I went on to the Moog Archives this weekend and looked at the modular
systems sold from 1968 forward and lo and
behold the first customer on January 5, 1968 was PAMS! I used to work
there as the editor. I edited all the jingle
packages for radio stations in the 1990’s and while we did not have the
modular system anymore (no one is sure where it went)
we still used the Model D on a daily basis. BTW, I edited reel to reel
15ips master tape until Sonic Solutions became our
standard in 1997.
If you have the opportunity to go to PAMS website you can see that
starting with PAMS series 33A and 33B, “Fun Vibrations” was
recorded in 1967 for WABC New York to sound like the Beach Boys.
From that package forward you can be sure to hear Moog in almost every
package from PAMS through 1977. JAM Creative Productions used the Model D from
1974 forward. JAM and PAMS are now two companies in one.
The Moog is also the driver track for the Sonovox on that package.
I noticed the names of Heller Industries, Music Tronic, Mort Garson and
Gwinnsound. They were all jingle producers that
followed suit as well as the rest of the world. We of course can’t
forget about the Moog work of Eric Siday who probably
influenced PAMS in the first place.
There was also a company called Total Sound that did a jingle package
in the late 60’s called the Moogologos. I have this
marketing picture of the singers running in a park in clothes that look
like something the Fifth Dimension would wear. Thats
hanging in my studio. I found a tape label with suck ass resolution
that I will direct you to but at least you can see their system.
I don’t know if Mort Garson ever produced any jingles, but I do know he released a number of albums in the 60s and 70s which are some of the best and most glorious-sounding usages of the Moog Modular. While much of what Mort did was what many would now consider “quirky” or “corny,” he touched on just about every sound that was ever used in what would become more dance-related electronic styles. There are lots of glorious moments when you say to yourself “wait a minute… WHEN was this made??”
Lastly, if anyone has any confusion about the quality the term “fat” originally described, listen to Mort’s recording. You won’t hear many detuned-square-wave basses with goofy squelchy filter settings, but you will hear the quality that made people become discerning about tone quality in regard to synthesizers in the late 60s/early 70s.
You might right about that. He may not have done jingles but a lot of radio stations used “Walking in Space” from the “Electronic Hairpieces” album for on air contests, I think they called it “The Last Contest”.
And a TV station in Cleveland used “Good Morning Starshine” for “The Morning Exchange” in the '70s.
So I listened to this Mort Garson fella all night long and turned it back on first thing this morning. His music is amazing, totally imaginative, and it really transports you and tells you a story, just like great classical music should. I listened through “Plantasia”, “Electronic Hair Pieces”, and now “The Wozard of Iz”. All really fantastic records, though I must admit his “Music For Sensuous Lovers” album is a little strange… Especially with the manipulated voice recordings. Just plain weird, definitely creepy. I think Plantasia is my favorite. That one has a lot of string machines on it, I always like that.
Wanna hear something kinda strange but cool in it’s own right. Beaver and Krause doing
a ditty called “Dr. Fox” on Moog Modular #1042. They have some cool stuff.
From the Ragnarok album,
Here’s “Fun Vibrations” from 1968 as sung for WDVH Radio in Gainesville, Florida. Cuts using the Moog Modular for effects and sonovox driver tones. Hope you can appreciate what is was for and the time.
Voltor… Yes it was 1968. Things were simple yet complicated. Had to sell those tracks to 1968 standards. Using Moog as a sales item. The sound was a part of the time. It was essential to the “sound”.
Indeed! I am impressed by the patches used, don’t get me wrong…the jingles are…well, dated doesn’t seem to be strong enough of a term, but I think of all the patch cords that must have been used to make those sounds, and added to the unstable 901’s, it must have been very time-consuming indeed to make these jingles.
Great patches in there, though very simple. They could probably be recreated on a Minimoog or even Little Phatty.