Don Buchla

[Paul Dither]

RIP, Mr. West Coast.

http://www.factmag.com/2016/09/16/don-buchla-dies-synthesizer/

[Sacred Synthesis]

A giant has fallen.

[chysn]

Yeah, just about to post this, so thank you. This summer's Subotnick obsession necessarily extended to a Buchla obsession, and I was saddened by this news.

[Paul Dither]

Here's a nice piece by Suzanne Ciani and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith featuring the Music Easel and the 200e.

[dslsynth]

Very sad news indeed! My first source was this tweet:
https://twitter.com/kaitlynaurelia/status/776897971078045697

[chysn]

I spent some time a couple weeks ago geeking out on the Buchla website, looking at the modules that make up the 200e and other systems. It was fun to do because the components are both familiar and foreign. The influence of Buchla is obvious in eurorack modules by Make Noise and Pittsburgh Modular and others, specifically things like function generators, complex waveform oscillators, and low pass gates.

As I've learned about these modules, I've wondered why some of these ideas never broke through into mainstream commercial keyboard synthesizers. The low pass gate is particularly distinctive and would be interesting in a Prophet-like analog synth. Function generators are flexible replacements for envelope generators and LFOs, and could certainly find a place.

It's like some big marketing machine decided that the Moog-style substractive synthesis model was the only thing worth doing, in endless variations, but it's not like that at all.

[Paul Dither]

I spent some time a couple weeks ago geeking out on the Buchla website, looking at the modules that make up the 200e and other systems. It was fun to do because the components are both familiar and foreign. The influence of Buchla is obvious in eurorack modules by Make Noise and Pittsburgh Modular and others, specifically things like function generators, complex waveform oscillators, and low pass gates.

As I've learned about these modules, I've wondered why some of these ideas never broke through into mainstream commercial keyboard synthesizers. The low pass gate is particularly distinctive and would be interesting in a Prophet-like analog synth. Function generators are flexible replacements for envelope generators and LFOs, and could certainly find a place.

It's like some big marketing machine decided that the Moog-style substractive synthesis model was the only thing worth doing, in endless variations, but it's not like that at all.

All true. First things first, though: As for reasons of the more recent past, I feel rather glad not to have been be able to afford a Buchla system of any kind (of course that's only half true). I'm talking about the ugly relationship between Buchla and the company of the same name:
http://www.factmag.com/2015/03/25/don-buchla-audio-supermarket-buchla-electronic-musical-instruments-lawsuit/
http://cdm.link/2015/03/synth-pioneer-don-buchla-takes-owners-former-company-court/

As for the type of synthesis: I completely agree, although this time around - by which I mean the time of the resurgence of modular systems - more and more of Buchla's ideas and concepts reach a wider audience thanks to manufacturers like Makenoise, Verbos, and basically anyone, who's following through with a less mainstream product. And with the rise of new controllers and keyboards becoming just one input device amongst many others, lots of opportunities are being created for synths to come to their own right without being tied to the (same) past too much, which was one of Buchla's aims.

Whether there are any chances for some of Buchla's ideas to be implemented in instruments beyond the Eurorack world, I don't know. It would be incredibly cool and to some degree that's almost overdue. I would have hoped for Dave and Don to join forces at some point, but that opportunity is sadly lost now.

[Paul Dither]

[chysn]

Great pic.

Didn't know that about the Buchla company. Last week, Music Easels were in stock, but now they're sold out and back-ordered, so apparently the relationship between the man and the company is not common knowledge.

[DavidDever]

It's a safe assumption, if not an unfortunate one, that most creative types are not necessarily the most legal- or business-savvy when it comes to mergers / acquisitions / licensing deals.

It's always advisable not to use your last name as part of your company or LLC name, unless you're a sole proprietor and have no plans on converting your company to a corporation with / without additional partners / investors, or you plan on winding down the structure at the time of (or before) your death. Otherwise, you have a whole series of additional hoops to jump through with respect to licensing the use of your (last) name by someone else, which (in this case) would have saved a lot of hassle.

Setting that aside: there were two factors that affected the uptake of Don Buchla's synthesis ideas:

• It's much easier to explain the concept of a low-pass filter to a tonally-oriented but technologically simple musician (as might be found within a conservatory setting) than it is to explain what a low-pass gate does (even though it's actually a simpler concept).
• Tip-sleeve jacks with shielded cables are easier to work with in high-RFI environments (such as an amplified live performance), when patching across multiple chassis, than unshielded single-conductor banana cables.

Let's hope Don's ideas carry on into a new generation of modular users that understand what products such as the Music Easel were all about, rather than having to hear the same filter sweeps over-and-over for the next thirty years....

[BobTheDog]

I spent some time a couple weeks ago geeking out on the Buchla website, looking at the modules that make up the 200e and other systems. It was fun to do because the components are both familiar and foreign. The influence of Buchla is obvious in eurorack modules by Make Noise and Pittsburgh Modular and others, specifically things like function generators, complex waveform oscillators, and low pass gates.

As I've learned about these modules, I've wondered why some of these ideas never broke through into mainstream commercial keyboard synthesizers. The low pass gate is particularly distinctive and would be interesting in a Prophet-like analog synth. Function generators are flexible replacements for envelope generators and LFOs, and could certainly find a place.

It's like some big marketing machine decided that the Moog-style substractive synthesis model was the only thing worth doing, in endless variations, but it's not like that at all.

Have you looked at Aalto: http://madronalabs.com/products/aalto

[chysn]

Have you looked at Aalto: http://madronalabs.com/products/aalto

No. I'm vaguely aware that PC-based synths exist.

[dslsynth]

As I've learned about these modules, I've wondered why some of these ideas never broke through into mainstream commercial keyboard synthesizers. The low pass gate is particularly distinctive and would be interesting in a Prophet-like analog synth. Function generators are flexible replacements for envelope generators and LFOs, and could certainly find a place.

Its a very good indication of there being plenty of space for more innovation in the field of MIDI controlled hybrid analog/digital synthesizers!

[dslsynth]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/arts/music/don-buchla-dead.html

His composition “Cicada Music” (1963) calls for “approximately 2,500 six-legged performers.”

I like his style!

[Paul Dither]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/arts/music/don-buchla-dead.html

His composition “Cicada Music” (1963) calls for “approximately 2,500 six-legged performers.”

I like his style!

Haha! I experienced some serious cicada music in Nashville in 2011.

Example:

[Paul Dither]

Looking forward to this documentary:

[Paul Dither]

And a lecture for those of you who can spend 2 hours:

[dslsynth]

Haha! I experienced some serious cicada music in Nashville in 2011.

Sometimes nature exceeds even artistic imaginations!

. o O ( denashing bugville )

Looking forward to this documentary:

I remember seeing the kickstarter page for this documentary when it was started. Was very close to back it.

[dslsynth]

If one and a half hour is enough: How Complicated Could a Metronome Be?


Or if two and a half hour would be better: RBMA Toronto 2007 Lecture


Or if you like it as multiple slices: Don Buchla Interview

[Paul Dither]

Thanks for sharing those!

Or if two and a half hour would be better: RBMA Toronto 2007 Lecture

Argh, if only this interview wasn't done by this incompetent RBMA guy. He also did a very uninspired interview with Dave if I remember correctly.