Moog (1967)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

RIP, Robert Moog (1934-2005).
<http://www.moogmusic.com/>

OED3 has "Moog (synthesizer)" from Dec. 1968.

[1966 _Perspectives of New Music_ 4(2) Spring 69 Mr. Moog's filter is a
new model of a "standard" piece of electronic apparatus which is currently
being widely employed by composers of electronic music.]

1967 _Post Standard_ (Syracuse, NY) 11 May 11[?]/3 Looking like a
telephone switchboard with a piano keyboard and a pair of tape recorders,
it can produce white sound, sine waves, saw toothed and triangular sounds,
pulse beats, and "all sorts of kooky combinations." William Skelton,
professor of music and chairman of the department at Colgate University,
identified it as a Moog electronic music synthesizer.

1967 _Syracuse Herald-Journal_ 11 May 54/5 (heading) Device makes any
sound. When Moog plays, everyone listens.

1967 _N.Y. Times_ 16 May 48/2 Donald Erb's "Reconnaissance" introduced two
new electronic instruments, the moog synthesizer and the polyphonic
performance instrument.

(There's some great archival material at <http://moogarchives.com/>.)


--Ben Zimmer