Bullfrog, unveiled at Sonar+D, is an educational electronic music instrument made in partnership with two electronic music greats, Erica Synths & Richie Hawtin.
Let’s be honest, no one saw this coming? Did they?
Bullfrog is an educational electronic music instrument designed to captivate new musicians and professionals alike. Bullfrog invites you to unlock musicality while combining the thrill of electronic music production with a comprehensive learning experience.
Bullfrog is a classical subtractive synthesiser. It consists of several “modules” for sound generation including a VCO and NOISE GENERATOR. For effecting your modules you have a VCF, VCA/DELAY, as well as “modules” that generate control and modulation signals to control them including ENVELOPE GENERATORS and SAMPLE & HOLD.
Bullfrog does not generate sound independently. It must be patched – using Eurorack patch cables to interconnect the “modules” or by inserting voice cards. The voice cards create internal connections between the “modules” as well as add extra functionality such as sampler/looper, sequencer, groovebox, etc. This approach helps users better understand the functionality of a subtractive synthesizer as well as the principles of sound design.
Richie Hawtin goes further on the release on Erica’s site. TLDR? Bullfrog has been designed to work simultaneously for use as both an educational and performance synth.
The Bullfrog is a synthesizer dreamed up by Erica Synths and I to inspire and welcome a younger audience into the world of electronic music. Although first considered for someone’s first steps into synthesis the final robust design will also fit comfortably into anyone’s studio and/or performance setup. I can’t wait to see where the Bullfrog leads a curious new generation.
Richie Hawtin
It’s been a busy week for synth news, with Moog Music joining InMusic which caught most people by surprise. With Superbooth only just in the rearview mirror, there’s an added dimension of secrecy given both announcements were kept under wraps. And for Erica Synths, a company whose products are famed for not just the sound, but the industrial look, this is a curveball announcement. They now enter a space where synths are designed for adults and children, a space where BlipBox and Data DUO have been carving out a niche over the past few years.s
Bullfrog will be available via ericasynths.lv on 10th of August 2023.
