Mellotron Beer Review Hop Butcher For The World

video upload by Rat’s Beer Review

This one was spotted and sent my way via John L Rice who had the following to say about it:

"It’s a video from a guy who does reviews of beer. The one he reviewed happens to be called “Mellotron” but the image art on the can seems to be a caricature of Keith Emerson’s Moog modular from the mid 70‘s?! 😄 It really cool art and I wouldn’t mind having a t-shirt or poster of that! I looked around and the beer only seems available in South Carolina?"

Sign me up for a T as well.

See the Synth Beer label below for additional posts featuring synths and beer.

ANTOINE BARIL'S ONE MAN ELP: Backstage Pass @ EMEAPP

video upload by EMEAPP

"After over two years in the making, we are proud to be a part of the One Man ELP project; the brainchild of the amazingly talented Antoine Baril of Québec, Canada. As with his previous "One Man" videos that he has released over the last 7 years (Rush, Genesis, Yes), his attention to detail and accuracy is second to none and it was amazing to watch him at work within our walls for an intense week of keyboard craziness in July 2022. Along with his amazing videographer Paul DiGiacomo, they captured some stunning footage and audio to make this epic video project one for the ages. It was a blast to play a supporting role in this, we gave full access of our Keith Emerson keyboard rig (as well as our extensive collection of vintage analog synths) to Antoine and it was like turning a kid loose in a candy store, a cornucopia of awesomeness! Join us for an exclusive backstage peek at some of the recording processes and video shoots during this one week period. The ELP material he performed and recorded runs Then EMEAPP's executive director Drew Raison will take you on an up close and personal tour of all the keyboards and synthesizers that were used in this project.

Complete list below:

Yamaha GX1 (6:55)
Keith Emerson’s Hammond/Goff C3 w/dual Leslie 122s (7:13)
Keith Emerson’s Split Moog Minimoog Model D (7:51)
Keith Emerson's Hammond L100 (8:09)
Moog Minimoog Model D Pair (Bernie Worrell's Minimoog on right) (8:45)
Keith Emerson’s Moog Modular Synthesizer (9:16)
Mellotron M400 (9:39)
Oberheim Eight Voice (9:58)
Oberheim OB-X/OB-Xa (10:20)
ARP Quadra (10:55)
KORG PS-3300 (11:06)
Moog Taurus I (11:22)
Hohner Clavinet L (11:34)
KORG M1 (11:55)
Keith Emerson’s Steinway Model D (12:10)"

KEITH EMERSON'S 1973 MODULAR MOOG - Handmade Miniature 1/6 scale

video upload by Ronaldo Lopes Teixeira ROLT

ELP’s HOEDOWN: LIVE @ EMEAPP FEAT. MANTICORE w/KEITH EMERSON’S MOOG MODULAR AND HAMMOND/GOFF C3

video upload by EMEAPP

"As mentioned in past videos, EMEAPP feels a deep responsibility to share our historically significant collection of rare, unusual and artist-used musical equipment with the world. As a part of this, we have opened up our doors to several tribute groups that are dedicated to recreating the music of great acts accurately and with the utmost respect to the source material. We are heavily involved in preserving the legacy of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and we do get behind those who share a similar mindset. The Long Island based group Manticore for example is one of the primary acts that is dedicated to paying tribute to the music of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and they have become a part of the EMEAPP fold. Here is the group (Rob Shepard on Keyboards, John Cristando on Drums and Ron Ponella on Bass) performing their high-energy rendition of “Hoedown” from ELP’s third studio album “Trilogy” (celebrating it’s 50th anniversary on July 6, 2022). The rig for this shoot prominently features Keith Emerson’s legendary Moog Modular Synthesizer and heavily modded Hammond/Goff C3 with dual Leslie 122 cabinets, as well as Greg Lake’s legendary stage used Persian carpet!

You can find us at www.emeapp.org where we invite you to join us as a member."

EMEAPP Synthesizer Museum Featured on the FOX 29 Philadelphia News

Synthesizer Museum: Musician creates home for iconic instrument video upload by FOX 29 Philadelphia

"A former musician has created a home for the synthesizer -an instrument with a sound that defined 80's pop music. Philadelphia news, weather, traffic and sports from FOX 29, serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Watch breaking news live or see the latest videos from programs like Good Day Philadelphia."

It looks like they picked up Rick Wakeman's synths as well as Keith Emerson's Moog modular.

You can find additional posts mentioning EMEAPP here.

KEITH EMERSON'S NEW MODULAR MOOG - Handmade Miniatures 1/6 scale

video by Ronaldo Lopes Teixeira ROLT

See the miniature label below for more.

Live! @ EMEAPP- RACHEL FLOWERS performs TARKUS on Keith Emerson's gear!

video by EMEAPP

Update: full performance here.

"Keith Emerson would have been proud to see keyboardist Rachel Flowers tear up his song TARKUS on his own stage gear! Check out Rachel taking Keith's custom Moog synthesizer for a ride along with his custom Goff Professional Hammond C3 organ. This performance is from a live event at the Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project (EMEAPP"

Also see Rachel Flowers on the Modular Moog - intro by Keith Emerson. You can find additional posts featuring EMEAPP here.

Minimoog Sound Charts by Tom Rhea

SynthMania

"Demos of the classic book of Minimoog patches published in 1974"

0:10 - Shamisen (Japanese plucked instrument; also known as sangen and in Chinese as sanxian )
0:37 - Harpsichord
1:00 - Electric piano
1:22 - Violin
1:56 - Viola
2:28 - Cello
2:57 - Bass viol (bowed)
3:27 - Bass viol (plucked)
3:53 - Piccolo
4:28 - Flute
4:59 - Recorder family
5:30 - Clarinet (bass clarinet)
6:05 - Oboe
6:32 - Bassoon (English horn)
6:56 - Trumpet
7:25 - Horn
7:55 - Trombone (jazz)
8:26 - Tuba
9:01 - Xylophone
9:22 - Temple blocks
9:37 - Drum roll
10:02 - Bass drum
10:19 - Tinkling bells
10:44 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Aquatarkus" (from Tarkus )
11:08 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Trilogy
11:31 - Keith Emerson's fat bass from Brain Salad Surgery
11:58 - Keith Emerson's steel drum from Brain Salad Surgery
12:16 - Rick Wakeman's "Catherine of Aragon"
12:47 - Good sound
13:09 - Goom (Moog spelled backwards!)
13:50 - The Moog (trademark) Sound
14:34 - The T.L.R. Sound
15:00 - Moon Chord
15:34 - Hindemoog
16:02 - Hommage a Badings
16:17 - Ring modulator effects
16:48 - Vree-oo-bleep-bleep!
17:18 - Running rhythm
17:41 - Night creatures
18:10 - Jet plane
18:53 - Surf
19:23 - Thunder
19:55 - Wind
20:36 - Exploding bomb
20:59 - Gasoline engine
21:30 - Heartbeat
22:06 - Siren
22:48 - Whistlers
23:22 - Steel drum

Rare Moog, ARP, Ionic, and EML Synthesizer Sales Catalogs from 1972 Including Flexi-Disc

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Rare Moog Synthesizer Sales Catalogs and price lists from 1972. Also ARP, Ionic, and EML Sales Literature. All in good condition and collected back in 1972. There is also a flexible record of Moog demo sounds from the factory - see picture. These are instruments I dreamed about way back then and the catalogs are very rare today. I actually visited the Moog factory outside of Buffalo, NY in 1972 and met Robert Moog as he was working on Keith Emerson's big synthesizer. They demoed their new percussion controller about a week before I saw Palmer play it at the the Buffalo War Memorial. Lots of memories associated with this collection of sales brochures."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Vintage Aries 300 Series Modular Synthesizer with 61 key Control Keyboard

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"What you are looking at is a special instrument.

300 Series Modules
The core of this system is five modules from the Aries 300 Series. There is one VCO module, one VCF module, one EG module, one VCA module, and one Clock/Noise/S&H generator. Yes, this is basic; here are the module names:

AR-317 VCO
AR-312 EG
AR-314 VCF
AR-316 VCA
AR-318 SH/Clock/Noise Generator
But of course, that's only the core. This system is bookended with some interesting devices. To say that it is "modified" would really be an understatement. It has been lovingly built by a lifelong musician.

The great thing about this system is that it was used by a professional musician as part of his home studio and performance rig for decades. It's often the case with these vintage units that they have aged poorly due to being left for decades in a closet or basement or whatever. But this was used consistently over its lifetime, up to the time of its builder's death. It has been played, as pieces like this need to be.

As you can see, the VCO module has been modified to include a further fine-tuned frequency control, right in the middle of the four knobs.

The Sound

There are an enormous number of modular and semi-modular systems available for musicians right now; the possibilities are almost endless. However, this has an edge that many modern synths don't have: the sound. These modules together sound much more like an ARP 2600 or vintage Moog modular than anything currently on the market. In fact, the sound of the filter is somewhere between Moog modular and early ARP filter. This probably isn't a coincidence, since Aries was a DIY synth-kit company founded by a former member of ARP in Massachusetts.

CLICK FOR MORE »

EMEAPP: KEITH EMERSON'S MOOG MODULAR SYNTH DEMO

Published on Apr 16, 2019 EMEAPP

"A live demo of Keith Emerson's actual Moog modular synthesizer, from your good friends at EMEAPP."

THE RIVER Analog Polyphonic Synthesizer & More Handmade Miniature Synths

Published on Mar 30, 2019 Ronaldo Lopes Teixeira ROLT

And more: (I believe I've posted some of these in the past - here's the full set - see the miniature label at the bottom of this post for others)



Update: the list:
MINI KORG 2 - HANDMADE MINIATURE
HANDMADE CLASSIC KEYBOARDS COLLECTION MINIATURES by Rolt
Making a Mellotron M400 Miniature
MINI MOOG MODEL D - HANDMADE MINIATURE
ARP ODYSSEY HANDMADE MINIATURE
HAMMOND B3 ORGAN HANDMADE MINIATURE
FENDER RHODES SUITCASE PIANO - HANDMADE MINIATURE
PROPHET 5 - HANDMADE MINIATURE
WURLITZER ELECTRA PIANO (BEIGE) - HANDMADE MINIATURE
HOHNER CLAVINET D6 - HANDMADE MINIATURE
MOOG LIBERATION - HANDMADE MINIATURE
Celeste - CLASSIC HANDMADE PROG KEYBOARDS

CLICK FOR MORE »

Rare Vintage Moog System 55 & LHC Modular Controller

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

This one is in via a supporting member of the site. You can find the Moog System 55 listed here, and the left hand controller listed here.

Details on each follow:

"Vintage Moog 55 Modular Synthesizer - now being sold separately from the LHC at a ***hugely reduced price*** - seriously tempting for an original machine with known provenance. An all original vintage Moog 55 Modular Synthesizer. (Note: The incredibly rare factory-custom-made LHC “Left Hand Controller” 3 wheel box has been moved to a separate listing) . This is a complete Vintage Moog 55 Modular Synthesizer that was special ordered directly from Moog in 1979 and delivered to the original owner in 1980. The modules inside show they were assembled between 1974-1980. There have only been 3 owners of this 55... we are all good friends and have worked with many of the same recording artists in LA. This modular sounds amazing and huge! There are several advantages to the Vintage Modular Moog including holding its value, and appreciating over time. This 55 was serviced and restored a few years ago (around ‘09) by Keith Emerson’s Moog tech. Every detail was checked and tested including (fresh keyboard bushings/quiet) etc. It’s in very good shape inside and out. Sequencer is perfect. Has original back-panel perforated boards too. Front panels look great. Maybe 5 small scratches, mainly near screws. Cabinet overall very good: Minor wear. Top cabinet has corner chip around the back. I just tested every module this week and they are all good and sound great. It will leave here all working. Should be ready to play and record, but, since it has sat unused recently, you may wish to exercise the pots and use a jack burnisher here and there. This has a nice switchable power supply for use worldwide. System 55 Modules 5 x 902 Voltage-Controlled Amplifiers 1 x 903A Random Signal Generator 1 x 904A Voltage-Controlled Low-Pass Filter 1 x 904B Voltage-Controlled High-Pass Filter 5 x 911 Envelope Generators 1 x 911A Dual Trigger Delay 1 x 914 Fixed Filter Bank 1 x 921 Voltage-Controlled Oscillator 2 x 921A Oscillator Drivers 6 x 921B Oscillators 1 x 960 Sequential Controller 1 x 961 Interface 1 x 962 Sequential Switch 1 x 992 Control Voltage Panel 1 x 993 Trigger and Envelope Voltages Panel 1 x 994 Dual Multiples Panel 1 x 995 Attenuator 1 x CP2 Console Panel 3 x CP3A Console Panels 1 x CP8 Console Panel 1 x 350 Watt 120 VAC or 230 VAC Switch Selectable Power Supply"


"Ultra RARE Factory Custom Original Moog LHC. Left Hand Controller / 3 pitch-wheel box for Moog Modular. Likely only 2 made. The original owner custom ordered a Moog Modular 55 back in 1979. He asked the Moog company directly to custom-make this for him. They delivered it in 1980. It plugs into the back “accessory port” with a multi-pin connector. It can “normal” to most of the modular, and using switches and a patch or two, quickly set up the wheels for pitch-bends, vibrato, filter sweeps, volume swells, etc. It is a joy to use, works great, and really helps make the performance expressive. One other Moog Modular LHC was made for a famous Jazz artist, that is a friend of the original owner. It was told to me, by him, that there may have only been two of these made. This seems likely, since his was also one of the last modulars made during the original period (see other listing) and modular production stopped roughly a year later. There have only been 3 owners of the vintage Moog Modular 55 that this was custom made for (and that is listed separately today). We are all good friends and have worked with many of the same recording artists. I have never seen another... Nor has any other expert that has seen it! The original serial number and Moog “Custom LHC” tag is still attached to the bottom of the unit. Looks great, works great, highly collectible."

Miniature Replica of Keith Emerson's Modular Moog 74

Keith Emerson's Modular Moog 74 - CLASSIC HANDMADE PROG KEYBOARDS

Published on Jan 3, 2018 Ronaldo Lopes Teixeira ROLT

And a Roland Jupiter 4 also just posted:

Roland Jupiter 4 - CLASSIC HANDMADE PROG KEYBOARDS

Published on Jan 3, 2018 Ronaldo Lopes Teixeira ROLT

You can find more here.

Emerson Modular System & More Coming to Gearfest 2017 This Weekend

via Moog Music:

"This weekend, Moog Music travels to Fort Wayne, Indiana for Gearfest 2017: two days of hands-on music technology demonstrations, workshops from top engineers and artists, amazing musical performances and exclusive on-site deals.

Visit us at Gearfest to see the Emerson Moog Modular System, watch a live build of a limited-edition instrument and explore the outdoor 'synth garden'...

In the summer of 1970, Moog Music shipped a model I-CA synthesizer to Keith Emerson. Over the course of many years, Emerson collaborated with Bob Moog on the commission of dozens of custom modules to complete his megalithic Moog. Using original documentation, circuit board and art files, Moog engineers spent three years rebuilding Keith Emerson's legendary Moog Modular system. Each module is hand-stuffed and hand-soldered using the original parts and processes of the 1970s. We will be demonstrating the Emerson Moog Modular System on the Crescendo Stage at Gearfest 2017 and the final E.M.M.S. (only 2 others exist in the world, excluding Keith's original) will be available for purchase exclusively through Sweetwater."

"Experience Production of a Limited-Edition Instrument

Analog production moves from Asheville, NC to Fort Wayne, IN as we build a limited-edition instrument live at Gearfest 2017. Visit the Moog Pop-Up Factory at the Crescendo Stage to discover the details of the build and experience hands-on instrument production. All instruments built during Gearfest will be available for purchase on-site or exclusively through Sweetwater.com."

"Visit the Outdoor Synth Garden

In addition to the Moog Pop-Up Factory and the Emerson Moog Modular System on display at the indoor Crescendo Stage, you can also enjoy refreshments with the Moog crew and walk in the cool grass of our outdoor "synth garden" located at Booth C4 in the Electronic Music Production Tent."

Don Buchla Has Passed Away

It has come to my attention that Don Buchla passed away on Wednesday, September 14, at the age of 79. Anyone coming to this site should be well aware of who he is; who he was to the world of synthesizers. For those that aren't, he was by all means one of the fathers of the modern day synthesizer. Credit usually goes to Bob Moog, mainly for two reasons. One, Bob Moog chose the standard keyboard as the main interface for his synthesizers as they were more accessible to musicians. Two, Bob Moog's approach focused mainly on reproducing the sounds of acoustic instruments. Wendy Carlos' Switch on Bach and Keith Emerson's use of the Moog Modular brought Moog synthesizers to the mainstream.

Don Buchla's instruments, however, focused mainly on the exploration of sound. Artists attracted to his instrument fell more into the realm of what was known as musique concrete. Musique concrete mainly focused on the manipulation of sound, initially composed with electro-acoustic instruments recorded and manipulated on analog tape.

via wikipedia: "Buchla formed his electronic music equipment company, Buchla and Associates, in 1962 in Berkeley, California. Buchla was commissioned by avant garde music composers Morton Subotnick and Ramon Sender, both of the San Francisco Tape Music Center, to create an electronic instrument for live performance. Under a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation Buchla completed his first modular synthesizer in 1963." On the other hand (also via wikipedia): "Moog created the first voltage-controlled subtractive synthesizer to utilize a keyboard as a controller and demonstrated it at the AES convention in 1964." Update: Wikipedia appears to be incorrect on Buchla.  Don Buchla started working on instruments in 1963, and the 100 was his first VC system completed in 1965. It was then sold in 66/67. The first name of the company was Buchla Associates in 66/67 followed by Buchla & Associates in 70/71. This New York times obituary has a good write-up on Don Buchla's work beyond just synthesizers. It also has 1965 as the date for the completion of his first synth.

Please note, this post isn't about who came first. In my opinion they both did and they both had different approaches. Most of you will be familiar with the terms East and West Coast synthesis. They pertain to these two different approaches with Buchla on the West and Moog on the East.

Don Buchla's passing is bittersweet. On the one hand his creations have finally gained popularity and respect in the modern day synthesizer community - a decade ago the focus was primarily on Bob Moog. On the other hand, he passed away not being able to do what he himself wanted to do in the end. He sold the rights to the Buchla name to BEMI, only to later take them to court. The case was settled, but I have been told it was far short from the initial agreement. It is also my understanding that Don Buchla was discouraged from working on creating new instruments.

One thing to consider is that although there were/are many Buchla clones out there that paid tribute to Don's work, it is my understanding that Don wasn't paid licensing for them and that Don wasn't necessarily thrilled by them. Think about it for a bit. One, people cloned his work, two, he did not get paid for his original creations, and three, people buying clones were putting their budgets towards clones vs. his new creations, for example, the 258 clone vs the new 261e. I was told from a reliable resource, that Don never had any interest in re-hashing old products. In a sense, they were more works of art, and he was always interested in creating something new, rather than re-hashing the old. However, I was told he was fine with people creating clones for personal use, just not for sale.

Writing this post is extremely difficult. I didn't know Don personally, but I did meet him a few times at NAMM. The first time I met him was a bit awkward because he doesn't talk fluff. His answers were very short, and he just kind of stood there as if implying, "are we done yet". I then realized, he wasn't implying that at all, he was just hanging out. The second time I met him, I said hello and didn't elaborate much. He then engaged in conversation with me. It was a simple thing, but something I will never forget. The video below with Don Buchla being interviewed by Mark Vail, captures the way I felt perfectly. If you were ever fortunate to meet him in person you will know what I mean. I'm going to miss him greatly, and will always wish I got to know him better.

And a message from Moog Music:

"Dear Don,

There are no words that can accurately portray the profound impact you have had on our lives. We are deeply inspired by your artistry, and your ground-breaking achievements will always inform the work we hold most closely to our hearts. You and Bob, through your distinctive styles, collaboration and friendship, have laid the foundation for our future. Your influence endures in our minds, hearts and hands as we craft tools that give rise to joyful experimentations. We will never truly capture the elegance and beauty that you and Bob achieved, but we promise to never stop trying.

From everyone at Moog, thank you for inspiring us and giving meaning to our life's work.

Love,
Your Friends At Moog"


Published on Aug 27, 2015 Redaktion Megasynth

And a rare performance of Don playing live with his instruments and Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails (NIN):

Everything Ends Here

Uploaded on Nov 18, 2011 Alessandro Cortini

"San Francisco Electronic Music Festival 2010

Alessandro Cortini + Don Buchla, performing the piece "everything ends here", from Blindoldfreak's 1st EP, 1."

Moog MiniMoog Model D

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Some shots of the inside below, including a pretty cool shot of one of the circuit boards with some light passing through.

Auction description: "One word best describes this MiniMoog: Minty! Not as in peppermint, but as in mint condition. This Mini has lived comfortably in an air-conditioned living room beside my beloved Steinway Model B for the last 30 years and played only by me, the owner. Never on the road. The circuitry is 100% pure, unadulterated analog factory original stuff, no MIDI modifications or added junk.

This is the real deal, the one you’ve been waiting for. Beautiful wood, no significant dents or dings, no gashes. Knobs, wheels and switches are all original and mint with glistening aluminum inserts, panel is perfect, clean, lovely. Pots are perfect, no noise, no static, no hum. Includes the revered buffer board. Fine, solid white Modulation Wheels with all stops, not the cheesy ribbed plastic. All 3 oscillators are perfect, stable, pure. Even the 440 oscillator is on pitch. Keyboard needs new bushings, and the red power light needs to be replaced, but all else is pure unadulterated awesomeness. Once used in concert here in Atlanta by Rick Wakeman when his own Model D was down for the count.

This is no fake remake; this is the real McCoy. Own it. Play it. Love it. Make Bob Moog proud. Included is the vintage, original Tom Rhea MiniMoog Sound Charts book, which shows exactly how to recreate ELP/Keith Emerson’s Aquatarkus, Rick Wakeman’s Catherine of Aragon, steel drums, jet engines, earthquakes – 51 sounds in all! Maxwell House percolator tune? MiniMoog Model D is on it. This unit does it all! Serial number in the Golden 5,000’s when the bugs were worked out, but the glitches of tawdry modernization and volume production had not set in. As you can see from the pics, this baby is built by hand. Not only is it the best-looking Mini you’ve ever laid eyes on, it’s the best-sounding Mini you’ve ever laid ears on!"

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Moog Music Pays Tribute to Bernie Worrell

via Moog Music

"Today we say a very sad and hard goodbye to beloved Moog family member, Bernie Worrell.

As the founding keyboardist and musical director for Parliament Funkadelic, Bernie's pioneering use of the Minimoog laid the foundation for P-Funk's futuristic sound. Despite his many musical accomplishments, it’s his joyful soul and gentle heart that touched everyone at Moog most. He is the father of Moog bass and the auteur of the funkiest basslines in history - “so wide you can’t get around them, so low you can’t get under them”. Worrell’s bass never reaches the bottom, it wobbles your inner being and oscillates your soul. His grooves were three-dimensional, and they have the timeless power to unite people under the power of their groove.

Bernie Worrell lived a lifetime of music. A child prodigy, Bernie began piano lessons at age 3, gave his first classical concert at 4 and had composed his first concerto by age 8. His gift of perfect pitch guided him through Juilliard and the New England Conservatory of Music, where he developed an affinity for ELP records and Keith Emerson’s use of the Moog synthesizer, inspiring him to acquire one of the new Moog instruments for himself. Like Emerson before him, Bernie Worrell’s command of the synthesizer would shape a new sound for the future. Bernie’s analog basslines for Parliament Funkadelic were the substructure for the band’s inter-dimensional operas and remain foundational to this day; as one of history’s most sampled artists, Bernie’s sonic vocabulary is heard prominently in the works of hip-hop’s most impactful producers- a lasting testament to his unique ability to move the masses. Bernie’s contributions to modern music cannot be understated, without him, there would be no funk.

Our fondest memories are of Bernie joining us for many Moogfest’s to celebrate the spirit of his friend, Bob Moog. Bernie received the Bob Moog Legacy Award in 2008 for his groundbreaking use of the synthesizer and celebrated his 70th birthday at Moogfest 2014. Just last month at Moogfest 2016, Bernie surprised his fans with an intimate impromptu performance with one of the first new Minimoogs produced in over 40 years. Bernie was a beacon of kindness and warmth, we gravitated to the pull of his heart whenever we were blessed with his presence.

Thank you for blessing us with the funk of life and the deep magic of the groove, Bernie. The Moog family is forever grateful to you for opening the door to new dimensions. You are a true wizard.

Love, your friends at Moog"

Electronic Voyager: Discovering Bob Moog Documentary From the Makers of I Dream of Wires & the BMF

via The Bob Moog Foundation

"We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Waveshaper Media, the producers of the acclaimed modular documentary “I Dream of Wires”, on a new film about Bob Moog, Electronic Voyager.

A Kickstarter campaign in support of Electronic Voyager has begun.

In association with the Wave Shaper, we aim to create a definitive and personal documentary about the life of Bob Moog. Through the eyes of our Executive Director and Bob’s own daughter, Michelle Moog-Koussa – also a dedicated Moog archivist and historian – we will give viewers an insight into the man behind the iconic Moog brand.

Electronic Voyager takes us on a sonic journey into the often unpredictable life and stunning brilliance of Bob Moog, a man who ‘fell backwards on a banana peel’ into the music instrument business, as well as the psychedelic world of the 1960s music scene. Bob unwittingly revolutionized the face of music, and helped birth an enduring industry.

With Michelle Moog-Koussa as our guide, we are in a very unique position to tell Bob Moog’s story in a new and profound way – from the perspective of his own daughter, who has not only a deep personal connection to Bob Moog, but also a firm dedication to his work and legacy. Bob’s friends, associates and admirers open up when they speak to Michelle about her father, leading to uniquely candid, revealing and joyous stories and insights about Bob Moog.

Electronic Voyager documents a special personal journey for Michelle, to trace her father’s iconic story – visiting the places and meeting the people who were a part of Moog’s history. With exclusive access to unseen family photos and rare historical artifacts from the Bob Moog Foundation Archives, Electronic Voyager opens a window for the outside world to better understand the man behind the legendary Moog synthesizer.

Support the Kickstarter campaign here.

The recent, tragic passing of Bob Moog’s close friend and important collaborator, Keith Emerson – perhaps the most iconic Moog keyboardist – was just another reminder of how important it is to document Bob Moog’s crucial chapter in the history of electronic music, NOW. We are turning to Kickstarter – a direct link to Bob Moog’s friends, admirers and fans – to help us get to work on this important documentary as soon as possible.

Confirmed participants include:

Early electronic music pioneers: Herb Deutsch, Morton Subotnick, Bernie Krause (Beaver & Krause, Moog modular session musician – George Harrison, The Doors), Joel Chadabe, David Borden (Mother Mallard’s Portable Masterpiece Company).

Contemporary Moog musicians: Moby, Adrian Utley (Portishead, Moog Ensemble).

Friends and music industry contemporaries: Dave Smith (Sequential Circuits), Tom Oberheim, Roger Linn, Dave Rossum (E-mu), Mark Vail (Keyboard Magazine), David Mash (Berkelee College of Music), Dominic Milano (Keyboard Magazine), Wayne Kirby (University of North Carolina – Asheville).

Session musicians, composers, technicians: Patrick Gleeson (Herbie Hancock, film composer), Greg Phillenganes (Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson), Edd Kalehoff (tv/film composer), Michael Boddicker (Michael Jackson, film composer), Will Alexander (Keith Emerson’s synth tech).

Moog employees/collaborators: Bill Hemsath, David VanKoevering, Tom Rhea, Roger Luther, Greg Hockman, Tom Gullo, Dale Ong.

As with any great Kickstarter campaign, we are offering a host of exciting perks, many of which are limited to the campaign and are not available elsewhere. Read all about them and get more details about the project here:

http://tinyurl.com/ElectronicVoyagerKickstarter

Please join us on this incredible journey, the sonic journey of Bob Moog!"

A Tribute to Keith Emerson from The Bob Moog Foundation

A Tribute: Thank you, Keith Emerson

Published on Mar 15, 2016 moogfoundation

Be sure to read Michelle Moog-Koussa's tribute to Keith as well.

"Keith Noel Emerson (November 2, 1944 - March 10, 2016). Remembered with the highest respect and gratitude for his formidable musicianship and his unparalleled contributions to bringing modular synthesis to the fore of rock music, a combination that changed the sonic landscape.

Rare archival photos by Mark Hockman, courtesy of the Bob Moog Foundation Archives.

'Close to Home', written and performed by Keith Emerson, available on iTunes."

via Michelle's tribute:

"And herein lies the weight of writing about Keith Emerson’s passing. My connection to him, our connection, is multifaceted, rooted in his musical relationship to my father and in my personal and professional bond to my father and his powerful legacy. When asked on several occasions by interviewers if my father were a musician, he would firmly reply no, that he was a toolmaker, and “I make tools for musicians.” This was an inherent acknowledgement that his technological creations were but silent machines unless musicians released their vast capabilities to the listener. The best musicians, starting with experimental jazz composer Herb Deutsch, astonished him with their pioneering efforts to weave early modular synthesizers into their music. Although Wendy Carlos was the first to bring the vastly expressive but technically complex Moog modular synthesizer to the popular consciousness (thanks to her musical prowess and painstaking technical achievements), it was Keith Emerson who dared to not only perform live with the instrument in front of tens of thousands of people each night, but to do so while using it as a featured voice. Keith pioneered the use of the Moog modular in a live rock context while fearlessly bringing it and other electronic keyboards to the fore of the genre."