Bob Moog

Bob Moog designed the first practical, compact voltage-controlled subtractive synthesizer in 1964. His Moog synthesizer introduced accessible, keyboard-controlled electronic instruments to musicians, fundamentally changing the landscape of modern music production.

Despite the common mispronunciation of the synthesizer brand as "mogue," the inventor's surname actually rhymes with the word "vogue." Bob Moog himself clarified this pronunciation numerous times throughout his career in electronic music.

The Monkees' 1967 song "Daily Nightly" is often cited as one of the first commercial pop recordings to feature a Moog synthesizer. Shortly after, Wendy Carlos's 1968 album Switched-On Bach brought the instrument massive mainstream popularity by using it to perform classical compositions.

Moog Music, the company that bears his name, is currently headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina. The factory continues to produce both modern analog synthesizers and faithful recreations of Bob Moog's classic designs, such as the Minimoog.