Buchla - Skylab

The Buchla Skylab is a dream come true for electronic performance artists. Oscillators and low-pass gates immediately offer the typical Buchla DNA, frequency shifter and band-pass filters invite you to explore new sounds. The ability to save sound settings and the fact that the Skylab Case can also be transported folded in a patched state change the proverbial rules of a modular system. In addition to the sequencer and touch controller integrated into the system, a MIDI to CV interface and a six-channel mixer (including microphone preamplifier) provide many possibilities for communication with the outside world. Despite all this variety, the transport of the Skylab is more like that of a violin!

The Skylab consists of a compact, foldable ten Buchla Panel Units Case, ten Buchla Modules, a Touch Input Controller in an external housing, and a sturdy padded bag, which is easily handled as carry-on luggage by airlines.

The system includes the following modules:

207e Mixer/Microphone Preamp: A six-channel stereo mixer with partially CV-controllable panning, headphone output and microphone preamplifier including phantom power, as well as an envelope follower following the preamp.

223e Multi-Dimensional Kinesthetic Input / Tactile Input Port: A module for managing the freely programmable touch controller with 27 touch-sensitive, partly multidimensional surfaces.

225e MIDI Decoder / Preset Manager: An extremely comprehensive MIDI to CV interface, capable of up to fourfold polyphony. This module also includes the CV-controllable preset manager, which is responsible for saving and loading the 30 presets.

251e Quad Sequential Voltage Source: A complex quad sequencer. The four sequencers can be used completely independently as well as in combination. With this sequencer the most complex sequences are possible.

259e Twisted Waveform Generator:  A dual Complex Oscillator. Main and modulation oscillators can work in tandem or independently, typical for Buchla. The sound generation is completely  digital with deliberately strong aliasing artifacts. The sine of the main oscillator is processed simultaneously by two wavetable shapers that can be mixed and controlled in intensity. Some functions in the Waveshaper are not classic wavetables, but simply parts of the underlying oscillator program code, which provides interesting and unforeseen sounds.

261e Complex Waveform Generator: This dual Complex Oscillator also works with a digital core, but completely analog waveshaping -, free of digital artifacts.

267e Uncertainty Source / Dual Filter: This dual module is based on the Source of Uncertainty and offers noise in different colors, Fluctuating Random Voltages and Sample and Hold as well as two CV controllable bandpass filters.

281e Quad Function Generator: A quadruple function generator whose four functions work either independently or in pairs  in quadrature mode. The functions "Transient" (Attack/Decay envelope), "Sustained" (Attack/Hold/Decay envelope) and "Cyclic" (LFO-like) are available for each generator.

285e Frequency Shifter / Balanced Modulator: A dual module that combines a frequency shifter and a balanced (aka ring) modulator. The Frequency Shifter has two outputs for the up and down shifted signal each. A CV-controllable internal reference modulator or an external input are available as modulators. This is also the case with the Balanced Modulator, which can fade continuously between input signal, amplitude modulation and ring modulation.

292e Quad Dynamics Manager: A quadruple lowpass gate. Lowpass filter, lowpass gate and VCA modes are available for each channel.

Please note: Buchla 200e products may have lengthy waiting times, as they are manufactured in small quantities only.