PATCH & TWEAK with Moog
by Kim Bjørn
(BJOOKS)

Musicians who love making weird sounds and cutting through the din of a loud band, love their Moogs! The synthesizer empire built by Robert Moog, first coming to public consumption in the early 60’s, has been the leading keyboard (and I mean ‘leading’ literally!) for the likes of  Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, and so many others. These days, one can buy ‘build-your-own’ Moog units (I have one) and add to them in any number of glorious ways. But getting sounds out of these machines still takes a little creativity and patience.

Danish, author, designer and musician Kim Bjørn helps would-be Mooger’s get to their sonic promised land in his latest, Patch & Tweak with Moog

The nearly 200-page hardcover covers the ins and outs of how and why Moogs do what they do, across chapters titled,  “Grow & Integrate,” “Shape & Amplify,” and “Filter & Resonate,” to name but a few, plus features interviews with professional synth players explaining how they get their sounds.

A foreword by legend Hans Zimmer kicks the book off in grand style for the adventure ahead. Yes, things do get technical here. Bjørn is writing for a specific audience who wants to learn all they can about these unique instruments. But Patch & Tweak, with Moog, is a one-of-a-kind book for a one-of-a-kind musical instrument brand that has survived the test of time.