New Delhi: With the view to mark the 78th birth anniversary of Robert Moog, Google, today, replaced its usual homepage logo with an interactive synthesizer doodle.
This interactive doodle features a synthesizer to let users compose music of their choice. To the right of the synthesizer is a 4-track tape recorder that lets you record, play back the recorded music and share songs via short links or Google+.
You can use your mouse or keyboard on the Moog doodle's keys and dials to make nearly limitless sounds.
But do you know who was Robert Moog? Do you know he was popularly known as Bob Moog? Why Google came up with this synthesizer doodle to commemorate Robert Moog's 78th birth anniversary?
To help you better understand today's doodle, here are some interesting facts about the man behind today's innovative musical doodle that you all must know. At the end is a Bob Moog Google doodle demonstration video.
Robert Arthur 'Bob' Moog is better known as the self-described geeky-toolmaker-turned-visionary. Born on May 23, 1934 in Queens, New York, he had a strong passion for electronics, and used to consider himself a geeky, socially awkward kid. Bob's father George Moog was an electrical engineer for Con Edison. So, Bob, from an early age, built small radios, amplifiers, three note organs and other such projects in the basement workshop with his father.
According to Moog's foundation, "At the age of 14, Bob built his first theremin and a life-long love was born. Bob was taken by the elegant design and expressive nature of this early electronic musical instrument and dedicated much of his spare time, when he wasn't attending the Bronx High School of Science or practicing the piano, perfecting his own design and studying the design of his idol, Leon Theremin."
When he was 19, Bob published his first article named "The Theremi" in Radio and Television News, in January 1954. That article engendered requests from readers for Bob to create a theremin kit for sale, and thus R.A. Moog, Co. was born.
Bob studied at Queens College and Columbia University in New York City where he obtained his bachelors in physics and his masters in electrical engineering. After completing his masters, he moved to Ithaca, New York in 1957 to obtain his Ph.D. in engineering physics, and married Shirley Leigh in 1958.
In 1963, he met Herb Deutsch, an experimental jazz musician and Hofstra professor, at a New York State Educator's Music Conference. Bob joined hands with Herb Deutsch, and invented the Moog synthesizer in 1964, which revolutionised the face of almost every genre of music.
With the release in 1968 of the popular album Switched-On Bach, performed by Walter Carlos entirely on the Moog synthesizer, the instrument's popularity took off.
In 1972 Robert Moog changed the company's name to Moog Music. Poor management led to Moog's departure from his own company in 1977. In 1978, Moog started making electronic musical instruments again with a new company, Big Briar.
Big Briar acquired the rights to use the Moog Music name in 2002.
In 2002 Bob Moog was honoured with a Grammy Award for technical achievements. He died of a brain tumour on August 21, 2005.
Bob Moog Google Doodle Demonstration: How to use it
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