Short answers, pulled from the story.
The RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer was a monolithic electronic instrument created in 1957 that required a dedicated room and a team of engineers to operate. This machine contained 750 vacuum tubes and read instructions from punched paper tape, making it a laboratory curiosity rather than a commercial product.
Robert Moog changed the trajectory of music history in 1964 by introducing a modular system that replaced bulky vacuum tubes with voltage-controlled oscillators. His decision to include a conventional keyboard made the instrument accessible to pianists and rock musicians, ensuring its survival in the marketplace.
The year 1970 marked the moment the synthesizer left the laboratory and entered the live performance arena with the release of the Minimoog. This compact instrument fit into a single carrying case and sold in music stores for the first time, allowing artists like Keith Emerson to take the instrument on stage.
In 1983, the Yamaha DX7 shattered the analog dominance of the synthesizer market by introducing frequency modulation synthesis, a digital technology that produced sounds described as harsh, glassy, and chilly. The DX7 was the first synthesizer to sell more than 100,000 units, and its presets became ubiquitous in 1980s pop music.
The conflict escalated in 1982 when the British Musicians' Union attempted to ban synthesizers following a tour by Barry Manilow, sparking controversy over the role of technology in live performance. The American Federation of Musicians initially viewed the instrument as a threat to session musicians, but the category of synthesizer player was eventually accepted.
The synthesizer market experienced a dramatic rebound in the 1990s and 2000s as older analog instruments regained popularity due to their unique, imperfect sounds. This revival was driven by the appeal of organic textures and simpler interfaces, as well as modern surface-mount technology that made analog synthesizers cheaper and faster to manufacture.