[sdiy] So just what *is* the Buchla 291?

[Paul Perry]

" Moog appropriated the sequencer idea from Buchla. "

I don't think that is correct. From 
http://www.soundhead.net/index.php/Genres/origins-of-electronic-music.html

"The first circuitry concept for the sequential performance of musical 
pitches -known as a sequencer- was invented by Raymond Scott in 1953. 
Nicknamed by Scott as "Wall of Sound", it was 6 feet high and covered 30 
feet of wall space. It consisted of hundreds of switches controlling 
stepping relays, timing solenoids, tone circuits and 16 individual 
oscillators. By 1959, Scott designed and built a more compact electronic 
sequencer called the Circle Machine."

Moog delayed making his own sequencer - out of deference to Scott - until 
Buchla made his own.
 I think the sequencer (in its modern form) is like many electronic 
inventions - a device that a number of
people wanted, and was immediately produced independently by a number of 
people as soon as technology
(in this case the transistor) made it possible.

I might add that analog computers already existed at this time (50s) that 
could be - and were - used to provide
adjustable predetermined voltage sequences. it is no coincidnece that the 
Moog modulars look exactly like the
analog computers of that time.

paul perry Melbourne Australia