> The same is true on the Buchla: has anyone noticed there
> are no VCAs??!? That's because the ARE no VCAs in a Buchla.
> There is a Quad Lowpass Gate module that is Vactrol based,
> that is used as a VCA (or cheesy LPF).
Cheezy? Gotta disagree here! I've got a Cynthia Quad LPG here and it's
anything but...
First, it makes a fine VCA - even for control signals (don't think the
Buchla did this) and the filtering is actually something special. Just can't
quite get the sound out of anything else that comes out of this. The
Vactrols really add a certain character and the slight "ringing" that you
get when you hit it with a very narrow pulse or trigger signal generates
some very interesting timbres, very useful for percussive textures. I
believe that Cynthia also purposely used "unmatched" (you'll have to ask
her!) Vactrols so each gate would have a slightly different character.
Actually, I can't wait to get my hands on her Quad Band Pass!
I haven't heard the Buchla in comparison to the Cynthia module, but Cyn
based it on the Buchla 292, so it should be pretty close.