223e-md
The Buchla 223e
Tactile Input Port
The 223e Tactile Input Port is a module and a pressure/location-sensitive polyphonic capacitive touch surface that serves as an expressive performance interface as much as it serves as a unique and powerful control interface.
There are 27 interface points on the 223e tactile surface with a variety of functions and applications.
The 223e module also features a versatile arpeggiator for use with Buchla systems.
Information about the Tactile Surface:
Each of the Tactile Surface's 27 "keys" has an LED to indicate activation. The keys can be programmed to create control voltages, pulses, location-based variations, pressure responses, and impact responses. The longer keys can respond to finger location. The two hexagonal keys are sensitive to location in two directions.
Information about the 223e module:
The module serves as the control center for the various functions of the tactile surface, as well as provides an interface for other modules through banana jacks. In addition to this, the module is home to a powerful arpeggiator.
The Pulse Outputs (red banana jack outputs 1-5)
Pulses are often used to trigger envelopes in a system, but Buchla systems have a variety of functions that employ pulses. Having pulse outputs may be used to trigger sounds, but also to turn functions on and off, or control other functions.
Setting the Pulse Outputs
The default screen on the 223e module is that of setting the Pulse outputs 1-5. Using the button marked "cursor" you are able to navigate between the settings of the Pulse settings page.
| Puls 1:Ta 2: d 3: u 4:Tc 5:Tg |
There are two settings associated with each pulse output, that of the toggle, and that of the key. The capital T in the image above indicates that the pulse output will "toggle." Pressing it once sends the pulse, pressing it again "turns it off." Turning the "data" knob while the cursor is on this setting allows you to turn off the toggle, allowing every tactile surface button press to send a pulse. The default letter "a" next to the "T" in each default pulse setting indicates which key on the tactile surface will be the one to trigger a pulse when touched. Use the data knob to set which key will trigger a pulse for the selected pulse output. You may access all five pulse output assignments on the "Puls" page.
Setting Radio Outs (multiple output sets 6-9)
Setting the output of these individual sections (that can be combined to create polyphony, which will be discussed later) can be achieved with a single page of settings. Press the "page" button until you arrive at the one marked "Radio."
| Radio:6 ky:g Loc CV1:334 CV2:999 |
The screen starts with an indication of which set of "radio" outputs you are currently addressing, as indicated by a number (in the above example, you're dealing with the first set of banana outputs marked "6"). This number can be changed by pressing the "cursor" button until it underlines the Radio number, and adjusting that number with the data knob.
ky
The key selection section comes next. Press the "cursor" button until it underlines "ky" (key). By turning the data knob, you can convert this lower-case "ky" into an upper-case "KY," which means you have activated the key selection process… that where you decide which tactile surface keys are going to be associated with these settings. When you have set the "ky" to be a "KY," you can then select the keys you need associated with this setting by touching them and lighting their LED. Once you have all of the LEDs of the keys you want, you can use the data knob to return the "KY" to a "ky," which means the keys are selected and protected.
Loc
The next cursor selection allows you to choose what will be output from the green jack in the series of banana jacks. The options are "location," which outputs different voltage depending on the location of your finger on the tactile surface key, "pressure," which acts as a sort of aftertouch based upon the amount of surface area your finger presents on the tactile surface key, and "impact," which is a sort of velocity. Once you've selected the section with the "cursor" key, you can adjust the output using the data knob.
CV1
This setting allows you adjust the CV output (violet jack) for the tactile surface key selected. The voltages available range from 0 volts to 9.99 volts, allowing a wide range of voltage output (there is no decimal point indicated). If you are looking for traditional scale voltages, "20" equals about a whole step.
CV2
Selecting this setting with the cursor button, you will set the CV output for the blue banana jack in the Radio grouping. This setting is like the CV1 setting, except that if you turn the data knob full-left when this setting is selected, you can make it respond to location on the tactile surface key selected.
R / S
Both the "R" and "S" tactile surface keys are hexagonal two-dimension touch surfaces. When you touch them, the location of your finger outputs voltage in a left-right direction and an up-down direction. These voltages are sent to the blue [up arrow]and violet [side arrow] outputs in the "R" and "S" banana jack output section, respectively.
Contrast
The fourth parametric page allows the adjustment of the contrast of the display for optimal viewing. The options go from 0 to 7.
Polyphony
The 223e can be used in a polyphonic fashion where each polyphonic voice is represented by one of the Radio Outputs (thereby making that output unavailable to the Radio Output settings). This function is accessible via the fifth parametric page.
Polyphony off
Polyphony 67
Polyphony 678
Polyphony 6789
The first image shows the default setting.
The second image shows a "duophonic" setting achieved by turning the data knob, where the outputs of Radio Outputs 6 and 7 will act in duophonic polyphony with this setting.
The third image shows a three-voice polyphonic setting, where the outputs of the Radio Outputs 6, 7, and 8 will act in three-note polyphony.
The fourth image shows a four-voice polyphonic setting where the outputs of the Radio Outputs 6, 7, 8, and 9 will act in four-note polyphony.
Arpeggiator
The 223e module features a full-functioned arpeggiator between the Edit Facility and jack fields.
Getting Started with the Arpeggiator Connections
The blue "tuned" banana output jack sends the note voltages. The red "pulse out" banana output jack sends the pulses. The purple "level" banana output jack sends fade in and out information. The black "c.v. in" jack allows control voltage control of the tempo. The orange "pulse in" jack allows an external pulse to generate the tempo of the arpeggiator.
Assigning keys
The sixth parametric page on the 223e, accessed via the Edit Facility "page" button, is one of two Arpeggiator control pages.
Arpeggio ky: a CV:0 Tr:1 275
The default cursor position is beneath the "ky," which is a function that operates like the "ky" function present in the Radio Outs page. Once selected with the cursor, you can set it to a capitalized "KY" by turning the data knob. This enters the Tactile Surface keys into a mode where pressing them "selects" them for use with the Arpeggiator. When you select keys for the Arpeggiator in this mode, the key's LED will light, showing you which keys you have selected. Touching a selected key will deselect it for the arpeggiation. Turn the data knob again to exit the mode. The "KY" will turn back to a "ky."
An alternate method is to move the cursor to the "a" following the "ky." Play a key that you would like included in the arpeggiation, and its letter will appear. Turn the data knob, and that letter will capitalize, indicating being selected for the arpeggiation. Play another key, and follow the same procedure. If you change your mind about a key, play that key and turn the knob counter-clockwise. The key will no longer be capitalized, and no longer be included in the arpeggiation.
Once you have selected the keys in your arpeggiation, you can assign control voltages to them (that will be output from the "tuned" jack when that note is played) by using the cursor button to select "CV." Select a voltage from 0 to 9.99 volts. (keep in mind that .20 volts roughly equals a whole step)
Transposing the keyboard
In the second field on the second line of the sixth parametric page of the 223e module is the transposition setting field. Choosing this with the cursor allows you to set the four transposition possibilities accessible via the blue "transpose" button.
Select the transposition setting you'd like to set by pressing the "transpose" button until the number of the transposition you'd like to set is lit with an LED. Select the "Tr" field, and use the data knob to set the desired voltage. Once that setting is chosen with the "transposition" knob, the entire keyboard voltage output will be shifted by the voltage amount chosen.
Arpeggiation Pattern
The seventh parametric page begins with the ability to select one of five patterns for your arpeggiation.
Rising Fde in:10 out:10
Rising: selected notes ascend in order Falling: selected notes descend in order Triangle: selected notes ascend and descend in order Random : selected notes are played in a pseudo-random manner Spiral: selected notes are played in a semi-regular pattern, usually playing each note once before returning to the first
Using the "level" Arpeggiator Banana Jack
The "level" jack affords some dynamics control in regard to using the arpeggiator by typically connecting to the "velocity" input on a 292e. The means of achieving this dynamic effect is by setting the "Fde (fade)" setting found on the second line of the seventh parametric page through adjusting the "in," "out," or both by using the cursor to select the setting and adjusting with the data knob. The time choices are in seconds, and are .5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 for both the "in" and "out" options. Note that the arpeggiation pattern and the pulses continue until the fade voltage reaches zero, at which time the run LED is extinguished. So a longer fade time means that the arpeggiator will continue run for that time even after it is "stopped."
Creating a Held Arpeggiation Pattern
The "add note" button allows you to create an arpeggiation that runs without being held.
Press the "add note" button. Its green LED will light, and the "run" LED will light.
Touch the Tactile Surface keys to add notes to the arpeggiation. They will play as added. There is no need to hold them.
If you press the "add note" button again, its LED will turn red. Now the arpeggiation is locked, freeing remaining keys for other uses. Pressing the the "add note" button again will turn the LED green again and "release" the lock.
You can delete notes from the arpeggiation, as well.
Create an "add note" arpeggiation with multiple notes.
Press and hold the "delete note" button, and touch the key or keys you seek to delete.
The Large Hex Keys
"R" and "S" cannot be included as keys in an arpeggiation.
The Small Hex Keys
In the upper right and left of the Tactile Surface, there is a small hexagonal key. These are hard-wired. The hexagonal key on the left functions the same as the "run" button on the 223e module. The hexagonal key on the right functions the same as the "delete note" button on the 223e module.
REMOTE ENABLE
All parameters (including key maps) may be locally stored and subsequently recalled by the model 225e or 206e Preset Manager.
To connect or disconnect this module from the central library function, push the "REMOTE ENABLE" button. The module is connected when the adjacent LED is lit.