From Brian Willoughby Sent Mon, May 6th 2019, 00:46
From Brian Willoughby Sent Mon, May 6th 2019, 00:46
To be fair, even the Buchla 223e lacks Storm. It seems like it was way = too complex, and perhaps explains why the Buchla Thunder was only = manufactured for a brief while. It was seemingly =E2=80=9Creplaced=E2=80=9D= by the Buchla Lightning, even though the latter has very little in = common with the former. You=E2=80=99re right: Sensel Buchla 223e doesn=E2=80=99t quite flow off = the tongue... On May 4, 2019, at 10:50 PM, Justin Maxwell <xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx> wrote: > Wow, what a reply! Thank you. I had no idea. It=E2=80=99s pretty odd = they call this a Thunder, then, but i guess Sensel Buchla 223e isn=E2=80=99= t catchy enough. So I get it: this is a multitouch surface with xyz = assignability as well as MPE in the shape of a buchla 223e which is in = the shape of a buchla thunder.=20 >=20 > I=E2=80=99ll have to think about what to do with it now. :) > On May 4, 2019, 9:51 PM -0700, Brian Willoughby = <xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx>, wrote: >> What the hell do you do with it? >>=20 >> <sarcasm> >> =E2=80=A6 one millionth of what can be done with the original Buchla = Thunder. >> </sarcasm> >>=20 >> Seriously. The Buchla Thunder could have a sequencer programmed, per = control, so that each time you play that one control, another note comes = out. These Riffs have up to 99 steps each, and there are 8 per config = (so you couldn=E2=80=99t literally have a sequence on all 13 of the main = controls). Controls could be programmed to affect other controls, = particular the sequencers. There are also control groups where sliding = from one control to the other would increase the value sent, and sliding = in the opposite direction would decrease the value sent, allowing = circular motions on the touch surface when moving between controls. It = was designed to support microtonal scales, not just 12-tone. It can = control synths on all 16 MIDI channels at once. >>=20 >> These features are part of the Thunder operating system, called = Storm. So, what I=E2=80=99m really saying is that without Storm, you can = only do a fraction of what Buchla designed the Thunder to accomplish. >>=20 >> The only time I saw a Buchla Thunder on stage was Mark Isham = performing solo (not with Group 87 or any of the other lineups he = contributed to). His use of the Thunder was purely to control multiple = effects parameters on his horn. I don=E2=80=99t think that a single one = of the controls on his Thunder was set to a Note. >>=20 >> Maybe some folks have recommendations for fixed scales that you can = program on the Sensel Thunder, but in my experience the Buchla Thunder = community is full of performers who each use the controller in an = entirely unique way. >>=20 >> I=E2=80=99m not familiar with the 223e, or whether it has any of the = features of Storm. Translating that MW comment to the original Buchla = Thunder would mean that the melody could be programmed into a Riff and = assigned to a single control. Then, other controls could be programmed = to affect the octave or other intervals in the first Riff. Then, of = course, Riffs can contain duo-tones, triads, and any kind of chord for a = single touch. By the time you did this, you=E2=80=99d still have a lot = of controls left! Looks like the 223e does have the ability to toggle = controls (like the division enables). >>=20 >> Brian >>=20 >>=20 >> On May 4, 2019, at 8:05 PM, Justin Maxwell <xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx> wrote: >>>=20 >>> hi all - >>>=20 >>> [i=E2=80=99m totally ignorant here alert] >>>=20 >>> so, i got that sensel buchla thunder during one of my usual =E2=80=9Cm= y imagination fills in the gaps and then i end up kind of = disappointed=E2=80=9D buying experiences. >>>=20 >>> it=E2=80=99s interesting. i am not convinced the size and texture is = optimal, but bluetooth/wireless and mpe is pretty fun so far. >>>=20 >>> so my question is really this: i am not into the default note = layouts at all. for those of you using the thunder or the 223e, what are = your optimal tunings/scales? >>>=20 >>> ideally i want this in a minor pentatonic (i.e., every 90s warp = record black keys) but i=E2=80=99m not quite grasping what the hell to = do with it. any advice would be appreciated. >>>=20 >>> This comment on MW is i think what would be the most fun: >>>=20 >>>> I gave up on trying to program in standard scales, but if you must, = I would use the radio outputs, one per oscillator for best results. >>>>=20 >>>> Instead my favorite 223e programming scheme lately is to program in = a melody on the left half. 1st note of the melody on left, 2nd to the = right after that, etc., harmonically related notes on the right half = usually an octave above, but it really doesn't matter as the oscillator = can be tuned however. SO basically custom scales per preset. >>>>=20 >>>> I mainly play duo-tones and not many triads at all. I have about a = 1/3-1/2 of my presets set this way. The other buttons on the pad I use = to turn on and off things (like the Ratchet's division enables). >>>=20 >>=20 >>=20 >=20