Buchla Easel V by Arturia synth plugin interface

Buchla Easel V: West Coast Modular-Style Synth by Arturia Free Download

Rated 4.7/5 on Plugin Boutique (71 ratings)

Buchla Easel V is a software synthesizer plugin by Arturia that recreates the 1973 Buchla Music Easel, a West Coast modular-style instrument, with added polyphony, modulation sources, a step sequencer and effects.

VST2AUAAXStandaloneWindowsmacOS64-bit

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Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Buchla Easel V recreates Don Buchla's Music Easel, a rare 1973 instrument that helped shape experimental West Coast synthesis. Arturia says the model was built down to the component level and extended with features the original lacked, including up to four voices of polyphony, a noise source and a feedback loop in the preamp. The plugin is aimed at producers who want to build unconventional, evolving sounds through patching rather than a traditional keyboard-first workflow.

Best for

Experimental sound design
Evolving pads and soundscapes
Percussive gate and filter sounds
Modular-style patching
Rhythmic modulation sequences
Avant-garde composition

Developer: Arturia
Category: Synths
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Component-level model of the 1973 Buchla Music Easel
Complex and Modulation oscillators with dual low pass gates
Five-step sequencer, envelope generator and pulser modulation sources
Semi-modular architecture with color-coded routing and cables
Five Function Generators routable to 76 modulation targets
Gravity X/Y modulation source with physics-based movement
Two-slot effects section with phaser, flanger, chorus and delay
Up to four voices of polyphony
256 factory presets and a searchable, tag-based preset browser
Resizable interface for UHD and Retina screens

03In depth

Sound Design and Patching on the Easel V

The instrument centers on complex oscillator design, AM and FM synthesis, and gate and filter combinations that the developer describes as uniquely percussive. Patching is color-coded, and only valid targets light up when you drag a patchcord, which reduces wasted connections.

The original design lacked a noise source, so Arturia added one to the preamp, which can help introduce rhythmic elements. A feedback loop in the preamp allows for howling, feedback-driven tones. Modulation sources include a 5-step sequencer, an envelope generator and a pulser, and the Pulser and Clock can be synchronized.

Modulation, Sequencing and Effects

The Left Hand section offers five Function Generators that can be routed to any of 76 modulation targets. The Right Hand section provides a step sequencer. Gravity is an X/Y modulation source that uses a bouncing-ball physics model influenced by attraction, repulsion and collision to generate unexpected modulation signals.

A two-slot Effects section adds processing directly inside the plugin. The effects list includes phaser, flanger, chorus, overdrive and delay, and a Vactrol modeling control offers fast, medium or slow response.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Arturia
Type	Plugin
Category	Synth
Formats	VST2, AU, AAX, Standalone
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does Buchla Easel V support?

Buchla Easel V is available in VST2, AU, AAX and Standalone formats. It runs on Windows and macOS and is a 64-bit plugin.

What do I need to run Buchla Easel V?

Buchla Easel V runs as a Standalone application or as a plugin in a compatible DAW. On macOS it requires OS 10.13 or later, 4 GB RAM, a 4-core CPU at 3.4 GHz or an Apple Silicon CPU, 3 GB of free disk space and an OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU. On Windows it requires Windows 10 or later (64-bit), 4 GB RAM, a 4-core 3.4 GHz CPU, 3 GB of free disk space and an OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU. ARM processors are not supported on Windows.