Buchla Phase Locking Symphony
Symphony or Cacophony? Wonderful Buchla Alien Sound-Scape one take improv. Focus is on the analog sounds created with this amazing modular synthesizer. The Space Echo (Roland RE-301 Chorus Echo) is patched into the signal path of the Buchla – the input mix into the RE-301 is manually controlled using gestures from the 222e controller… which is also used as mixing device (controlling the 292e). Everything then is ran through a T-Resonator for stereo reverb.
Buchla: Dalek Dance Party
Background info: Some fairly aggressive analog tones crunching out of the Buchla. The weird main sequence was created and being played using the 281e + 255 and 254v – reminded me of some work I did years ago w/ a VCS3…. Mega FM of the 258v’s second OSC and you get “Dalek Dance Party”
In perfect harmony – Buchla and iPad MidiMe App
Background information:
I am using the Apple camera connector and the MAudio Uno to connect to the Buchla midi port from the iPad. The left XY pad is controlling the symmetry and timbre of the 261e. The right XY pad is controlling the waveshape of the mod osc, the morph of the 259e, and the panning of the 259e. I am playing a mix of the 261e mod and principle oscillators with the keyboard. Delay is from the Korg KP3.
Back to basics: Working OT
Nice demo featuring the Octatrack:
Loaded up the Octatrack with some loops and hits. Everything but the main drum loop is from either the Buchla 200e or old recordings from when I had a eurocrack system. TResonator goes from subtle to downright nasty as I test my limiters. Check your ears and your levels on this one. Slider P-Locks the drum track delays for the pseudo Karplus-Strong sounds.
Buchla FM Drone in action
This is a drone with lots of FM. The mod osc of the 261e is modulating the frequency of the principal osc and the ZOe. The mod osc of the 259e is modulating the frequency and the morph of the principal osc. The pulse wave of the ZOe is going in to the 291e which has the frequency being modulated by one stage of the 281e.
Having fun with the Buchla DARF
A Dual Arbitrary Function Generator (DARF) closeup within a Buchla 200e modular synthesizer.
In this video:
A little self-generating patch with DARF and 266e et al.
Playing 1950s serial music with the Buchla
Incontri di fasce sonore is one of Franco Evangelisti masterpieces. Recorded in 1957 at WDR, Cologne, it is one of the classic scores of the integral serial music era. This is a preliminary study to investigate the possibility of playing 1950s serial music with the Buchla synthesizer and Max/MSP.
“I’ve programmed 315 mixtures of 7 sinusoidal tones in Max/MSP, following the score’s instructions,
then I’ve played them freely in the Buchla, creating a variation piece.”
• Sound generation: MAX/MSP
• Music interface, amplification, spatialization, ring modulation, frequency shifting: Buchla 200e
• Reverb: Jomox T-Resonator
• Reverse mixtures & reverb: EHX2880
marble & Radio
Video featuring the Buchla 200e.
“The Buchla 200e is a 21st century rebirth of the 70’s classic 200 series analog modular systems from Buchla. It is still an analog synthesizer, but with some 21st century improvements, most notably the addition of MIDI control, patch memory storage and digital hybridization. Other improvements include internal MIDI buses, more voltage controlled parameters, a router for signals and control voltages, velocity sensitivity, and a redesigned output section of the complex oscillator module. A few new modules have also been added including a duophonic pitch class generator and a triple morphing filter.
The 200e may be new but it is still a classic modular system. That means potential customers must start with an empty cabinet, and select the synthesis modules from the 200e series to design the system to their personal needs. It is even possible to add some of the original classic 200 series modules to it, and to add the new 200e series modules to an original 200 system. With five cabinet sizes to choose from (from 2 panels to 18 panels), no two systems may look alike, and they can range from just a module or two to the complex analog beast pictured above.
The 200e series is not exactly analog either (nor digital). The 200e series is truly an analog-digital hybrid modular system with an analog user-interface but a state-of-the art underlying electronic system designed to provide stable, dynamic musical sounds with exceptional sonic quality. Buchla’s engineers sought the best possible designs for their modules which meant that in some cases the signal path may be truly analog, while in other cases they may in fact be digital. Almost all analog signals are also controlled by digital componentry for maintaining stability or to enable patch storage, for example. Speaking of patch storage, the 200e will only store knob settings and switch position but not patch cable routings.”
The Buchla goes chip á la C64
Using the 259e for C64 style music. Full length audio at soundcloud.com/7thdansound/bitsandbuchla
The Buchla 259e:
Popular demand does work occasionally – we’ve resurrected and renamed the original 259e Complex Waveform Generator. The new 259e is practically identical to the original, and is replete with all of the original digital waveshaping, aliasing noise, and foldover frequencies. However, we’ve added new self-modifying, screeching, snarling responses that reflect weird internal origins. Hence the name “twisted”.
Otherwise similar to the 261e Complex Waveform Generator, with voltage-controlled modulation of pitch, amplitude, and timbre, both hard and soft synchronization, and pitch tracking.
In conjunction with the model 225e MIDI Manager, the 259e’s pitches respond to internally routed MIDI messages. Up to four 259’s can peacefully co-exist in a single system, each with its private MIDI channel.
As in all 200e series modules, the settings of the 259e’s pots and switches can be memorized as a part of a preset configuration. Provided you have a 225e or a 206e in your system.
Time for some serious Buchla Thunder
Buchla Thunder and 2 PerFourMers (upside up horizontal version) from Katavist on Vimeo.
(audio is the same here as in the original version)
16 improvisations using the Buchla Thunder MIDI-Controller on two Vermona PerFourMers. In the sixth piece (from 7:01) the Thunder plays seven internal sequences (“riffs”) I had recorded beforehand. They can be scaled in real time, which I didn’t do here though.
DATAMASKIN
