This video captures a presentation by author and Cornell Professor Trevor Pinch, on The Moog Synthesizer As A Technological And Sound Object.
Pinch is probably best known to synthesists for book, with Frank Trocco, Analog Days: The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer. But his work focuses on the sociology of technology, sound studies and the economics of selling and persuasion.
Pinch spoke at University College London for their 2018 JBS Haldane Lecture. In his discussion, Pinch examines how a new electronic soundscape came into being with the introduction of the Moog Synthesizer. He tells the story of its invention in upstate New York in 1964-9 and talks about its place within developments in electronic music and the counter-cultural sixties.
Great stuff!
The first few minutes are introductions, but after that it’s like an hour plus of synth history, with some detours for the weirder bits!
to me
> The Moog Synthesizer
is totally overrated as a musical instrument. for comparison: what korg did with the m1 should be much more important to us. btw, i tested the genos recently. oh. my. god. it blows the motif xf out of the water. even the kronos imo. as a all-in-one solution the genos is simply fantastic. a bit expensive, though. but i will save to buy one.
Out of interest what will you do with your Genos? Genuine question. Something to muck around on at home (nothing wrong with that, looks fun, albeit expensive)?
Over priced and to my ears the pianos sounded thin and weak, typical Yamaha sounds in one extremely ugly looking keyboard design. The rounded edges are hideous IMO. Do agree that the M1 was a milestone synth.
Funny comment. When I hear people blow Korg, I always think of this:
https://youtu.be/rxmTEYpMssg?t=297
everyone here loves bob moog. in sharp contrast, nobody has a clue who thaddeus cahill was, the unsung hero of synth history. his electromechanical musical device (“telharmonium”) was much more breathtaking than the moog synth ever was imo. look at that beauty:
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/31-juli-tag-der-ungewoehnlichen-musikinstrumente-fotostrecke-162743-24.html
They Know…https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/08/24/the-telharmonium/
Meh, no display 😉
lol
True! You should see Automatic Gainsay s excellent history of polyphonic synthesizers.
Also, interesting enough the Hammond “organs” are recreations of the Telharmonium!
I thought his name sounded familiar. I have a copy of Analog Days sitting on the shelf right in front of me!
You, sir, win Comment Of The Day!