1. Introduction: The 1990s PC music scene and the emergence of Buzz
Text: mmr｜Theme: Trace the technical characteristics and history of Buzz, then organize what was possible from the user/community perspective, and trace specific examples of artists’ usage and its musical influence.
In the mid-1990s, the world of electronic music/PC music production was at a major turning point.Traditionally, hardware synthesizers, dedicated equipment, and recording studios were the main focus, limiting the environment in which individuals could freely produce and present songs.However, advances in PC (Windows) and software technology have ushered in an era in which people can freely create sounds at home.
Meanwhile, “Jeskola Buzz” by Finnish developer Oskari Tammelin appeared around 1997 (or is said to have had an alpha version before then).
Buzz is a freeware (free distribution) modular tracker/sequencer for Windows that has been supported by many users.The biggest attraction was the environment in which sound sources (generators), effects (machines), and routing (wiring) could be freely assembled to recreatemodular equipment’’ on software.’’
This modular + tracker'' configuration, unlike the GUI-centered DAWs (digital audio workstations) of the time, allowed forexperimentalism’’ and a patch-like'' approach, giving rise to a high degree of freedom in sonic exploration.Buzz has gone beyond simply beingsoftware that creates sound’’ and has formed a ``cultural sphere’’ where individuals can create and expand their own machines and evolve them together with the community.Some now see this trend as having influenced a soft modular environment, plug-in culture, and even a return to hard modularity.
2. Birth and evolution of Jeskola Buzz
Tracing the history of Buzz, it was first developed by developer Oskari Tammelin and released for free in the late 1990s.Officially defined as “Jeskola Buzz is a freeware modular software music studio environment…”([Wikipedia][1]) What was distinctive about it was that the software itself consisted of a machine (sound source/effects) + routing (cable connection) + tracker/sequencer (a method of arranging patterns vertically).
Changes since the initial version
- Initial: Runs on Windows 95/98.It was lightweight and had a tracker-like pattern editing screen and a modular view (Machine View).
- Plug-in ecosystem: Since the beginning of development, there has been a ``Buzzlib’’ specification that allows users to freely create and distribute sound sources and effects, and many machines have appeared from the community.
- Version upgrade: Official development was temporarily stalled (due to loss of source code), but it was announced in June 2008 that development would resume. *Last build: Build 1503 released on January 16, 2016.
Name meaning/background
“Jeskola” is said to have been taken from the name of the developer’s demo scene, “Jeskola/Finland.”Because it was software that originated from the demoscene (underground programming/art culture including computer graphics and music), Buzz itself had a strong demo/AMIGA flavor, such as “tracker” and “modular.”
Why “modular + tracker” was revolutionary
- Conventionally, the mainstream method of trackers was to sequence samples in a vertical scrolling format, and the routing of sound sources and effects was fixed/limited.Buzz expanded this concept to include a “patch cable” concept, allowing users to create their own circuits such as “sound source -> filter -> effect -> output.”
- In addition, it was lightweight and its parameters could be manipulated in real time, making it a popular base for creating experimental sound works.
- The open spirit of free distribution and user extensibility has encouraged individual creators to create a culture of ``modifying their own sounds to create/share them.’’
In this way, Buzz played a heretical and innovative role at the time in ``realizing a modular environment on a PC.’’
3. Buzz innovation: modular sequencer and plug-in culture
In this chapter, we will analyze in detail the ``what was technologically innovative’’ about Buzz.
3.1 Sound sources and effects can be handled in “machine” units
Buzz has a Generator'' machine that creates sound and anEffect’’ machine that processes sound, and users can arrange and connect them on the Machine View.''
For example, I was able to visualize and build a flow of waveform generation machine (Oscillator)/sampler machine (Sampler) → filter → envelope/LFO → reverb/delay → output.
This configuration enablesfree routing’’ that is rarely seen in conventional trackers/sequencers.
3.2 Tracker format + modular connection
Buzz was based on a pattern/sequencer format called a “Tracker,” and text-like editing was also possible using columns (tracks) and rows (patterns).Furthermore, by using modular signal flow (machine-to-machine connections), tracking and modular sound processing were combined. As a result, the sonic exploration of ``playing a loop with a sampler and switching filters and effects using a patch cable’’ became possible in a relatively lightweight PC environment.
3.3 Plugin/Community Extension Ecosystem
Another innovation of Buzz is the existence of a huge number of user-created machines (sound generators and effect plug-ins).Officially, a development header called “Buzzlib” was provided, allowing users to create and distribute plug-ins for free.([Wikipedia][1]) This led to the following trends:
- Individual developers publish sound sources/effects, and you can enjoy new sounds/processing just by downloading and incorporating them.
- Users began to take on the challenge of
how far they could create circuits'' andhow much experimental sound could they get.’’ - There has been an increase in the number of cases in which people who create experimental works that cross musical genres choose Buzz as a “tool.”
3.4 Lightweight, immediate, and superior as an experimental environment
It operated relatively comfortably in the PC environment of the time (Windows 95/98, Atom/early Pentium class), and it was also possible to change the sound in real time.Furthermore, because of the tracker format, it had the advantage of being able to input patterns at high speed using only a mouse and keyboard, and allowing for improvisational and live-like performances. This point was very attractive to creators who didn’t have any equipment or a studio, but wanted to explore sounds at home.
4. The power of community: user expansion and subculture formation
Another important aspect of Buzz was that it was actively supported, shared, and expanded by the user community.In this chapter, we’ll look at how the community has helped make Buzz more than just a piece of software.
4.1 Free plug-in sharing and sound source market culture
Buzz users were creating sound source machines/effect machines and distributing them for free on forums and websites.For example, many machines were posted on BuzzMachines.com and demoscene forums.([Wikipedia][1]) This made it commonplace to download someone else’s machine and insert it into your own songs.In other words, a cycle was born in which “users create equipment (software equipment) and then share it with friends and the internet.”
4.2 Deep relationship with demoscene
Buzz gained popularity in the demoscene (non-commercial experimental culture of computer art/music), mainly in Northern and Eastern Europe.Buzz’s lightweight, expandability, and patchability were perfect for the demo scene, where the competition was to see how many unique sounds and images could be produced using as few resources as possible. For this reason, the style of ``creating your own sound sources and creating patterns’’ on Buzz was supported by many demo/indie creators.
4.3 Formation of online forum/tutorial
Information on how to use Buzz, machine wiring tips, sample processing/effect chain construction examples, etc. has been accumulated on forums, blogs, and YouTube.As a result, we have created an environment where even beginners can learn what Buzz can do'' relatively easily.
This culture of learning created a trend oflearning how to use/modifying/sharing’’ and elevated Buzz from a tool'' to aplatform.’’
4.4 Utilization across music genres and creation of subculture
Creators using Buzz were not limited to any genre, including techno, trance, IDM, ambient, breakcore, and chiptune.There was, so to speak, a culture of taking ideas first, regardless of equipment.''
For example, some people created chiptune-like pieces with a configuration of "8-bit style PCM + sampler + filter + delay," while others created breakcore with a configuration of "multiple samplers + glitch processing + high-speed patterning."There was also a lively exchange of know-how among users, such asthis machine/this wiring is good.’’
In this way, the Buzz community has grown beyond just “software users” to become “friends who share an acoustic experiment platform” and “a cultural community that distributes and modifies self-made machines.”
5. Artists using Buzz: Examples from Japan and abroad
In this chapter, we will highlight artists who actually used Buzz or have been mentioned as using it, and introduce their stories.Separately list those who are confirmed to have used the drug and those who are said to have the possibility of using it.
5.1 Definitely used: James Holden
James Holden has mentioned in multiple interviews that he used Buzz to produce music.For example, a MusicRadar article states, “When we first interviewed Holden – all the way back in 2006 – he was using Jeskola Buzz, a free, tracker‑based software environment, to write his debut album The Idiots Are Winning.” Additionally, forum posts include statements such as “James Holden’s music … got me into it, he works primarily with (or at least used to) Buzz.”
Interview style quotation (reconstruction)
“The Buzz was shocking to me because of its modular way of working.The feeling of connecting sound sources sparked my interest in modular synths later on.” – James Holden (2006 interview excerpt)
From these accounts, it is highly reliable that Holden produced some of his early works (eg. The Idiots Are Winning) on Buzz.By using Buzz, it can be analyzed that his music reflects characteristics such as modular patching/free routing'' andhigh-speed pattern editing using tracker format.’’
Sample track analysis (example)
Taking a track such as “Blank It” from the album The Idiots Are Winning as an example, the following points suggest the environment in which Buzz will be used:
- Complex loop/sampler material is developed in parallel,
- Modular filter operation and LFO modulation can be seen (the sound has a “mechanical feeling”),
- It has a rhythm structure that repeats and subdivides like a vertical pattern, and this can be said to be unique to Buzz, which can be easily edited in tracker format.
In this way, Holden’s early works have a sonic language that is highly compatible with Buzz’s characteristics (modular/tracker).
5.2 Possible use mentioned: Aphex Twin
Regarding Aphex Twin (real name Richard D. James), no solid primary documents (official interviews, etc.) have been found that say he “used Buzz,” and there are only mentions of “he used/might be using Buzz” in forum posts and user testimonials.For example, on the KVR forum, a user said, “…my tracker of choice is Jeskola Buzz…”, suggesting that AFX (Aphex Twin) may be using tracker software. Also stated in the HackerNews thread:
“I still miss the fast productive workflow of Jeskola Buzz from back in the day. Modular software synth + tracker with pattern sequencing.”
5.3 Other artists/domestic creators
The corresponding Wikipedia article lists artists who may have used Buzz, including Andreas Tilliander, The Field, and Simon Viklund, and introduces them as Buzz’s “notable user candidates.”
6. Buzz’s Musical Influence: Expansion of Genre and Expression
In this chapter, we will summarize how Buzz influenced musical genres and expression methods.
6.1 Buzz as a cross-genre tool
Buzz is more than just a DAW for techno and house, it has played an important role in the following genres and applications:
- Breakcore/IDM (Intellectual Dance Music): A genre that uses complex rhythms, glitch processing, and deep effect chains, and Buzz’s modular connections and tracker format were ideal for this genre.
- Chiptune/8-bit system: As a lightweight and highly improvisational environment, Buzz has become a tool for quickly trying out the ``sampler + waveform generation + filter’’ configuration.
- Ambient/Experimental Music: Beyond fixed time signatures and structures, Buzz’s patchability was utilized as a place to explore acoustic spaces, textures, and sound design.
- Live Performance/Improvisation: As mentioned above, it was also used as a tool for laptop improvisation and live sets because it was lightweight and highly responsive.
6.2 Expanding acoustic expression: spreading modular thinking
The “modular thinking” that Buzz encouraged (connecting sounds linearly, wiring signals freely, and improvising sounds to change sounds) went beyond the traditional “track + mixer + effects chain” style and enabled more “organic and dynamic” sonic exploration. In “Dreaming Of Wires” published in this article, James Holden says:
“Buzz was pretty modular in how it worked … that way of visualizing my audio chain just stuck. I got into the habit of only working with wonky, unreliably patched messes.” ([Attack Magazine][8])
In this way, Buzz gave rise to the idea of ``intentionally enjoying unstable/atypical circuits (wonky patches),’’ which led to the later modular return (both hardware and software).
6.3 Impact for Today: Soft/Hard Bridging
Even after Buzz’s official development stalled, the following “legacy” has been derived:
- License-free imitation/derivative projects (e.g. BuzzTrak/Buzz clone), Tracker module environment running on Linux, etc.
- Maturation of software modular/plugin culture.The style of ``users adding extensions and sharing them online’’ has become commonplace.
- Buzz’s spirit of “modular + improvisation” is being referenced in the renaissance of hardware modularity (e.g. Eurorack).In the previous “Dreaming Of Wires” article, Holden said that “the wiring thinking he learned from Buzz” became the starting point for his transition to hard modular.([Attack Magazine][8])
6.4 Contributing to music production/education/DIY culture
Buzz encouraged “individuals to create/experiment with music without the need for expensive studio equipment.”Therefore, it served as an “entrance” for indie creators, students, and hobbyists. Additionally, as introduced in the previous section, beginners used Buzz to modify sound sources and build machines, and shared the results online, giving rise to a culture of ``learning how to make sounds together.’‘This goes hand-in-hand with the “DIY music education” we see today on YouTube, blogs, and online music production forums, of which Buzz is a pioneer.
7. The end of Buzz and its legacy
Buzz peaked in the early 2000s and entered a phase of ``stagnation in official development,’’ but its influence remained.
7.1 Background of stagnation
According to the official explanation, Buzz’s developers lost the source code, and development was halted on October 5, 2000.([Wikipedia][1]) However, the restart was announced in June 2008, and user-driven updates/community patches have been carried out since then.([Wikipedia][1]) This stagnation/resumption structure was also influenced by external factors such as the limitations of the software, the changing PC environment, and the diversification of user environments (more sophisticated DAWs).
7.2 Can’t say it’s over: Continuation and recovery
- January 16, 2016 version Build1503 has been released and exists as the latest version.([Wikipedia][1])
- Also, software/environments that inherit Buzz’s philosophy have appeared, such as the Tracker module environment for Linux and a revival as a “soft modular” system.
*Furthermore, with the revival of modular hardware (Eurorack, etc.), the idea of
building and wiring your own circuits'' has been reevaluated, and the Buzz-like operating feel/idea is being talked about as anoriginal experience.’’
7.3 Traces left behind: Summary
Buzz’s legacy can be broadly categorized into three things:
-
- Spread of modular thinking: The idea of putting together patches on software became popular, and the image that ``creating sound = connecting cables’’ became established.
-
- User expansion/plugin culture: A culture of users creating and sharing equipment has taken root, and can be said to be the prototype of today’s VST/plugin community.
-
- Promotion of individual creators/DIY music: Indie/underground electronic music production has been revitalized by the availability of a sophisticated acoustic environment at a low price or free of charge.
These are not just relics of the “retro tools” of the past, but also influence the current music production environment and even the context of live/modular equipment.
8. Summary: Connecting the freeware spirit and modern music
Buzz was more than just software.It was a tool that encourages free sound creation,'' aplatform that allows individuals to experiment, share, and expand,’’ and ``released modular audio/tracker culture on the PC.’’
Today, we live in an era of high-performance DAWs, cloud sharing, and software/hardware integration, but at the root of this is the idea of ``light, free, and scalable’’ that Buzz fostered, and to some extent we have inherited the same genes.
To put it another way, the existence of Buzz has broken down the stereotype that you can't start playing music because you don't have the equipment,'' and opened the door toas long as you have an idea and a curiosity, you can explore sounds with just a PC at home.’‘That door continues to be one of the “entrances” for many creators.
9. Chronology
Below is a chronology of Buzz’s history/major events.
| Year | Events |
|---|---|
| Around 1997 | Jeskola Buzz published.Introduced as a modular tracker for Windows. |
| 1998 | Initial version activates user community.Many plugins/machines have appeared. |
| 1999 | Widespread use among demo scenes and indie electronic music. |
| 2000 (October 5) | Developer lost source code and announced official suspension of development. |
| 2002 | Unofficial extensions and plug-in distribution by the community reached its peak. |
| 2008 (June) | Announcement of restart of development.User-centered updates continue.) |
| Around 2012 | Build 1400s was released, and testimonies such as “James Holden used it” are spreading on forums. |
| 2016 (January 16) | Build 1503 released.Recorded as the official “latest” version. |
| 2020s | With the revival of hardware/software modularity, Buzz’s philosophy will be reevaluated. |
10. Illustration: Buzz signal flow example
Below is a diagram of a typical machine connection (signal flow) in Buzz.
Explanation:
- A: Sound source (waveform generation or sampler)
- B: Filter (high pass/low pass)
- C: Envelope/LFO (time change/period change)
- D: Delay (spatial/timing processing)
- E: Reverb (reverberation space) *F: Output (mixer → stereo)
- G: Adds modulation by applying a modulator (LFO, etc.) to a filter, etc.
In this way, with Buzz, machines can be freely connected, making it possible to create circuit-like'',patch-like’’, and exploratory'' sound structures that cannot be achieved with the conventional fixed flow ofsound source → mixer → effect’’.
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