Erica Synths's Twisted Take on a West Coast Synthesis Staple Devised by synth pioneer Don Buchla, the lowpass gate was instrumental to the distinctive West Coast synthesis sound. Essentially, a voltage-controlled filter merged with a voltage-controlled amplifier, a lowpass gate provides synthesists with a unique means for shaping the harmonic content of a signal. Erica Synths puts their own twist on this classic formulation with the Erica Synths LPG lowpass gate for Eurorack. In contrast to the original Buchla design, which employed a 1st order (or single-pole) VCF, the Black LPG features a 2nd-order (2-pole) VCF, providing a tighter sound and the ability to dramatically exaggerate resonance at the cutoff point — just the thing for cooking up squelching acid bass lines. Sweep the offset manually using the satisfyingly chunky knob, or via an external modulation source or sequencer, and prepare yourself for some seriously animated aural emanations. Plus, flip