THE FIRST BUCHLA 300 SERIES ELECTRIC MUSIC BOX
by
Dale Millen
University of Arkansas
201 Music Building
Fayetteville, AR 72701
dmillen@ comp.uark.edu
ABSTRACT: This paper is about the planning stages, the design features, the programming language, and
the musical composition applications of the first Buchla 300 Series Synthesizer which was built in 1977.
The instrument was designed to be operated in a digitally controlled analog mode, or in a manually
controlled analog mode, or in a combination mode using both digital and manual control. Examples of
programming for the synthesizer's digital controller written in the Patch IV language are given including
programs that implement voltage functions, sequences, and logical choices.
In 1974, the electronic music studio at the University of Arkansas consisted mainly of an ElectroComp 101
synthesizer and a four-track tape recorder. An electronic music studio was to be included in a new music building and
as early as 1974 I began to plan for a large modular synthesizer for this studio.
The earliest document I have from the planning stage for this instrument is a letter from Donald Buchla dated
November 26, 1974, apparently in response to a letter from me requesting information and catalogs of current Buchla
instrument modules. Buchla's letter states that June would be a good time for a visit to Berkeley. I am fairly certain
that I did visit Buchla in Berkeley around June 1975 in regard to obtaining a Buchla instrument for the University of
Arkansas although I have no specific memory of a meeting. This was immediately after my study of electronic
music with Vladimir Ussachevsky at Columbia University in the spring of 1975. The classical tape studio as
developed by Ussachevsky would also be a part of my new studio at the University of Arkansas.
The next document I have is a hand written page by Donald Buchla, dated November 1975, suggesting possible
changes to a 200 series system "as proposed" and suggestions for a 300 series system. On the back of this document
in my hand writing is an outline of a system of proposed units with 300 level numbers. As the 300 series modules
were developed, these proposed units evolved into units with other numbers or were apparently dropped.
I also have a document which is a Buchla and Associates bid on a 300 series system to the University of Arkansas.
This bid list has many units crossed off, with replacements for some indicated by Donald Buchla. The 364 function
generator appears on this page as a later comment, in my hand writing, as a replacement for earlier 320, 318, and
381 interfaces. Total bid price for this 300 system was $30,095.
Notes written by me dated March 17, 1977, from a phone conversation with Buchla detail changes in the proposed
300 system. There are now to be four dual digitally controlled Model 259 oscillators. The left side of the 259 was
to have a variety of basic waveforms and would be able to modulate the right side of the oscillator to produce
complex waveforms at the final oscillator output on the right side. The 259 oscillators would have an eight octave
range with 2.4 volts per octave. The oscillators were to be capable of amplitude, frequency and timbre modulation
and would have a phase lock feature between the two sides.
The comment, "Add Function Processor 364", is written in ink on this document as an added feature to the
system. Four quad envelope generators (sixteen total) and four quad 292 gates are now to be in the system. There
are still differences in the actual final system and this document.
There are some references to Patch IV in this document. This phone conversation was possibly the first mention
of the Patch IV programming language to me. My notes mention a stimulus field and a higher level field, a
definition field, that would permit a stimulus to modify an existing patch.
The final module unit configuration for the Buchla 300 Series Music Box for the University of Arkansas
Electronic Music Studio was as follows:
Kinesthetic Input Port Model 221 (touch keyboard) Dual Voltage Controlled Filter Model 291
(4) Programmable Complex Waveform Generator (2) Dual Mixer Model 206
Model 259 Triple Envelope Follower Model 230
(2) Quad Function Generator Model 281 Quad Preamplifier Model 270
(4) Quad Lopass Gate Model 292 300 Controller/Processor
Source of Uncertainty Model 266 364 Multiple Arbitrary Function Generator
Dual Voltage Processor Model 257 329-8 Patchbay and 359 Oscillator Interface
(2) Frequency Shifter Model 285 Case for the instrument - Model 203 cabinet
I first saw this 300 series instrument while attending the Computer Music Conference in San Diego in the fall of
1977. At that time, commercial companies were not allowed to exhibit at the conferences. I went with a group of
