"With a new introduction by Stephen C. Ruppenthal, as well as a few pages of testimonials from people who learned from and were inspired by Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls, from Suzanne Ciani and Todd Barton, to Dave Smith, Dave Rossum, Serge Tcherepnin, Dieter Doepfer and Tony Rolando. The book has a new cover, compliments of Allen and Pat's daughter Erin Strange, who did a wonderful job of creating a new design that carries the spirit of the original 1972 cover into this new edition. The text of book is faithful to the second edition of Allen Strange's Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls, published in 1983 by Wm. C. Brown Company."
"This video is a historical, technical, and musical deep dive into the Buchla 100 Series Modular System at the Mills College Center for Contemporary Music. This instrument was the first voltage controllable modular synthesizer built by Don Buchla—it was delivered to the San Francisco Tape Music Center in the mid-1960s.
In this video we’ll start with a brief historical overview of the Buchla 100 Series Modular System and the San Francisco Tape Music Center. Then, we’ll unpack everything that’s inside the instrument module by module. Finally, I’ll share some of the quirks of this particular instrument, and lots of patch examples to illustrate its unique voice and character.
As I was getting to know this instrument, I tried to keep in mind the circumstances surrounding its development—the people who contributed to it, the time in which it emerged, and the state of electronic music at the time of its invention. These thoughts greatly inspired my approach to working with the instrument and are present throughout this video.
It’s a rare opportunity to be able to work with a historical instrument like this one. I have always been super inspired by Buchla’s work in general, but like many people have had few opportunities to work with his original instruments. Instead, much of my experience has been through newer instruments inspired by his designs. Being able to work closely with this instrument was an incredibly inspiring and clarifying experience that allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of Buchla’s own creative and technical development, as well as the multitude of music, modern modules, and instruments that have been inspired by his work.
Special thank you to Mills College for letting us spend a week in the electronic music studio working with the Buchla 100; to The Buchla Archives and Ryan Gaston for helping to put this video together; and also to all of the amazing folks in my Patreon community for your support in helping to bring educational projects like this one to life!
Learn more / join the waitlist for Learning Sound and Synthesis, my online modular synthesis and sound design class: https://www.soundandsynthesis.com
Join my Patreon community for behind-the-scenes content, unreleased music, and extended tutorials: sarahbellereid
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Historical Overview: Buchla 100 + the San Francisco Tape Music Center
7:38 Mills Buchla 100 System Overview
14:27 Timbre in the Mills Buchla 100
18:29 Chaos in the Mills Buchla 100
21:52 Voltage Control Quirks
25:00 Sequencing Tactics: Triggered Segments
30:40 Sequencing Tactics: Extended Sequences
32:06 More Patches + Sounds
32:36 Ring Modulated Reverb Patch
34:40 Keyboard Chaos Patch
36:55 Gated Voice Patch
38:29 Wonky Drum Machine Patch
38:57 Triggered Gestures Patch
39:14 Transposed FM Sequence Patch
39:48 Bell Tones Patch
40:27 Touch Controlled Ratchet Patch
41:00 Sequenced Melodic Patch
Sarah Belle Reid is a performer-composer, active in the fields of electroacoustic trumpet performance, intermedia arts, music technology, and improvisation.
"In the Spring of 2024, Reid spent a week at the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College, where she worked closely with their original Buchla 100 modular synthesizer system. This specific instrument’s historical significance can’t be overstated. It was the very first voltage controllable modular synthesizer that the now-famous artist, inventor, and electronic musical instrument designer Donald Buchla built in the mid 1960s—indeed, one of the very first modular synthesizers altogether. In its time, this specific system has been used by countless inspiring and influential musicians, such as Pauline Oliveros, Morton Subotnick, Suzanne Ciani, Warner Jepson, and others.
The video begins with a brief historical overview of the Buchla 100 Series Modular System and the San Francisco Tape Music Center. Then, Reid unpacks everything that’s inside the instrument module by module, with sound demos and examples. Finally, she shares some of the unique quirks of the Mills Buchla 100 instrument, and patch examples of how the instrument can be used to create a wide range of music and sounds."
"In this episode I use the MARF as a sequential switch for the MEMS Project 245 sequencer in multiple different ways. The combination eventually becomes a 5x4 matrix sequencer!!!"
The playlist currently starts with Kyle and Robert recreating a patch from Suzanne Ciani's "Buchla Concerts 1975" on the Buchla-format Multiple Arbitrary Function Generator Model 248, aka "the MARF".
This one is in via Stefan who had the following to say about it:
"Yesterday evening 19th october, i was lucky enough to see and hear Suzanne Ciani performing live with her Buchla system in quadraphonic, together with an orchestra.
It was an amazing concert. On the site of Metropole Orkest there is more in depth info and interviews with Suzanne Ciani and Simon Dobson and the arrangers. Someone uploaded a short video [above].
Afterwards there was a standing ovation :"
Suzanne Ciani + Metropole Orkest standing ovation. ADE 2022
video upload by osixoone sevenone
"Hello fans of Allen Strange and electronic music:
In June 2018, I was looking to buy a copy of Allen Strange's Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls, at a time when I was getting back into electronics and electronic music after an almost 30-year hiatus. I had vague recollections of a copy in the Electronic Music Studio at York University, where I made my first explorations into sound synthesis. The spine was gone and it was mostly a pile of papers stuffed into a folder. Finding that the only copies available were either poorly scanned PDFs, and used copies for sale online for hundreds of dollars, I was disheartened, to say the least. But I had a thought: what about finding the copyright holder and getting permission to reprint a few copies? It couldn't be that hard, right? I work at a university with lots of resources, so I should be able to figure out how to do it. AND, that way I'd be able to contribute something to the electronic music communities that I'd started to join, such as modwiggler.com, modulargrid.net, and other online forums, and who had been so welcoming, sharing all their collective knowledge and wisdom. These were places where I had heard about Allen Strange's Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls, in the first place.
I started a thread on Modwiggler to gauge interest. The interest was overwhelming, and motivating. After tracking down the original publisher, it took time to find out who currently owns the copyright. With the endless help and advice of librarians Ann Ludbrook and Sally Wilson at my school who specialize in e-publishing and copyright, we got to work. One of them tracked down Allen's partner Pat and helped ensure that the family once again held title to the work, and Pat agreed to let us give this whole Kickstarter a shot, and sent us her copy of Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls to disassemble and scan. Working with library staff and my research assistant Heidi Chan, we worked to get the book digitized, and ready for reproduction. One of the biggest challenges was to replace all the images of modules. That work fell to Heidi, who scoured the internet for people who still owned the original modules and synths used in the book, getting them to take new photographs for us to use. In some cases, the original designers of some of the modules no longer had them, but they helped us track down modules and acquire new images. With Pat's help, we have added a new introduction by Stephen C. Ruppenthal, as well as a few pages of testimonials from people who learned from and were inspired by Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls, from Suzanne Ciani and Todd Barton, to Dave Smith, Dave Rossum, Serge Tcherepnin, Dieter Doepfer and Tony Rolando. The book has a new cover, compliments of Allen and Pat's daughter Erin Strange, who did a wonderful job of creating a new design that carries the spirit of the original 1972 cover into this new edition. The text of book is faithful to the second edition of Allen Strange's Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls, published in 1983 by Wm. C. Brown Company.
Republishing Allen Strange's Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls, has been a four-year project since its inception. The goal, from the beginning, has been to bring this important work back into the hands of fans of the original, students and teachers of the history of electronic music, musicians and electronic music practitioners, and designers of electronic music systems. We have permission to make Allen's work available in print and electronic form from Pat Strange who holds the copyright, and Pat has been actively guiding our efforts through much of the project. At present, Allen Strange's Electronic Music: System, Techniques and Controls, will only be available through this Kickstarter.
In Pat's own words (from the preface): "Since it's first edition in 1972, Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques and Controls has been acknowledged as the definitive text on modular synthesis. In today’s musical community analogue techniques have made a resurgence among many musicians and composers. The idea of a republication has been in the works for many years and the timing of doing it now just made sense. I am very grateful to Jason Nolan, Ann Ludbrook and the team at Toronto Metropolitan University who saw the importance of this endeavor as well as taking on the task of bring this book back to life. I am so appreciative of their attention to preserving the quality of the book and respecting its content. I know that this project would have meant a lot to Allen, specifically in knowing that his techniques and teachings are continuing to influence the future of electronic music."
This is a non-profit project. Costs involved are royalties, production, logistics and shipping costs. Any residual funds will be donated to community music initiatives focusing on electronic music and electronic music learning. At present two organizations have agreed to receive funds, but we will identify more (in Europe next) depending on the amount of residual funds. These organizations are the Canadian Accessible Musical Instrument Network (http://camin.network) and the Willie Mae Rock Camp (https://www.williemaerockcamp.org).
Finally, I would like to thank Walker Farrell for the wonderful Kickstarter video.
Thank you to all supporters for being part of this project.
"Renowned composer and synth pioneer Suzanne Ciani walks us through the modules, effects, and software in her live performance system in this episode of Patch Work."
"Ciao a tutti e bentornati o benvenuti ai video del Soundmit, vi ricordo che potrete vedere i precedenti video sul nostro canale all’indirizzo www.soundmit.com/youtube e se vi piacciono, iscrivetevi e seguiteci anche sui nostri canali social all’indirizzo www.soundmit.com/social
Riprendiamo le nostre pillole letterarie con una serie nella serie, ci occuperemo infatti di una serie di 5 libri relativamente nuovi, scritti da Kim Bjorn, designer, DJ e scrittore Danese che abbiamo avuto il piacere di ospitare diverse volte al nostro Soundmit.
Andiamo in ordine cronologico parlando del libro che ha dato il via alla serie ovvero, PUSH TURN MOVE!
Come vedete, qui con me ne ho due copie, in realtà sono due edizioni differenti. La seconda, leggermente più sottile ma con eguale numero di pagine, è stata rivista recentemente e riallineata all’impostazione grafica dei volumi usciti successivamente.
Sono anche stati rivisti in parte i contenuti, infatti non troveremo alcune interviste e alcune considerazioni su prodotti di aziende che non esistono più o che hanno sospeso le attività, in favore di nuovi e più aggiornati contenuti.
Animoog Z | Suzanne Ciani | Currents video upload by Moog Music
"Electronic music pioneer and modular synthesis icon Suzanne Ciani invites you inside her seaside home studio for a dynamic improvised composition that demonstrates the unique sonic character of Animoog Z integrated with her Buchla modular system.
In the hands of one of Animoog’s earliest adopters, “Currents” presents a captivating representation of the evolved app’s striking new visual and auditory features, incorporating imported and enhanced presets from the original Animoog. An “unexpectedly powerfully expressive tool” for live performance, according to Ciani, Animoog has been a staple of the five-time Grammy award-nominated composer’s musical repertoire for years.
Released in 2011, the original Animoog changed the face of iOS music production with its innovative approach to dimensional sound design and uniquely interactive touch surface interface. A full decade later, we have completely redesigned the instrument with more powerful functionality and creative workflows for the next generation of producers and sound designers.
Animoog Z is an inspiring 16-voice polyphonic synthesizer that invites users to explore new concepts of multidimensional sound and performance. The instrument is powered by an innovative Anisotropic Synth Engine (ASE), which utilizes an orbit system to expand the concepts of wavetable and vector synthesis. This unique synthesis concept allows for dynamic navigation through the app’s X, Y, and Z axes for evolving and layered sound.
Free for all iOS and macOS users to download and immediately explore, Animoog Z also offers an upgrade option that unlocks the full sonic potential of the synthesizer.
"Second attempt of Suzanne Ciani inspired synthesis. Synthesizers.com system with new Eventide H9. Also Alesis Quadraverb II,
Moog MF-104m delay and Analog Chorus."
SISTERS WITH TRANSISTORS is the remarkable untold story of electronic music’s female pioneers, composers who embraced machines and their liberating technologies to utterly transform how we produce and listen to music today. Theremins, synthesizers and feedback machines abound in this glorious ode to the women who helped shape, not just electronic music but the contemporary soundscape as we know it.
Avant-garde composer Laurie Anderson narration accompanies fascinating archival footage to trace the history of the technological experimentation of sound, the deconstruction of its parts and the manipulation into something altogether other. While traversing a range of musical approaches and personalities, from academia to outsider art to television commercials, we meet Clara Rockmore, Bebe Barron, Suzanne Ciani, Laurie Spiegel, Daphne Oram, Pauline Oliveros, Delia Derbyshire and Eliane Radigue, fascinating and enigmatic musical geniuses and their peculiar way of hearing the world.
"So this is the first Mycelium Symposium, an online event dedicated to modular and virtual modular. Here is a rough timetable of the performances, workshops, and presentations :
This is all in the CET time zone (GMT+1) 18.00 - Performance, Giovanni Gramegna (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcTH...) 18.16 - Performance, Stellar 53 - Journey to Saturn (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdk2...) 18.28 - Presentation, VCV Rack Ideas - Ambient Techno Patch in VCV Rack (https://www.youtube.com/vcvrackideas) 18.40 - Performance, Zen Wires - Welcoming Spring (https://modularzen.com/) 18.56 - Break 19.06 - Performance, Pyer - right on time (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC74_...) 19.20 - Performance, Rheyne - Unsettled Evocation (https://www.youtube.com/user/RheyneMusic) 19.36 - Presentation, Jakub Ciupinski - VCV Rack Hacks (http://www.jakubciupinski.com/) 19.47 - Performance, Synthikat - Zen Garden (https://www.youtube.com/synthikat) 19.59 - Workshop, Pyer - Suzanne Ciani’s Buchla Cookbook in VCV Rack (https://www.pyer.be/ciani.html) 20.15 - Break 20.25 - Workshop, Instruō - Patching the Cš-L in VCV Rack (https://www.instruomodular.com/) 21.06 - Performance, Deev Bennes - Sublingual (https://www.youtube.com/user/deevje) 21.23 - Break 21.33 - Workshop, Sarah Belle Reid - Acoustic Instruments and VCV Rack (https://www.patreon.com/sarahbellereid / https://www.soundandsynthesis.com/) 21.49 - Performance, Martin Lueders - La-vie (https://www.youtube.com/user/mlu2006) 22.07 - Presentation, Hora Music - Deep and Bicephalous (https://www.hora-music.be/) 22.15 - Performance, BrokenSines - Californium (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjec...) 22.37 - Presentation - Midilar (https://midilar-controller.webnode.sk/) 22.52 - Break 23.02 - Workshop, The Klirrfaktor - Why and How to code your first VCV Rack module (http://klirrfactory.com/) 23.51 - Performance, Omri Cohen - Rain keeps falling"
La sua vita con il Buchla, dalla fabbrica sulla West Coast al suo ruolo di compositrice e di donna nel mondo della musica elettronica degli ultimi 50 anni.
Suzanne is a five-time Grammy award-nominated composer, electronic music pioneer, and neo-classical recording artist who has released over 20 solo albums including "Seven Waves," and "The Velocity of Love," along with a landmark quad LP “LIVE Quadraphonic,” which restarted her Buchla modular performances. Her work has been featured in films, games, and countless commercials as well.
She was inducted into the first class of Keyboard Magazine's Hall of Fame alongside other synth luminaries, including Bob Moog, Don Buchla and Dave Smith and received the Moog Innovation Award. Most recently, she is the recipient of the Independent Icon Award from A2IM.
Suzanne has provided the voice and sounds for Bally's groundbreaking "Xenon" pinball machine, created Coca-Cola’s pop-and-pour sound, designed logos for Fortune 500 companies, and carved out a niche as one of the most creatively successful female composers in the world. A Life in Waves, a documentary about Ciani’s life and work, debuted at SXSW in 2017 and is available to watch on all digital platforms.
Ciani is a graduate of Wellesley College and holds a Masters in Music Composition from the University of California, Berkeley."
This year's SOUNDMIT 2020 is going virtual. The event begins on Saturday November 14. Videos will of be going up here on MATRIXSYNTH. Above are two playlists featuring guests and exhibitors. Many exhibitors will be giving discounts. Keep an eye on the SOUNDMIT label on the top left of the site for posts.
THE GUESTS
Roger Linn interviewed by Robin Vincent, Dave Smith interviewed by Soundmit and Felice Manzo (LEMI), Suzanne Ciani interviewed by Johann Merrich, Hainbach, Paolo Synthmania live session and Q/A, Tulpa Dusha live modular session and Q/A, Chris Meyer of Learning Modular live session and Q/A, Roby Facchinetti (POOH) interviewd by Danilo Ballo, Riccardo Mazza workshop about “Soundtrack for Silent movie”, Vladimir Kuzmin interviewed by Giulio Curiel.
THE EXHIBITORS
At the time of writing, over 60 exhibitors have joined the event, the full list will be available on website in the coming days and will be constantly updated.
The PERFORMERS
We will also have a substantial live music section with internationally renowned musicians including
Benge
Doug Lynner
Illusion of Safety
thanks to the partnership with Modulisme.info together with the artists of
Torino Modulare
Milano Modulare
Genova Modulare
Sideshape Recordings
Now available for pre-order worldwide, PATCH & TWEAK with Moog is the ultimate resource for Moog synthesizer enthusiasts and all artists interested in an immersive modular synthesis experience.
Author, designer, and electronic musician Kim Bjørn has inspired thousands to explore the world of modular synthesis with his 2018 release of PATCH & TWEAK. Inside PATCH & TWEAK with Moog, readers can expect to embark on a new journey of discovering and understanding electronic sound.
The new hardcover book focuses extensively on all five members of the Moog semi-modular family—Mother-32, DFAM, Subharmonicon, Grandmother, and Matriarch—and features 200 pages full of…
Basic, intermediate, and advanced synthesizer techniques
Creative patch ideas and sound design tips
Inspiring interviews with artists like Suzanne Ciani, Trent Reznor, Lisa Bella Donna, Paris Strother, Hannes Bieger, and Moog synthesizer co-inventor Herb Deutsch
In-depth discussions with Moog engineers and never-before-seen photos from the Moog factory
Stories behind vintage Moog instruments, the history of Moog Music, and the incredible legacy of Dr. Bob Moog
Whether you're new to modular or looking for creative perspectives to expand your process, this book will inspire you. We feel honored to have been a part of its creation, and we can't wait for you to read it."
Some serious synth action in this. Curious what was used. The year was supposedly 1979.
Update: CR Wallace in the comments suggested this might be from Suzanne Ciani who was doing commercials for Coke at the time. That would make sense; from this happy birthday post: "In 1974 she formed her own company, Ciani/Musica, and, using a Buchla Analog Modular Synthesizer, composed scores for television commercials for corporations such as Coca-Cola, Merrill Lynch, AT&T and General Electric."
The Pyjama Cookbook A guide to self-feeding by KORG Germany and friends.
Learn out to make a mean Margarita from Sequential's Dave Smith, and a cheese toasty from Korg's Tats, amongst others:
- Alison Tavel: Smokey Maple Whiskey Quarantinis
- Alison Tavel: Do-It-Yourself Dumplings
- Alva Noto: Japanese Cucumber Salad
- Afrorack: DIY Yet To Be Named Breakfast
- Carys Huws: Orange-Infused Cold Brew Coffee
- Dave Smith: Margarita
- Deradoorian: Palak Paneer
- Dorian Concept: Potato-“Sterz” With Oven-Roasted Radish
- Fumio Mieda: Raw Egg On Rice
- Ģirts Ozoliņš: Spring Chicken In Vegetable Pyjama Under Couscous Blanket
- Gudrun Gut: “Widerstandskräftebrei”
- Hiele: Boon Bootje 34 Interstellar Funk: Dutch Apple Pie
- Joan La Barbara: “Available Ingredients” With Morton Subotnick
- Loopop: Dark Chocolate Cookies With Face Melting White Chocolate Core
- Lydia Glup: Gomasio (Japanese Seasoned Sesame Salt)
- Marco Passarani: Pasta e Fagioli
- Mark Verbos: Carnitas Tacos
- Matias Aguayo: Original Panamericano Fish Taco
- Maximilian Rest: Sunday Raisin Buns
- Peter Kirn: Lebanese Mujaddara with Riz
- Piotr Raczyński: Polish Sour
- Solitary Dancer: Pasta Vongole
- Solitary Dancer: Smash Burger
- Suzanne Ciani: Special Sunday Dinner – Pasta Alla Genovese
- Tatsuya Takahashi: Cheese Toasty
- Thomas Fehlmann: Swissy Spicy Pizza
- Objekt: Lightning Fast Soda Bread
- Václav Peloušek: Sunflower Gnocchi With Dried Tomatoes For Two
- Verena Glup: Golden Soup
Intro from Korg's Tatsuya Takahashi:
"The Pyjama Cookbook A guide to self-feeding by KORG Germany and friends.
As our small team of Verena, Lydia, Max and I clamber to get KORG Germany off the ground, we occasionally swap cooking recipes. What a lifesaver. Because who isn’t tired of their own cooking by now? And why not collect more and share? The aim of The Pyjama Cookbook is to share the favourite concoctions from our friends from all parts of music, in the hope of instilling solidarity and encouraging friendship during these extraordinary times. Well. It’s also just for laughs. Have fun."
