Don Buchla
Encyclopedia
Don Buchla is a pioneer in the field of sound synthesizer
s, releasing his first units months after Robert Moog
's first synthesizers. However, his instrument was arguably designed before Moog's.
, and studied physics
, physiology
, and music
.
Buchla formed his electronic music equipment company, Buchla and Associates
, in 1962 in Berkeley, California
. Buchla was commissioned by avant garde music composers Morton Subotnick
and Ramon Sender
, both of the San Francisco Tape Music Center
, to create an electronic instrument for live performance. Under a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation
Buchla completed his first modular synthesizer
in 1963. The result was the Buchla Series 100, which he began selling in 1966. Buchla's synthesizers experimented in control interfaces, such as touch-sensitive plates. In 1969 the Series 100 was sold to CBS
, who soon after dropped the line, not seeing the synthesizer market as a profitable area.
In 1970 the Buchla 200 series Electric Music Box
was released and was manufactured until 1985. Buchla created the Buchla Series 500, the first digitally controlled analog synthesizer, in 1971. Shortly after, the Buchla Series 300 was released, which combined the Series 200 with microprocessor
s. The Music Easel, a small, portable, all-in-one synthesizer was released in 1972. The Buchla 400 was released in 1982, which featured a video display. In 1987 the fully MIDI enabled Buchla 700 was released.
Beginning in the 1990s, Buchla began designing alternative MIDI controllers, such as the Thunder
, Lightning
, and Marimba Lumina
. With the recent resurgence of interest in analog synthesizer
s Buchla has released a revamped 200 series called the 200e.
NIME-05, the 5th International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression
, held in Vancouver, Canada, featured a keynote lecture by Don Buchla as well as a sizable exhibition of many of the instruments he and his team have created over the years.
His son Ezra Buchla was a member of experimental bands The Mae Shi
and Gowns.
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, releasing his first units months after Robert Moog
Robert Moog
Robert Arthur Moog , commonly called Bob Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.-Life:...
's first synthesizers. However, his instrument was arguably designed before Moog's.
Biography
Buchla was born in South Gate, CaliforniaSouth Gate, California
South Gate is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The sixteenth largest city in Los Angeles County, it encompasses . South Gate is located just southeast of downtown Los Angeles It is part of the Gateway Cities region of southeastern Los Angeles County...
, and studied physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
, and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Buchla formed his electronic music equipment company, Buchla and Associates
Buchla
Buchla & Associates, Inc. is a manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, notably synthesizers and unique MIDI controllers. The 200e Electric Music Box and Lightning III are currently in production.-Buchla Music Box :...
, in 1962 in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. Buchla was commissioned by avant garde music composers Morton Subotnick
Morton Subotnick
Morton Subotnick is an American composer of electronic music, best known for his Silver Apples of the Moon, the first electronic work commissioned by a record company, Nonesuch...
and Ramon Sender
Ramon Sender
Ramon Sender Barayón is a composer, writer and the co-founder, with Morton Subotnick, of the San Francisco Tape Music Center in 1961. He studied with George Copeland, Elliott Carter, and Robert Erickson....
, both of the San Francisco Tape Music Center
San Francisco Tape Music Center
The San Francisco Tape Music Center was founded in 1962 by composers Morton Subotnick and Ramon Sender as a "nonprofit cultural and educational corporation, the aim of which was to present concerts and offer a place to learn about work within the tape music medium"...
, to create an electronic instrument for live performance. Under a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
Buchla completed his first modular synthesizer
Modular synthesizer
The modular synthesizer is a type of synthesizer consisting of separate specialized modules connected by wires to create a so-called patch. Every output generates a signal – an electric voltage of variable strength...
in 1963. The result was the Buchla Series 100, which he began selling in 1966. Buchla's synthesizers experimented in control interfaces, such as touch-sensitive plates. In 1969 the Series 100 was sold to CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, who soon after dropped the line, not seeing the synthesizer market as a profitable area.
In 1970 the Buchla 200 series Electric Music Box
Buchla 200 series Electric Music Box
The Buchla 200 series Electric Music Box is an electronic musical instrument manufactured by Buchla & Associates in Berkeley, California from 1970-1982. It is a modular analog system consisting of a collection of individual modules...
was released and was manufactured until 1985. Buchla created the Buchla Series 500, the first digitally controlled analog synthesizer, in 1971. Shortly after, the Buchla Series 300 was released, which combined the Series 200 with microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
s. The Music Easel, a small, portable, all-in-one synthesizer was released in 1972. The Buchla 400 was released in 1982, which featured a video display. In 1987 the fully MIDI enabled Buchla 700 was released.
Beginning in the 1990s, Buchla began designing alternative MIDI controllers, such as the Thunder
Buchla Thunder
Buchla Thunder is one of many in the family of MIDI controllers consisting of tactile control surfaces which are manipulated by hand.A touchplate array is divided into fifty separate regions, or keys. Keys are sensitive to the contact, pressure, and location of manipulating digits. Parameters are...
, Lightning
Buchla Lightning
Don Buchla's Lightning I & Lightning II are in the family of MIDI controllers consisting of specialized devices which are used to manipulate data spatially.-Description:...
, and Marimba Lumina
Marimba Lumina
Don Buchla's Marimba Lumina is one of many in the family of MIDI controllers consisting of specialized control surfaces which are manipulated by specialized controllers. More than one version exists, with similar characteristics....
. With the recent resurgence of interest in analog synthesizer
Analog synthesizer
An analog or analogue synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. The earliest analog synthesizers in the 1920s and 1930s such as the Trautonium were built with a variety of vacuum-tube and electro-mechanical technologies...
s Buchla has released a revamped 200 series called the 200e.
NIME-05, the 5th International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression
New Interfaces for Musical Expression
New Interfaces for Musical Expression, also known as NIME, is an international conference dedicated to scientific research on the development of new technologies for musical expression and artistic performance...
, held in Vancouver, Canada, featured a keynote lecture by Don Buchla as well as a sizable exhibition of many of the instruments he and his team have created over the years.
His son Ezra Buchla was a member of experimental bands The Mae Shi
The Mae Shi
The Mae Shi are an experimental punk band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002.-History:The band was formed by Tim Byron and Ezra Buchla, who had known each other for years, having spent time growing up in the Los Angeles suburb of Claremont together—Jeff Byron and Buchla were classmates at...
and Gowns.