Arturia Minifreak VST

[Fernando Carvalho]

... on the Arturia's overview page there is a demo sequence (_Rqndohm) (playable) where the info says - each note is from a different oscillator type..
.. just demoing the synth and I'm selecting a note in the sequencer section but there is no option to select an engine per note .... must be well hidden from view .. or ..?? is it actually possible to do that ....dont ...think so...right ??
Sounds like a very cool feature ... but hey ... where is it ..? Cheers..

Just under the velocity lane in the sequencer there are automation lanes where you can select whatever you want. Just click on "none" and then select the parameter, the engine selection in this case.

correct - but it does not work for every selected note - only one engine per note can be selected..

Ah, ok, I understand. I think you can´t do it per note, just per step.

[Neon Breath]

Sure, alot of the Minifreak synthesis can probably be done/replicate in Pigments, like FM & such but the big strengths of Minifreak here I think it the very quick uncluttered workflow. Much more user friendly & easy to work with (at the price of deepness, but for some people this might be desired). Definitely a synth focusing on performance and quickness, it really shows that it's the doppelganger of a hardware synth.

[BONES]

Ah maybe in YOUR opinion (Which you should not state as fact) it does not sound good.

If it had just been my opinion, I might not have but, as I said yesterday, if you read back through the last few pages, you'll see that it is very definitely the majority opinion so far. Moreover, the one or two people who don't seem to hear it for what it is get very defensive about any negative opinion, which tells me they (including you) are very likely Arturia fanbois. A normal person might ask what we don't like about it or just be happy to say that they don't agree and find it good or whatever.

In my opinion, the MiniFreak sounds great. I thoroughly enjoy the VST, especially for making gnarly, weird sounds for EBM and Industrial.

Well, as someone who makes Electro-Industrial, I found absolutely nothing of use in it. The sound is simply too thin and, as much as I hate to say it, digital. It's got a brittle edge, a harshness, that isn't useful. If you want "gnarly, weird sounds for EBM and Industrial", go and demo Sugarbyte's Cyclop and you'll hear the difference pretty easily.

It is freaking awesome - I've had it quite a few months now

I don't suppose you demoed the Cobalt 5S before you bought it? As difficult as it is to tell from YT videos, the 5S seems to me like a better sounding machine but none of the music shops in Sydney have both in stock, so I can't do a side-by-side comparison.

Out of Minifreak or Pigments 4, which one would you guess suggest to get since they are the same price.

I wouldn't buy either, I'd get DUNE or ANA-2 or DS-Thorn or Spire.

[EnGee]

It is freaking awesome - I've had it quite a few months now

btw if anyone wants them now there is just a plugin version but you want a hardware like experience I made a NKS conversion (also several months ago but now I can finally share it) - fully tagged with previews and everything

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9pzfpy1mjququ ... S.zip?dl=0

Thank you for sharing

Sure, alot of the Minifreak synthesis can probably be done/replicate in Pigments, like FM & such but the big strengths of Minifreak here I think it the very quick uncluttered workflow. Definitely much more user friendly & easy to work with (at the price of deepness, but for some people this might be desired). Definitely a synth focusing on performance and quickness.

I agree. It is a deep but compact synth with a great workflow and sound! The design (both for the sound and GUI) is excellent really. I love it

[Dirtgrain]

you'll see that it is very definitely the majority opinion so far.

Since when did your hypocrite ass ever care about the majority. FFS.

[Dirtgrain]

All wasted if it doesn't actually sound any good, and it doesn't.

Ah maybe in YOUR opinion (Which you should not state as fact) it does not sound good.

There is absolutely nothing faulty with how he stated it. You are to realize that opinions abound, and people do not have to tag, "In my opinion," every time they state one.

[aMUSEd]

Sure, alot of the Minifreak synthesis can probably be done/replicate in Pigments, like FM & such but the big strengths of Minifreak here I think it the very quick uncluttered workflow. Much more user friendly & easy to work with (at the price of deepness, but for some people this might be desired). Definitely a synth focusing on performance and quickness, it really shows that it's the doppelganger of a hardware synth.

Minifreak is more flexible in some respects, has a lot more sound engines, most based on Eurorack modules, polyphonic effects (almost unique) but also a simpler workflow than Pigments which is a lot more complex and you have much more control over each sound engine (also even though some have similar names such as the harmonic engine they are not identical and actually have different sources/influences).

Minifreak is basically like having 2 Braids modules plus additional algos from Noise Engineering, one capable of feeding into the other, and with polyphonic/paraphonic capabilities

[zvenx]

I bought it..
It is simple to use and though I am not a fan of Arturia's sound engines (especially their analog reincarnations which yet again today I demoed since there was a special to buy this and V9 for $189 vs this alone for $69 and yet again I passed on V9), I do prefer their more original synths like this and Pigments to the V9 stuff.

I prefer the sound of this to Pigments.

I also think they make the best GUI's and this is easy to program which was a huge part in me buying it.

rsp

[martiu]

Sure, alot of the Minifreak synthesis can probably be done/replicate in Pigments, like FM & such but the big strengths of Minifreak here I think it the very quick uncluttered workflow. Much more user friendly & easy to work with (at the price of deepness, but for some people this might be desired). Definitely a synth focusing on performance and quickness, it really shows that it's the doppelganger of a hardware synth.

Hi Red Fog, i was wondering because you produce very industrial type of dark ambient, for what kind of sound you are using normal sounding synths? (like analog emulators or wavetables)

[seismicfm]

After reading through the enlightening exchange of ideas here, I decided to give it another 30 minutes. Still not impressed, but it could just be the presets are weak. I just listened to some custom patches, and they sound pretty good:



It certainly seems capable.

[BONES]

That video illustrates perfectly what I was unimpressed by with the VSTi demo - it sounds like he's playing through the presets on a 90s ROMpler. There are two or three nice, usable patches but they are things a dozen other synths I own could do as well and as easily. The sound reminds me a bit of Modal's Skulpt, which I own (but haven't switched on in two or three years).

Since when did your hypocrite ass ever care about the majority. FFS.

I'm hurt that you don't understand that I care deeply and on many levels.

[Neon Breath]

Sure, alot of the Minifreak synthesis can probably be done/replicate in Pigments, like FM & such but the big strengths of Minifreak here I think it the very quick uncluttered workflow. Much more user friendly & easy to work with (at the price of deepness, but for some people this might be desired). Definitely a synth focusing on performance and quickness, it really shows that it's the doppelganger of a hardware synth.

Hi Red Fog, i was wondering because you produce very industrial type of dark ambient, for what kind of sound you are using normal sounding synths? (like analog emulators or wavetables)

Normally, although I like experimenting, I mostly use granular synths first. So granular synthesis is probably behind a good 60-70% of the sounds I create. Then come after wavetables, mostly for pads and drones, & sample manipulation of all sorts as well in different order depending on what I wanna do. For the aesthetics of my Red Fog project I never use analog gear or any analog emulations. I keep those for another project not born yet

I liked alot Minifreak when demoing, liked the simplicity of its workflow but I probably won't get it as I won't probably use it enough. It did really click with me though, I enjoyed it.

Hope that helps!

[Scotty]

And that is a the best point yet. One synth doesn’t have to do it all. If you find inspiration in what it does well you can reach for something else to fill in the blanks it leaves behind. I personally won’t be looking to this for bass lines or keyboard sounds. It excels in generating animated pads, and textures and I like it for plucks. The sequencer and chord functions are very useful and the poly effects, although few in number are very interesting to my ear. If it were your only synth plugin this wouldn’t be it for me but like so many of you choices are essentially unlimited.

I decided to try before buy and was soon in love with this synth. It really adds something new to my synth arsenal.

[Dirtgrain]

Since when did your hypocrite ass ever care about the majority. FFS.

I'm hurt that you don't understand that I care deeply and on many levels.

All right then, I take it back. My apologies.

[rezoneight]

Ah maybe in YOUR opinion (Which you should not state as fact) it does not sound good. That's fine. Just don't post it like your opinion is an absolute. You come across as DEEPLY insecure. Or maybe like an asshole. Or a combination of both.

There is no maybe about it. BONES is most definitely an asshole. Don't know why anyone engages with that wanker. But we continue to do so.

Using one thread on this website as some form of proof that this synth sounds good or bad is just beyond stupid. Heres a hint: download it and make the decision for yourself. Thats what the trial is for.