Hands-free revolutionary sounds with the Moog Theremin

You know the sound. When it comes to science fiction and electronic music, there's nothing more suited to each than the theremin. And while its invention predates Bob Moog by several decades, it was Moog's lifelong fascination with this enigmatic instrument that helped cement its place in modern music and led to his own groundbreaking innovations in synthesizer design.

The Birth of an Obsession

The story of Bob Moog and the theremin begins in 1949, when a 14-year-old Moog came across plans for building the instrument in an electronics magazine. Invented by Russian physicist Léon Theremin in 1920, the theremin was one of the world's first electronic instruments and certainly its most unusual, played without any physical contact by moving one's hands in the air around two metal antennas.

"I was immediately fascinated by the theremin," Moog recalled in a 1997 interview. "Here was an instrument that combined electronics and music in a way that seemed almost magical."

Young Moog built his first theremin from those magazine plans, marking the beginning of a lifelong journey in electronic music. In 1954, at just 19 years old, he founded R.A. Moog Co., selling theremin kits by mail order.

Moog's Theremin Legacy

While Moog would go on to revolutionize electronic music with his voltage-controlled synthesizers in the 1960s, he never lost his passion for the theremin. In fact, the principles he learned from studying and building theremins directly informed his later innovations.

"The theremin taught me about pitch control through voltage," Moog explained. "That concept became central to the development of the Moog synthesizer."

Throughout his career, Moog continued to refine and produce theremins alongside his other instruments. The Moog Music Etherwave, introduced in 1996, became a modern standard, prized for its stability and tonal quality.

Clara Rockmore, widely considered the greatest theremin virtuoso, praised Moog's contributions: "Bob understood the theremin not just as an engineer, but as someone who truly appreciated its musical potential."

The Theremin in Popular Culture

While the theremin had long been associated with science fiction soundtracks and avant-garde compositions, Moog's promotion of the instrument helped bring it to wider attention.

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page famously used a Moog theremin in live performances of "Whole Lotta Love," creating otherworldly swoops and dives that became a highlight of the band's shows.

Meanwhile, Beach Boys maestro Brian Wilson incorporated the theremin's eerie tones into "Good Vibrations," helping to create one of the most iconic pop songs of the 1960s.

"The theremin has this incredible expressive capability," notes film composer Mark Mothersbaugh, who has used Moog theremins in numerous scores. "It can sound like a human voice, or like something completely alien. It's endlessly fascinating."

The Theremin Today

In the years since Bob Moog's passing in 2005, the theremin has continued to captivate musicians and audiences alike. Modern artists like Pamelia Stickney and Carolina Eyck have pushed the boundaries of theremin performance, demonstrating its potential as a serious classical instrument.

At the same time, a new generation of electronic musicians has embraced the theremin's unique sound. Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, known for his innovative approach to texture and timbre, has incorporated the theremin into the band's dense sonic landscapes.

The Moog Music Theremini, introduced in 2014, brought pitch correction and built-in effects to the instrument, making it more accessible to beginners while still offering depth for experienced players.

A Lasting Legacy

Today, the theremin stands as a testament to the enduring allure of electronic music in its purest form. Its hands-off interface continues to challenge our notions of what constitutes a musical instrument, while its ethereal tones remain instantly recognizable to audiences worldwide.

For Bob Moog, the theremin was more than just an early business venture or a stepping stone to greater innovations. It represented the perfect synthesis of technology and artistry, a concept that would guide his entire career.

"The theremin reminds us that music is, at its heart, about expression and emotion," Moog once said. "Whether it's a theremin or a synthesizer or any other instrument, what matters is the connection between the musician and the sound."

As we listen to the wavering, wonderful tones of a theremin, we're hearing not just the legacy of Léon Theremin, but of Bob Moog as well—a man who dedicated his life to expanding the frontiers of electronic sound and who never forgot the instrument that first sparked his imagination.