The book ‘Analog days’ (The invention and impact of the Moog Synthesizer) by Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco, is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. It’s written with great love, insight, and enthusiasm for it’s topic.
For anyone interested in the history of the Analog synthesizer, and the Moogs in particular, this book is all you ever wanted.
The book is published by Harvard University Press 2002 and includes a foreword by Robert Moog.
The book ‘Analog days’ (The invention and impact of the Moog Synthesizer) by Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco, is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. It’s written with great love, insight, and enthusiasm for it’s topic.
For anyone interested in the history of the Analog synthesizer, and the Moogs in particular, this book is all you ever wanted.
The book is published by Harvard University Press 2002 and includes a foreword by Robert Moog.
Sounds like an interesting book. I’ve been through Ithaca and Trumansburg a few times. As the bumper stickers say, “Ithaca is GORGES”!
As for me, I’d probably have to skip ahead to the Moog MuSonics chapter, or wait until volume 2. I didn’t realize until 1979 (when I first got deeply into synths) that musical and electronic magic was happening within my area. I grew up in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY, and know exactly where the Moog factories used to be in Williamsville and Cheektowaga. (Not to be confused with the auto parts manufacturer Moog Inc. in East Aurora.)
Yah, I’ve had a few engineers at my College (Clarkson) come up to me and start talking to me about my moog tshirt…only to find that we are talking about 2 completely different companies that were located in buffalo…
I ordered the nook online a few months ago, because no bookshop here in Germany will have this book in their shelfs.
Anyway, it was worth every cent !!!
And I also liked the inof about the other synth inventers like Don Buchla.
And I love the paper wrap around the hard cover: Minimoog (?) oscillator shematics.
A great companion book to Analog Days is Vintage Synthesizers by Mark Vail. I picked it up a few years ago and I still find it fascinating reading. It’s chock full of stories and anecdotes of the “old days” – the NAMM shows, the demos, the stuff going on behind the scenes. It also has pictures and descriptions of some classic (and not-so-classic) analog and early digital synths.
My first job in '73 was working the “good old days” in Williamsville and Cheektowaga - best job I EVER had. I wasn’t a musician, but loved music. 10 years of free concerts, meeting artists that were so down to earth (a couple of idiots I won’t mention, although I’d like to), working with Bob, the other engineers. LOTS of memories - I could write a book The Storm of '77, we had to stay at the factory, but there was a flea market next to it - we went in and got blankets, pillows, got food from a restaurant/bar nearby, took in truckers that were stranded, and had a great time. Maybe I WILL write a book - it was a fun time! I have SO many photos and “paraphernalia” from working there - even the original t-shirt (probably doesn’t fit me anymore)
And we were ALWAYS confused with Moog in East Aurora! I think Bob and the East Aurora person were distant cousins, not sure!
The Storm of '77, we had to stay at the factory, but there was a flea market next to it - we went in and got blankets, pillows, got food from a restaurant/bar nearby, took in truckers that were stranded, and had a great time. Maybe I WILL write a book - it was a fun time! I have SO many photos and “paraphernalia” from working there - even the original t-shirt (probably doesn’t fit me anymore)