1968Unverified sourceWell documented
The Moog Synthesizer and Switched-On Bach
On the timeline · around 1968 · The Rock & Pop Era
What happened
In 1968 the album Switched-On Bach, made by Wendy Carlos on a Moog synthesizer built with Robert Moog's help, became a surprise hit and won three Grammy Awards. It was the first record to use the new synthesizer for real music rather than sound effects, and it introduced millions of listeners to electronic sound.
Why it matters
Switched-On Bach brought the synthesizer into popular consciousness and helped launch electronic music as a mainstream force, opening the door to synth-pop, disco, techno, and the electronic textures that pervade modern music.
Sources
- Moog Music. Switched-On Bach: How the World Met Moog · Unverified source