The very first time I had really "heard" a synthesizer played on a record was in 1970, when I picked up Emerson, Lake & Palmer's first album. Sure, I had already heard many synthesizers played on classic albums from The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Beach Boys, but on those records the synthesizer was used mostly as a background to the vocal track - so I really did not take notice of just how cool a synth could sound. That was before I heard Keith Emerson's solo on Lucky Man. When I cranked up my old Bose 901 speakers it just blew my mind. I can still remember saying "What is that"? "That" was Keith playing a Moog Modular Synth. One of those defining moments.

Keith Emerson With Moog Modular Synthesizer

In 1964, Robert Moog created one of the first modular voltage-controlled music synthesizers, and demonstrated it at the AES convention that year. The Moog modular synthesizer offered musicians a revolutionary new way to produce sound. The Moog modular system consists of a number of various modules mounted in a cabinet. Each module performs a specific signal generating or modifying function. These modules offered unprecedented control over creating sounds. The patch cords and module parameter knobs could be adjusted in countless ways to create a nearly infinite number of sounds. The final sound was heard from the system by pressing a key on an attached keyboard or pressing on the ribbon controller. This was where the term "patches" first originated, referring to the patch cord used to "patch" one module to the next. The end result was called a "patch".

Synth Godfather - Bob Moog

It was Walter Carlos' 1968 "Switched-On Bach" which featured Carlos' custom-built modular synthesizer as the only instrument on the recording which brought widespread interest to the Moog synthesizer. Shortly after, major rock groups also became owners of Moog's. Any one of hundreds of classic recordings from that the late 60's and all through the 70's were sure to have a Moog Synth featured on it. It was the sound of the 60's & 70's. That sound has never left us and we continue to hear these classic analog sounds on many recordings released today.

Moog Modular Synthesizer

Arturia has done it right. They have teamed up with Bob Moog, researched how to best emulate the sometimes quirky nature of analogue circuits via TAE (True Analog Emulation), and had talented artists and sound designers create some great patches to illustrate the depth that this synth is capable of. Arturia have tackled the emulation of a rather large synth where virtually every parameter has a physical knob, dial, fader, input, etc.

Our sound collection has taken the Moog to the next level giving you lot's of cool stuff not contained with the factory sounds. All thrill and no fill! It's available as a download via our free e-mail delivery. Just import the file in your Arturia software and your ready to roll.