In 1964, electrical engineer and music aficionado Robert Moog presented a paper titled “Voltage-Controlled Electronic Music Modules” at the Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention in New York. This landmark document built on the work of German engineer Harold Bode, but described the concept of interconnecting individual audio generating and sound processing modules with control-voltage (CV) technology rather than vacuum tubes. Moog was invited to show his prototype components at the convention, which received a very positive reaction from attendees.

In 1967 he began to produce the Moog Modular Synthesizer, which integrated multiple CV components (“modules”) together, connected by short cables called “patch cords” that could be plugged in and out as the player desired. The instrument was embraced not only by the avant-garde electronic musicians of the time, but by many pop groups such as The Beatles, the Monkees and others.

When, in 1968, composer Wendy Carlos featured the instrument on her hit album Switched-On Bach, the world accepted that Moog’s invention could be used for highly musical and expressive performances.

Prog-rock keyboardist Keith Emerson would later tour the globe for decades with his massive custom modular Moog system. Moog’s designs set a number of standards for the synth industry, such as 1 volt per octave CV control, and pulse triggering signals for connecting and synchronizing multiple components and modules.