Moog Music Forum

On January 24, 1970, inventor Dr. Robert Moog unveiled a miniaturized synthesizer that'd become known as the mini-moog.

Thank you Bob!

I'll drink to that

The somewhat accidental development of the Minimoog is very well recounted in the book "Analog Days" by Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco. There are also pictures of the A and B models, and at least a description of the model C. It's fascinating to see a classic evolve.

http://www.amazon.com/Analog-Days-Inven ... 696&sr=8-1

Of all accidents this is a good one. May there be accidents with similar great effects...
I wonder how they discover that they have great minds after all. Not too familiar with the history but what I know is that Moog is great sound great music.

Audities.org has prototypes A. B, and C. I had the good fortune to play each of these.

The model B was my favorite. Fat and in-your-face, and I liked the front panel. There were two built but the second one was lost in a fire.

Four model Cs were made, three are accounted for.

So what about a B vs D comparison?

It seems to me it would have been logical to have named the Voyager the "Minimoog Model E" instead, and the Old School the "Model F." That would have made for continuity with the whole line of Minimoogs.

I rather like that logic.

Consider me a proud owner of a "Model F"

Actually, as we should know now, giving total credit to Bob Moog is not fair in the case of the Minimoog and many other synths.

HOWEVER, there are quite a few "mini" synth keyboards that R.A. Moog's Minimoog certainly was directly inspired by. Look at the EMS Synthi - (especially the prototype version) released a year before the Minimoog. And the Moog people knew about it well. Look at the SynKet, again, a similar style and design. Again, Bob had done work on these at the factory.

Having been through some of Bob's own company paperwork from 1969/70, it seems the anti-Bob history people have been promoting the last few years is also not fully true. You just can't trust people's memories all the time. Nor should anyone be unfair to the many people who DID contribute. Someday, when we get it all sorted and processed, there will be a clearer version to know.

BrianK -

Is the information in Pinch's and Trocco's "Analog Days" not accurate? It does describe Bob as having had no part in the Minimoog's first days, and jumping in only when it appeared it could be a money-maker. We would prefer to believe otherwise, but is the book wrong?

Found this interesting article written by Jim Scott, one of the original designers of the Minimoog. Here is his recollection of how the Mini came about and those days at the R.A.Moog factory in Trumansburg.
Jim Scott on the concept of the Minimoog
Very good read!

Not sure if these were linked here before, but here is a very interesting interview with Bob Moog in 2002. Bob talks about the beginings, collaborations, and the early days at the Moog company. And the infamous concert in the park.
You Tube Bob Moog interview part 1
You Tube Bob Moog interview part 2
You Tube Bob Moog interview part 3
Excellent to see and hear the point of view from Bob Moog himself.

Great interview. Thanks for pointing it out CZ.