The Erica Synths Bullfrog, a new educational electronic music instrument, created in collaboration with Richie Hawtin, is now available to pre-order.
Features:
Fully analog design
Accurate voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) that tracks great over 8 octaves
Manually adjustable and voltage controlled waveshapes – sine-shark fin and pulse wave with pulse width modulation (PWM)
Zener diode-based noise generator
Resonant lowpass voltage controlled filter (VCF)
Voltage controlled amplifier (VCA) with adjustable offset
Delay effect with adjustable delay time and feedback amount
Two looping attack-sustain-release envelope generators (EG)
Manual gate button
Voicecard slot
Built in speaker
DIN5 MIDI input
USB connector
Dimensions: 40 x 385 x 210 mm
Weight: 1.8 kg
Bullfrog is a classical subtractive synthesizer – it consists of several “modules” for sound generation – VCO, NOISE GENERATOR – and treatment – VCF, VCA/DELAY, as well as “modules” that generate control and modulation signals to control them – ENVELOPE GENERATORS and SAMPLE & HOLD.
The Bullfrog will not make the sound on its own unless it is patched – using Eurorack patch cables to interconnect the “modules” or by inserting voice cards that create internal connections between the “modules” in a specific way and add extra functionality, like sampler/looper, sequencer, groovebox, etc.
Organizers have announced the workshops and presentations being held at Knobcon 2023, happening Sept 8-10, 2023 in the Chicagoland area.
The presentations include:
The Basics of Synthesis – Marc Doty, “the undisputed king of YouTube synthesizer videos ” provides as comprehensive a primer about synthesis which could be reasonably expected to fit in ninety minutes.
Tiny but Mighty Setups with Circuit Rhythm & Eurorack – Novation Product Specialist, Shanda Nunez aka Trovarsi, will demonstrate a creative approach to integrating Novation’s groovebox Circuit Rhythm with Eurorack. By demonstrating how to sample loops and one shots from a small Eurorack system to create a sonic library, she will show how the Circuit Rhythm can be a powerful tool integrated in any small hybrid system for both studio and live performance.
Reverb – Jon Sonnenberg explains the concept of reverb in a different light, showing many examples of alternate ways to create reverb-type effects.
35 Seconds at Altamont – The first person to play a custom Moog modular synthesizer at a rock festival was not Keith Emerson, it was Knobcon 11 Guest of Honour Doug McKechnie, who will be featured in a live interview and AMA moderated by Suit & Tie Guy.
Why and How to play Buchla 200e Live – TamiX will show her live set approach in Buchla 200e, compare with eurorack, and discuss her modular live set techniques.
The Other Analog: The Rise and Fall of Photonic Synthesis – Perhaps the most fascinating forgotten era in the history of synthesis is the period of time where the photon was the shining hope for the authorship of sound. This technology presaged polysynths, samplers, and complex synthesis. Marc Doty takes you on a tour of the history, the technology, and the groundbreaking instruments that used light to make sound.
VAST: What’s it All About? – Professional K2000 programmer Shane Etter answers the eternal question: What the hell was Kurzweil VAST and what could you actually do with it?
DIY Workshops
In addition to the presentations, there are 4 workshops scheduled between Saturday and Sunday, each around 2 hours.
Cherry Audio debuts Harmonia, a new virtual synthesizer, for Mac and Windows, that they say is designed for creating “rich, evolving polyphonic sounds like those associated with vector and wave sequencing synthesizers of the 80s and 90s,” but with improved usability through visual patching.
What they say about Harmonia:
“The magic behind Harmonia lies in its two sample-based oscillators. Using techniques similar to those found in additive synthesis, each Harmonia oscillator can simultaneously produce up to eight pitches, individually tuned to a harmonic series or semitones. The volume for each pitch harmonic can be fixed or dynamic, and Harmonia’s unique interpolated harmonic scanning enables dramatic sweeps and melodious sequences through a single modulatable slider.
Harmonia derives its distinctive organic sound from hundreds of sampled waveforms recorded from various synthesizers, traditional instruments and voices, colorful “lo-fi” sounds, and more. User samples can be imported, further expanding Harmonia’s tonal palette. Producers can effortlessly create unique morphed and sequencer-like tones by varying the combinations of waveform selection and harmonic presets.
Harmonia reaches new heights by providing four syncable polyphonic LFOs, an expansive stereo multimode filter, click-and-drag envelopes, and a massive mod matrix with eight slots for dozens of sources and destinations. Harmonia includes support for aftertouch, flexible MIDI mapping, and a collection of over 350 breathtaking, professionally designed presets. Harmonia also has 17 studio-quality effects such as distortion, chorus, phaser, echoes, reverbs, and more – all fully modulatable through the matrix.”
Curated sample library of 285 waveforms in 11 categories, plus support for user-imported samples
Dual audio path: most waveform samples are stereo for natural width and organic feel with multiple-stacked harmonics
Monophonic and polyphonic voice modes (up to 16 voices)
Harmonic mode with six Harmonic Presets for sweeping through sample harmonics to create evolving tones or stacking multiple harmonics to create composite tones
Semitone mode with 23 Harmonic Presets for creating sequencer-like melodies or undulating musical chords
Create and save custom Harmonic Presets or generate random ones
Four tempo-syncable polyphonic LFOs with ten waveforms, one-shot, retrigger, and mono or polyphonic modes
Massive but easy-to-use Modulation Matrix with eight slots and simple click-to-assign functionality: 19 sources and 80 destinations, including Harmonia’s integrated effects
Click-and-drag Filter and Amp ADSR envelopes
17 Studio-quality integrated effects:
Distortion – Tube, Grunge, Fuzz, Sample Crush, Tone & Level
Mod – Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Rotary Speaker
Echo – Stereo Delay, Ping Pong Delay, Tape Delay
Reverb – Spring, Plate, Room, Hall, Galactic
User-selectable Bend Depth, Octave Shift, and note Glide
Over 350 professionally designed presets in 16 categories
Standalone virtual instrument and plug-in versions
Complete MIDI control and DAW automation for all controls, with easy-to-use MIDI Learn and mapping
Cherry Audio’s popular Focus zoom-in feature, as well as standard UI zoom and resize via drag
Complete documentation available directly online from the instrument or in downloadable PDF format
User-adjustable oversampling control
Harmonia is now available now with an intro price of $49 (MSRP $69).
