We’re pleased to announce our new Orb Jam Series, showcasing exclusive jams by our community of talented artists.
The US-based producer Grant Bouvier inaugurates the series with a 5-minute Buchla jam.
“Most people think of experimental, abstract art music when they think of Buchla. This is fair, as historically that is what these machines have mostly been used for. But they are also fantastic for all shades of electronica. The internal architecture is extremely thoughtful and sophisticated, and this complexity allows for fluid, evolving sonic control. It’s truly unlike any other instrument I have used before; it has a mind of its own, and you can count on it to make the right moves when you maybe don’t.
For this piece, I really wanted to focus on creating something slightly more downtempo and funkier than my usual dance music aesthetic. The beat is a minimal kick, snare, hat thing with some light generative elements being done by the ER-301 Sound Computer (similar to the Buchla – these are magic). The 301 is also doing my effects processing as well. In the bottom row of the Buchla system are some housekeeping modules to make my life easier (trigger sequencer, quantizer, envelopes, and touch controller/sequencer). The only other instrument is the 1979 Modular Modal Synth Voice, which is essentially a Mutable Element in Buchla format. It is generating my string sounds and some of the noisier articulations. This module is very Buchla-y in its own right, so it works with this set up wonderfully.” — Grant Bouvier
