The Buchla 100 is a modular synthesizer developed and designed by electronic instrument pioneer Don Buchla in the 1960s. The Buchla 100 is considered to be one of the first modular synthesizers ever created, and it has since become a legendary instrument in the world of electronic music.
The Buchla 100 was created in 1963, and it was one of the first electronic instruments to use a modular design. This means that the synthesizer is made up of a series of individual modules that can be connected together to create different sound-generating and processing configurations. This approach was in stark contrast to the traditional keyboard-based synthesizers that were popular at the time, which had a fixed architecture and were not as flexible in terms of sound design.
The Buchla 100 featured a unique set of modules, including oscillators, filters, and envelope generators, that were specifically designed for the creation of electronic sounds. One of the most notable features of the Buchla 100 was its use of a touch-sensitive keyboard, known as the “Buchla Touch-Sensitive Keyboard,” which was designed to provide more expressive control over the sound. It also featured a set of Voltage Controlled Amplifiers (VCA), Voltage Controlled Filters (VCF), and Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCO) that allowed for precise control over the sound.
The Buchla 100 was also notable for its use of a unique control voltage system, which was used to control the various modules in the synthesizer. This system used a series of knobs and switches to control the different parameters of the modules, such as frequency, amplitude, and envelope shape.
The Buchla 100 was used by a number of notable musicians and composers in the 1960s and 1970s, including electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick, who composed several influential works for the instrument. The Buchla 100 was also used by other notable musicians such as Stevie Wonder, and composer and electronic musician Suzanne Ciani.
Despite its groundbreaking design and features, the Buchla 100 was not as commercially successful as its main rival, the Moog synthesizer. However, it has since gained a cult following among electronic music enthusiasts and has been used on a wide range of recordings, from experimental electronic music to pop and rock.
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