Raymond Scott

Recently, I found out about US composer and inventor Raymond Scott for the first time. This has been quite a revelation for me, as I had never heard of his inventions, nor did I know that he was responsible for many of the classic Looney Tunes scores (he did not write music for the cartoons; Carl Stalling licensed songs like Powerhouse). A true genius who was a mentor to another giant, Robert Moog, Scott invented one of the early synthesizers (Clavivox), pioneered the use of a monitor over a keyboard for film/tv score work (Videola), and created a mysteriously complex sequencer called the Electronium, pictured below. You can hear many of his electronic pieces and read about his life in the accompanying book that is part of the set entitled Manhattan Research Inc. There is also a rich and fascinating website devoted to Scott, his music and inventions which you can visit here.