The Minimoog

The compact modular synth that revolutionized electronic music.

1970 saw the release of the Minimoog; a small, 3-octave synthesizer with fairly less controls than other synthesizers present at the time. Modular synthesizers, the common synthesizers at the time, were huge machines operated by vast amount of buttons, patch cables and configurations. For the synthesizer to really break through it needed a simplification: this was exactly what the Minimoog had to offer. It had three VCO's (sound generators), a filter and an ADS envelope (known today as the ADSR-envelope) all easily configured by the iconic knobs and buttons placed on the front panel. The machine was placed inside a beautiful wood cabinet, and with the front angled upwards, it became a well known symbol of what a synthesizer is. Besides the less advanced controls and design, the Minimoog overruled the current market of synthesizers with one very important thing: size. It wasn't more difficult to transport a Minimoog than a guitar amp, which made it possible for bands like Kraftwerk to easily tour the world with it.

For Kraftwerk, the Minimoog was one of their old trotters. They made frequent use of it, since the early days of "Ralf und Florian" (can be seen on the back cover) up till touring with "Computerwelt" in the early 80'ies. The deep sounds of the Moog's VCO's and filters became a signature sound for Kraftwerk, as they later used more Moog equipment like the Polymoog or the Micromoog. It helped them produce the warm and fat sounds of their melodious soundscapes, and also placing themselves on the musical world map with a completely new and unheard sound: the Kraftwerk sound.

Ralf und Florian live on German TV in 1973, performing the romantic "Tanzmusik" from "Ralf und Florian". A young Wolfgang Flür can be seen playing drums, allegedly his first performance with Kraftwerk. Ralf can be seen playing the Minimoog, the small keyboard at his left.