RIP Don

RIP Don Buchla.
He passed away on Wednesday at his home in Berkeley, Calif. He was 79.

So sad. Don will live on through his friends, family & instruments.
His life and achievements have changed so many people including myself.
He is Immortal.

Buchla 100

Buchla Music easel

These are all vintage 200 modules. 246 (Sequential Voltage Source ) on the top. From the left, 205 matrix mixer, 258 VCO, 281Quad Function Generator, a 296 Spectral Processor and a 221 keyboard controller on the bottom.

 Buchla 237 Keyboard.

The 237 was one of the very few conventional keyboards that Don invented. Though he studied piano
Don wanted to free musicians from traditional Western music.

“A keyboard is dictatorial,” he said. “When you’ve got a black-and-white keyboard, it’s hard to play anything but keyboard music.”

The 237 keyboard is amazing however if you consider when it was made .. 1970.
This is arguably the world's first modular polyphonic keyboard. It has four CV outs and gates.

 The keyboard controller in the foreground is a 222e

 Part of my 200e collection.

Don Buchla is survived by his wife, Anne-Marie Bonnel; two daughters, Jeannine Serbanich and Erin Buchla; his son Ezra, and two grandchildren.