Arturia Minifreak Polyphonic Hybrid Keyboard Synthesizer

[elxsound]

Noob here. Should I get the Micro and dabble with that for a bit, or just spring for the mini.

Just my opinion, but.. Spring for the Mini.

I have the Micro. It’s fun but you definitely needs effects and that’s where the Mini becomes the better deal.

If you already have effects to run it through, or if you only plan to have it connected to a tablet/phone/computer then as long as you like that workflow, it could be the better option.

In other words, the Mini is a more complete package

[BONES]

Noob here. Should I get the Micro and dabble with that for a bit, or just spring for the mini.

I'd look at other options. For similar money to a MiniFreak, you could have an Argon 8, a Cobalt 8 or a Hydrasynth Explorer. Those are all 8 voice synths with broad feature sets, although Hydrasynth is way deeper than the others. I have no idea which sounds better, none of the music shops in Sydney have all four in stock for comparison, but they all seem well regarded. Minilogue XD would be another option in that price range and it's mostly proper analogue. Korg also have ModWave, OpSix and WaveState in that price range, although I wouldn't consider any of those for my first hardware synth.

There are lots of options out there, I wouldn't restrict myself to a single brand until I'd checked 'em all out. Half the fun of buying a new synth, like a new car, is test-driving a lot of options before you decide on one.

[cryophonik]

Questions for MiniFreak owners - I read somewhere that it is possible to send the arp to MIDI out for other hardware synths, can someone confirm this? Have any of you tried this? How well does it work? I’ve currently got a couple of arp-based hardware units (Midicake Arp and NDLR), which are both pretty cool, but a little clunky to use and I really like the way MiniFreak implements it’s arp, so I’m thinking about selling them and buying a MiniFreak. Not just for its arp, of course, but for the whole package.

[CoolColJ]

Questions for MiniFreak owners - I read somewhere that it is possible to send the arp to MIDI out for other hardware synths, can someone confirm this? Have any of you tried this? How well does it work? I’ve currently got a couple of arp-based hardware units (Midicake Arp and NDLR), which are both pretty cool, but a little clunky to use and I really like the way MiniFreak implements it’s arp, so I’m thinking about selling them and buying a MiniFreak. Not just for its arp, of course, but for the whole package.

Yes. It's an option that is on by default.

When I bought my Hydrasynth explorer, it was between it and the Minifreak for that small keyboard slot in front on my monitors.
Hydrasynth explorer won due to it's Poly aftertouch, and ease of assigning knobs and buttons and screen changes displayed to software synths - ie pressing the envelope button to bring up the ENV1 ADSR onto the macro knobs can be assigned to the controlled synth.

I only have the software version. So I now use the Hydrasynth to control it and it works much like the actual hardware.
Using the macro controls to chnage the arp/sequencer dice and spice options.
Only thing missing is the copy latched arp pattern into the sequencer, unless there is a way to do that?

Hydrasynth also has very nice arp functions with dedicated knobs so I also use that to enter notes into the Minifreak V sequencer, as well as hand playing in notes. The sequencer screen is better on the VST off course.

The patterns you can come up with on the Minifreak is so inspiring!
And you can transpose them in real time from the keyboard

Entered notes from Hydrasynth explorer arp twice and then added a few hand played notes on top and then messed around with controls and spice
https://soundcloud.com/coolcolj/arturia ... -sequencer

[cryophonik]

Yes. It's an option that is on by default.

Good to know!

The patterns you can come up with on the Minifreak is so inspiring!
And you can transpose them in real time from the keyboard

Entered notes from Hydrasynth explorer arp twice and then added a few hand played notes on top and then messed around with controls and spice
https://soundcloud.com/coolcolj/arturia ... -sequencer

That sounds pretty cool! Now that I have the MatrixBrute, I need to spend some more time playing with the arp/seq mode and sending it out to other synths. I really love the way it's implemented, but it obviously lacks the Spice, ratcheting, etc. that the MiniFreak offers.

[CoolColJ]

That sounds pretty cool! Now that I have the MatrixBrute, I need to spend some more time playing with the arp/seq mode and sending it out to other synths. I really love the way it's implemented, but it obviously lacks the Spice, ratcheting, etc. that the MiniFreak offers.

It has the same combo Matrix Arp and sequencer mode as on the Polybrute, but monophonic and less refined overall.
But it also has step nudge, to shift the sequence forwards/backwards one step at a time, currently missing on the Polybrute.
I mean you could use your Polybrute as well...... has the spice type feature and ratcheting on the Morphee pad, just snapshot/latch the Morphee pad to hold the setting

https://soundcloud.com/coolcolj/polybru ... ed-arp-seq

I loved using the Matrixbrute to control my SH-2 and then run the SH-2 into the audio input, with the envelope follower active. With the Steiner Parker filter, it was so squelchy and bounchy when used like this.

One thing, the Minifreak has user selectable scales for the sequence transposing