Robert Moog, the man whose musical synthesizers bore his name, died of a brain tumor Sunday at his home in Asheville, North Carolina.
He created the first Moog synthesizer in 1963 and marketed the more portable mini-Moog in 1970.
His synthesizer used electronics to allow musicians to generate a range of sounds they could not have created with traditional instruments.
The Beatles used a Moog synthesizer on their 1969 Abbey Road album and the instrument was later used by Manfred Mann, the group Yes and Herbie Hancock.
The current president of Moog Music, Michael Adams, said Mr. Moog changed the way music was produced, and ultimately the way it sounded.
Robert Moog was awarded a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 1970.
He was 71 years old.