Arturia Minifreak VST

[vurt]

Why does weak outputs matter on a virtual instrument?

not enough grrr.

[foosnark]

On second review (because 10 minutes really wasn't a fair demo):

The matrix is better than I first thought, and overall there are a few clever things happening with the interface. But there are a few aspects of the interface I just don't care for -- nothing I couldn't live with, but it's kind of like eating vegetables you don't like stoically because you're an adult and that's what adults do.

The sound, and the experience of creating sounds from scratch with it, weren't really thrilling me either. I'm not saying it sounds bad. It's just difficult to sell me a synth these days -- it has to offer either a new sound or a new enough approach to stand out, while also being something that would fit in with the music I want to make.

I sold my Microfreak a while back, and I still stand by that decision. Compared to Microfreak, this offers a few ways to process the first oscillator, but they honestly aren't unique methods... and that's about it.

[aMUSEd]

Compared to Microfreak, this offers a few ways to process the first oscillator, but they honestly aren't unique methods... and that's about it.

[BONES]

Why would TRK-01 be your reference to judge the Minifreak?

Obviously because of the multiple "engine"/algorithm thing.

TRK-01 is a mono synth built for bass and kicks.

Sorry, should have clarified, I was talking about TRK-01 Bass, not the original thing that's quite a PITA to use. Even though it's designed for bass, like Novation's Basstation it is more than capable of a broad range of timbres, probably as broad as MiniFreak.

Of course a polysynth like the Minifreak is not as loud when comparing a single note.

That makes absolutely no sense at all - TRK-01 Bass is no louder than any other VSTi I own. MF, OTOH, is much quieter than any of them.

If anyone on kvr annoys you with their posts, just listen to their music and it usually helps clear things up imo

Nice idea, the problem is that a lot of people don't seem interested in sharing their music, which I find exceedingly strange.

Why does weak outputs matter on a virtual instrument?

I mentioned it because I thought it might colour people's perception of the strength of the sound. And it's not just a little bit quiet, it is very quiet. I normally start an instrument at -10dB and work from there. With TRK-01 Bass at -10, I had to set MF at +4 to get its output to a similar level. I try not to run anything above 0, so +4 is a significant level boost that pretty much leaves me no wriggle room.

[jacobh]

I agree that the polyphonic effects capability is a great thing! That's one of the reasons I like Repro-5, for the polyphonic distortion (which is not present on a real Prophet). Like the reviewer in the video though, I'm disappointed at the selection of the effects available for the Minifreak. The best virtual synth that I know of in this regard is UVI Falcon. Falcon has a huge number of effects, and most all of them except the most CPU intensive reverb can be used polyphonically, and you can also stack multiple of them together to an almost unlimited degree! (aside from CPU power) Leaves me a little underwhelmed with the MiniFreak V, though I do generally like its sound. A good pre-filter distortion would be nice (not a wave shaper). I hope they add more effects type options to the second slot.

And on the topic of distortion.... I might be tempted toward getting the MiniFreak hardware if it the filter was more capable of overdrive with saturation. It seems to me that one of the things that real analog filters do well that virtual instruments have a hard time replicating is the saturation. For the analog filters in MiniFreak to be so clean, doesn't it seem like it loses some of the point of making it analog in the first place? For anyone who has the hardware, is it possible at all to get some overdrive out of the filters?

[EnGee]

I run through it fast now (still reading the manual and exploring the synth). It is a deep synth and very capable but for now two (or three points):
1. The output for the 'basic waves' oscillator very weak. Here I load the default preset and turned up the master volume to maximum. Compared with NI Massive init preset with master volume at default (half way):
MiniFreak V

MiniFreak V output.jpg

and Massive

Massive - output.jpg

2. Why the labels are not named the same as in the tutorial or when you hover over them!! WTF Arturia!!

3. I read something in the manual: "It can do ordinary sounds like other synths, of course... but who wants that?" It is true! So, if you skip the "basic waves" oscillator, everything begins to shine (even the volume!), so I don't think I would use MiniFreak V for bread and butter sounds at all. It can do agressive leads, big basses, wonderful pads but not skip "basic waves" please!

[rezoneight]

No one is talking about your precious 'Modal' but you keep bringing it up.

Quite frankly I'm shocked he's a fan of the Cobalt.

[T-CM11]

Nice idea, the problem is that a lot of people don't seem interested in sharing their music, which I find exceedingly strange.

Here you go:
https://teceem.bandcamp.com/track/endur ... raumasutra
My latest track.
Genre: I don't know... Industrial drone maybe? It won't make me a superstar

[T-CM11]

But there are a few aspects of the interface I just don't care for --

What I don't like - on any synth that uses a Shift button for secondary functions - not being able to "latch" that Shift button. Maybe that's just me

[seismicfm]

Nice idea, the problem is that a lot of people don't seem interested in sharing their music, which I find exceedingly strange.

Here you go:
https://teceem.bandcamp.com/track/endur ... raumasutra
My latest track.
Genre: I don't know... Industrial drone maybe? It won't make me a superstar

Sounds like dark ambient. It's pretty good.

[BONES]

"It can do ordinary sounds like other synths, of course... but who wants that?"

I want that because I want to make music and music requires a certain range of timbres, which is why that's what MF and "other" synths make. Beyond that, the kinds of non-ordinary sounds I might want to use aren't going to come from a synth like MiniFreak.

It can do agressive leads, big basses, wonderful pads but not skip "basic waves" please!

I was mostly working with the Superwaves and they weren't any louder, neither was the 2-op FM. I didn't notice any difference when I was flipping through the other algorithms, either. i.e. It didn't suddenly get louder or quieter as I switched from one algo to the next. And unless your definition of "aggressive leads" is very different to mine, I didn't hear anything that would fit that description, It can do decent basses, although in the time I spent with it is seemed more limited than I am used to.

[BONES]

The post is pointless without a link and it won't show the link so I've deleted the post.

[Biome_Digital]

The best virtual synth that I know of in this regard is UVI Falcon. Falcon has a huge number of

Omnisphere also has a ton on great effects.

[jbraner]

2. Why the labels are not named the same as in the tutorial or when you hover over them!! WTF Arturia!!

They must have changed the names of these controls - but didn't update the tutorial.
The Mod matrix also has these wrong names.

Hopefully that can be fixed soon - because it *is* a little confusing

[EnGee]

"It can do ordinary sounds like other synths, of course... but who wants that?"

I want that because I want to make music and music requires a certain range of timbres, which is why that's what MF and "other" synths make. Beyond that, the kinds of non-ordinary sounds I might want to use aren't going to come from a synth like MiniFreak.

But you have many others to do the ordinary sounds, why you want to replicate things here also?

It can do agressive leads, big basses, wonderful pads but not skip "basic waves" please!

I was mostly working with the Superwaves and they weren't any louder, neither was the 2-op FM. I didn't notice any difference when I was flipping through the other algorithms, either. i.e. It didn't suddenly get louder or quieter as I switched from one algo to the next. And unless your definition of "aggressive leads" is very different to mine, I didn't hear anything that would fit that description, It can do decent basses, although in the time I spent with it is seemed more limited than I am used to.

Well, I don't mean anlogish agressive (like in Korg Odyssey for example) but like digital agressive (Massive and others).

Well, I see that the loudness was important factor in your decision! It is important but switching to other oscillators and crank the volume to maximum helps. Also using the Chord button and other effects helps to give it a bigger sound. I agree that they should put a much bigger headroom for volume, but I don't think this is a deal breaker for me and several others.

The thing is I don't see it suits every taste. This is normal! It is the kind of synth you either like it a lot or hate it!