The Power of Touch: Electrifying Expression, Resurrected
For synthesists and sound designers, the original Model 219 is arguably one of Buchla’s most sought-after releases, with just a handful of models ever built. With the Model 219 Classic Reissue, Buchla has resurrected its nigh-mythical machine, painstakingly replicating every historic appointment while augmenting its connective capabilities to transform your playing, creating, and composing, all with the power of touch. This polyphonic powerhouse features 48 touch-sensitive keys with multidimensional modulation and evocative expression found throughout its 8-section suite of sound-shaping tools, leaving Sweetwater’s synthesists amazed at the interoperative possibilities of the 38 outputs. With customizable tuning, dual 2-axis joysticks, versatile pulse and pressure connections, variable voicing, and a MIDI-capable breakout board, the Buchla Model 219 Classic Reissue brings a vintage voltage vision to the near-endless possibilities of modern synthesis.
Note: Voltage outputs utilize equal interval tuning at 1.2V/octave. Please contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer with any questions or concerns regarding compatibility and use with your setup.
Related Videos: Model 219 Classic Reissue Compound Touch-controlled Voltage Source
Vintage voltage meets prismatic performance
Of the many ways to describe Don Buchla and his vision for the future of synthesis, “tame” is about as far away from the lexicon as you could get. How we interface with sound was a defining point of interest for Don, and the Model 219 distills his boundary-pushing ideas to the furthest reaches of composition and performance that can be recognized as a keyboard. The touch-sensitive expressivity of the Model 219 opens the doors to unreal degrees of polyphonic potential, from sustained voicing and incisive trills to monophonic portamento and ultra-fluid flourishes. What’s more, the onboard pitch-bending keys are given dedicated, bipolar CV outputs, while keys and outputs for pulse and pressure join frequency modulation and a slew of CV-controllable parameters, for the unconditioned ultimate of visionary expressivity.
Everything you love returns with more to explore than ever before
Thanks to the painstaking research and planning by the minds at Buchla, the Model 219 Classic Reissue is a near-perfect re-creation of its vaunted predecessor with only two differences. Due to the loss of the bespoke originals, the two 0–10V-output joysticks have been redesigned and carefully built to mirror the tactility and resolution of the previous models. But the most powerful addition comes with the breakout board. Individual 5-pin MIDI input and output ports let you take the kaleidoscopic expressivity of the Model 219 Classic Reissue to near-limitless realms of composition and playing, while the board’s class-compliant USB Type B port adds the endless array of virtual instruments to your Buchla-fueled performance palette. Furthermore, the digital output is buffered for seamless use with digital processors.
Buchla: the crossroads of sonic excellence and game-changing technology
The name Buchla is synonymous with some of the most compelling, convention-breaking technology to emerge in the musical spheres of the mid-20th-century’s electronic awakening. A pioneer of electronic music and instrument design, Don Buchla founded his namesake company in the 1960s, following the success of a modular electronic music system that was commissioned by composers on a Rockefeller Foundation grant. For the next 50 years, Don lived on the bleeding edge of electronic music synthesis. He incorporated uncommon coding languages, touch- and pressure-sensitive surfaces, and spatial location modulation, eventually innovating for the likes of Oberheim, CBS, Zeta Music, E-Mu Systems, and Moog. Meanwhile, he also dedicated himself to making good on MIDI’s promise of the 1980s to be more than just a piano keyboard controller. By the 2000s, Don introduced his magnum opus with the 200e, a love letter to a half century of unparalleled innovation in modular and analog synthesis. Today, Buchla U.S.A. works diligently to uphold Don’s rich legacy and provides his classic designs alongside new iterations of products that are “designed to introduce the unique world of Buchla synthesis to a whole new generation of electronic music makers.”
Buchla Model 219 Classic Reissue Features:
- Reissue of the legendary voltage controller redefines hands-on expression via innovative and imaginative playing possibilities
- 48 touch-sensitive keys provide a 4-octave array of multimodal performances with an adjustable range
- 38 outputs ensure integration with your Buchla modules to support the utmost expressivity and sonic exploration
- Variable polyphony includes 2-, 3-, and 4-voice modes for layered soundscapes, evocative trills, striking chords, and beyond
- Monophonic mode includes CV-controllable portamento for fluid expression and seamless spectrum-spanning sounds
- Pulse outputs for common and separate connections let you invoke incisive articulations across multiple simultaneous notes, modules, and connected parameters
- Dual 2-axis joysticks feature 0–10V ranges, and per-joystick outputs allow for dynamic, direct sound-shaping possibilities through continuous control
- Dedicated keys for pitch bending, as well as concurrent pulse and pressure commands, give you versatile opportunities for imaginative and vivid performances
- Built-in FM input lets you add myriad degrees of malleable modulation to the output stage
- 8 customizable keys allow for quick access to user-defined voltage-source presets
- Onboard breakout board includes 5-pin MIDI I/O for transformative use with your compatible hardware synths, drum machines, and more
- Class-compliant USB-B port features a buffered connection for near-endless use with digital processing and virtual instruments
