— 2-4-24 update: check out an alternate version of the instrument here: https://patchstorage.com/buchla-modules-1-0/

I also uploaded a new performance to my YouTube channel… yet another Alessandro Cortini cover:

NEW- Update 6.1
– AllFX module- now with even more delay; added dual delay capability (both parallel and serial)
– tweaked the A and B outputs to saturate more realistically above 70%
– tweaked the wave folder to give slightly more foldiness
– added signal scopes to the Dual LPG
– a few other minor tweaks and bug fixes

Also added a third patch for you to play around with, an original composition titled November. Just touch the 2 preselected keys on the keyboard to kick it off. This patch has much more complex routing and shows off some of the deeper capabilities of the simulator. If there’s interest I can do a patch breakdown on my YouTube channel.

Watch/hear the performance here:

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6.0 release notes;
Here’s another big update that’s been months (off and on) in the making.

This update is the result of a lengthy collaboration with Josué Arias ( https://josuearias.bandcamp.com/ ), who owns two Easels of different vintages. He contacted me to help through the Audiobus forum, provided me samples and detailed feedback on countless behaviors, and his patient collaboration allowed me to refine the simulation’s accuracy to a degree I would never have been able to achieve without his help and patience. At this point, I consider him a co-author of the patch.

Please check out (and support) his work here: https://josuearias.bandcamp.com , in particular his albums LIMIT(l)ES(s) and LA´SPERA which were performed with his Easels.

I’ve tried to capture the rougher, wilder character found in the original 1973 instrument so the voicing – the oscillators, lpg, timbre, signal noise and output levels- are modeled on Josué’s 208r, which itself is a clone of the early Easels. However, I’ve incorporated a bunch of the functionality introduced in later versions of the instrument, including the recent 208c.

Nearly every module has been tweaked to some degree since 5.6, both to more closely replicate Josué’s real Easel as well as to improve functionality and usability within the limitations of Drambo.

Explainer and performance videos (featuring an older version of the patch) are available on my YouTube channel. I will post and updated tour with the new patch version when I have time:

https://youtube.com/@oalocke

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TLDR…?:
For those who just want to dive in… good luck. Home hints for the brave: the layout and function of the controls approximate where things are located physically on the real instrument. Make sure to select the “CV” track to make the Drambo Keyboard active, and pay particular attention to the “Dual Lowpass Gate” sliders at the far right of the Sliders track, along with the Timber sliders and WaveShape Blend knob.

For everyone else, please read below and watch the linked videos for pointers.
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At least passing familiarity with the actual Easel is probably mandatory to be able to use this successfully. I’ve replicated as many of the instrument’s oddities as I could, and I’d encourage you to watch an Easel video or two before trying to play this if you’re not familiar with the real thing.

References for the actual instrument:
High res image (BEMI re-issue):
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0024/2352/1341/products/1.-Buchla-Music-Easel-Top-9_23_1512x.jpg?v=1600892692

Great video primers on the real thing:
Under the Big Tree: https://youtu.be/89tSwdHdhWE
Todd Barton: https://youtu.be/q_gu7xZXyFM?si=OceI2oIakRZC1kjy

Performance videos that inspired me (and helped me originally reverse-engineer instrument):
Alessandro Cortini’s Senza Aria and Scappa: https://youtu.be/La5G5b-stnc
(The Drambo patch for this song is included in the download)
Jae Ryan’s ply mouth: https://youtu.be/dWs8Ba0OgTE

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Patch Detail:
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MAIN track: This is the main output for the instrument, analogous to the far right edge of the real thing. If you hear no sound, start here.
– The Output module is the main output of the instrument. Ch A and B are the outputs of the 2 LPGs. They are clean to about 70%, and distort beyond that point. There’s also an Ext audio in which (in its default state) is a mic input… fun to play with in conjunction with the spring reverb all by itself.
– AllFX is a general purpose effects peddle (think baby Strymon Timeline) that combines a reverb, pitch shift, delay and a few other things. This version embeds RS2000’s RAT-08 distortion, available on the Grit knob. RS2000’s stand-alone patch: https://patchstorage.com/the-rat-distortion/

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SWITCHES and SLIDERS tracks : These house…. switches (and a few knobs) and sliders that correspond pretty closely to the real instrument. These are the main controls for the instrument.
The two tracks scroll side to side independently, but if I could lock them together I would- the Switches (above) interact with the Sliders below if you line up the sections. These are essentially all remote controls for other modules buried down below in the CV and Audio tracks.

NOTE: There are a number of CV SRC switches sprinkled through a rounds modules that don’t exist on the real instrument. These are a quick way to patch commonly-used CV sources to their corresponding inputs. Select JACK if you’d like to do more creative patching through the Patches track described below.

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CV Track: This track houses the functionality of the 218’s keyboard controls, along with the sequencer, Pulser, Envelope, Randoms and along with the patch points for the keyboard. There’s a LOT going on here. I’ve tried to break the functionality into sections so they are easier to follow, but it’s still a beast.

**Drambo Keyboard note**: I repeat- make sure the CV track is selected to allow the keyboard to interact with the instrument. The keyboard can be enabled/disabled for each oscillator by using the “Key” in/out switch up in the switches row.

-FEEDBACK SIGNALS: Collapsed by default, this houses feedback receives to work around Drambo’s signal chain. Patch Row Feedback 1 and 2 are feedback receives for modules at the far right end of the Patches track, discussed below.

– KEYBOARD: controls for the Portamento and Arpeggiator, hopefully self-explainatory. I’ve also added an ARP Latch button.

-RND VLT: selects the trigger source for the 5 random CV sources, available below on the Patches track.

-KEYBOARD Outputs and Inputs: These jacks replicate the jacks on the 218e keyboard and the corresponding inputs on the far left bottom of the real instrument. I’ve also put the Pulser Mod Input jack here.

– PRESET VOLTAGE SRC (or PVS for short) replicates the functionality of the 4 knobs/buttons on the far right side of a real instrument’s 218 touch keyboard. It allows selection of 4 pre-tuned CVs, either as a modification of the keyboard pitch (with either “Octaves” or “Presets” selected, or as a separate pitch control (with “None” selected). Feel free to turn off Quantize buried deep down in the CV logic area if you’re insane.

-208c inputs: these are CV inputs to the Sequence step and envelope, as introduced on the modern 208c.

—CV Logic (Beyond here Dragons):
This is collapsed by default to hide you from the terror that resides within, but here a are a few notes…

KEY PRESSURE CV OUT: Enable Velocity on the Drambo keyboard, then patch this to one of the LPG Mod inputs. It doesn’t work the same as a real 218, but it provides a little of the flavor.

PULSER is my attempt to replicate the real instrument’s pulser. Control it with the switches and sliders above. Oscilloscope can help you understand what’s going on. Set the Trigger to Drambo to use Drambo’s built-in clock to sync everything (Useful when using the delay, for example). The other 3 triggers are independently clocked.

SEQUENTIAL VOLTAGE SOURCE: I finally got tired of fighting with Drambo’s much more advanced sequencer and cloned the Buchla one. Feel free to expand the foldable sections if you want, but by default I keep them closed because it scares me. For the truly hardcore, there’s a Quantizer module that you can turn off.

RANDOM VOLTAGE SOUCE: Use the switch to select a trigger. There are 5 variations with wider/narrower or higher/lower CV levels, approximating the real instrument.

ENVELOPE: This is the actual module that generates the Envelope signal… again, control it with the Switches and Sliders above. Oscilloscope can help you understand what’s going on.

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Patch track: This roughly replicates the functionality of the actual jacks row of the hardware instrument. Tip: jacks in this row are enabled by selecting by the “Jack” settings on the switches above.

FEEDBACK SIGNALS: Again, collapsed by default and housing feedback receives to work around Drambo’s signal chain.
CV SOURCES: these are all pitch/continous sources
GATE SOURCES: gate triggers of various sources
UTILITY: Randoms, an inverter and a noise source are available here. I’ve also added raw audio outputs from both Oscillators ala the 208c.
INPUTS: These are inputs for the Oscillators and Gates. Tip: again, jacks in this row are enabled by selecting by the “Jack” settings on the switches above.
FEEDBACK: Because of the signal flow of Drambo (top to bottom, left to right) I placed these here to enable me to send signals back up the chain, either to the corresponding Feedback Receive modules in the CV row or at the far left of the Patch row.

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AUDIO Track
I could write a whole other novel on the AUDIO track but two tidbits:

The Oscillators and Gate signals approximate real easel samples provided by Josué.

I also have to give a huge thanks to Temaniak for his LPG behavior logic, which I incorporated into the Dual LPG. : https://patchstorage.com/lpg/

Original caveats still apply:

– I am not an experienced synthesist or programmer. This has been a teaching tool as much as anything for me.
– I do not have a real instrument, and I’ve actually never even had my hands on one. I still do not own any modular gear.
– I’ve tried as best I could to translate the real instrument’s interface into Drambo’s control scheme, but there are some obvious limitations, differences and compromises made.
– In keeping with the performance-oriented spirit of the original instrument I’ve tried to balance usability in the translation. Patching a Drambo instrument as complex as this on the fly is very cumbersome, hence the input selection switches to make it easier and less error prone.
– Despite having never touched a real Music Easel, I can confidently say that this is far more challenging and frustrating to use than the real instrument. I play this primarily using an Arturia Minilab mkII midi controller and a Korg Nanokontrol2, which I find is a huge improvement.