Released in 1987, the 700 was the first Buchla to implement MIDI. It had three sets of MIDI inputs/outputs, as well as CV/Gate, SMPTE, and two RS232 ports. It continued Buchla's tradition of advanced computer control of its analog circuitry. And the pressure- and position-sensitive touch-plate concept was implemented to the max on the 700; the keyboard and almost every other control surface is a touch-plate!

The Buchla 700 was leaps ahead of previous Buchla synths, it could now control up to 190 acoustic variables. The 700 had 12 voices with 4 digital oscillators per voice (48 oscillators!), capable of a wide range of sonic creation including FM, waveshape interpolation and timbre modulation. Filters, modifiers and amps are all still in the analog domain. There can be up to 6 modifiers per voice, 15 envelopes per voice and the envelopes can have up to 96 break-points!!!

A large centralized futuristic LCD display shows you what you're editing and/or the positions of the various touch sensitive controls (so no external monitor hook-up is required). It used "MIDAS VII" a music programming language which included an instrument editor, waveshape editor, tuning table editor, and score editor. There's a built-in 3.5 inch disk drive on the right side for all data and program storage. Up to 40 instrument definitions can be stored to disk. A vintage machine almost ahead of it's time which, like so many other Buchla synths, is a very rare synth to find in good working condition today.

rick

June 5, 2011 @ 11:38 am

less than a dozen of these were made, I can think of 4 that are functional. This is a FM synthesizer with graphical user interface. its a very small instrument, part of its design was the ability to fit under and airplane seat so you didn't have to check it. I am not sure they would let you get away with that these days.

Xces

May 26, 2011 @ 7:39 am

I have found a demo of the Buchla 700 on myspace!!!
It's just so great
Here it is:
http://www.myspace.com/video/songs-of-sadness/buchla-700/7187331

And acording to matrixsynth it's a rare one
I very well hope that is wrong

Xces

May 18, 2011 @ 10:37 am

I wish that I knew the sounds of this synth, it's such a shame that there is no demo for this synth, it looks pretty cool though

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