Place your bids now on a Little Phatty signed by Jam Cruise 10 artists, including Bruce Hornsby and John Oates
We are excited to announce the auction of a Moog Little Phatty Stage II synthesizer signed by over 15 artists from the floating musical experience, Jam Cruise 10. The auction, which benefits our educational project, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, will be hosted on the Bob Moog Foundation’s eBay portal from January 19 to January 29.
During Jam Cruise 10, which took place from January 9-14 2012, both legendary and contemporary musicians signed the instrument, including:
- Bruce Hornsby
- John Oates (Hall and Oates)
- Robert Walters (Greyboy Allstars)
- Neal Evans (Soulive)
- Joe Tatton (The New Mastersounds)
- Joel Cummins (Umphrey’s McGee)
- Nigel Hall (Lettuce)
- Rich Vogel (Galactic)
- Skerik (Garage a Trois)
- Alex B. (Paper Diamond)
- Adam Deitch (Break Science)
- Steve Kimock
- Toots (Toots and the Maytals)
- Trombone Shorty
- Colonel Bruce Hampton
- That 1 Guy
- DJ Logic
- Ulises Bella (Ozomatli)
- Asdru Sierra (Ozomatli)
- Jamie Shields (the New Deal)
Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, our educational program, teaches children the science of sound through the magic of music. Using electronic musical instruments such as theremins, synthesizers and effect pedals, as well as oscilloscopes and other teaching aides, the innovative program engages children in the basic physics of sound through the parameters of electronic music. A standardized curriculum for Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool is currently in a pilot phase with the Asheville City Schools at the second grade level and our goal is to grow the program nationwide. Dr. Bob’s SoundsSchool brought its experiential learning experience to 50 children in Jamaica as part of Jam Cruise’s Positive Legacy project.
The Little Phatty® synthesizer was donated to the Bob Moog Foundation by Moog Music, Inc. The Little Phatty Stage II is a monophonic analog synthesizer manufactured by Moog Music since 2006. It puts the performer in control of 100% analog signal path, two Voltage Controlled Oscillators and the Voltage Controlled Filter. Other versatile features include external audio input, CV and KB gate input, full MIDI controller, MIDI over USB, MIDI Clock Sync, an arpeggiator and Tap Tempo. The Little Phatty Stage II brings true analog synthesis to contemporary performance and production, making it modern music powerhouse.
Bidding on the autographed Little Phatty is now open! You can place your bid here.
Join Moogfest Artists to Ignite Creativity through Our Indiegogo Campaign!
The Bob Moog Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo.com to raise $50,000. Funding from the campaign will go to help grow our hallmark educational project, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, nationwide.
At the center of the campaign is a short, beautiful video about the power of Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool. The video, produced by Flying Pig Studio, features Bob Moog’s own voice. Take a look:
Donation levels on the campaign range from $5 to $5000 with incentive perks being offered at each level. Rewards range from special downloads to CDs, with two centerpiece incentive perks including:
- A chance to win the 2011 Moogfest Minimoog Voyager synthesizer signed by over 25 Moogfest artists! This gorgeous Select Series synth was donated by our friends over at Moog Music, Inc. and features whitewashed cabinet and a blue backlighting.
- A chance to win a VIP 2012 Moogfest Weekend including 2 VIP tickets to Moogfest 2012 and a three night “Bed and Breakfast” stay at the beautiful and historic Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, located just outside downtown Asheville.
Support the Indiegogo Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool campaign by donating at any level!
Make your involvement more powerful by sharing through this direct link on your Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/tRmQdu
The 2011 Moogfest Minimoog Voyager, which has since been dubbed “The most valuable Voyager in the world,” was signed by a legion of superstars and legends including:
- Amon Tobin
- Beak>
- Brian Eno
- Chromeo
- Dick Hyman
- Edgar Froese (Tangerine Dream)
- Ghostland Observatory
- Holy F**k
- Joel Cummins (Umphrey’s McGee)
- Moby
- Passion Pit
- Suicide
- STS9
- Terry Riley
- TV On the Radio
- Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips)
You can enter to win the Voyager by visiting our Indiegogo campaign here.
Check out this cool gallery of the signed synth and many of the artist signings! Many of these photos were taken by Micah Mackenzie (http://micahmackenzie.wordpress.com/).
Moog Filtered Ale Brewing in October!!
Asheville Brewing Company’s Super Tasty Ale Support’s BMF Mission
Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation are proud to announce the release of the second limited edition of Moog Filtered Ale, a pale beer named in honor of synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. The two organizations partnered in 2010, releasing the first edition to international acclaim. The Ale will be available October 6, 2011, through November 7, 2011. Proceeds from the sale of the beer will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation to benefit their mission of igniting the innovative and creative through science, music and history. The timing of the beer’s release coincides with Moogfest, the three-day electronic music festival to be held in Asheville, N.C., on October 28, 29, and 30, 2011.
Moog Filtered Ale is an American-style pale ale with distinctive notes of caramel and pine. It will be distributed nationally and internationally in 22-ounce bottles through Asheville’s Bruisin’ Ales and will be distributed locally by Budweiser of Asheville at various locations throughout Western North Carolina, on draft and in 22-ounce bottles.
Asheville Brewing has been making outstanding craft beers since 1998 and has won several awards for its beers. As an active supporter of local non-profit groups, they are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation, whose work is innovative and historical. Through Moog Filtered Ale, Asheville Brewing aims to support the interactive educational programs that the Foundation is developing to teach science through music, as well as to support the eventual creation of the Moogseum.
Asheville Brewing Company President Mike Rangel says, “We are honored to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation again this year to help keep Bob’s vision and legacy alive. By donating the profits from Moog Filtered Ale, we will be supporting innovative science education through the Foundation’s Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool outreach program. Moog Filtered Ale is absolutely the most exciting project our company has been involved in, and after the success of last year’s collaboration, we couldn’t wait to do it again this year.”
The Bob Moog Foundation is extremely proud and grateful to be partnering with Asheville Brewing Company again this year. The funding from last year’s sales of Moog Filtered Ale was of tremendous assistance in helping us reach our goals. As a result, our programs are thriving and our organization is stronger than ever. Purchasing Moog Filtered Ale is a very tasty way for people to support both the work of the Bob Moog Foundation and Asheville Brewing Company, a small business that supports many local non-profit organizations all year long.
The label for the Ale is an original design by Asheville artist Phil Cheney. Featuring vibrant shades of purple, green, and orange, the label shows Bob Moog leaning over a keyboard with musical notes, synthesizer knobs, and patch cables floating above his head.
A line of t-shirts and other merchandise featuring the label will be available through www.shop.ashevillebrewing.com beginning October 10.
Marc Doty Returns for Six Month Residency
BMF taps Marc Doty’s synth education and electronic music history chops to push projects forward
Marc Doty
When people in the synth community want to brush up on their knowledge of a range of iconic and esoteric vintage synthesizers, many of them turn to Marc Doty’s Automatic Gainsay YouTube Channel. Over a period of five years, Marc has posted 100-plus educational videos in which he teaches the audience about the characteristics of a variety of vintage synthesizers. His enthusiasm, passion, and dedication to the functionality and sonic integrity of these instruments is a compelling part of every video, as is the clarity with which he presents the subject matter at hand. Marc’s videos are not only educational assets to synth geeks everywhere, but they touch and inspire millions of viewers around the world. From his most-watched Demonstration of the Moog Minimoog with over 800,000 views to his exploration of the more esoteric Wersi Bass Synthesizer with over 300,000 views, Marc’s teaching prowess has been enjoyed by a total of nearly 4 million viewers.
When the Bob Moog Foundation needed a graphics designer with a deep knowledge of synthesis to assist our Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool curriculum team this summer, Marc was an obvious choice. He joined our staff for a six week (mid July through end of August) period as our Artist-In-Residence. This position blended his graphics, educational and history expertise. It didn’t take long before Marc became an indispensable member of our team, filling the roll of graphics artist, education and history consultant, videographer, video editor and more.
You can read the announcement of that residency here:
http://www.moogfoundation.org/2011/synth-guru-marc-doty-summer-residency-at-the-bob-moog-foundation/
and a few of Marc’s blogs from his time with the BMF here:
http://www.moogfoundation.org/?s=marc+doty
BMF Historian Brian Kehew and Marc Doty considering a special piece from the archives
Shortly after Marc returned home to Washington State we reached out and invited him to return, this time for a six month period, as our Archive and Education Specialist. We are delighted to announce that he accepted the position, which he refers to as his “dream job” and will begin work in this capacity on October 5th. This time around Marc will be working on a special project that will bring the education and history parts of our mission together in an exciting, interactive platform that we will be able to share with all of you. Stay tuned for more about that near the end of the year.
We welcome Marc Doty to our team here in Asheville, NC and we are grateful to have someone with such diverse and mission-relevant talents helping us push our projects into the future.
Keep an eye out for Marc’s future blogs. He’ll have a lot to share!
Moogfest’s daily lineup, expanded venues and more!
That spooky time of year is quickly drawing near…it’s almost Halloween and time for Moogfest 2011
Moogfest is a weekend celebration of the creative vision of sonic pioneer Bob Moog, inventor of the Moog synthesizer. The Flaming Lips, Moby, Passion Pit, STS9, Tangerine Dream, TV on the Radio, Special Disco Version: James Murphy and Pat Mahoney, Umphrey’s Mcgee, Amon Tobin: ISAM, Chromeo, Crystal Castles, Flying Lotus, Suicide, Ghostland Observatory, Childish Gambino, M83, Neon Indian, and St. Vincent are just some of the mind-blowing artists gathering for this epic weekend, October 28th-30th in Asheville, NC.
Plus, in what can only be described as a Moogfest coup, musician / producer / artist / visionary / thinker and all-round renaissance man Brian Eno will be coming to Moogfest this year. His amazing video installation, 77 Million Paintings, will be exhibited for the first time in the USA outside of the West Coast and Eno will also present a mind expanding “Illustrated Talk.” (Separately ticketed events, specially priced for Moogfest attendees. Learn more here.)
Also, Moogfest 2011 is expanding in a big way. In addition to concerts at the Asheville Civic Center Arena, the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, and the Orange Peel, new venues for the weekend will include the newly renovated Asheville Music Hall (formerly Stella Blue), the beautiful and intimate Diana Wortham Theatre and…we’re going outdoors this year! That’s right…stay tuned for more information to come via moogfest.com.
Weekend passes are still available while supplies last.
Can’t come for the whole weekend? Check out the daily schedule and pick up your single day tickets here. These are currently being offered at a special price.
Visit www.moogfest.com for complete lineup, tickets, & more! And don’t forget your costume…
Enter our raffle to win a Touch Digital Controller & GForce software suite!!
Bob Moog Foundation Announces impOSCar2 Software Controller Raffle
A raffle to benefit the Bob Moog Foundation begins today. Two lucky winners will each receive the new impOSCar2 Controller from Touch Digital Controllers and an entire suite of five virtual instruments from GForce software—a prize package valued at nearly $2,500. The raffle will continue until all 500 tickets have been sold. Because the BMF will be awarding two complete packages, each entry has a 1 in 250 chance of winning. Tickets are $20 each, or you can improve your odds by buying six for $100.
Raffle tickets are available from the Bob Moog Foundation’s web store at www.moogfoundation.org/shop/.
Raffle ends at midnight on Monday, October 24, 2011. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, October 26th!
Be sure to enter before all 500 tickets have sold out. Two winners chosen by a random-number generator will be announced once all 500 tickets are sold. The winner will be announced within 24 hours after that time. Raffle participants should check the Foundation’s website and social media outlets to learn when all 500 tickets have been sold and who the two winners are. The winners will be contacted by email.
The new impOSCar2 Controller provides a physical user interface for both the standalone and plug-in versions of GForce Software’s acclaimed impOSCar2 soft synth. The combination of software and hardware offers the sound and functionality of one of the most sought-after analog/digital hybrid synthesizers ever made—Oxford Synthesizer Company’s OSCar—brought up to date with automation, effects, 16-note polyphony, and tons of patch storage.
Michelle Moog-Koussa with the two ImpOSCar2 Controllers
As a tribute to the memory of Bob Moog, Touch Digital Controllers donated not one, but two impOSCar2 Controllers to the BMF. One is produced in a hand-finished natural mahogany and the other in ebony black on oak. These beautifully made controllers deliver plenty of visual and tactile feedback to make programming impOSCar2 a pleasure, just like programming the original OSCar but with total recall. With 101 high-resolution knobs and buttons, every parameter is available from the controller’s front panel to remotely operate the software. In addition to its dedicated impOSCar functionality, the controller can be configured to control any software instrument that supports MIDI Learn.
“The impOSCar2 Controller is our first product, and we are proud of what we have been able to achieve with this handcrafted music instrument,” said Richard Lawson and Kent Spong of Touch Digital Controllers. “As synthesists, and as a manufacturer, we have been deeply inspired by the one man who pioneered the whole thing: Bob Moog.”
Released in July, GForce’s impOSCar2 breathes new life into the popular previous version, first launched in 2004. New features include more comprehensive modulation routing, an improved arpeggiator, ring modulation, panning mono and poly unison modes, and more than 1,000 signature patches. Add nine filter types, six portamento modes, and a programmable additive synthesis grid, and you have one powerful soft synth.
Want more? The BMF’s raffle winner will also receive licenses for M-Tron Pro, Minimonsta, Oddity, and Virtual String Machine, which realistically emulate the Mellotron, Minimoog, ARP Odyssey, and numerous polyphonic string synthesizers, while adding dozens of innovative touches. In addition, GForce Software has included the ChamberTron and OptiTron Expansion Packs for M-Tron Pro.
BMF Executive Director Michelle Moog-Koussa said, “Through the ImpOSCar2 Controller, Richard and Kent bring their love of vintage synthesizers into the design and ethos of this very special piece of handcrafted hardware. Bob’s goal was always to give musicians the highest level of expressivity, and his interface design was a big part of that. The construction of the ImpOSCar2 Controller echoes that commitment to musicians. Our many thanks to Richard, Kent, and the team at GForce Software for sharing their life’s work with us. Their support is a tribute to Bob Moog’s legacy and to the work of the Bob Moog Foundation.”
Thanks to everybody at Touch Digital Controllers and GForce for this tremendous show of support!!
Get to know the impOSCar2:
Little Phatty signed by synth icons Herbie Hancock and George Duke up for auction
The Bob Moog Foundation and the Museum of Making Music are delighted to announce the joint auction of a Moog Little Phatty Stage II® synthesizer signed by jazz fusion legends Herbie Hancock and George Duke. The auction, which benefits both organizations, will be hosted on the Bob Moog Foundation eBay portal from Sept. 8 to Sept. 18.
Duke signed the back of the synthesizer after his November performance at the exhibit with the inscription “Keep Playing” and his signature. Herbie Hancock signed the iconic curved side panel of the instrument. Duke and Hancock are both considered synthesizer pioneers, making heavy use of the innovative Moog instruments in the 1970s and 1980s.
You can bid on the Little Phatty here.
The Little Phatty® synthesizer was donated to the two organizations by Moog Music, Inc. pursuant to their joint exhibit, Waves of Inspiration: The Legacy of Moog, which was on display at the Museum of Making Music until April 2010. The Bob Moog Foundation and the Museum of Making Music, which both convey inspiration from music, history, and innovation, will share proceeds from the auction.
“The Moog story is an important element of our museum,” said Carolyn Grant, executive director of the Museum of Making Music. “In fact, a quote by Bob Moog is prominently displayed in our interactive gallery: ‘Music instruments have always, from the very beginning of human history, used the most advanced technology of their time.’”
“In our work at the Bob Moog Foundation, we ignite the innovative and creative spirit,” said Michelle Moog-Koussa, executive director of the Bob Moog Foundation. “This auction, through the incredible instrument, groundbreaking artists, and wonderful collaborative partnership with the Museum of Making Music, encapsulates various facets of Bob Moog’s legacy. We are enormously proud and grateful to all who have participated.”
The Little Phatty Stage II is a monophonic analog synthesizer manufactured by Moog Music since 2006. It puts the performer in control of 100% analog signal path, two Voltage Controlled Oscillators and the Voltage Controlled Filter. Other versatile features include external audio input, CV and KB gate input, full MIDI controller, MIDI over USB, MIDI Clock Sync, an arpeggiator and Tap Tempo. The Little Phatty Stage II brings true analog synthesis to contemporary performance and production, making it modern music powerhouse.
George Duke is a highly acclaimed keyboardist, synthesist, and vocalist who has enjoyed a prolific career as an R&B, funk, jazz, and rock musician and as an accomplished composer and producer. He has worked with an array of including: Jean-Luc Ponty, Frank Zappa, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Dianne Reeves, George Clinton, Anita Baker, Miles Davis, Denise Williams, Jeffery Osborne, Regina Belle and others.
Herbie Hancock is an award winning pianist, bandleader, and composer who is considered to be a true icon of modern music. Throughout his decades-long career, he has transcended limitations and genres while still maintaining his unique, unmistakable voice. Herbie’s success at expanding the possibilities of musical thought has placed him in the annals of this century’s visionaries. He is the winner of 14 Grammy Awards.
The Museum of Making Music, a division of the NAMM Foundation, has become a cultural destination with interactive and educational programs and exhibits since opening to the public in 2000. The Museum showcases the evolution of musical instruments from the late 19th century to present day in five galleries, and regularly hosts intimate concerts and hands-on workshops to introduce the public to the history of American music products. Its recent half-million dollar renovation encourages hands-on music making through state-of-the-art interactive displays and highlights music making around the world. The Museum of Making Music is located at NAMM’s international headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif.
Moog Siren Tara Busch donates EP; launches re-mix contest
Download beautiful synth and vocal laden-music and let your remixing talents shine! It all benefits the BMF!
We are honored to announce that synthesizer and vocal sensation Tara Busch has donated a three song EP to support our mission of igniting the innovator inside us all. The ethereal electronica EP, Rocket Wife, created specifically for and donated to the Bob Moog Foundation, is available for download at Bandcamp.com at the following link:
http://bobmoogfoundation.bandcamp.com/album/the-rocket-wife-ep-by-tara-busch
In conjunction with the release of the EP, Busch and the Foundation have issued a remix contest using the 17 stem tracks from the title track of the EP, Rocket Wife. The stem tracks are available for download at:
http://bobmoogfoundation.bandcamp.com/album/rocket-wife-remix-contest
The remix contest begins today and ends at midnight on October 15, 2011. All submissions should be uploaded to the “Rocket Wife” group on SoundCloud via this link:
http://soundcloud.com/groups/rocket-wife-remix-contest-tara-busch-and-the-bob-moog-foundation
The Bob Moog Foundation will announce three winners on November 10, 2011. The winners will have their remix posted on the BMF Bandcamp site where it will be available for sale, with proceeds benefiting the Foundation. The grand prize winner will receive a framed limited-edition archival image of Bob Moog, a selection of BMF merchandise, and the opportunity to collaborate virtually with Busch on a track where she will supply vocals and synth soundscapes.
Tara Busch is an American producer/musician/remixer and score composer. She is influenced by the rich, complex harmonies of Brian Wilson, BBC Radiophonic Workshop diva Dellia Derbyshire, and the innovations and futurist attitudes of electronic music pioneer Bob Moog. She is known for her richly textured, vocally orchestral electronica, and her psychedelic, ethereal remixes. Tara maintains a wildly successful blog, Analogsuicide.
Tara reflects, “This is a homage not only to Bob Moog and his legacy, but to the effect the synthesizer had on my music, creativity, and life. What Bob did, most famously with the Minimoog, was to make the groundbreaking world of synthesis available to everybody, not just for the privileged few.
Though grateful for my voice and writing ability, I think having a more embracing attitude towards merging the creative and scientific worlds when I was a child would have been beneficial; not just for my music, but also for my development in general. I think Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool will help kids to develop open, bright, embracing and creative minds.
I’m excited and inspired by their quest to educate children and adults alike about ‘the intersection of science & music’ and hopefully this EP will help introduce more people to the Bob Moog Foundation. One hundred percent of the profits from the EP and the remix stems will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation.”
Notes from SoundSchool
Hello Moogsters! I write with great news about the science education initiatives at the Bob Moog Foundation. We have shifted our focus towards one very ambitious and exciting project for the 2011-12 academic year, and have been working furiously with a core group of educator volunteers to make it happen. As part of this new focus and direction, we’ve moved away from the name “MoogLab” and are now calling our school-based efforts “Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool.” This new name aligns with one of our goals: to introduce students to Bob Moog as a friendly model of how to use science to be creative.
T
he first students to experience Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool will be the second graders in the Asheville City Schools. This new partnership establishes Asheville Schools as the showcase for SoundSchool, where we will introduce new initiatives and continually evaluate existing ones. In this first year, we are working with second graders as this is the grade where North Carolina specifies that students should be introduced to the physics of sound. We have developed a full curriculum to teach physics of sound using synthesizers, as well as lessons about how to be good scientific observers taken directly from Bob’s science notebooks.
Another important part of this new SoundSchool initiative is the teachers. We have created teacher training materials which will ensure that this is a self-sustaining project. Teachers will be empowered to share SoundSchool with their students for years to come!
All of our efforts over this school year will be carefully monitored so that we can formally evaluate the effectiveness of Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool. This means that we will have some classrooms using the SoundSchool materials, and comparison classrooms that will use the traditional materials for this first year. All students, SoundSchool and the comparison group, will be given pre- and post-tests of their knowledge of physics of sound, as well as their ability to interact with the information in creative ways. We will use the data we collect to improve SoundSchool, and then introduce it into other school districts, first within North Carolina and then across the country.
I hope you share my enthusiasm for this new inception of The Bob Moog Foundation’s education initiatives. This is a strong project design, which will allow us to educate and inspire students for years to come.
Watch what happened when Dr. Bob’s Sound School came to Claxton Elementary School in Asheville, NC.
Jonna Kwiatkowski, PhD – Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool Project Coordinator
Jonna is an experimental psychologist with 15 years experience in creativity and aesthetics research. Her philosophy is that creativity exists in every mind, and is unleashed when people are given the opportunity to feel their creative thought in action, to understand how they access their creative potential. She has led national, grant-funded research initiatives to understand creativity in grade school and high school students, including projects with the Department of Education and the College Board. In her primary research, she has investigated the creative mind using EEG and other cognitive techniques. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Mars Hill College, loving living in Asheville, and especially collaborating with the Bob Moog Foundation.
Mooged Out Volume 2: Highlights and Studio Notes
Mooged Out Asheville, Volume 2 features 14 Asheville-based recording artists, each contributing a track to benefit the Bob Moog Foundation. Spanning musical styles ranging from rock and hip-hop to dubstep and avant electronica, the album is a dynamic showcase for the wealth of sounds inspired by Bob Moog’s contributions to modern music. The album is not strictly electronic music, but an expression of the wider pool of creativity that Bob touched.
Compiled and produced by BMF volunteer Dave Hamilton, who also produced the first volume, the CD is dedicated to Meg Lauzon, who was a friend to the Foundation and to the Asheville music community. The opening track features BMF Executive Director Michelle Moog-Koussa reading a description of Bob’s one-of-a-kind invention, the Multiple-Touch-Sensitive Keyboard, accompanied by music from the duo Blinding Standstill. Additional tracks were contributed by the West African-influenced Toubab Krewe (one of Bob’s favorite bands), as well as acts such as Stephaniesid, Telepath, and 15-year-old phenom Summit Jaffe, also known as Numatik.
Mastering for the album was contributed by Seva at Soundcurrent Mastering, Knoxville, TN.
Purchase the album in our online store
You can hear samples from individual tracks by clicking the links to iTunes below.
Tired – Eymarel
“Eymarel feels extremely grateful and privileged to be part of the mission to spread Bog Moog’s legacy. Together we can continue to explore and spread the power of electronic sound and music. We take pride in creating music and expressing emotion with some of the best gear on the market designed by one of the greatest synthesizer pioneers — Bob MOOG!”
- Mary Frances and Lee Allen, Eymarel
Song Unsung – Blinding Standstill [Feat. Michelle Moog-Koussa]
Inspired by the innovations of Bob Moog and the memory of Meg Lauzon, this track features Bob Moog Foundation Executive Director Michelle Moog-Koussa’s musical debut. Michelle is reading from Bob’s description of the Multiple Touch Sensitive Keyboard, a project that was of great importance to Bob but is not as widely known as his other inventions. The numbers she is reading are the patents for the keyboard. This track was also featured in our video highlighting the MoogLab interactive program.
Outta My Head – Jeff Knorr and the AVL Soul Orchestra
Jeff Knorr – Moog Voyager (Bass and Lead)
Lee Allen – Drums
Mary Frances – Electric Piano
Derrick Johnston– Trombone
Ben Hovey – Trumpet, Moog Voyager
Jason Daniello – Moog Guitar
Track notes from Dave Hamilton, producer:
Jeff Knorr is a multi-talented keyboard player, the owner of CollapseAble Studios, and the composer of “Outta My Head.” He is also a dynamic collaborator who was happy to assemble an all star funk band of Asheville musicians to record a track live at the Orange Peel as part of the entertainment for Bob Moog’s 75th Birthday celebration on May 21, 2009. A unique aspect of this live recording was that the band members were not all playing together on stage at the same time. They each took turns recording their parts in layers to help demonstrate the effects of Moog gear on song structure.
After the initial tracking was complete, I took the song to Echo Mountain Recording Studio to treat it with Moogerfooger filter, phaser, and delay before the final mixdown.
Raindancer – Chalwa
Chalwa is an Asheville based reggae band whose track blurs the lines between rock and reggae with a distinctly Mooged-out sound.
Amends – Jar-E
“The freedom and creativity that flows from a session using Moog equipment is unparalleled. I am glad for the opportunity to be a small part of the legacy left by such a gifted and giving man as Bob Moog.”
-John Reid, Jar-E
Holy Grail – Toubab Krewe
Track notes from Dave Hamilton, producer:
Toubab Krewe has a special connection to the Bob Moog legacy. In the early part of their career, their debut CD was given to Bob when he was near the end of his life. He found himself listening to it late one evening while being kept awake by his medical treatments. The impressive musicianship of the West African-influenced dance music energized and inspired him.
When Toubab Krewe entered Echo Mountain Recording Studio to record their second work (TK2), the Bob Moog Foundation loaned the band an assortment of Moog gear to use in the recording. They found themselves pushing sonic boundaries and feeling inspired as a result. “Holy Grail” is one of the songs resulting from this experimentation.
Freedom – Telepath [feat. Williamtell]
Keyboardist/producer Michael Christie brings an arsenal of samples—horn lines, rhythm guitars, Indian and Arabic musicians and vocalists – and lays them over deep groove drumming and dark, reggae-infused basslines. The result is a multi-layered journey of sound that can transport listeners from a remote village in Pakistan, to a dub studio in 1970s Jamaica, to a fat Philly hip-hop groove. His track for Mooged Out Volume 2 combines many of these elements and features a soulful vocal track.
Wonderworld (feat. Sidney Barnes) – The Secret B-Sides
“Bob Moog opened the way for electronic music technologies to reach everyday people. The Bob Moog Foundation continues his work by expanding greater access to the future tools of human expression.”
-Juan Holladay, the Secret B-Sides
Me and Dog – Stephaniesid
National touring artist Stephanie Morgan added her characteristic charm to MOv2 with her track, “Me and Dog.” The song starts off sweetly and builds to a dynamic climax.
Bring the Walls – The Adapters
Mike Rhodes – Drums
Jay Sanders – Bass
Jon Paul Hess – Electric Piano
Chris Tanfield – Rhythm Guitar and Theremin
Jason Daniello – Moog Guitar
Molly Kummerle – Lead Vocals
Track notes from Dave Hamilton, producer:
The Adapters is the name associated with collaborative efforts between Molly Kummerle and myself for the benefit of the Bob Moog Foundation. The musical group draws from a rotating cast of Foundation volunteers. “Bring the Walls” was composed as a group effort by Dave, Molly, thereminist Chris Tanfield, and songwriter Joe Szabo. It was the first of four songs recorded live at Bob Moog’s 75th birthday celebration on May 21, 2009.
After equipping the Orange Peel’s stage with a portable recording rig, the evening began with Mike and Jay laying down a slow and solid rhythm track. Following their exit from the stage, Jon Paul sat down at the Wurlitzer electric piano while Chris plugged in his electric guitar to lay down the song’s melodic framework. The recording rig captured their performances as the recently finished rhythm track played through the house sound system. This live overdubbing process was then repeated for the theremin and Moog Guitar until the musicians had constructed a full instrumental track. As the celebration continued, Molly stepped onto the stage to record lyrics inspired by The Adapters’ mutual respect for Bob Moog’s work.
After the event, the tracks were taken to Echo Mountain Recording Studio for vocal overdubs, Moogerfooger application, and final mixing.
Sugar Mama – Josh Blake’s Jukebox
Their track, “Turn it Around” was a popular addition to Mooged Out Volume 1, and Josh Blake’s Jukebox is back on Volume 2 with an upbeat and soulful tune that is sure to get you groovin’. They are composed of some of Asheville’s finest musicians. The drummer Patrick Thomas and guitarist Casey Cramer are from the funky Asheville powerhouse Strut, Casey also plays guitar for the Josh Phillips Folk Festival. The Jukebox also features Kyle Colclasure on bass from the local hip hop band GFE. Affectionately dubbed “The Hot Sauce” female vocalist Marisa Albert spices up the show with beautiful harmonies. Keyboardist Justin Powell from Vertigo Jazz Project has been known to join in on the fun. Multi-instrumemtalist, Matt Williams of Matt Williams and The Ocean adds to the diverse sound of the Jukebox.
Dawn – Numatik
15 year old Summit Jaffe started playing with Moogerfoogers while most of his classmates were still hanging out on the playground. He made a splash at TEDx Next Generation Asheville with a dynamic performance that left everyone talking. On Mooged Out Volume 2 he uses creative application of Moog technology to generate a track that will keep you grooving.
Sous le Soleil – Afromotive 
“Most musicians have known for years how important Bob Moog’s work is in the music industry. I’m thankful that the BMF is helping to share that with the rest of the world, and that it’s based here in Asheville, NC!”
-Ryan Reardon, Afromotive
Chains of Love – Kellin Watson
Consistently named as one of the best performing artists in WNC, Kellin’s track on Mooged Out Volume 2 has a fantastic, funky, groove that will hook you from the first note. Check out this video of Kellin on Studio South shot by Meg Lauzon.
For Mooged Out Volume 2, Chains of Love was remixed by Aaron Price and Seva David Ball in Studio P, Knoxville, using a Moog Voyager and a pile of MoogerFooger boxes. Unique beat-mapping and triggering were used to sync processing of many tracks, including a perfectly good Steinway, which underwent the MoogerFoogerization process, nonetheless. There are rumors a surround version is in the can.
Hand painted theremins by LEBO auctioned off on eBay
The Bob Moog Foundation is pleased to auction off four hand painted Moog Etherwave theremins by Miami artist David ‘LEBO’ Le Batard.
A long time supporter of the Bob Moog Foundation, LEBO painted these theremins while visiting Asheville during the Halfway to MoogFest weekend in April, 2011. All theremins were donated to the Bob Moog Foundation by Moog Music, Inc.
LEBO explains, “Working with the Bob Moog Foundation seems like a great fit, as I feel we share the same approach of blending fine craftsmanship, creative exploration, and a keen interest in unique technological applications.”
Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation, notes, “LEBO’s integration of music and visual art speaks to the transcendental nature of creative expression, the very expression that guided Bob Moog’s career. LEBO, like many visual artists, has told me that Bob Moog’s legacy inspires his work. Through LEBO’s painting, we celebrate the inspirational value of creativity across genres.”
Thank you to Flying Pig Studios for producing this beautiful video!
Click here to go to the eBay auctions!
David “LEBO” Le Batard
David “LEBO” Le Batard is a Cuban-American artist who is recognized for his murals, paintings, sculptures, and wide spectrum of creative media. LEBO represents the self-proclaimed movement of “Postmodern Cartoon Expressionism,” the application of cartoon imagery combined with richly saturated balances of color and unique linear composition. Ranging from abstract to highly narrative, his aim is to evoke emotion and create layers of meaning.
Born in New York City (November 19, 1972) to Cuban émigré parents and raised in South Florida, LEBO’s formal training in the arts began at Florida International University in Miami, Florida (BA degree, 1995) and culminated in his residency at the International Museum of Cartoon Art in Boca Raton, Florida, where he lectured on the practical and technical approaches of illustration.
Synth Guru Marc Doty Summer Residency at the Bob Moog Foundation
Marc Doty Residency at the Bob Moog Foundation
Marc Doty
We are delighted to announce that synthesizer education guru Marc Doty will be in residence at the Bob Moog Foundation in Asheville for a month this summer. With nearly four million views and 107 educational videos online Marc is well known to the synth community and beyond as a passionate teacher of the technology behind vintage analog synthesizers.
Clarity, expertise, and enthusiasm characteristize Marc’s signature style. His videos, which can be viewed at his YouTube channel AutomaticGainsay, feature a range of such classic vintage synthesizers as the Arp 2600 and the Korg MS-20. Perhaps Marc’s most notable video is his demonstration of the Minimoog Model D, which has drawn the interest of over 800,000 viewers, making it one of the most popular synthesizer demonstration videos on line. Check it out here:
And part 1 of nine videos on the ARP 2600:
This collection of online educational assets is but a side project for Marc. By day, he is a freelance graphics designer and videographer. Recently he combined his talents by creating graphic materials explaining the basics of synthesis for our educational outreach efforts. When the need arose from our MoogLab curriculum team for a graphics designer with an expertise in synthesis to produce much needed materials over the summer, we knew Marc was the perfect candidate.
We are delighted to welcome Marc in joining our team for the one month period of July 15-August 15. During his residency, Marc will be lending his expertise and talents to MoogLab and various other projects of the Bob Moog Foundation. Keep your eye out for graphics and videos that we will post here as his work progresses! Until then, check out Marc’s videos — there’s lots of great information in them!
Pushing the Envelope: Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release
Please join us for our closing reception this Saturday, July 30th at 8 p.m.
Help us release Pushing the Envelope at its final event of the month-long exhibit at the Artery. Dancer Janice Lancaster Larsen will perform in R. Brooke Priddy’s earthen dress that captivated so many of you at the opening event.
Join us for an evening of music and dance, while reflecting on the pieces inspired by Bob Moog’s sonic legacy.
Public Opening Reception: Saturday, July 9th at 8 p.m.
Workshops (All Ages):
Wed. July 13th
Bridget Elmer at 6 p.m.
Wed. July 20th
Chris Stack & Steve Wager at 6 p.m.
Tue. July 26th
River Guerguerian & Gene Felice at 6 p.m.
Closing Evening of Performances: Saturday, July 30th at 8 p.m.
Artery Hours: 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Pushing the Envelope: ADSR is a forthcoming multimedia art show melding the historical roots of electronic music with the creativity of Asheville artists who have been inspired by the connections between analog synthesis and visual and performing arts. Bob Moog’s pioneering work will serve as inspiration for the exhibit. The show will be held at The Artery in Asheville’s River Arts District from Saturday, July 9, through Saturday, July 30. The Asheville Area Arts Council and the Bob Moog Foundation are cosponsoring the three-week exhibit.
Artists involved in the show will interpret the concept of shaping sound through an “envelope,” drawing inspiration from the synthesizer parameters attack, decay, sustain, and release. Pushing the Envelope‘s participating artists are:
R. Brooke Priddy, Janice Lancaster Larsen, Adam Larsen, and Kima Moore — A fashion/movement/installation/sound collaboration
Jason Daniello – Exploring interactive, analog sound
Gene A. Felice II & David McConville – An interactive, cymatics/analog sound collaboration that will allow viewers to visualize sound waves.
Elisa Faires – Sound performance/installation
River Guerguerian – Virtuoso percussionist presents sound performance and workshop
Bridget Elmer – An analog sound-inspired letterpress print series
Shaun Hollingsworth – A Bob Moog Foundation photo print series exploring vintage circuitry
Gabriel Shaffer – This sculptural theremin exhibit will allow attendees to interact with metal art, light and analog sound
The work of these artists will surround a small selection of analog electronic instruments, schematics, notes, and ephemera from Bob Moog’s archives, illustrating the connection between innovation, electronic sound, and creativity in the arts. A focal point of the show, the archives will illustrate both the history and the technology behind the Moog sound. This includes the envelope generator, a major component in music synthesis that controls changes in a sound’s loudness and spectral content over time. Most envelope generators control four parameters—attack, decay, sustain, and release—commonly referred to as simply ADSR.
In addition, the show will give the Asheville Area Arts Council and the Bob Moog Foundation opportunities to highlight their respective missions and pay homage to art, music, and technology as intertwined mediums of expression that were all expressed in Bob Moog’s work.
There will also be a series of all-ages workshops focused on the show’s theme and on community outreach and education. Participants will have opportunities to learn about electronic synthesis, sound visualization, and art in a hands-on environment.
Workshop Schedule and Descriptions
All Pushing the Envelope workshops have a suggested donation of $5 to attend.
Workshops all start at 6pm and run approximately 90 minutes.
Bridget Elmer – July 13
This workshop will explore sound visualization through the processes of printing and bookmaking. Each participant will experiment with translating sounds into hand printed images and transforming their prints into a variety of book forms. No experience necessary. There is a materials fee of $5 per person.
Steve Wager and Chris Stack – July 20
We Have Fallen Into The Place Where Everything Is Music
Don’t worry about writing down these songs!
And if one of our instruments breaks, it doesn’t matter.
We have fallen into the place where everything is music.
~Rumi
Ever wanted to know what was happening in a synth that creates those amazing noises? What is the difference between analog and digital (and why do some people think analog is better?) Steve Wager, long time BMF Volunteer and synthesizer enthusiast, will explain the foundation of electronic music in easy to understand terms utilizing the Bob Moog Foundation’s new educational synth, the Novitiate. Participants will then have the opportunity to expand upon their new knowledge with a workshop by Chris Stack of ExperimentalSynth.com fame. Chris will explore the basics of experimental patches and sound design and will treat attendees with a short performance.
Chris explains “It’s an amazing time to be a musician. We can now make music on everything from traditional instruments, computers and synths to tablets and even cell phones. In this workshop, I will weave all this together and explains the connections and technologies that make it possible”.
Gene Felice and River Guerguerian – July 26
Gene Felice is a rock star multi media artist. River Guerguerian is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso percussionist. The have teamed up in this unique workshop to explore the elements of sound, frequency & matter, via a timeline of ancient to contemporary sources of analog sound (singing bowls, gongs, theremin, water & sand) with participants. Through cymatics they will illustrate both sides of how matter affects sound, and how sound affects matter.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with a breadth of Asheville’s talented artists. Inspiring creativity, be it sonic, visual, technical, or intellectual, is at the heart of the Foundation’s work. It’s very exciting to see Bob Moog’s work come alive through the exceptional talent that exists in our unique city.”
– Michelle Moog-Koussa, Bob Moog Foundation’s Executive Director
“Through the various forms of synthesis, we control the spectral content of sound and image as it changes over time. Through the modes of attack, decay, sustain, and release, we influence the sonic character of our work. The ADSR envelope will control the amplitude and frequency of creation. From nil to peak, subsequent rundown, the key is released, leveling to zero.”
– Gene Felice, Collaborating Artist & Curator for the show
“The legacy of Bob Moog and his impact on the creative community here truly cannot be overstated. We’re honored, not only to have the opportunity to pay tribute, but also to engage several of the area’s most vital emerging artists who continue to build upon Moog’s ingenuity.”
– Graham Hackett, Interim Executive Director of the Asheville Area Arts Council
MoogHistory: Brian Kehew Explores Rare Hockman Photos
Mark Hockman Donates Rare Photos Featuring Emerson, Lake and Palmer & Bob Moog
Post by Brian Kehew, Bob Moog Foundation Archive Historian
All photos by Mark Hockman
Last year, at the opening weekend of our Waves of Inspiration: The Legacy of Moog exhibit at the Museum of Making Music, someone approached Michelle Moog-Koussa carrying a medium-sized box. He introduced himself as Greg Hockman, former Moog employee; he had brought some photos and paperwork to donate to the Bob Moog Foundation! Inside was a treasure-trove of things Moog-related. At first glance, some of it looked familiar, but certainly much was new to us, and worth further investigation. There were carousel trays of color slides, all difficult to see without proper projection or lighting, but full of gear and people we knew – and some we didn’t. Greg’s brother Mark was a serious and upcoming professional photographer in the early and mid ’70s, so many of the items were Mark’s photos, although Greg did provide a lot of his own as well. Luckily, Greg and Mark preserved and maintained their collection of Moog memories, and they are now sharing this historical material with us, through the Foundation.
Over the last year, we’ve made a concerted effort to organize this donation and incorporate it into the Archive. For this December newsletter, we’ve selected some highlights from it, to show you small examples of the Hockmans’ collection. Many of the photos showed great things – unknown to anyone outside of that inner Moog circle of 1971-74. So, to help gather our own information for future use and fill out the story of the Hockman collection, we spent some time establishing a connection with Greg and his brother Mark. As their story unfolds here, you’ll see examples of the nice bits of Moog history they’ve captured:
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Greg Hockman had been a student at Lycoming College , and a fan of music and electronics, building their own tape-music lab (no synthesizers yet). Greg saw Bob Moog lecture at Penn State, and later met Bob walking the aisles at the NAMM Show in Chicago (the bi-annual convention where musical manufacturers hope to sell their instruments to music stores from across the nation). He asked Bob if there would be any opening for him to work at Moog, and was invited up to visit and interview. After a few such visits, Greg was hired, just as the small R.A.Moog company of the 1960s was sold to Bill Waytena of Musonics, October 1971. The new company “Moog/Musonics” was combining operations in Musonic’s large factory building in Williamsville, NY. Greg worked with the drivers who were moving all the product and equipment from Bob’s old location in Trumansburg.
He was trained on the synthesizers – the Minimoog had slowly begun to sell, and Musonics had their Sonic Five, soon to be redesigned as Moog’s Sonic Six. Greg’s assigned role was “Sales”, but he also picked up engineering and design practices at the factory, watching and later “stuffing” circuit board fulls of parts, and assembly of the final product. Still, it was a small company (only about 20 employees) so Greg often answered phones or made promotional lectures to colleges and schools. His territory was most of the NorthEast and upper MidWest, and he drove over 120,000 miles across 17 States in a little over one year. David VanKoevering was already selling the Minimoog to stores throughout the States, and Greg still had trouble “opening” new dealerships, as they felt a Minimoog synthesizer was too expensive and complicated.
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Photographer Mark Hockman (Greg’s brother) came to visit at the Williamsville plant a few times, and took many great photos. The quality and character make them strong promotional and historic photos, even to this day. (One of Mark’s photos of Bob at his bench that has been often used for BMFA events; now we finally know the source of it!)
Bob working at his tech bench calibrating a Bode Frequency Shifter module. Often Bob himself would setup and test the more complex modules, like the Bode or a ring modulator
Bob working with a Minimoog and the one of the new "Accessory" line - the Sample and Hold controller, which connected to the Minimoog to generate random and stepped voltages.
One of thousands: The Minimoog in mid-assembly on classic '70s shag rug workbench. This one has the smooth pitch and Mod wheels, and many of the knobs are not installed yet.
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As sales rep for Moog, Greg met a lot of resistance from music store owners; they didn’t feel that customers would want synthesizers, and thought they might be too hard to understand. After dogged determination, he got the Moog line into key stores, like Manny’s Music and Sam Ash in NYC. These stores eventually sold to many of Moog’s major clients; Herbie Hancock, George Duke, The Who, Chick Corea, and countless others. At the end of their first year with Moog, Manny’s Music was selling 24 Minimoogs each month – the most successful dealer in the world. Records with the Moog modulars and the new Minimoog had begun to influence more and more people; they wanted the Moog sound, and the famous name and sound helped Moog survive against strong competitors like ARP, EML, Oberheim, and EMS.
One of Mark’s photo sessions shows Keith Emerson and his wife visiting the Moog factory, with Keith’s modular system in the workshop for a check-up. Greg and Rich Walborn (Keith’s Moog tech for the 1973/4 tour) meet with Bob and the employees.
Rich Walborn, Keith Emerson and Bob Moog circa 1973 in the Moog factory.
Keith Emerson and Greg Hockman pose together, with Keith's Moog and programmer box just behind.
As the company grew, Greg moved his family to Kalamazoo, MI. and concentrated sales effort in the midwest. After the sale to Norlin, Greg left Moog Music and started his own company (Systems and Technology in Music) which both taught synthesis and sold synthesizers. Mainly, they began designing and outfitting electronic music labs for several colleges and professional musicians with custom-built professional touring gear; hot-rodded Leslies, custom amplification, effects pedals, etc. Shortening the name, Greg started his own product line, Systech, creating stomp-box pedals that were ultra-high quality and are quite collectible today.
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1974: The Systems and Technology in Music shop was the site of one of the photo shoots: for 2 days Bob Moog and Moog clinician/musician Roger Powell came to town. Roger gave a lecture/demo at the shop, and he and Bob posed with some of the very hip graphics on the walls there.
Roger Powell clinic at Systems and Technology in Music, Kalamazoo, MI.
Roger Powell clinic at Systems and Technology in Music, Kalamazoo, MI. Note Greg Hockman standing at the door and Bob Moog seated against the wall in the audience
Greg Hockman also donated posters from the Kalamazoo store and University seminars, 1974.
While in Kalamazoo, Greg arranged for a lecture and special television taping at the local college – Western Michigan University. They outfitted the stage with a colorful and decorative “Moog” background. Bob was interviewed and Roger gave a demo of the Moog modular/sequencer, the Minimoog (with Ribbon Controller), Sonic Six, and a small piano electrified with a pickup.
Roger Powell with performance rig for the taping.
As Roger played, the WMU video team treated the video with their most-modern graphic effects.
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1972-74: Both Moog and Greg’s Systech team provided tech support for Keith Emerson’s Moog systems on tour, usually sending Richie Walborn out, with Greg assisting now and then. They even designed and built special amplification and custom mods for Greg Lake’s guitars and basses.
Greg and Mark came to Rich Stadium in Buffalo, NY with Bob Moog. Mark photographed soundcheck and the show. One of these photos, showing Bob and Keith in front of the Monster Moog, has been seen countless times since the early 1970s as a Moog publicity photo. Often accredited to other photographers, it’s certainly one of Mark Hockman’s photos. Mark and Greg took photos of many ELP shows, often getting detailed photos of the equipment – detailed in a way that has never before been seen. We’re hoping to do something very special with the ELP photos in the future, but for now, here’s a sneak preview of some of the pictures.
This well-loved shot of Bob and Keith, taken by Mark Hockman at the Buffalo stadium during afternoon soundcheck
With Bob Moog in the background, and Carl Palmer looking on, Keith tests the Minimoog at soundcheck. Note the Hiwatt 100-watt amps powering four Leslie cabinets (2 top and 2 bottom). Keith's massive Moog sits on top of his customized Hammond C3 organ.
Greg Lake playing his Les Paul, with custom electronics by Systech. Pairs of Fender Showman and Concert amps keep the guitar as loud as the rest of ELP...
Mark's beautiful photo of Emerson in trance between the two keyboard rigs, the 1974 Brain Salad Surgery Tour.
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The donated collection of Greg and Mark Hoffman certainly has interest for most Moog/ELP fans, and it’s amazing that new materials are still out there to be found. We’re excited to have their things for future use, as well, for lectures, books, Moogfest, and newsletters like this. The Hockmans made this for their own memories, their own history – and it is – but sharing it with us certainly brings all of us closer to “being there” as they were. MANY THANKS to Greg and Mark Hockman for sharing this collection with us!
From a much earlier era, on the Tarkus tour in late 1971; Keith with his (much smaller) original Moog synth and the rare Moog programmer on top.
CALL TO ACTION:
If you’re a longtime Moog fan and have something of interest to donate, the Bob Moog Foundation Archive can use whatever you have – old newpaper reviews, vintage Keyboard magazines, Moog catalogs, photos from shows or college music studios, photos of your Moog/synthesizer rig, music you’ve written. These things can help us tell the story – keeping people interested will all facets of the Moog music world. With your permission, we can use the materials to teach people about the evolution of Electronic Music, and how the Moog Legacy still affects the world today. Be creative – and add your own history to the Foundation’s growing collection. Contact us at info@moogfoundation.org.
Please help us keep Moog history alive for future generations. These photos and so much more from our archives will form the basis of our traveling exhibits and eventually our permanent exhibit at the future Moogseum. DONATE TODAY to help our preservation efforts.
Brian Kehew: Dec 1, 2010
NPR’s World Cafe to Feature BMF’s ED Michelle Moog-Koussa on December 2, 2010
NPR’s David Dye Explores Moog’s North Carolina Connection, Moogfest and More
On December 2, 2010, Executive Director Michelle Moog-Koussa will be interviewed on NPR’s World Cafe, a well-loved program with host David Dye which features new and significant music.
Michelle and David sat down together at the beautiful facilities of Echo Mountain Recording during Moogfest 2010 to talk about Bob’s legacy, his move to Asheville, NC and the festival that was celebrating his work and spirit over a three day weeekend.
You can listen to the program on your local NPR station, or stream it live from World Cafe’s home station, WPXN from 2-4pm (EST) on December 2, 2010.
In honor of this broadcast, make a donation of $25 or more to the Bob Moog Foundation on December 2 and receive a Moog Filtered Ale poster as a token of our thanks! This offer is good for one day only!
NPR has been quite supportive of the Bob Moog Foundation over the past couple of months as our educational and archival projects have peaked their interest. The BMF was featured on their podcast “Songs of the Re: Union: The Bob Moog Foundation” as well as Sound Opinions on WBEZ – Chicago: The Moog featuring Bob Moog Foundation Archive (BMFA) Historian Brian Kehew. This is all very fitting as one could often find Bob tapped in to his local NPR station when he wasn’t at his workbench, pushing the barriers of sonic reality.
Moogfest Panels & Discussions Captivate Audiences, Illuminate Moog Legacy
On Halloween weekend, Moogfest 2010 took Asheville, NC by storm. This multi-venue festival, a summit for electronic music lovers from all over the globe, featured over 50 bands throughout the three music-infused days. Artists include such varied bands as Devo, Massive Attack, Pretty Lights, Thievery Corporation, Jonsi, Big Boi, Disco Biscuits, Sleigh Bells, Saturn Never Sleeps, Headronics, Matmos, RJD2, Ce-Lo, DJ Spooky, Girl Talk, Panda Bear and more. You can check out the entire pheonmenal line-up here.
The Bob Moog Foundation proudly partnered with Moogfest, Moog Music, Inc. and Red Bull to present the Moogfest workshops, panels and discussions. Drawing from the Moog brian trust, the workshops featured a fusion of historical, educational and technical material presented by some of the most knowledgeable minds in the music and tech industry. The workshops, which were held in the Moogaplex (in the Haywood Park Hotel Ballroom just across from the Asheville Civic Center), brought together generation-spanning experts ranging from those who worked with Moog during the seminal days of synthesis to modern day sound sculptors.
In addition the the panels, the Bob Moog Foundation ran a continuously packed MoogLab interactive experience, allowing attendees to try their hand (and ears) at a variety of Moog synthesizer, theremins and effect processors. In the background, a slideshow featuring artifacts from Bob’s archives served as a visual reminder of the rich history that was celebrated by the festival itself.
Here’s a complete rundown of the workshops, panels and discussions:
Synth History Panel: The Birth of the Minimoog:
Herb Deutsch – Herb, currently professor emeritus at Hofstra University, is the experimental jazz musician who first approached Bob in 1963 about the need for a new instrument that could generate new sounds. The two worked together in the summer of 1964 to develop the initial circuits for what would become the prototype modular. Herb went on to become the VP of Marketing at the later Moog Music in Buffalo, NY, and was responsible for the development of the Liberation and the OPUS 3.
Bill Hemsath – As an engineer at R.A. Moog, Co. in 1969, Bill put together the first prototype models, models A and B, of the Minimoog. He subsequently worked with the team of Chad Hunt, Jim Scott, and Bob Moog to develop Models C and D.
David Van Koevering – David was the first salesman for Minimoog. He is credited with setting up distributors for the Minimoog across the country at a time when nobody knew what a synthesizer was. Dave is widely credited with marketing the instrument to such great effect that he made it a commercially viable. Dave served as VP of Marketing at Moog Music in the early 1970s
Tom Rhea – Tom is an electronic music historian who first met Bob Moog in Trumansburg, NY when writing his thesis. He went on to become an employee of Moog Music, Inc. (Buffalo) as a clinician, design consultant, and Director of Marketing at Moog Music. He is well known in the synth community for writing the manual for the Minimoog. Tom was part of the design team, along with Bob Moog and Jim Scott, who developed the Crumar Spirit.
Brain Kehew, Moderator – Brian is a producer, writer and keyboardist, best known for his work with the Moog Cookbook. He has toured with the Who, co- produced Fiona Apple, and co-authored the much acclaimed Recording the Beatles. He currently serves as the Bob Moog Foundation Archive (BMFA) Historian.
Artist Performance and Discussion: Tara Busch – Remixing with Moogerfoogers
Tara is a sound sculpting goddess who is well known for her blog AnalogSuicide.com. She is a self-described “futurist”, mixing vintage technology with cutting edge technology. Her performance at Moogfest was a combination of crystalline vocals meshed with ethereal and thundering explorations of analog synthesis.
Technical Panel Discussion: An Insiders Glimpse into the Work of Moog Engineers
Cyril Lance, Rick Shaich, Steve Dunnington and Eric Church
Cyril has been working with Moog Music, Inc. since the time of Bob’s passing in 2005. He is responsible for the design implementation of the Little Phatty, for the development of the Taurus III pedals and for guiding the engineering team at Moog Music to create many award winning products. He was joined by longtime Moog engineer Steve Dunnington, who studied and worked under Bob and most recently worked on the Slim Phatty; Eric Church who has been working on the Moog Guitar and the new Moog lap steel; and Rick Shaich, who specializes in product engineering and production.
Theremin Performance and Lesson: Kevin Kissinger — Theremin
Kevin is a classically-trained composer/performer/multi-instrumentalist who discovered the theremin in 2005. He has received recognition for “Best performance of the Year” in 2006 and 2007 as part of the Spellbound artist list, an internet music program devoted entirely to theremin music. He mesmerized the Moogfest audience with original compositions that featured his Etherwave Pro Theremin with loops and backing tracks. During his performance, 15 theremins were set up for the audience to partake in a brief theremin lesson conducted by Kevin.
[Gallery not found]Synth History Panel: Exploration of Bob’s Archives
Brian Kehew - Brian is a producer, writer and keyboardist who is best known for his work with the Moog Cookbook. He has toured with the Who, co- produced Fiona Apple, and co-authored the much acclaimed Recording the Beatles. He currently serves as the Bob Moog Foundation Archive (BMFA) Historian.
Michelle Moog-Koussa – Michelle has been involved in the preservation of Bob’s archives since initially finding the collection in Bob’s country workshop. She has helped steward the collection to a stable storage environment, been in charge of all preservation efforts including coordination of volunteer cataloging teams, and has worked closely with the Grammy Foundation on the restoration of reel-to-reel tapes in the archive.
Seva David Ball – Seva is a recording engineer and a mastering engineer. He owns Soundcurrent Mastering in Knoxville, TN and has three Grammy nominations. Seva is the Bob Moog Foundation’s archive preservationist, currently restoring Bob Moog’s reel-to-reel tapes with a grant from the Grammy Foundation
Brian, Michelle and Seva are three of the few people who have been exploring, organizing and preserving Bob’s archives over the past few years. They will lend their insights about the depth and breath of material in this fascinating collection and illuminate the importance of this collection for the history of electronic music.
[Gallery not found]Technical Discussion –Moog Guitar Sound Sculpting with Saul Zonana
Saul is a killer guitarist who has worked with Adrian Belew, Ace Frehley, Crash Test Dummies. During his discussion, he integrated the Moog Guitar, Moogerfoogers, Multi-Pedal, and Little Phatty into an exploration of the guitar’s amazing capabilities.
Technical Panel: Modern Day Sound Sculpting with Tara Busch and Richard Divine
Richard Devine – Richard is an electronic musician and one of the world’s most acclaimed, young sound designers. He is known for his integration of vintage and contemporary technology. His clients include Nike and Touchstone Pictures, among others.
Tara Busch – Tara is a former rock musician turned synthesizer devotee. She is often referred to as a synth goddess who is also well-known as a prominent analog synth-blogger for AnalogSuicide.com. She is a self-described “futurist”, mixing vintage and cutting edge technology. Her performances are ethereal explorations that mix electronic, acoustic and vocal elements.
Abominatron 2 Performance: Richard Devine
Richard is one of the world’s most acclaimed, young sound designers; his clients include top names in film and advertising. Richard performed on Moog Music’s exclusive Abominatron 2 synthesizer.
Synth History Panel: Examining the Legacy of the Mini-Synth
Steven Fortner (editor of Keyboard Magazine), Geary Yelton – (longtime contributor and current senior editor of the magazine Electronic Musician) and Mark Vail (author, Vintage Synthesizers), along with moderator Brian Kehew, explored the definition of a “mini-synth”, as well as the genre’s mark on popular music.
Theremin Performance and Workshop: Dorit Chrysler
Dorit is an Austrian born thereminist now living in New York City. She is the founder of the New York Theremin Symposium, and she composes and performs on the theremin throughout the world.
Technical/Eductional Panel: The Power of Modular Synthesis
Erik Norlander – Erik is a virtuoso synthesist, composer and producer. He has also led several synthesizer design teams. In 1995 he began lovingly restoring a modular Moog synthesizer and never looked back. Nearly five years later, the result was a 22 oscillator custom synthesizer that his roadies affectionately referred to as the Wall of Doom.
Amos Gaynes – Amos is the Tech guru at Moog Music. His deep knowledge and understanding of synthesis and his clarity in expressing problems and solutions has given him the reputation as the go-to man when people have questions.
August Worley – August is a former engineer at Moog Music (Buffalo), Big Briar, Inc. and Moog Music (Asheville). He worked with Bob to develop the Voyager in 2002. August also toured with Emerson, Lake and Palmer in 1997 during their reunion tour as keyboard tech for Keith’s massive Monster Moog modular synth.
A Healthy Dose of (N) PR for the Bob Moog Foundation
NPR Features Bob Moog Foundation in Three October Segments; National Print Publications Take Notice
With Moogfest 2010 drawing attention to all things Moog, the worldwide music community has its ears tuned the ways Bob Moog’s legacy is being carried forward. In that spirit, NPR featured the Bob Moog Foundation in three separate programs in the month of October:
- Songs of the Re:Union – The Bob Moog Foundation - In this video podcast, Brenton Crozier explores the Bob Moog’s legacy as it is manifested through the Bob Moog Foundation. Michelle Moog-Koussa and Brian Kehew are interviewed and special archival images and sound clips are shared.
- Echoes with John Dilibreto: Moogfest 2010 - featuring Ashley Capps and Michelle Moog-Koussa. John Dilebreto does does a masterful job exploring Moogfest past and present in this podcast/mp3 version of his popular music feature.
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- Sound Opinions on WBEZ – Chicago: The Moog featuring Bob Moog Foundation Archive (BMFA) Historian Brian Kehew
Other National and Local Publications had their eye on the Bob Moog Foundation as well. Here are a few that stand out:
- Keyboard Magazine featured the work of the Bob Moog Foundation in their October issue in Bob Moog Lives by Michelle Moog-Koussa. You can see the full article at the Keyboardmag.com.
- New York Times covered Moogfest with on-the-streets and in-the-audience insights. Music critic John Pareles gives the Bob Moog Foundation a nice nod for its participation as host to the education and history panels that look place during the day at the festival.
- Mountain Xpress highlighted the reason Moogfest was in Asheville this year in Celebrating Bob’s Spirit on a Hallowed Weekend.
“Bob Moog Live” CD Announced
Bob Moog Foundation and Dan Lewis Announce CD Release for Bob Moog Live October 11, 2010
Cover of "Bob Moog Live" CD
The Bob Moog Foundation and Asheville composer/musician Dan Lewis announce the world premiere and release party for a historic live concert recording, Bob Moog Live. The premiere event will take place on October 10, 2010, at the Lexington Avenue Brewery in Asheville, NC, from 3:30–6:00 p.m. Admission is $7, with proceeds benefiting the Bob Moog Foundation.
Bob Moog Live is the only known recording of synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog publicly performing on his famous Minimoog, the best selling analog synthesizer of all time. Created in 1970, the Minimoog celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The Bob Moog Live recording took place on November 23, 1980, at the Asheville Art Museum and captured a performance by Moog, Abbott & Lewis. Local musicians Dan Lewis and Mike Abbott, an accomplished synthesist, rounded out the trio on keyboards, guitar, and ukelin. Lewis and Abbott performed with Moog twice in Asheville in the summer and fall of 1980. The CD features the latter performance along with sterling rehearsal sessions.
Lewis and Abbott composed all the music on the CD. Lewis, who preserved the recordings for the last 30 years, brought this project to the forefront. He produced the album to highlight a historic event and to create a fundraising mechanism for the Bob Moog Foundation. The CD, described as electronic neoclassical music, features excerpts from Moog, Abbott & Lewis’s live concert tape. Subtitled “The Gig Tape,” it was originally recorded on 1/4-inch analog tape, thanks to Mike Abbott’s forethought.
The CD will be available exclusively through the Bob Moog Foundation’s online store beginning on October 11, 2010. In addition to original music and instrumentation, the CD features Moog speaking candidly between songs about a variety of subjects ranging from the capabilities of electronic musical instruments to his life during that time period. At the time of the recording, Moog had recently left the company he started 25 years prior and moved from New York to North Carolina, where he started a new business, Big Briar, Inc.
Here’s a sample from the CD:
Hannibal Crossing the Alps with Bob Moog on the Minimoog
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Bob Moog passed away in 2005, and Abbott in 2003. Lewis remains in the Asheville area as audio engineer and arranger/producer at Acoustic Audio Recording in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
The Bob Moog Live event on October 10 will be a multilayered “happening” that includes listening to samples of the CD and brief informal lectures by Dan Lewis and by Bob Moog Foundation Executive Director Michelle Moog-Koussa. Live original music performed by Dan Lewis on guitar and synthesizers as well as an improvisational synthesizer jam featuring top area keyboardists performing on Moog synthesizers will provide live experimental synthesis as the musical backdrop for the evening. Jeff Knorr (The Funknastics), Mary Frances (Emyrael), Ben Hovey (Asheville Horns), and others will join Lewis on stage. A display of Minimoog material from Bob Moog’s Archives will be on display.
“While the recording is not 21st-century high fidelity, we realized it allows the listener to ‘attend’ a somewhat historic event and experience the only known opportunity to hear Bob speak, tell stories, and perform on his most famous invention, the Minimoog. In that sense, the recording is unique,” said Lewis. The CD will be available for purchase at the event.
Michelle Moog-Koussa states in the liner notes that it was rare to hear father at the piano when she was growing up and it was rarer still that he would perform. The Bob Moog Live CD is indeed a treasure and a unique glimpse into a time in Bob Moog’s life when he was taking a break from his professional life. He was relaxed, and that comes through in his commentary and playing The Bob Moog Foundation has embraced this project as an extension of its work in historical preservation.
The proceeds from the event and CD sales will support the Bob Moog Foundation, whose mission is to educate and inspire children and adults through electronic music. The Foundation is currently working on its educational goal of creating a curriculum with professors at UNC-Asheville that will teach K–8 children science through electronic music, and its historical goal of preserving and sharing Bob Moog’s extensive archives.
Online CD sales will be available after the event on the Bob Moog Foundation website at www.moogfoundation.org/shop.
BMF Re-Configures Norlander’s “Wall of Doom” Custom Moog Modular
Bob Moog Foundation and Erik Norlander Make Modular Synthesis Accessible for Fans and Students
Erik Norlander, synth guru and ardent supporter of the Bob Moog Foundation, is known for his Moog-laden symphonic rock. At the heart of Erik’s music is his massive custom Moog modular synthesizer, affectionally referred to as the Wall of Doom by his roadies. You can get a glimpse of the WOD, situated behind Erik, below.
Erik Norlander with his custom modular synthesizer in the background
Here’s how Erik sums up the synths unique attributes:” My modular synthesizer is a unique creation that started out life as a Moog IIC in 1967, grew to a IV-C in the late 90s and then was repackaged as the first “Wall of Doom” in 2001. All of the audio modules are original Moog modules from 1967 – 1972 except for three custom 16x2x1 oscillator mixes that use the identical circuit topology as the original 1967 (pre-CP3) Bob Moog design to mix the system’s 22 oscillators. Many other custom control modules have been added including 8 channels of MIDI to Gate/CV along with additional processor modules from Roger Arrick’s Synthesizers.com in Texas. The control elements are extremely modern and offer state of the art flexibility; The sound is pure Moog.”
Recently, Erik and the Bob Moog Foundation joined forces to make this historical synthesizer more accessible to fans and students alike. The idea was to reconfigure the massive instrument in to six large rack mount cases that Erik could take on tour and expose his audiences to modular synthesis, and to bring in to schools in his area to teach the science behind synthesis to kids, thus helping the Foundation fulfill its mission and extend its MoogLab reach.
With the generous help of a few crucial supporters, we are delighted to announce that the re-configuration was completed on the eve of Bob’s 76th birthday. We couldn’t have accommplished this without:
In-Kind Donation of Gear
- OSP Worlwide – OSP Worldwide is a distributor of all kinds of super high quality audio gear. They donated six 16-Space ATA Shock Mount Flight Case Effects Racks to the Bob Moog Foundation for this project. We simply couldn’t have done this without their generosity. The quality of the cases they provided has well exceeded our expectation;they are extremely well-made. The six OSP cases provide an ideal home to this unique modular synthesizer.
Rockstar Engineering Volunteers
- Amos Gaynes and August Worley- To many of you, Amos Gaynes from Moog Music needs no introduction. He is well-known in the synth community for his clear and insightful articulation of all things that involve a Moog tech. Amos understands the contemporary Moog gear inside and out as a tech and as a creator of firmware for some of the newer products. A student of mechatronics at UNC-A, he is well on his way to becoming an engineering force at Moog Music, Inc.
August Worley is an electrical engineer who shares a unique qualification with Bob Moog. August is the only person to have worked at Moog Music Buffalo, Big Briar, Inc. and Moog Music Asheville. He was part of the engineering team who helped Bob develop the Voyager. August was uniquely qualified to work on this modular project, as he formerly toured with ELP as the keyboard tech for Keith Emerson’s Monster Moog Modular. He also developed the pyrotechnics for Keith’s Moog ribbon controller.
Between the two, Amos and August have donated over 60 hours of time to the completely reconfiguration of the Wall of Doom in to its new home. They have planned, inquired and researched in order to re-wire Erik’s system. Working well into the wee hours of the morning on more than one occasion, this highly skilled team has completed the transition of this extraordinary synth just in time for it’s first appearance at Moogus Operandi on May 27th.
Many, many thanks to Amos and August — we couldn’t have done this without you! Your generous donation of talent and spirit is a tribute to the Moog legacy itself.
Musician Open to the Possibilities
- Erik Norlander – Not only does this guy rock musically, but he rocks as an open, creative spirit who is excited by new possibilities. Not every owner of a priceless custom synthesizer would agree to submit their musical centerpiece to be shipped across the country for a complete metamorphosis. Erik agreed to take the project on and he was an invaluable source of information, guidance and encouragement.
We cannot go without thanking Lana Lane, Erik’s lovely wife and musical partner. With Erik away on a consulting trip, it fell upon Lana to pack and ship over 300 pounds of modules with a considerable time constraint thrown into the mix.
This project is a tribute to the historical, musical and technical legacy of Bob Moog. Many thanks to all involved!
Over the coming months, we will be asking Amos, August and Erik to write blog posts from their unique perspectives about the Wall of Doom reconfiguration. Keep your eye out for those insights into this project.
“Voices” Series Launch: Beastie Boys Cut the Ribbon on the MiniMoogseum!
Hip Hop Legends Perform Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on MiniMoogseum Installation, Paying Tribute to the Moog Legacy
The Beastie Boys have been rocking crowds the world over for more than 25 years; they are the undeniable innovators of both hip hop and rock and roll. Known for looking forward and backward, the Beastie Boys were among the first to embrace the phat analog Moog sound in the late 80s and early 90s at a point when the world of synthesis had gone largely digital.
How fitting it was to have the Beastie Boys swing through town and perform a ribbon cutting ceremony on the Foundation’s MiniMoogseum installation in the Orange Peel, once again championing the Bob Moog and his legacy of pioneering synthesis. Check out the Beastie Boys performing the ribbon cutting ceremony here:
Here’s the embed code to share this video via Youtube:
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Dubbed the “MiniMoogseum,” the eight foot high showcase serves as the first permanent installation of Bob Moog’s archives, including one of his Grammy awards and relics from the early development of Moog synthesizers. Michelle Moog-Koussa, who serves as the Executive Director of the Foundation named after her father, explained that “Over the decades to come, hundreds of thousands of people will see the installation as they visit the Orange Peel…” which was recently voted in the top five in the country by Rolling Stone magazine. The “MiniMoogseum” can be thought of as a small scale version of the future “Moogseum“, coming soon to the Asheville area.
Beastie Boys join a growing group of celebrity musicians, including Stevie Wonder, Keith Emerson, and Billy Corgan who have all voiced their support of the Foundation’s mission to teach science to children using musical instruments. In the video the band expresses that they are “…proud and happy to be here at the beginning of this beautiful thing…..the Moogseum.” They continue by saying “There should be a Moog synthesizer in every classroom.”
This video marks the first in a new series of videos and blogs that the Foundation is calling “Voices” — reflections and ideas from the wider Moog community, focused on how Bob Moog inspired their creativity.
Making the MiniMoogseum a Reality: Volunteers and Sponsors
The MiniMoogseum was designed and built by a team of volunteers and sponsors—the foundation playfully refers to them as “Rockstars”–including Gene Felice, Chris Perryman, Steve Dunnington and Mike Pieo.
Materials for the project were donated by Cormark International, Speed Graphics, Moog Music, Asheville Hardware and Henco Reprographics. This project is the first step in an iterative process for the Foundation. The full-sized Moogseum, scheduled to open in four years, will feature interactive and experiential exhibits that inspire the next generation of “Bob Moog” like innovators, as well as an intimate performance area, where musicians from around the world can participate in the Foundation’s programming.
Special thanks to Meg Lauzon, Rhino & Jon Leidel for capturing this even on both video and photo! And a special thanks to the Orange Peel for hosting this amazing event.
Moog-Inspired Art Auctioned on eBay
The Bob Moog Foundation Launches Auction of Moog-Inspired Art
Asheville Area Artists Donate Moog-inspired Art to Pay Tribute and Raise Funding
The Bob Moog Foundation announces the launch of six eBay auctions featuring visual art inspired by the legacy of Bob Moog. The link to the auctions can be found here.
The eBay auctions will run for 7 days, and will end during the Foundation’s spring fundraiser, Moogus Operandi, to be held on May 27th from 7-11pm at the Orange Peel in Asheville. The event will feature local musicians performing with a virtuoso synthesist from California, Erik Norlander, and a legendary Moog modular synthesizer from 1967, the release of Moog Filtered Ale from Asheville Brewing Company, and a MoogLab interactive exhibit. Those who attend the event will have the opportunity to see the Moog-inspired art in person, as well as to bid on the items via computer workstations provided by City Mac. The unique format of the auction gives the participating artists an opportunity to showcase their work to an international audience of Moog enthusiasts. Featured items range from large scale paintings to smaller pen and ink designs and mini-synth sculptures.
All proceeds from the auctions and the event will go to benefit the projects of the Bob Moog Foundation, which is a registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Through this opportunity artists are given a chance to become part of the Bob Moog Foundation’s effort to bring innovative science and music programs into the schools and to create a Moogseum in Asheville, NC.
Many thanks to all of the participating artists who are donated their works of art to help us further our mission. It’s wonderful to see visual artists who are inspired by the intersection of music, technology, innovation and creativity that Bob Moog represents. We love seeing this creativity help us raise funding to teach science and music in the schools!
The artists participating in the auction include:
Gabriel Shaffer - www.gabrielshaffer.com
Gabriel Shaffer is a visionary artist who is internationally recognized for is attention to detail, vibrant color palette and intriguing concept.
Auction Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140409639580&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_611wt_1139
Phil Cheney - www.dynamicartgallerie.com
Phil Cheney is a musician and an artist who is known for his whimsical, eclectic designs. He designed the label for the Foundation’s Moog Filtered Ale, which was based on the image that is being auctioned.
Auction Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140409621113&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_560wt_1139
Dustin Spagnola – www.dustinspagnola.com
Dustin’s striking image of Bob Moog is inspired by the contemporary urban landscape. His images reference the texture, depth, and color of structures in decay and the visual language of graffiti.
Auction Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140409631595&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_729wt_1139
ArtYes / Marie Knight – www.artyes.net
Marie Knight combines flattened, distorted, embellished, and scaled-up representations of all manner of life forms with scaled-down signmaking to make arresting and occasionally nerdy graphic art.
Auction Link:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140409636486&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_639wt_1139
Seja Vogel -www.etsy.com/shop/pulsewidth
Recently referred to as the “synth whisperer” by Mess and Noise magazine, Australian Seja Vogel is probably better known as a musician more than anything else. However her recent solo album features a cover of handmade felt synthesizers created by Vogel. She is the only artist represented in the auction who does not call Asheville home. Her donation of two felt synths to the foundation was the inspiration for the art auction.
Auction Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140409637689&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_643wt_1139
Moog Filtered Ale to Add Buzz to BMF Fundraising
Bob Moog Foundation Unites with Asheville Brewing Company to Launch “Moog Filtered Ale”
Proceeds of Limited Edition Brew to Benefit Foundation
Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation are proud to announce the launch of the limited edition Moog Filtered Ale, a pale beer named in honor of synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. The beer will be available beginning May 27, 2010 at the Foundation’s fundraising event, Moogus Operandi featuring synthesizer wizard Erik Norlander. All profits from the sale of the beer will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation to benefit their projects. The beer is being released in conjunction with Bob’s May 23 birthday.
Moog Filtered Ale Label by Phil Cheney
Moog Filtered Ale will be be distributed nationally and internationally in 22-ounce bottles through Asheville’s Bruisin’ Ales and will be available on tap in various locations throughout Western North Carolina. The beer will be sold from May 27 through July 31, after which it will no longer be available.
“Moog Filtered Ale is an American-style pale ale with distinctive notes of caramel and pine. It’s a very accessible beer that reflects the Moog legacy. I’ve been a fan of Bob Moog since college, and I am excited to present a beer in honor of an American pioneer,” says Doug Riley, brewer and part owner of the Asheville Brewing Company.
Asheville Brewing has been making outstanding craft beers since 1998 and has won several awards for its beers. As an active supporter of local non-profit groups they are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation, whose work is innovative and historical. Through Moog Filtered Ale, Asheville Brewing aims to support the interactive educational programs that the Foundation is developing to teach science through music as well as the eventual creation of a Moogseum.
Asheville Pizza Company President Mike Rangel says, “We are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation to help keep Bob’s vision and legacy alive. By donating the profits from Moog Filtered Ale, we will be supporting innovative science education through the Foundation’s MoogLab outreach project. We are proud to be joining some of the larger beer companies in supporting important educational work in our community. Moog Filtered Ale is absolutely the most exciting project our company has been involved in.”
Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation, comments, “Creating Moog Filtered Ale with the Asheville Brewing Company has been a rewarding project. We are very grateful to Mike Rangel and Doug Riley for their support of our innovative projects, which will benefit Western North Carolina and beyond. The unique partnership between the Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation marks a true match of venture philanthropy and creative fundraising in a economically precarious environment. The proceeds from this project will assist us in continuing our important work.”
The colorful label for the Ale was designed by Asheville artist Phil Cheney. The label, an original graphic in vibrant shades of purple, green, and orange, shows Bob Moog leaning over a keyboard with musical notes, synthesizer knobs, and patch cables floating from his head. In the upper right hand corner of the label, “76″ commemorates Bob’s May 23 birthday.
A launch party for Moog Filtered Ale will be held on May 27, 2010, at the Orange Peel in Asheville. The event, Moogus Operandi, will feature virtuoso synthesist Erik Norlander and his massive custom modular synthesizer, affectionately called “the Wall of Doom.” An auction of Moog-inspired art will be held on eBay a week prior to the event and will conclude the night of the event.
Tickets to the event are $10 in advance and $12 at the door and can be purchased through the Orange Peel.
The Ale will be sold exclusively by Greenlife Grocery, the Orange Peel, and Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company from May 27 through May 30. Beginning May 31, Moog Filtered Ale will be available for international retail distribution in bottles exclusively through Bruisin’ Ales. It will be available on tap throughout western North Carolina.
Seva Explores the Abominatron Tape, part 2
Seva David Ball is the the preservationist for the restoration of 40 reel-to-reel tapes in Bob’s archives, a project which is generously funded by two grants from the GRAMMY Foundation. Seva is an audio engineer whose accomplishments include serving as associate founder of Waves, mastering Dolly Parton’s only live DVD, and being the preservationist on David Lewiston’s archives of over 650 tapes for the Library of Congress. He is the owner of Soundcurrent Mastering in Knoxville,TN. As he restores the tapes, Seva will be blogging a bit about each one, and including sound samples.
While the GRAMMY Foundation provides generous funding, they do not cover all of the costs associated with the extensive project. If you are inspired by historical material that we are preserving, please consider making a donation to the Foundation to help us continue our efforts.
In this blog post, Seva explores a tape that was donated to us by pioneering synthesist Herb Deutsch, who collaborated with Bob on the first prototype modular. In this 84 minute tape, Bob methodically explains the functions of the modular. We are excited to include five snippets of that tape here. Many thanks to Herb Deutsch for this historical treasure.
Abominatron Tape Transfer, Part 2
Seva David Ball
As alluded to in my first entry, when Dr. Moog was working on the prototype modular synthesizer in the early sixties, he had set in motion a very large number of design parameters, terminologies, and infrastructures. Things such as using ‘feet’ as designation for which pitch range within the oscillator would work, just as in pipe organs, i.e. 32′, 16′, 8′, 4′, 2′, 1′, all measured in feet to indicate the base length of the pipe in that rank. A pipe half the length of another gives a tone one octave higher (and twice the frequency, being inversely proportioned). Another example now in widespread use is “Voltage Control”, which was probably the most impressive part of the vocabulary to me (when I learned of it, I was 12) because it literally took the place of my hand turning a knob. Even with my limited understanding, this principle of voltage control was a cloudless sky for me; it unlocked the entire potential. The synthesizer had three main components: Sources, Controllers, and Modifiers, and voltage control made it all work.
On this tape, Bob explains that the voltages add together to control the oscillator, plus an internal voltage (selected by the Pitch Range switch=32, 16, 8, 4, etc) adds or subtracts eight-tenths of a volt, shifting the pitch up or down one octave. (Eventually there was a standard of 1volt/1octave but I will not pretend to know the precise evolution of this standard). He gives several examples of using low frequency oscillators (LFO) to provide (musical) vibrato and other forms of exotic vibrato (Frequency Modulation can yield classic space sounds or really new klang with mirrored sum-and-difference tones).
Voltage Control had already been part of Bob’s breadboard projects and his 1964 prototype. It was only a matter of months before others requested new ways for Voltage Control to be utilized. Vladimir Ussachevsky asked for a device to create an attack-decay-sustain-release voltage (ADSR) which was used to control an amplifier (VCA) so that pressing a note would create a tone with dynamic shaping. Gustav Ciamaga ordered a voltage controlled filter (VCF) in 1965, and this created the tone shaping everyone refers to as that Moog Sound (especially with Bob’s 4-pole filter design).
Bob took piano for many years as a young person, and could readily play, although he was very modest about his ability. He made a nearly innocent statement that others with more musicianship could get “some good things” out of the instrument, and I included a clip of this sincerely prophetic statement.
Better Musicianship:
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In this proto-incarnation of the modular synthesizer — the Abominatron, as Bob called it — there were two VC devices: oscillators and amplifiers. (There’s a clip where he Gives It The Name, at least on tape). The astonishing part of all this to me remains the fact that this first modular synthesizer, this Abominatron, was POLYPHONIC. I’ve attached some audio clips from this tape, including the Intro Fanfare, where Bob plays a polyphonic greeting before he speaks, followed by a clip where Bob names the prototype.
Polyphonic Fanfare:
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Abominatron
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Another polyphonic section is when he first demonstrated voltage control for simple vibrato, but he plays a polyphonic example, “As I Walked Out in the Streets of Laredo”, in a two-part invention style, quite removed from Marty Robbin’s 1959 dreamy single. To my knowledge this song (and the Intro Fanfare) is the first recording of a polyphonic modular synthesizer. It is so beautiful that the inventor of the instrument is also a musician, and one who could play at the drop of a hat, and that we have this document, this recording, of Dr. Moog doing exactly that.
Modulate and Polyphonic:
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A great thing about “audio letters” is you can stop recording any time and continue when convenient. Most of the time a click or pop signifies such a break, and in one such place Bob says “it’s 2 days later now” since his previous recording, and he reveals the spectacular news that Jacqueline Harvey of the AES (Audio Engineering Society) had called to invite him to have a booth at the October 1964 AES meeting in the Commercial Exhibits area (which at that time was hardly the large tradeshow floor familiar today; the main purpose of the meeting was for presentation of papers and so forth). There’s an audio clip where he reveals this news to Herb Deutsch, and went on to say that it was a “tremendous opportunity for me to get this going, sooner than I thought”, but he also recognized being at the AES show had the potential for him to makethat it was also a “an a– of myself”. That didn’t happen. The opportunity for success immediately began to realize itself. Clearly, we all know he succeeded beyond his expectations and would initiate a paradigm shift in the use of electronics in music as instruments.
AES Invite:
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Moogmentum Article from the Mountain Express
Brian Postelle from the the Mountain Express, the local alternative paper in Asheville, wrote a great article about the Bob Moog Foundation back in May 2009, just prior to our Enter the Mind of Moog : Bob’s Birthday Bash event. The article offers a fantastic glimpse at all of our activities.
Thanks to everybody at the Mountain Express for your continued support!
