Robert Moog, Musical Pioneer

Robert Moog, one of the great innovators of electronic music, has passed away.

It's rather interesting that he was the developer of an instrument rather than a composer or a performer and achieved tremendous (and much deserved) name recognition. His fame came less from the more traditional oeuvre one finds in a noteworthy composer and more from the sheer brilliance of his design and, arguably, the interface he created.

I think that there's something interesting about Moog that harkens back to the sort of fame generated by someone like Antonio Stradivari. (For those of you turning purple at the comparison, please note that I am not equating the historical significance of the two men and their output. Just let me try to explain.) Instrument makers do not commonly achieve fame for their work, not at least on the level one finds with Stradivari. Moog achieved something like that, although his work obviously has not stood the test of time that Stradivari's has and it's certainly - and probably convincingly - arguable that Moog's instruments have already been bypassed in a way that Stradivari's never have. So admittedly, it ain't like we're comparing apples and apples here. Still, there's something unique in Moog's legacy that just doesn't exist with other instrument makers. Does Leo Fender deserve that level of recognition? That's an interesting question I just thought of as I'm typing this. I'll have to ponder that...

Now that I ponder it more, who are some of the great instrument designers of the last 100 years? (This is sort of a "wondering out loud" list that I'm not necessarily ready to defend; a highly subjective and admittedly limited list of possibilities.)

Leo Fender
Les Paul
Steve Wozniak

I'm blanking beyond this, mostly because all four (Moog, Fender, Paul, and Woz) are pretty interesting discussions. Let's acknowledge that we're not equating any with Stradivari or the other great makers of Cremona and then puzzle over a few.

I've talked about Moog. Fender is a fascinating guy and obviously a brilliant mind. The Stratocaster - invented in 1954! - is arguably the most common and copied electric guitar design of all time. Les Paul is the great 20th century musical renaissance man: a brilliant player, a legendary guitar designer, and an inventor and innovator of multitrack recording.

Woz is a controversial pick, but a fun debate. The personal computer has revolutionized music in ways that will play out for many years to come. Woz didn't intend to design an instrument, but we use computers for music in ways that no one would - or could - have foreseen. Does the design of the interface, even if it wasn't designed for musical applications specifically, make one a great instrument designer? If I were to really ponder it thoughtfully - and why start doing that now? - I think that the answer is probably no.

Who else am I forgetting? I'm willing to bet that I've overlooked (either through forgetfulness or ignorance) some important ones. Clearly, these are all great minds and great innovators in their own right.

Retroactive apologies issued to all for what is clearly a music geek post.