School organizes interactive workshop, in partnership with Erica Synths and Richie Hawtin, featuring Bullfrog technology
In an exciting turn of events, The Music School recently hosted a special workshop featuring the Bullfrog synthesiser, a semi-modular analog synthesiser designed by techno pioneer Richie Hawtin in collaboration with Erica Synths.
The Bullfrog synthesiser, aimed at encouraging new users to explore synthesis creatively without intimidation, embodies a classical subtractive synthesis architecture. It offers multiple sound generation and modulation "modules" that users can patch and combine freely, enabling hands-on experimentation from basic to complex sounds.
The workshop, led by Jacq Noise from Erica Synths and James Malone, the Sound Design module leader at The Music School, provided students with a unique opportunity to delve into sound physics fundamentals, subtractive synthesis principles, and creative patching techniques. One student commented that the hands-on experience with the Bullfrog devices was invaluable in understanding synthesis concepts.
The Bullfrog synthesiser was set up in the Hub space of The Music School for a hands-on workshop. Special thanks were given to Erica Synths for providing the Bullfrog units and to Jacq for sharing her expertise. The workshop culminated in an improvised jam session where students put their newly acquired knowledge to creative use.
The Music School is renowned for its commitment to offering students opportunities to learn from industry professionals and use cutting-edge technology. Its lecturers, who have earned a prestigious Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), are industry experts in their respective fields.
The Music School offers comprehensive training in sound design and synthesis through its Music Production & Sound Engineering and Music Production & Software Engineering degrees. Additionally, it offers short courses in all subjects mentioned above, with campuses in London, Los Angeles, Ibiza, and Online. Registering with The Music School grants access to a range of free sounds, plugins, online course samples, and more.
Richie Hawtin played an integral role in developing the Bullfrog synthesiser, underlining the synth’s focus on practical creative use. The Music School is looking forward to future collaborations and learning experiences, so keep an eye on their social platforms for updates. The students expressed their excitement about these future learning opportunities.
In summary, the Bullfrog synthesiser is a semi-modular analog subtractive synthesiser designed to make synthesis approachable and encourage exploration and learning for musicians at all skill levels. Its modular-style "scratch to patch" design balances immediate playability with patching freedom, supporting hands-on sound design and helping users discover and experiment with complex sounds easily. The involvement of Richie Hawtin emphasises the synth’s focus on musical and educational aspects.
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