The Buchla Electric Music Box, Series 200, is a comprehensive collection of electronic modules for generating and processing sound. The Buchla 200 is a system designed for those who desire simultaneous control of many aspects of sound.

The system features high functional density, extended dynamic range, self-contained monitoring (preview) facilities, and expandability. Interesting new techniques for polyphonic signal generation, dynamic spectral and timbral modification, complex pattern generation, and control of spatial location and movement are also characteristic of the Buchla 200 modular synthesizer.

Connections within the system are made with color-coded patchcords. A clear and consistent distinction is maintained, both in modular function and in interconnection, between signals (the raw material of electronic music), control voltages (defining parametric structure, e.g. pitch, timbre, intensity, location), and timing pulses (defining event times and durations).

Components of the Electric Music Box are designed to interface readily with digital computers. All musical parameters are voltage (and therefore computer) controllable.

The Electric Music Box can be configured to serve a variety of applications, including electronic music composition and performance, music education, psychoacoustic studies, environmental control, special effects generation, bio-feedback research, and video synthesis.

If you’ve used the Buchla 200 Electric Music Box, leave a comment with your thoughts!

The modules that were manufactured for the Buchla 200 series are as follows:

• 204 Quad Spacial Director
• 205 Matrix Mixer
• 206 Dual Mixer
• 207 Mixer/Preamplifier
• 208 Stored Program Source (Part of the Music Easel)
• 212 Dodecamodule
• 214 Music Easel Power Supply
• 215 Power Supply
• 216 Touch Controlled Voltage Source
• 217 Multiple Touch-Controlled Voltage Source
• 218 Touch Activated Voltage Source
• 219 Polyphonic Touch Activated Voltage Source
• 221 Kinesthetic Input Port
• 226 System Interface
• 227 System Interface
• 230 Triple Envelope Detector
• 232 Frequency Detector
• 237 37 Key Organ Type Keyboard
• 238 61 Key Organ Type Keyboard
• 242 Programmable Pulser
• 245 5 stage Sequential Voltage Source
• 246 16 stage Sequential Voltage Source
• 248 Multiple Arbitrary Function Generator
• 256 Dual Voltage Adder
• 257 Dual Voltage Processor
• 258 Dual Voltage Controlled Oscillator
• 259 Programmable Complex Waveform Generator
• 264 Quad Sample & Hold/Polyphonic Adaptor
• 265 Source of Uncertainty
• 266 Source of Uncertainty
• 270 Quad Preamplifier
• 275 Dual Reverb/Equalizer
• 277 Signal Delay Unit
• 280 Quad Envelope Generator
• 281 Quad Function Generator
• 284 Quad Voltage-Controlled Envelope Generator
• 285 Frequency Shifter/Balanced Modulator
• 288 Time Domain Processor
• 291 Dual Voltage-Controlled Filter
• 292 Quad Lopass Gate
• 294 Four Channel Filter
• 295 Ten Channel Filter
• 296 Spectral Processor

Resources:

• Buchla’s site has information about the Buchla 200 and its successor, the 200e
• VintageSynth has extensive information about the Buchla 200
• Wikipedia has information on the Buchla 200 modules

Video via buchla300:

Buchla 200 analogue modular in action.

The touch keyboard is working as one 16 note sequencer while the smaller 5 x 4 sequencer makes the other sequence..