The Buchla Archives & The Garden Weasel

Richard Smith & Ryan Gaston have a launched a new website dedicated to Buchla, aptly named The Buchla Archives.

If you are curious what The Garden Weasel references, see his latest post here.

You'll find images never shared before.

From the home page:

"For years now, I have had what might be described as an unhealthy obsession with the musical instruments produced by the artist Donald Buchla—as well as the mystery that surrounds his designs and the philosophies at work in his obscure musical artifacts. My experience during this time included a decade-long friendship and apprenticeship with Don, in which I was involved in instrument construction, marketing, conceptual design, and the maintenance of both his modern and vintage creations.

The Buchla Archives is the result of over twenty years of work collecting and cataloging everything that I could pertaining to the development of Buchla's unique body of work. Today, the archive includes a significant collection of documentation, ranging from schematics and production files to user manuals, software, photographs, sketches, correspondences, and much more. Additionally, the Buchla Archives collection includes meticulously restored, functional, original examples of nearly every Buchla instrument ever created—in some cases, the only remaining fully functional examples of their kind, altogether.

The Buchla Archives mission is to thoroughly, thoughtfully, and respectfully document and preserve this peculiar piece of music history: the instruments, the documents, their story, and the ideas that led to their creation.


Richard Smith
The Buchla Archives"

https://www.buchlaarchives.com

Buchla 200e Electric Music Box Modular Synthesizer with 201e-12 and Flight Case

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Buchla 200e modular system in a 201e-12 Powered Cabinet also included is the original white Buchla flight case that fits the system for added protection while moving or storing

Included are all the cables you will need to start patching, 12 Tiny jack audio cables, 12 Pomona banana cables for CV and 4 Pomona Double Banana Stackable shorting Bars to connect the 281e outs to the 291e inputs, power supply and also a J&R e-Ray 12 LED light for the 201e-12 powered cabinet.

Here is a list of the Buchla 200e system:
- Dual Arbitrary Function Generator Model 250e
- Uncertainty Source / Dual Filter Model 267e
- Mixer / Preset Manager Model 206e
- Twisted Waveform Generator Model 259e
- Complex Waveform Generator Model 261e
- Quad Function Generator Model 281e
- Quad Dynamics Manager Model 292e
- Frequency Shifter / Balanced Modulator Model 285e
- Keen Association Polyphonic Touch’n’Run Voltage Array Model 220
- 201e-12 Powered Cabinet - A three-boat cabinet designed to accommodate up to 12 200-series modules
- Original Buchla White Flight Case for the 201e-12 Powered Cabinet
- J&R e-Ray 12 LED light for 201e-12 Powered Cabinet
- 12 Pomona Stackable Banana cables of various lengths for routing CV signals
- 12 Tini-Jax cables of various lengths routing audio signals
- 4 Black Pomona Double Banana Stackable Shorting Bars
- Buchla Accessory Bag
- Buchla USA Easel Weasel Sticker

The list price for this system configuration is around $16,300

I bought this complete system used last year for around 20% off list prices and love it very much but family needs have come up and I am forced to part with it. I am starting bidding out at more than 45% off list prices, synth dreams can come true!"

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More Weasel

weasel3
Published on Mar 2, 2013 dkimcg·147 videos

"Better view of the weasel."

weaselturn2
Published on Mar 2, 2013

"progress update on my Buchla weasel project."

Follow-up to sasquatch weasel

Buchla 200e - Weasel Easel

YouTube Uploaded by djangosfire on Jan 18, 2012

"Experimenting w/ different small Buchla layouts. I nicknamed this one: "Weasel Easel" . . . just for fun of course :)"

After the Buchla Music Easel. Be sure to see Buchla's new Skylab, also Easel inspired, coming to NAMM.

Buchla Music Easel Videos by ghostcode

Published on Feb 6, 2016 ghostcode

Playlist:
weasel 1

improvisation on buchla music easel

Buchla Music Easel Demo Loops - 001

All sounds are from the Buchla Music Easel being looped with an Electro Harmonix 45000. Some of these recordings may include reverb from a Strymon Blue Sky.

eas-05

bemi easel and looper

Buchla Music Easel Packing / Shipping Box

What you would see if you are lucky enough to get one.

Some Buchla Weasel synth art.

Pic in via Brian Comnes

Chris Muir and His Buchla 200e Live, April 15 2007 SF

As you might recall, I've posted a number of Chris Muir's Buchla 200e samples. Well, if you want to see the 200e live, here's your chance.

"I'm playing a gig Sunday, April 15 at 7PM

The ensemble consists of:
Jennifer Hicks butoh/movement
Aurora Josephson Voice
Henry Kaiser Guitar
Chris Muir Buchla 200E
Damon Smith Bass
Weasel Walter Drums

This will be 96% improvisation. Chance of cacophony 100%.

It's my first gig with the Buchla 200e and a custom Max program
driving it, so I'm a little nervous about it. (but in a good way)

Jon Sims Center, 1519 Mission Street, San Francisco
(between 11th Street and South Van Ness)

Marginally more information can be found here:
http://www.xfade.com/gigs/Hicks.html

-C"

Allen Strange RIP

Sad news in via vgermuse:

"I just received an email letting me know that Allen Strange passed away yesterday in Seattle. What a deep loss on so many fronts."

You might remember that Allen Strange recently had to cancel a performance in the Seattle area due to illness. If you do not know who Allen Strange is and his impact to the world of synthesizers, read this short bio (source of image and excerpt below) and then take a look at these previous posts; be sure to check out all the links to more info. He was a pioneer of electronic music and wrote a number of books on the subject. This is a sad day.

The following is a brief excerpt of his accomplishments:
"He received two grants from the San Jose State University Foundation (1969 and 1974) for research into electronic music and in 1970 became professor of music and director of the electronic music studios at the university. In 1973 he attended Chowning's music seminar at Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Center. Strange is one of the leading authorities on analogue electronic music; his Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls (1972) is now a classic text. He also wrote Programming and Meta-Programming the Electro-Organism (1974), the operations manual for the Buchla Music Easel and has documented the 200 Series synthesizers made by Buchla. He co-founded two performance groups, Biome (1967--72), in order to make use of the EMS Synthi, and, with Buchla in 1974, the Electronic Weasel Ensemble. He was president of the International Computer Music Association (1993--8) and has appeared as a guest artist-lecturer throughout the world. With his wife, Patricia, they have recently published The Contemporary Violin: Extended Performance Techniques."

Update via Robin in the comments:
"From the Family of Allen Strange.

Just wanted to thank you all for your kind words. Allen will always be remembered as a loving father, husband and musician. There will be a memorial reception at the Bainbridge Island Music Guild on March 1st at 4 pm. Directions and information can be found at http://www.islandmusic.org/. We are also planning a life celebration for Allen in the Bay Area of California in the next few months, I will be sure to post that info when it gets planned."

Update via the comments:
"The Family of Allen Strange is having a memorial celebration in San Jose on September 13. For more information please see: http://www.allenstrange.com/ and if you plan on attending please RSVP at http://allenstrange.blogspot.com/

-Robin Strange"

Electronic Music by Allen Strange

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"What you don't know does not exist. Without the efforts of MakeNoise and Jason Nolan most of us would not be aware of Allan's book and I would not be able to hold it in my hands and film it. I had no idea Allen Strange used to work and perform with Don Buchla in the Electronic Weasel Ensemble, where Pat Strange played the violin. Instead of alien sounds, they made 'eastcoast' music. We may need stop thinking in synthesis coasts. The book is a bit academic by nature, simply because the modular could only be found at the manufacturers, the university and a privileged group of musicians. So it's a bit like going back to college, and it may not be an easy book for people like me - who never went to college in the first place. This book is a bit out of my league, but I'll definitely revisit it for a few episodes, maybe learn a few new things and share it. It's a goldmine of electronic music knowledge, but it's only valuable if it can be applied. The book makes frequent mentions of classic Buchla 200 series modules. Thanks to TipTop and Buchla, we can enjoy them as if they were made yesterday.

Animations by Kaiber.ai"

weasel test anim

Published on Mar 11, 2013 dkimcg·148 videos

"quick rig to animate the weasel."

More Buchla Music Weasel...

The Buchla Easel Weasel

via Modular The Documentary on Facebook aka I Dream of Wires.

"every synth should have a mascot...here's the 'easel weasel'"

Be sure to see their Indie GoGo page.

54HP Episode 2: West Coast Music Weasel

Published on Mar 16, 2018 Perfect Circuit Audio

"In episode 2 of 54HP we bring you the 'West Coast Music Weasel' which is inspired by west coast style synthesis and the Buchla Music Easel. This case features a complex LFO and S&H, four step sequencer and looping envelope for controlling the other modules, a voltage processor/ring modulator module and a 158 dual oscillator as well as a wave-folder and low pass gate. With this set of modules you can create anything from drones to sequences to generative patches that play themselves."

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Supporters of MATRIXSYNTH get %10 off at Perfect Circuit Audio!

Todd Barton Butoh for Easels

via Todd Barton

"I'm proud to announce the premiere performance of my new piece, Butoh for Easels. On Friday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. at the Schneider Museum of Art on the campus of Southern Oregon University I will be joined by three amazing synthesists: Bruce Bayard, Eden Mononym and Adam Scramstad to perform this piece for 4 Buchla Music Easels (analog synthesizers) in quadraphonic sound space. This is part of our ongoing series: Quadraphonic: Space and Metaphor Not since the 1970’s group, The Electric Weasel Ensemble spearheaded by Don Buchla and Allen Strange, have this many Music Easels been seen and heard in a single performance space. This new composition was created for the reverberant acoustic of the Schneider Museum coupled with a quadraphonic surround-sound system. This will be a unique sonic experience! I know many of you on this list are from out of town and won't be able to be here, but I hope to have good video and audio of the performance available. If you are in town I encourage you to make it -- there is nothing like quadraphonic sound LIVE! Also, there will be exciting solo performances by Eden, Bruce and Adam!

all best wishes,
Todd"

Fun with a Buchla 200e

Title link takes you to a new Buchla 200e doodle, RoundMirrorRolling, via Chris Muir. Scroll down to "The Examples" when you get there. For those of you new to Chris' 200e doodles, be sure to check out the rest there as well.

BTW, Chris has two gigs coming up so if you want to see a 200e live, here's your chance. I wish I was in the area.

two gigs coming up at 21 Grand, in Oakland, CA.

Monday, August 27th with Mark Miller (drums), William Winant (percussion), Henry Kaiser (guitar) and Chris Muir (electronic music box)

and

Sunday, September 2nd with Weasel Walter (percussion), Danielle DeGruttola (cello), Henry Kaiser (guitar) and Chris Muir (electronic music box)

Buchla Music Easel Random Goofiness

Published on Nov 11, 2013 schokokontrol·14 videos

That would be the Buchla Music Weasel mascot.

buchlatest

Published on Nov 14, 2013 BuchlaBum·154 videos

Short but sweet. The Buchla Music Weasel!

Buchla Music Easel

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Check out the weasel below.

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