3 Oscillators

video upload by Todd Barton

"Using the Portabellabz VCS3 Card as a third oscillator to compliment the 2 Easel oscillators. Also using the Portabellabz ADSR/LPG card to send the VCS3 audio to the LPG. Just a fun and rough experiment."

Portabellabz ADSR:LPG Card Overview

video upload by Todd Barton

"A brief overview of the upcoming Portabellabz ADSR/LPG card. More info here: https://www.portabellabz.be"


ADSR:LPG to 208c video upload by Todd Barton

"The Portabellabz ADSR/LPG card is working great with both my BEMI Easel from 2013 and the new 208c Easel Command."

You can find additional posts featuring the Portabellabz ADSR:LPG Card here.

TTMC 291 BUCHLA Easel Card & nagra

video upload by Tokyo Tape Music Center


video upload by

via TTMC

Voltage Controlled Filter MODEL 291 Card

Depth: 27mm

写真と仕様が変わる場合もございます。

パネルに傷スレある場合もございます。

CV in 0v to +15v

Attention to the power capacity of the easel.

The sound will shake when you touch the card.

Easel pulse noise may be added.

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Buchla Easel with Extras

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

via this auction

Use this code on checkout for $30 off orders of $100 or more from now until December 31: MATRIX30

"Busa 208c

Bemi 218

Buchla boats with custom flamed walnut folding case.

Tool box card

Custom right angle adaptor

SSL 3650 Sequencer in powered flamed walnut boat.

Everything powers from same brick.

Great portable stand alone system, monster with the Complex Percussion in my other sale."

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Buchla Program Manager Card w/ 48 Patch Presets Now Available

video uploads by Buchla

"The Buchla Program Manager is available now! Store your best sonic memories on the Program Manager Card! The PMC takes full advantage of the program interface, storing up to 48 Easel presets and interfacing with your computer with a class-compliant MIDI connection. The Buchla Program Manager App for Mac and Windows gives you the power to manage banks, create programs, and import and export your presets for sharing. Also available is a optional embed kit to install the card into your 208, making it easier to view the screen and keep a lower profile.

Available Now from Dealers and Buchla direct!"

See dealers on the right for availability.

Playlist:
Program Manager Tutorial
Using the Embed Kit to install the Program Manager into the Buchla Easel Command
Buchla Program Manager: Using Both Mode
Buchla Program Manager: Preset Surfer
Buchla Program Manager: App Works In Realtime
Buchla Program Manager Available now!

Remote to Both

video upload by Todd Barton

"A fun little trick with the Buchla Program Manager Card for the Easel."

Buchla Program Manager Easel Card

video upload by Todd Barton

"Exciting news: BuchlaUSA just announced the Program Manager Card for the Easel and they asked me along with other Buchlaphiles to create a set of presets. Here is just one of my presets from my bank of 48. It works with both my BEMI Easel circa 2012 and my Easel Command. Enjoy!

My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/synthtodd"

Dayafter by Baghead

Baghead · Dayafter

"Somber track , showing off the Tokyo Tape Music Center 291 filter, all easel with VCS3 card and 29 filter, the filter kicks in at around 1:18"

destiny+ easel card concepts A

video upload by kirkis

www.destiny-plus.com
Dual morphing phaser
Through zero phase modulation complex oscillator
Dual function source & utilities
Triple entanglement space
Quadrants of tri variance

Buchla Sequencer Expander Card tests

video upload by Todd Barton

"Here is a collection of my first encounters with the cool new Buchla 208c/Easel expander card from rklinkenberg(at)gmail(dot)com
I'm really enjoying this! It opens up new routings and creative synapse paths:
Sequencer, LFO (hi, mid, lo), EG (ADSR), Portamento, and much more . . .
More info here:
https://modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopi...
My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/synthtodd"

Buchla 208 Seq Exp Card

video upload by Todd Barton

"A cool new Buchla 208c/Easel expander card from
rklinkenberg(at)gmail(dot)com
I'm really enjoying this and it opens up new routings and creative synapse paths.
Sequencer, LFO (hi, mid, lo), EG (ADSR), Portamento, and much more . . .
More info here:
https://modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopi..."

Buchla Easel Command 208C - Luna

video upload by TheTrackdriver

"Generative music made on a Buchla Easel Command 208C. Effects comes from a Roland Chorus Echo RE-301 only. The program card in the background has a couple of resistors added and the Korg SQ-1 outputs random pitch variations.

I filmed the moon with a Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 with a Panasonic Leica 100-400mm lens."

Buchla 'Suitcase' System + Extras

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

via this auction

"Complete portable 10U Buchla modular system in excellent condition. This system is akin to a Buchla Skylab with a bevy of extras: banana & audio cables, 1U boat, USB card, etc.

All in great shape excluding small scratch to paint on lid as shown. All modules should be running up-to-date firmware. No plans to break up the system. Thanks for looking!

Includes following:
(6) Buchla & Associates modules:
266e Source of Uncertainty
291e Triple Morphing Filter
206e Mixer/Preset Manager
230e Triple Envelope Tracker
250e Arbitrary Function Generator/Sequencer
259e Complex Oscillator
(2) BEMI half modules w/ bracket:
281h Dual Function Generator
292h Dual Lowpass Gate
(1) Studio.H Control Signal Router module
(1) EDV-Technik MUC810 Polyphonic Midi Converter module w/ DIY Altoids breakout box
(1) optional 1U boat, plate & PSU for MUC810
(1) Butcher 10U Easel-style case with detachable lid, power cable and extension cord
(1) Low Gain Electronics UTL-1/2 Format Jumbler Utility Box
(1) Buchla USB & Firmware card
(1) Buchla card jack
(2) Pomona patch cable holders (no mic stand included)
(35) banana CV cables 8"-36"
(4) shorting bars
(14) Tini-jax audio cables 8"-48"
(18) Tiptop stackable 1/8" cables
(2) Tini-Jax to 1/4" cable
(3) Buchla boxes (206e, 292h, 250e)
Assorted extra Rogan and Selco knobs"

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Desert Rain

Baghead · Desert Rain

"All sounds from single tracked Easel sending two outs, one with 208 Toolbox switching between Easel MO and VCS3 card sounds at random all thru an H9 with Blackhole Centaurus preset, the other out went raw Easel to a Bastl Dark Matter Feedback that self oscillates at time.

Patch is in the image

Enjoy

Bastl Dark MAtterH9"

Buchla Easel Card Doubler

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

via this auction

"Original BUCHLA / BEMI 208 EASEL card doubler.

Allows the simultaneous usage of the iProgram card as preset storage / ipad / wifi control and the use of an analog I/O card like the NorthernLightModular cardOC , cardEM or the BUCHAL AUX card.

The card double also provides an I2C terminal for the USB card to allow firmware updates in a shared system.
It also offers mounting holes for it to be installed in the system permanently to prevent the card bus from rocking and to provide strain relief.

cards not included but available upon request"

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Model 416 Meta Expander V2

Model 416 Meta Expander V2 from gd2 on Vimeo.
Some Meta Patches on the new Model 416 Meta Expander.

With a surprise ending...

via http://guyd2.com/416/

"The Model 416 Meta Expander is a fully-fledged, standalone breakout box for the BEMI/BUSA Music Easel, which provides access to all of the Easel- and Program Card's patch points (effectively doubling the Easel's control voltage possibilities), and greatly extends the Easel's capabilities with useful, built-in modules.

Version 2 is available as either a "full option" build into its own boat, or as a "panel only" version which can be build into exisiting 4U Buchla boats- or cabinets.

The Model 416 Meta Expander communicates bi-directionally with the Easel by means of a custom-designed Edge Card and a 60-pin flat ribbon cable assembly.

A first prototype of a breakout box was developed in early 2014, right after BEMI's new Easel became available. Several iterations and a 2nd Easel later, I developed a one-off Twin Expander -- aptly named the Model 844 Expander (note the willful 208x4 error). After getting quite a few requests from fellow Weaselers, and realizing that it might be a better idea to limit a commercial version of the Expander to a one-Easel configuration, I designed the Model 416 Meta Expander V1, and brought it to market at the end of 2017. This was a one-run-only, build to order project. The last one left July 2018.

Since then I've gotten some more requests, so in August 2019 I decided to design a new version. Rebuilt from the ground-up and adding new features, it took more than half a year to finish. And then -- ready to be released on the 1st of March 2020 -- something weird happened to the planet...

Nevertheless, it's now August 2020, and Version 2 is here.

Read on..." click through for additional details.

Pre-Orders on Muffs

"Two versions are available :

- Standalone, with Buchla-compatible 4U boat (by SaModular) and custom support stand (by CoverUp).
€1800 (euros), all in. (*)

- Panel, which is meant to be build into existing Buchla-compatible cabinets or boats.
€1650 (euros), all in. (*)"

Buchla Music Easel vs. 208c Command

012358 13

"Just a little jam with Buchla Music Easel and the 208c Command. Both 208s are being controlled by the 218e. All of it is improvised live, mistakes and all. Aside from a minor volume adjustment, no post production was done to the audio. The use of the arpeggiator makes it look as if the video and sound are not in sync, they are.

The card being used is a 208 Toolbox from portabellabz, great little gadget.

The pedal is a Strymon Blue Sky."

Formant Synth Dream

Update as of 9:26 PDT: I made a couple of minor updates in case you read it before then. Sorry!

A quick note on posts like this: I hope you enjoy them. If not, just skip them. When I first started the site I used to share my synth dreams but stopped. Personally I get a kick out of them. I won't share every one, just some of the stand outs. The last one stood out for the humor, this one stood out for the design of the instrument. It reminds me of different makers and their approach. As a maker, do you set out to design a synthesizer, an instrument, or both? Are you locked in by the tools, components, and paradigms of what makes a synth? In my dream both the musician and the maker (who never made an appearance BTW) didn't really know what a synth even was. The maker just designed an instrument and the musician just played it. This reminds me of Don Buchla's original designs and specifically the Buchla Music Easel. This was at the birth of synthesis as we know it. What's interesting is his designs weren't meant to be what they are commonly perceived as today. They were meant to be unique instruments, palettes for sound, hence the Music Easel. I heard even his modular systems weren't meant to be complete fixed instruments, they weren't meant to be mixed and matched. Think about that for a bit. They were modular in design, but they weren't meant to be modular in nature. They were meant to be wholly formed instruments. In the following dream the musician reminded me of Marc-Henri and Barry Schrader to an extent. Marc-Henri almost exclusively uses an Access Virus Ti as a music easel for his compositions. Barry Schrader started with Buchla and then moved to FM synthesis for his compositions. You can find an extensive interview with him here.


And the dream...

I had another synth dream last night. In this one I was at an ensemble event held in kind of a classroom/workshop/gym-type of open space at what felt like an old English or New England boarding school - lots of wood, flat tall ceilings, and windows along the length of the far wall. The ensemble consisted of maybe 18 people in a semi-circle with a small audience in front of them, mainly standing, which I was one of. The instructor had each member of the ensemble introduce their instruments. I was in front towards the left of the ensemble and noticed the last two instruments to be electronic desktop boxes sitting on a card table (synth gathering anywone?), both vintage and almost DIY looking in style. I remember thinking, "I know what these boxes are. They are synths! I can't wait to talk shop with the owners and check them out." Well the instructor starts going around the ensemble starting on the opposite side. Each member introduces their instrument and talks a little bit about them and their technique. There were some interesting brass-like instruments. I think there was one based on an alto trombone, but it was just a flat pipe and no horn at the end. Funny side note is my daughter is currently learning to play piccolo. She plays flute in high school band and decided to finally give the piccolo a try as a stretch goal. If you don't know what a piccolo is, it's a tiny flute for super high notes. She said there were tiny versions of most instruments including the trombone. I looked one up and sure enough there is. A tiny trombone not much longer than a foot exists. The instrument in my dream also bore a resemblance to the ribbon controller featured in the Nunomo QUN post, so I'm guessing that's where it came from - some bizarre mix of the two. Anyway, when the instructor/host got around to the last two instruments, it turned out the first was a theremin based synth minus the antennas. It was made of wood and looked vintage. It would have been interesting if not for the next box. That was something. It was black with white and silver sliders, levers, buttons, and knobs. It was a unique instrument custom made for the owner who knew the maker. The interesting thing was the musician wasn't familiar with synths and didn't even see the instrument as a synth. The maker also wasn't into synths. In the dream he was more like a luthier, more of an artist instrument maker than a synth maker. No offense to synth makers! :) Anyway, it was about the size of an EMS SYNTHI and was black with white levers and sliders and had a bunch of esoteric control blocks with non standard names/labels; similar to something like the Hartmann Neuron where controls are familiar but the names are completely different. For some reason it reminded me of a black Lassence uVentury, Modor NF-1, mixed with some MacBeth and Folktek in design, but again completely different. Again, this maker wasn't into synths. This was a unique instrument. After the talk was over the musician gave a little demo. The sound of it. It was like formant analog but the timbers coming out of it were rich and full, not thin or glossy like most formant synthesis. It sounded like nothing I've ever heard before. After the talks were over I walked over to it to check out the controls and design. I wondered if I could touch it and play with it a little and for some reason, as happens in dreams, I knew it was OK so I started playing with it. There was a thin ivory white reed-like lever about an inch and a half long that controlled a female formant timbre. It was amazing. There was an group of lever-type sliders that controlled a multi band formant filter block and I remember thinking, "Oh this is a filter!" There were envelop sliders and other familiar groups that I now forget, but there were a bunch of interesting controls on it that didn't quite match up to common synths. There were additional effects and shaping tools built into the design and everything just flowed like a natural instrument. Again it kind of reminded me in concept to a Hartman Neuron and Modor NF-1, with maybe a bit of Folktek, but it was more vintage and simplistic in design - just a sold black block with white and silver controls. It was definitely designed as a work of art instrument vs. a synth. Similar in concept to the Buchla music Easel as I mentioned in the intro to this dream above. So after checking it out a little and talking to the owner I realized I should take a video of it for the site! I got the OK to film it, pulled out my iPhone, and started trying to capture some of the controls and timbres it was capable of. When I got to that formant female slider it was gone! I couldn't remember what I did to get that sound and I couldn't find the control again. Damn dreams.... And as in many real world sessions I wasn't getting those rich timbres again. I got lost between timbres! I thought my readers would be disappointed in my programming chops for a split second, but then I reminded myself anyone into programming synths will understand and not care, so I kept tweaking. Well, right then, a foster kid boarding at the school distracted me and started talking to me. I hand gestured to him (no I did not flick him off) to hold off for a second because I was in the middle of filming the synth and trying to capture audio. He understood for like five seconds and started talking again. I asked him to give me a sec but he got upset and said I should be there more for people. I felt bad and wasn't getting anywhere with the instrument at that point, so I stopped filming to talk to him before he left.

And that was it! Everything felt right with the kid so that was good, but that instrument! It's gone forever...

TTMC Dual Sine Saw new features

Published on May 18, 2020 Todd Barton

"I did 25 minutes of overview, demos and explorations on the prototype of this module here: [playlist below]

So check them out to hear/see and get a feel for this card.

This present video will just point out the new hardware features with this final production model.
http://tokyo-tape-music-center.xyz

The two main new features are:
1) a mixed output for both oscillator A and B with independent volume pots. This is great since you can now send both oscillators to the Aux Input on the Easel.

2) Now when switching the oscillators from Internal to External the large Frequency knob controls the pitch offset. In the prototype, like the original Buchla 158 module, in External mode you needed a CV processor to bring the pitch up into useable range.

I love these two new features and the greatly expand the possibilities of this card.

My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/synthtodd"

TTMC Dual Sine-Saw Card

Black Panel Buchla Music Easel

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

via this auction

"Beautiful Music Easel that I’m only parting with due to the pandemic situation. This Easel is a professionally built Roman clone consisting of a 208r and 218r in very limited black PCBs and an era-appropriate (70s) Halliburton “almost zero” style case in powder coated matte black. The knobs, sliders, and jacks all follow a greyscale color scheme that looks very cool and is (in my opinion) just as easy to navigate as the stock color system.

This Easel has had several upgrades from the original Roman specifications including an infinite sustain mod, boops new card 12 which improves the spring reverb and headphone output, and rewiring the second output directly to the Complex Oscillator for a separate dry out. It is calibrated and tracks over 5 octaves.

Sale includes the Easel, power supply, gooseneck lamp, one blank program card, 10 shorting bars, and several banana cables.

Keep in mind this is a handmade unit and, while in excellent condition, is not cosmetically pristine. The case is nearly 50 years old and has a couple of minor dents, although the powder coating is relatively fresh. It is functionally perfect and one of the best sounding Easels I’ve ever heard. I wish I could hold onto this one, because it really is something special. I’m simply breaking even at this price, so it is relatively firm. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. Thanks for looking!"

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