Buchla Easel Command Modular Synthesizer | Multi-tracked Demo and Walkthrough

[@sweetwater]

Did Jake do the Buchla Easel Command justice with his synth-pop demo? Or did he run to the grocery store in a Formula One race car? Sound off in the comments, and check out the Buchla Easel Command at Sweetwater 👉 www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EaselCommand--buchla-easel-command-desktop-synthesizer

[@joxer96]

Great demo, it’s nice to see an Easel get used for something other than drones. Goes to show how flexible the system is.

[@stevedocherty6240]

"Five step sequencer - useful for your Dave Brubeck synthesiser cover band." Brilliant comment, perfect deadpan delivery too.

[@sslaytor]

A very good demonstration of what a standard keyboard can add to a Buchla!

[@realestatecult3105]

Not sure I'd ever have a use for one but really interesting to hear what it sounds like.

[@bauhnguefyische667]

It’s worth the 3k. If you try to play it like a Moog, welp you will disappointed, you’re reading the wrong map. If you approach it as a Buchla, it’s fascinating, there are sounds there you can’t get out of a Moog. You can’t compare them, it’s like complaining an apple doesn’t taste like an orange which is a complete noob strategy. Yes, I own one plus a bunch of Moogs which I do not expect to sound like a Buchla either. People do not realize Don Buchla had Bob Moog beat by years in the early days in the 60’s.

[@sweetwater]

Excellent point. The Buchla is definitely in a class by itself. That said, I was impressed with its ability to pull off standard synth tones, as well as the more out-there sounds for which its known. Even with basic sounds, it's totally unique. Thanks for watching! -- Jake

[@bauhnguefyische667]

@@sweetwater Agreed, it gets overlooked and treated like a bleep, bloop box. You can get some really sweet leads and basses out of it.

[@eetmyess5632]

@@bauhnguefyische667 can you point me to examples, I want to buy one but blip bloops is all I hear in any demos

[@bauhnguefyische667]

@@eetmyess5632 Check out Todd Barton, he’s very familiar with Buchla instruments. He has vids on the Easel and Buchla Modular kit.

[@TockTockTock]

Buchla's work in the 60s was dominated by the 100 series ,and it wasn't all that different from Moog's modular of that time. It was relatively straight forward. Buchla's truly radical work-the work that exemplifies his forward thinking-pretty much started with the 200 series, which was a product of the 70s.

[@modeswitching]

I’ve played with the Arturia version and it’s wild, takes a while to get your head around the architecture but it definitely pushes you out of your comfort zone in a good way. But unless you’re Suzanne Ciani or Katelyn Aurelia Smith or someone else who’s built a deep compositional practice around these types of instruments, it’s hard to see spending that much money to make bleepy bloops. Very glad to see renewed interest in Buchlas though and I’m glad these exist for those who want one.

[@RadicalCaveman]

From this video, it doesn't just make bleepy bloops. It actually has very nice sound of a more conventional kind.

[@jimmahey6615]

If food and rent and the cost everything wasnt bonkers. I still couldnt afford it

[@nomik]

TBH you can get those sounds from every typical VSTI out here (Minus the bare-metal feeling)

[@Mind-Over-Body]

I would say get the Arturia plugin but that thing is a CPU hog.

[@john-michaelveach2083]

Behringer is making one. It's only $400 and will be out in less than a year.

[@spdycar13]

@@john-michaelveach2083 it won’t be comparable but definitely a nice budget option.

[@andmoreagain]

@@nomik maybe similar ones to what homeboy had going on in this video, but no, you simply cannot recreate most sounds of an easel with software

[@TomasBodin]

I got mine the other day. I felt like being young again:)

[@jloiben12]

I am so happy this is a thing

[@jayonbaby]

This is amazing 🤩

[@lundsweden]

So this, in 2022 terms is like a bigger, higher quality version of the Korg Volca Modular... I might end up with one of these!

[@inn5268]

the og easel from the 70's was the inspiration for the volca modular, yep

[@strangequark420]

Nice demo. I have the Arturia software version of this thing ... it's incomprehensible to my little brain.

[@CatFish107]

Going to just stick with a couple of the Buchla inspired volca modulars for now. Real cool instrument for the bucket list though.

[@alanp3334]

... why bother with that outboard delay, when you had that lovely tank reverb?!

[@darksparklermusic]

It's a bummer to see so many aspects of the instrument go completely ignored. Wild that the modulation slider wasn't touched once in a 17 minute long demo.

[@jayonbaby]

I want to see more

[@dr.treddell]

I'm not getting my Buchla Easel Command to respond to MIDI controller. Any ideas?

[@lachlanmacquarrie3129]

There are 16 MIDI channels - both controller and synth need to be set to the same channel. Check the manuals to see how . (probably)

[@theporcupinemediaportfolio]

Curious what you all are using as a lav mic?

[@jakejenkins2245]

Hey PM! Check out the third link in the video's description. It's all the gear we use to make our videos, including the lavs. Thanks for watching!

[@Shawn-co8uu]

Without the touch-sensitive controller of the original a lot of the functionality is lost.

[@dessiplaer]

I likes it, but I don't like the price! I'm not saying it isn't worth it, I would love to have a Buchla 200e and several Serge Modular panels, but financially, it just ain't in the cards for me.

[@jorhay1]

What is that intro music supposed to be? 80’s exercise video?

[@jakejenkins2245]

Buchlacising! Just trying to get those hips oscillating 😂 -- Jake

[@matthewg.garcia9415]

Can I have one for free?

[@eetmyess5632]

I wish Behringer would hurry up with the clone Nice synth but 4.5k (AUD) seems like a joke for all this could do

[@Freddy-Da-Freeloadah]

@15:50 $3,000 is cheap for a Buchla... I thought they cost $100,000! IMHO

[@stryker126]

Who told them that what we need are more expensive monosynths? They lied.

[@christopherpederson1021]

not really inspiring to me soundwise. for that money you can get an oberheim obx8 desktop and have a truly stunning sounding synth at your discretion.

[@SomeOne-pd6vm]

Very cool, but not for me. I'm happy with my Mother 32s.

[@nodfactor8808]

I feel that! Mother32 is so amazing

[@igalkuperman6654]

too price i hope behringer hear us 😜😜😜😜😜

[@antoniocalimero1173]

I go for a Casio for 100$ 😂

[@SRV2013]

This is a betrayal of everything Buchla stood for, including using a keyboard.

[@BubbaSatori]

$1,000 more than the Moog Studio 3 with the Mother 32, DFAM and the Subharmonicon? Pass.

[@station2station544]

Lol. This is the big league. Not your new hipster plastic moog crap.

[@85ba]

@@station2station544 well, leagues apart, show some convincing tracks. Or is it for self-titled elitist?

[@station2station544]

@@85ba The Buchla is high quality. There are plenty of examples out there - and they go back decades. This is a re-release of the easel. And if you want comparisons from Moog's Mother - there are infinite examples of kids staging plastic keychains and succulent plants and making cheesy videos of beeps and bloops. The Mother32 doesn't sound that rich in anyones hands. The VCO's are weedy. But they've sold a million based on the name.

[@85ba]

Well, pricewise you can not compare a pseudo premium $3000 easel to m32. For a better comparison lets compare easel to matriarch. Different story, right?

[@station2station544]

@@85ba I have a Matriarch dark. I never turn it on because I use my Voyager Tolex XL. Much richer sound.

[@simex909]

Every synth can synthpop. Can it psytrance is the real question...

[@SR-ih1be]

The synth that sounds like garbage on purpose

[@spdycar13]

It can produce some awesome sounds but definitely takes time to learn.

[@85ba]

😂🔥

[@andmoreagain]

this was just a poor demo!