Touché: Don Buchla’s Rare Polyphonic Keyboard Instrument

video upload by Sarah Belle Reid

Follow-up to Sarah Belle Reid plays the Buchla Touché

"In this video, I explore an extremely rare electronic instrument called the Touché, created by Buchla and Associates in 1980. Filmed at the Buchla Archives in Vancouver, this is a rare opportunity to hear and see an instrument that very few people have ever encountered firsthand. Only around five Touchés are known to have been built, and very few remain functional today. Because of this, the instrument has remained largely absent from public performance and documentation. This video helps bridge that gap by sharing the Touché’s sound, design, and historical context.

While Don Buchla is best known for his modular synthesizers such as the 100 and 200 Series, he also created a number of non-modular, computer-based instruments that explored new relationships between performance, software, and sound. The Touché is one such instrument. Conceived by Don Buchla in collaboration with composer David Rosenboom, it is a bi-timbral, eight-voice polyphonic keyboard instrument that combines digital sound generation, analog processing, and computer-mediated control.

The video begins with a historical overview of how the Touché grew out of Buchla’s computer-controlled instruments of the 1970s, including the 300 Series systems. From there, the video moves into a detailed walkthrough of Touché’s sound architecture, including many musical demos.
This video was created in collaboration with the Buchla Archives, an organization dedicated to the thorough and thoughtful documentation and preservation of Donald Buchla’s work.

Special thank you to Ryan Gaston and David Rosenboom for research assistance."

Timbre & Digital Nonlinear Waveshaping (Buchla Archives): https://www.buchlaarchives.com/blog/t...

Nova Wind (1983)

video upload by David Rosenboom

"This video, shot informally in the Ensemble Room at Mills College in 1983, contains the only footage known of David Rosenboom playing his 1981 composition Nova Wind from Future Travel. In it, he plays the legendary Touché—digital/analog keyboard instrument produced in collaboration with Donald Buchla in 1979-1980—, violin, piano, and ancillary electronics. A complete studio recording of Future Travel was released first on a vinyl LP by Street Records in 1981 and later on a double-CD from New World Records in 2007."

Circuits and Fingers – Composer-Performer Convergence in Electronic Instrument Designs, Oct 5th

Shasta Cults - self titled album: https://shastacults.bandcamp.com/albu...

Future Travel (David Rosenboom): https://blacktruffle.bandcamp.com/alb...

Daytime Viewing (Jacqueline Humbert & David Rosenboom) https://jacquelinehumbertdavidrosenbo...

Zones of Influence (David Rosenboom) https://davidrosenboom.bandcamp.com/a...

Exploring the 1st Buchla 100 Modular Synthesizer

The Electric Music Box: Exploring a Vintage Buchla 200 Modular System

Free Intro to Modular Synths Course: soundandsynthesis.com/firstsynthpatch

On Being Invisible, David Rosenboom at Western Front, Vancouver, 1977, Part 1

video upload by David Rosenboom

"David Rosenboom, On Being Invisible (1977), video documentation part 1. 58 min. 28 sec. Courtesy of Western Front. ID# WFVDN_7702_03-1."

On Being Invisible, David Rosenboom at Western Front, Vancouver, 1977, Part 2

video upload by David Rosenboom

"David Rosenboom, On Being Invisible (1977), video documentation part 2. 44 min. 35 sec. Courtesy of Western Front. ID# WFVDN_7702_03-2."

ImPulse live at SUPERBOOTH25

video upload by Superbooth Berlin

"Jessica Kert and Stephane Lefrancois perform their ImPulse duo project live at the SB25.

IMPULSE
/ impulse_duo
/ jessyandthechords
https://www.stephanelefrancois.com/

SUPERBOOTH BERLIN
https://www.superbooth.com/en/"

The Origins of the Krell Ambient Generative Synthesizer Patch // Todd Barton at Buchla & Friends

video upload by DivKid

"Join us at Buchla & Friends with the wonderful person that is TODD BARTON! Inspired by the work of Bebe and Louis Barron on the soundtrack to the 1950s film Forbidden Planet, Todd Barton created the classic Krell patch. A generative, ambient patch for modular synthesizers where random voltages influence (at it's most basic) the time, pitch and shape of your notes. We discuss the origins of Krell, the basics of the patch and how to expand it.

The 2026 Buchla & Friends event is happening January 24th-25th, be there, it'll be ace. Info below."

video upload by takao_kurokawa

"Ugomeki: wriggling

Voice:
Bugbrand Chirper System
Buchla Easel Command

Effects:
Chase Bliss Mood MKII, Onward

#bugbrand #modularsynth #ambientmusic #experimentalmusic"

Buchla Improv: Listening to the Decay of This Reality Part II

video upload by djangosfire

"Its been while… ready to share more here on YT. Here is part two of my 01-17-2026 late night Buchla tension filled improv (that I posted on IG) - 'Listening to the Decay of This Reality'. Thank you, Adam Scramstad"

1/17/26 Buchla + Eardrill + JRB + Synthetic Sound Labs + Peavey DDL-3 + CXM 1978

video upload by Cfpp0

"1/17/26 Buchla 258 & 244 & 281 292 + Eardrill Morphun + Synthetic Sound Labs 3650 + JRB VCBF + Peavey DDL-3 + CXM 1978

The Eardrill Morphun is sequencing the Buchla 258d sine/square wave oscillator. I’m playing the Synthetic Sound Labs 3650 manually to control the pitch of the 258d sine/saw wave. Eventually I insert a cycle from the 281 into the Morphun reset jack, which randomizes and disrupts the sequential loop. The sine/saw VCO runs through the 292r, with the gated sine/saw signal panned center on the Mackie Onyx 1640 mixer, while the gated sine/square signal runs through the JRB VCBF filter, modulated by the 281, then through the 292 into the Peavey DDL-3 delay, with the direct output panned slightly right on the Mackie and the delayed output panned left. All three signals have some stereo reverb blended on the CXM 1978."

Buchla Kaleidoscope 24 / Simoom (Easel Command, Cocoquantus, Chase Bliss Lossy, Onward)

video upload by takao_kurokawa

Voice:
Buchla Easel Command, LEM 218
Noisebox by ‪@robotmammal383‬

Effects:
Ciat-Lonbarde Cocoquantus 2
Chase Bliss Mood MKII, Lossy, Onward

#buchla #modularsynth #ambientmusic #experimentalmusic

Easel command rhythm - Buchla 208C

video upload by Roland Klinkenberg

"The Tripple sequencial Voltage Source card (TSVS) is modulating the following: top seq - pitch Complex Oscilator, mid seq - Timbre amount, lower seq - MO frequency modulation amount.
208C sequencer triggers the envelope generator"

259t Timbres | Buchla Tiptop Just Sounds

video upload by VoxModula Archives

"A focused sound exploration of the 259t oscillator within a Buchla Tiptop modular system.
No talking, no explanation — just raw timbres, subtle modulation, and evolving textures recorded live.

This session explores the tonal range and character of the 259t through continuous patch interaction and dynamic sound shaping.

🎛️ System used
• Buchla Tiptop modular system
• 259t oscillator"

Buchla Kaleidoscope 23/ The Mountain Vibrates (Easel Command, Torso Electronincs S-4)

video upload by takao_kurokawa

"all the sound sources are from the Buchla Easel Command, recorded on the fly.
and each of the 4 tracks of Torso Electronics S-4 acts as a different granular/resonator effector and looper.

#buchla #modularsynth #ambientmusic #experimentalmusic"

Sarah Belle Reid plays the Buchla Touché

video upload by Sarah Belle Reid

"An improvisation on the Touché, at the Buchla Archives in Vancouver, BC. The Touché is an extremely rare 8-voice bi-timbral digital instrument designed by Don Buchla in 1980, with software (FOIL) by David Rosenboom.

If you're curious to learn more about the history of this instrument and how it works technically, join me next week (Jan. 20th) for the premiere of an in-depth video walkthrough of the Touché (here on my YT channel).

Join me on Patreon!
patreon.com/sarahbellereid

Sarah Belle Reid is a Canadian performer-composer, active in the fields of electroacoustic trumpet performance, intermedia arts, music technology, and improvisation.

www.sarahbellereid.com"

ARPf returns to the West Coast!

via The Alan R Pearlman Foundation

ARPf returns to the West Coast!

Yep - we're headed back to California for NAMM - and more! Here's the scoop:

Events

Thursday January 22:
Registration opens for our NAMM giveaway!
Friday January 23:
Anthony Marinelli at our booth

Blue Meanie All Day: See the rarest ARP there is! Nicknamed the "Blue Marvin" after ARP's CFO, Marvin Cohen, due to its bright blue metal case and unique features - while the actual name was "Blue Marvin," the nickname "Blue Meanie" stuck! Only about 25 were made in 1971, making them highly sought after.

ARP 2600: Drew Schlesinger demonstrates patches using the 2600 software included in the Korg Collection VST
Saturday January 24
Artists at our booth - TBA

Giveaways at 4:00pm:

Poster signed by Martin Gore
Soul of the Machine CDs

And one lucky person will win the full Korg Collection 6:

Magical sounds, authentically re-created by KORG.
The ultimate synthesizer suite for the ages.

The KORG Collection is a suite of software synthesizers that methodically and accurately recreates the authentic sound and behavior of legendary KORG synthesizers for the present day and beyond. The KORG Collection project began with analogue synths such as the MS-20, Polysix and Mono/Poly, and has steadily evolved to include digital synths such as the world’s most popular synth, the legendary microKORG, the workstation classics M1 and TRITON, and physical modeling synthesis from the renowned Prophecy. The KORG Collection even includes the ARP ODYSSEY and ARP 2600, both revived for the 21st century by KORG.

In 2025, KORG added three legendary instruments to the KORG Collection – each an icon of its era, celebrated for their distinctive presence and heard over decades in countless classic tracks. The TRINITY, PS-3300 and SGX-2.

As if NAMM weren't enough all on its own - there's Buchla & Friends on Sunday, January 24.

Buchla & Friends is January’s biggest two-day collection of hands-on synths on the West Coast! If you love creative sound, you need to be here. With a pre-party on Thursday, afterparty on Saturday, and two days of exploring all the greatest gear, Buchla & Friends is an essential start to the new year.

They're gathering over 90 synth makers in one awesome Downtown Los Angeles location so you can learn, listen, and live the latest in electronic music sound production. This hands-on, headphones-only gathering gives you a chance to hear the best sounds science has ever created. From additive to subtractive, analog to digital, keyboards to breath, audio to visual, modular to full-size polyphonic, eurorack to Serge to Buchla, you’ll meet synth makers and synth enthusiasts alike.

Register on eventbrite: https://bnf26.eventbrite.com

NAMMSALE!

We're celebrating NAMM with a sale - up to 15% off everything in the shop!

Bugbrand Chirper Study 33 / Blue Weevil Squeeze (Chirper, Easel Command)

video upload by takao_kurokawa

Voice:
Bugbrand Chirper (featuring Weevil Module)
Buchla Easel Command

Effects:
Chase Bliss Mood MKII, Onward

#bugbrand #modularsynth #ambientmusic #experimentalmusic

"Pioneer" An Homage to Morton Subotnick ✨ (Buchla / Keen Association / Morphagene)

video upload by Stephano Gavilanes

"An homage to Morton Subotnick, a living legend and pioneer of electronic music💫

This piece was composed using a Buchla CV/MIDI hybrid setup with the @keenassociationmoscow 220 controller, @mangoestrecords Morphagene, Magnetic Freak - Gaussian, and my own audio samples via MIDI👌🏽

Hope you enjoy it!🤙🏼

Music composed and recorded by Stephano Gavilanes.© Copyright 2026. All rights reserved."

TipTop Buchla 200t

video upload by Oxix52

"I sold off my 200e system about 3 years ago. I recently put together a TipTop Audio 200t system. It's been pretty fun. This is a short play with the 259t as the only audio source. I used one non-Buchla module--the Intellijel Springy 2. It's mono output is being sent to the 296t to make it stereo."

Buchla Kaleidoscope 22 / Celestial Moments (Easel Comamnd, Five12 Vector, Pladask Draume, etc.)

video upload by takao_kurokawa

voice: Buchla Easel Command with Tokyo Tape Music Center 291
bass: Bugbrand DRM2
sequence: Five12 vector sequencer
reverb: Pladask Elektrisk DRAUME
glitch: Chase Bliss Onward

#buchla #modularsynth #ambientmusic #experimentalmusic

Ambient Jazz with Delayed Synths and Electric Piano | Detection 2026-01-09 by atnr

video upload by atnr

"It is an ambient jazz composition where delay-processed synthesizer tones are layered with electric piano textures.

On the Music Easel, delay and micro-loop textures are generated using the ‪@ChaseBlissAudio‬ MOOD MKII. Additional tape-style character is added with LOST+FOUND using the GEN LITE effect, along with a subtle layer of reverb.

The CP-88 performs an electric piano tone, processed with its built-in delay and deep reverb applied via the ‪@strymon‬ blueSky.

On the OP-1 field, synth pads are played with the internal reverb set to a deeper level, blending softly into the overall soundscape."

Long Slow Pulsating Gliss

video upload by Todd Barton

"Long Slow Gnarly Pulsating Glissando. This gliss take 4 minute to complete its upward journey. This is accomplished by sending 5v from the Offset of a 256 to the Attack CV input on a 281 Function Generator. This experiment was: send the same CV from the 281 to pitch of both oscillators of a 259 and also to Timber of the Principal and also to Mod Index. The dry signal is going to one channel of the 207 a copy of that is going to a 277r delay with some feedback then onto another channel of the 207. Enjoy!
My Patreon: / synthtodd"

Easel Practice

video upload by Todd Barton

Still learning this patch . . .
My Patreon: / synthtodd