Spooky and The Wire.

He also recently won the 'I Dream Of Wires' modular synth award with exemptions and exceptions that although his wall of retro gear isn't exactly a 'modular synth' per se and pre-dates Dr Moog's classic designs, it represents instead the kind of music laboratories of the early pioneers which Bob Moog rationalised into the synthesisers we know today


The Shadow says of his contribution...

'The futuristic sounds of the early pioneers of electronic music captured my imagination as a child and continues to influence my work to this day. Dr. Bob was one of these pioneers. From his early love of the Theremin to his ground breaking modular instruments, through the innovative keyboards that have appeared on countless classic and modern recordings. This legacy must be preserved for our children and I am happy to give the Bob Moog Foundation my support. Through their efforts, the next generation of music and engineering pioneers may be inspired to dream, innovate and create the sounds for an entirely new world of tomorrow...'" Catch the full post and the releases at Hollow Sun Records. And of course, Happy Birthday Bob Moog and Atomic Shadow!


The following is a composite sampler of Atomic Shadow's "Berna Suite".




"Compilation/remix of Atomic Shadow's 'Project Berna' album which, along with his 'Creatures From Beyond', is being sold for a limited time with all proceeds going to the Bob Moog Foundation.

The Shadow shares the same birth date as the late, great Dr Bob so what better way to mark that coincidence.

@AtomicShadow

Please buy these albums (a mere £3.00 (approx $4.5) each) to not only contribute to a great cause but to also have two fantastic albums of abstract electronica in your collection."

http://www.hollowsunrecords.co.uk/bmf/
http://www.facebook.com/BobMoogFoundation

CELEBRATE BOB: Moog Doodle Sonic Experiment

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
YouTube Published on May 22, 2012 by MoogMusicInc

"What happens when you take Animoog, a MF-102 Ring Mod, a MF-104Z Analog Delay, the Moog Google Doodle, and put them in a room together? Pure sonic creativity. Has Bob Moog inspired you? #celebratebob

check out the whole celebration at: www.moogmusic.com"


iPads on eBay

Update:

CELEBRATE BOB: Moog Doodle Sonic Experiment 2

Published on May 23, 2012 by MoogMusicInc

"What happens when you take a MF-105M Midi Murf, a MF-104Z Analog Delay, a MF-107 FreqBox, the Moog Google Doodle, and put them in a room with a drum machine? Pure sonic creativity. Has Bob Moog inspired you? #celebratebob

check out the whole celebration at: www.moogmusic.com

and learn about the whole line of MoogerFooger effects pedals at: http://www.moogmusic.com/products/Moogerfoogers"

Bob Moog Foundation & Moog Music Inc Fundraiser

You might notice the new banner above [banner was up on May 23 - added below for the archives]. It will be up for the day in celebration of the anniversary of Bob Moog's birthday. It will take you to Moog Music's Merchandise page. You can get to other merchandise via the Products drop down menu when you get there. In case you missed it, catch the full post on the fundraiser with videos here. If you ever considered picking up some Moog bling, now would be a good time.

"In celebration of Bob Moog’s 78th birthday Moog Music, Inc. will donate 50% of all online clothing and merchandise sales on May 23rd to the Bob Moog Foundation. For every $350 raised, the company will also donate one Etherwave Theremin to the Foundation’s educational initiative, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, to complete the DBSS Educational Kit that is provided to each participating school. Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool teaches elementary school students the science of sound through the magic of music..."

Full disclosure: the banner above is not a paid advertisement. It's my contribution to the cause. See the Moog and BMF labels below for more coverage of everything Moog and BMF.

An Update on Dr. Moog's SoundSchool

via The Bob Moog Foundation
"Our first year of implementing Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool in Asheville City Schools is complete, and it has been very successful! Last summer, we developed a second grade curriculum that met the requirements for second grade science of sound education following both North Carolina state and national standards. In the fall, we shared the curriculum with second grade teachers in the Asheville City Schools through monthly teacher training sessions. The teacher training was filled with opportunities to experience the science of sound through synthesis, and teachers reported that they were very eager to share their new knowledge with their students..." You'll find the full post at the Bob Moog Foundation here.

Synthesis Tutorial: Tuned Ring Modulation

Synthesis Tutorial: Tuned Ring Modulation from Adam Pietruszko on Vimeo.

More at KNOBZ.NET

Using a Little Phatty tracking external VCO to achieve Tuned Ring Modulation.
You can find the track used for this tutorial here: http://knobz.net/synth10.html

An Interview on Gershon Kingsley with Reflections on Bob Moog

Full interview on Astronauta Pinguim

"ASTRONAUTA - Today (May 23) is the day we celebrate the birthday of Robert Moog. You had contact with him in the beginnings of the invention of the Moog synthesizer and also in the last days of his life, when you were interviewed by Hans Fjellestad to the "Moog" documentary. How did you meet Robert Moog and, in your point of view, what is Bob's greatest legacy?

GERSHON - I met him in 1969 up at his place in Trumansburg and after considerable time of learning this specialty of frequency modulation, I bought with my last money the synthesizer. Luckily, in a few weeks, I got my money back making a commercial for hair dryers.

Bob's greatest legacy is the probably the polyphonic synthesizer and further development of the Theremin..."

via @astroping

Update 5/23 4:23 PST: I'm finally getting around to reading the interview in full myself. If you hadn't had the chance yet, make a note or bookmark it for when you do. It's a great interview. You'll pick up lots of interesting bits of synth history. I never knew the following regarding Popcorn: "GERSHON - When it was first recorded and we didn't have a title, one of the musicians suggested 'Popcorn', but not because it sounded like popcorn, but "pop" for popular and 'corn' for kitsch. It came out like a Russian folk tune or a Bach invention originally.

To be honest, not much. However, I do like the Popcorn International I oversaw that was done with the Cologne Radio Orchestra, Popcorn Fantasie arranged by Benny Gebauer, and the M & H Band '80s version, Goodiepal (with the extra beats), the Crazy Frog version and the Swedish Chef Muppet version.

As a side remark, when I conducted in Japan in the early 80's, Yamaha invited me to their factory where I heard for the first time Popcorn as a sample in one of the Yamaha synthesizers."

Bob Moog's birthday 2012 - Memorymoog and Minimoog

YouTube Published on May 22, 2012 by SynthManiaDotCom

"Remembering the 78th birthday of Dr. Robert Moog, father of the synthesizer, May 23, 2012.
Moog Memorymoog: analog choir
Moog Minimoog: synth bass
Cakewalk Sonar X1 Producer: drums, FX"

KORG POLY-800 mkII ANALOG SYNTHESIZER

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