Arturia MicroFreak

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Noplan
Competition Winner
Posts: 726
Joined: 16 Jan 2015
Location: Cologne, Germany

26 Apr 2019

kinkujin wrote:
26 Apr 2019
Sort of wish I hadn't watched that excellent Stimming video. I had no interest at all until this ...
And I wish I hadn't listened to Stimmings music. I'm addicted to it.

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

02 May 2019

Now shipping. Sweetwater! FYI.
- Here tomorrow/ Sat, I'm guessing.

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

04 May 2019

Really nice unit.

Light, very playable.
The keys are nicely responsive.
The Low End is sufficient. The Palette of Sounds - the End on of Monosynthdom!
Time to RTFM on this one:
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Faastwalker
Posts: 2281
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: NSW, Australia

05 May 2019

Have you discovered any issues, OB1? There has been some talk on the GearSlutz thread of an issue with parameters jumping around. People are suggesting faulty pots or maybe something less serious that can be resolved with a future firmware update;

"I just got mine the other day and I'm having the same issue as Polymooger. I'm on the latest firmware too. If you move the env to filter amount encoder past around 50 and let it sit, it just randomly flashes + or - values on the screen without even touching. I also noticed that with patches that don't have any filter env amount, it will randomly add it and also it gets added to the matrix automatically. I've seen it flash filter cutoff and also resonance a time or two while testing, so I have my suspicion that it's not encoder failure. Really strange".

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

06 May 2019

I'm sure there are bugs we can chase.

But - Not me. Not yet. (But, I just got it - so......)
It Sounds Awesome.

I have a feeling another for the Road may be necessary. It's so convenient - and sounds Great!

EDIT: I only noticed how responsive the keyboard was - but, I'll try the example below later today,
Thanks for the heads up, FW!
Faastwalker wrote:
05 May 2019
Have you discovered any issues, OB1? There has been some talk on the GearSlutz thread of an issue with parameters jumping around. People are suggesting faulty pots or maybe something less serious that can be resolved with a future firmware update;

"I just got mine the other day and I'm having the same issue as Polymooger. I'm on the latest firmware too. If you move the env to filter amount encoder past around 50 and let it sit, it just randomly flashes + or - values on the screen without even touching. I also noticed that with patches that don't have any filter env amount, it will randomly add it and also it gets added to the matrix automatically. I've seen it flash filter cutoff and also resonance a time or two while testing, so I have my suspicion that it's not encoder failure. Really strange".

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

06 May 2019

Faastwalker wrote:
05 May 2019
Have you discovered any issues, OB1?...
Yes! I'm addicted.

I know Im supposed to start with Operation Routines first,..
But - That's major boring shit.

I went from Preset 1 to 6, lingered... then 7.. lingered... I'm now on Preset 33 BouncKeyPara.
- "Sequence" is the Label... vs Pad, etc... sounds like a nice airy saw...
- Im taking in the "Filter Amount" Effects. Chord/ArpMOd/Holding G,A,D and E.
- Low Pass Filtering through a Reggae-Town beat I cut

If there's anything wrong with it, it's not a concern for me yet....

now, as per Arturia...
Whatever you do, take the time to get to know the MicroFreak inside out. It will help you to avoid a situation where you sit in front of your system tweaking knobs randomly, without understanding what's happening, but hoping that something magical will happen. This is a certain recipe for losing interest very fast.
To sustain the fascination you feel, learn the functions of the MicroFreak one by one and test your knowledge continuously. It's the only way to experience the reward that comes with being able to create the sounds as you imagine them.
imo, It's a Winner.

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Faastwalker
Posts: 2281
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: NSW, Australia

07 May 2019

O1B wrote:
06 May 2019
imo, It's a Winner.
Good to hear. Mine should be here today.

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

07 May 2019

Great Video!

Learn to save! It's FUN!!!

- Hit Save
- Pick Destination # (Rotate [Preset]) 1-256
depress [Preset]
- Pick Kind of Sound (Rotate [Preset]) Bass, Lead, Pad, Sequence, SFX, etc.
depress [Preset]
- Enter Name (Rotate [Preset])
depress [Preset]

Press [Save].
- Done.


Faastwalker wrote:
07 May 2019
O1B wrote:
06 May 2019
imo, It's a Winner.
Good to hear. Mine should be here today.

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

08 May 2019

I just bought a second one. One for the Road.
** It's Sold OUT across the USA - but, Schneiderladen. **
It's just too damned awesome. That filter - into the Stereo Dipole. Heavenly.
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Faastwalker wrote:
07 May 2019
O1B wrote:
06 May 2019
imo, It's a Winner.
Good to hear. Mine should be here today.

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Faastwalker
Posts: 2281
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: NSW, Australia

08 May 2019

Got mine yesterday afternoon after work. Lots of fun. The presets, as ever, are a mixed bunch. Had a quick scroll through them then started tweaking. Triggered from a simple Player pattern from Reason & lost myself for quite some time just exploring some of the oscillator types. Some very nice sounds. I added a little RV7000 reverb & it really came to life. Works really well with a little FX thrown in. Very nice. I was thinking about phoning in sick so I could sit there playing with it all day. In work now though. Can't wait to get home for some more Freak action :D

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fieldframe
RE Developer
Posts: 1037
Joined: 19 Apr 2016

09 May 2019

I really want this synth but there's one thing that unfortunately keeps me from buying it: Arturia's ridiculous habit of making the octave buttons flash. Why oh why must they do this? Nearly every keyboard they make, from the KeyStep to the Keylab Pro has these distracting octave buttons (the MatrixBrute is the only exception because it has octave indicator LEDs). In UX design, flashing is reserved for things that need to get the user's attention. To paraphrase a post from one of the many Arturia forum threads on this, it's like the buttons are saying "Hey! Just wanted to let you know I'm still in a lower octave! Hey! Still in the lower octave! Hey! Still -12 over here! Hey!"

I guess I could get one and just put some ugly tape over the buttons, but... Come on, how can this not at least be a user setting?

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

09 May 2019

So does... the Electribe 2. Sounds great, though...
The microKorg changes colors... then flashes at the extreme octaves, i believe...

- to add to your list, fyi...

I'd trade the Octave flashing for LFO speed flashing (I can't remember what happens)
- but what're you gonna do! IT sounds Great!
fieldframe wrote:
09 May 2019
I really want this synth but there's one thing that unfortunately keeps me from buying it: Arturia's ridiculous habit of making the octave buttons flash.

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diminished
Competition Winner
Posts: 1880
Joined: 15 Dec 2018

09 May 2019

fieldframe wrote:
09 May 2019
"Hey! Just wanted to let you know I'm still in a lower octave! Hey! Still in the lower octave! Hey! Still -12 over here! Hey!"
:lol: Thanks for the laugh!!
:reason: Most recent track: resentment (synthwave) || Others: on my YouTube channel •ᴗ•

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Faastwalker
Posts: 2281
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: NSW, Australia

15 May 2019

fieldframe wrote:
09 May 2019
I really want this synth but there's one thing that unfortunately keeps me from buying it: Arturia's ridiculous habit of making the octave buttons flash.
I thought all music tech people were flashing LED fetishists? Or is it just me that sits in a darkened room, watching all my gear flashing away & not doing anything else? Like I'm not making music or anything but just watching all the flashing lights like I'm on a space ship or something! :?

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

25 May 2019

Did'ja ever check up on those issues you were concerned with?
Faastwalker wrote:
15 May 2019
Have you discovered any issues, OB1? There has been some talk on the GearSlutz thread of an issue with parameters jumping around. People are suggesting faulty pots or maybe something less serious

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Faastwalker
Posts: 2281
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: NSW, Australia

27 May 2019

O1B wrote:
25 May 2019
Did'ja ever check up on those issues you were concerned with?
Faastwalker wrote:
15 May 2019
Have you discovered any issues, OB1? There has been some talk on the GearSlutz thread of an issue with parameters jumping around. People are suggesting faulty pots or maybe something less serious
I've not noticed any issues so far. Seems to be behaving as expected. I'm not on the latest firmware yet either.

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

31 May 2019

- Anyways... it looks like this thing is a success for Arturia!... nice!
I did say I was getting two, but I only have one - for now. The 2nd was spoken for...

I missed this comment, eXode. You've got me wrong, but I understand. I'm Sorry you feel that way.
If something needs discrediting, so be it.

Be well, eXode.

eXode wrote:
30 Jan 2019
The question was about battery powered analog, to which you have gotten an answer.

Your other comments mostly seem like a attempt to discredit people who have a different opinion than your own.

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jayhosking
Posts: 613
Joined: 28 Nov 2016
Contact:

20 Jun 2019

So the MicroFreak is a pretty incredible dollar-for-value synth. The four-note paraphony allows you to run sequences and then play top notes over them on the keyboard. The analogue filter sounds great. The variety of oscillator types makes it quite versatile. And the footprint on desk space is tiny but not cramped at all. It's a great interface for hands-on control. The only downside is that the weird keys are no good (for me) for multi-note parts, but it's still great for lead lines. And all this for $400 Canadian! I can see myself leaning on the MicroFreak a lot in the future.

Here's the first jam I made with it:


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MarkTarlton
Posts: 795
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

20 Jun 2019

jayhosking wrote:
20 Jun 2019
Here's the first jam I made with it:
very nice track you made, I dig it :)

kinkujin
Posts: 206
Joined: 01 Mar 2018

18 Jul 2019

Nice one Jayhosking! Just picked up mine this week. Hours of exploration the last two day. I need a manual. I think it's a very lovely and interesting synth.

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jayhosking
Posts: 613
Joined: 28 Nov 2016
Contact:

18 Jul 2019

Hey, thanks both of you!

I’m finding I lean on the MF for higher, more twinkly stuff. It’s something about the filter that keeps veering me that way. I need to give it a proper spin in the bass and pads department. Anyone have any audio or video showing success in these departments?

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

31 Jan 2020

MASSIVE ATTACK GETS CREATIVE WITH MICROFREAK
Massive Attack are known for their intensity, wide range of emotions and inimitable electronic sound. We visited their studio in Bristol, UK, to see how the MicroFreak has added to their creative process.


NDKay
Posts: 287
Joined: 04 Jul 2018
Location: Suite 11

02 Jul 2020

so, maybe some more opinions from owners of the freak after some time has gone ?

I´m interested in one myself and would like to know if others use it with novations circuit and how you mix them - meaning which mixer you use. Which effects you use and so on.

The blinking Octave lights dont look that appealing to me. Whats your take on that for example ?
This is a SmartAss. Really nothing more than that !

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

02 Jul 2020

- " opinions from owners of the freak"
Using it now.. I use it everyday. Nice to have -
- More than one synthesis type
- Proper FILTER High Band and Low... why only LOW on soo many (MOOG :puf_unhappy: ) Synths?
- two flexible envelopes w/ Proper + and - triggering.
- arp and step seq( never used the Step seq, but arping is fun.)
- unique keyboard action - can't slide (like this ;) ) on keys.
- Presets.
- a little CV along with the MOD Matrix
- the Sound... very Shape-able.

Negatives
- Digital LFOs have limited range/access to 'in-the-middle" sweep spots, but it does the trick, nicely :thumbs_up:
- none that I can think of off-hand for $300
- I have those ghost key moments (I never downloaded the new firmware) but, I get along fine (...tomorrow, maybe :puf_smile: )

- " Which effects"
- Moog MF107 Freakbox - of course! :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: I get to detune and get my dual OSC on in one go. I haven't even used/tried delay (MF104M standing by) or Reverb ! The Sound stands well on its own .
* it sometimes 'sounds' like there is a DELAY built-in.

- "blinking Octave lights "
- never was an issue. not once.

Mixer I use for it...? iRig MIX - Mic/Guitar INPUT
Image

Hope this HELPS!

Daniel Fisher...

NDKay wrote:
02 Jul 2020
so, maybe some more opinions from owners of the freak after some time has gone ?

I´m interested in one myself and would like to know if others use it with novations circuit and how you mix them - meaning which mixer you use. Which effects you use and so on.

The blinking Octave lights dont look that appealing to me. Whats your take on that for example ?
Last edited by O1B on 03 Jul 2020, edited 2 times in total.

EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

03 Jul 2020

I can tell you I've watched a LOT of demos of the Microfreak, and almost bought one on eBay a few weeks ago.

Not once have I had a single thought about the octave LEDs. If it turns out they bother you, just put a bit of tape on them. Surely it's not a factor in if you buy a synth or not? Surely?

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