Bullfrog Synthesizer: Learn synths with Erica Synths and Richie Hawtin
4,7 / 5,0 | 
Bullfrog Synthesizer · Source: Erica Synths
Bullfrog Synthesizer · Source: Erica Synths
Bullfrog Synthesizer · Source: Erica Synths
Electronic musician Richie Hawtin has partnered with Erica Synths to design a synth that hopes to inspire new and old generations into making synth noises.
Erica Synths x Richie Hawtin Bullfrog
It is an educational musical instrument, but I shy away from that word because it tends to give the wrong sort of impression. Like it’s only for beginners or idiots or something. Honestly, I think this looks brilliant for anyone, and if it can also teach you about synths then that’s a bonus.
Bullfrog is a completely analogue synthesizer voice with a sprinkling of modular patch points and a very intriguing bonus port for voicecards. From left to right, you have a VCO with wave-shaped sine waves and modulated pulse waves. It also has an FM input for modulation. Next is a low-pass filter with resonance and two CV inputs. From there, we come to the VCA, which also mixes in a cool little delay circuit. Then on the right, we have two loopable AR envelopes and a Sample & Hold circuit. At the bottom, you can mix the waveforms and add in some noise.
Bullfrog Synthesizer
It’s a tidy-looking synth with a nice colour scheme and is completely modular. To make it work, you’re going to have to get patching, and it comes with 10 cables for that purpose. On the back, it has Gate and CV inputs, headphone and line outputs, USB, and a MIDI input.
Voicecards
The coolest feature is the slot for additional voicecards. This is reminiscent of the preset slot on Erica’s Pico System III. It brings additional functionality and comes with three to try, plus three blank ones for your own ideas. The pre-configured cards include an Acid Bassline, a Sampler-Looper, and a Groovebox; this all sounds very exciting, and there are going to be more available over time.
Bullfrog Synthesizer
The DIY cards mirror the patch points on the Bullfrog and essentially let you create presets. When you plug the card in it bypasses the front panel patch points and makes the connections for you. So once you’ve found a patch you like, you can transfer it to a card and keep it for later; that’s brilliant.
I think it’s a great idea to release something this good-looking that’s simple but competent, backed up with a great manual, good resources, and an educational bent. Read more about it on the excellently detailed website.
Pricing and availability:
The Bullfrog is now available from Thomann.
More about the Erica Synths x Richie Hawtin Bullfrog:
- Sound like Richie Hawtin
- Bullfrog website.
- Erica Synths website.
- More from Erica Synths.
Video:
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- Bullfrog Synthesizer: Erica Synths
- Bullfrog Synthesizer: Erica Synths
- erica-synths-bulldog-widget: Thomann
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4 responses to “Bullfrog Synthesizer: Learn synths with Erica Synths and Richie Hawtin”
Given that a) it is Erica, and b) another of their famous collabs with very-much-aged electronic music household names:
Expect this to be min 600 quid. Edu sector not a factor here.
Seems like a really very basic synth, a toy really. I wonder if that’s why the photos are made the way they hide the letterings so it would be harder to understand whats where…
Not sure I can agree with you there. It’s a fully featured modular monosynth, not unlike a Mother-32 or TB-303 but with full modular routing. A full manual is available on the website showing you ever detail of every part of the synth.
also… you can literally read every knob in the photo. So… maybe you were just having a bad day?