Robert A. Moog, American engineer, inventor, pioneer of electronic music and inventor of the Moog synthesizer, died in Asheville, North Carolina, at the age of 71, four months after being diagnosed with brain cancer. At the age of 14, he built his first electronic instrument, a theremin, and in
1970 created the portable MiniMoog, described as the first compact and easy-to-use synthesizer. His first commercial synthesizer was launched in
1964 and had a major influence on and changed the music industry. In
2001, he received the Swedish Polar Music Prize. Wendy Carlos's
1968 Grammy-winning album “Switched-On Bach” played a major role in bringing him wider recognition. His instruments, particularly the MiniMoog, became essential tools for many artists, including
The Beatles,
Stevie Wonder and
Pink Floyd.
