Arturia MicroFreak

Want to talk about music hardware or software that doesn't include Reason?
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DaveyG
Posts: 2499
Joined: 03 May 2020

03 Jul 2020

EdGrip wrote:
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?
It's irrational but that flashing does bother me. It's too bright, it's not in tempo and it flashes faster the further from "middle" you are (which is what they are trying to indicate). It's rare to shift three octaves but if you do the flashing rate is like an urgent alarm, right in your eyeline. It's common to several of the Arturia products I think. So, yeah, mine has neat round stickers on those two buttons. You can still see the flashing but it's less distracting. Great synth though! thumbs_up:

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

03 Jul 2020

The octave lights wont be "the killer point" for me. But it was already mentioned (like) everywhere and i wanted some User-impressions on that.
Would be nice if Arturia would change the behavior with an firmware-update, but i would doubt that to happen. (You know, like the led gets brighter the more you get away from "the middle" without blinking at all )
Like Dave mentioned i think it would bother me, too. But the stickers are a nice "Solution".

------------

I thought of using that mixer (already posted in another hardware thread), because i would use more than 2 channels. - and it has FX ;-) ( and a WITCH :lol:)

Image
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000167 ... 2e0e6R5eIo

I´m not sure to get one yet, but i think i will definitely wait for a good "minty" deal. There is no "need" to get it asap.


The keys are another love/hate point. I see them as a different approach.... and you could always connect "real" keys. So for me its more a "+1" instead of "minus". And with that i wont "need" to get a stylophone ;-)

I also looked many videos. Especially "Loopop" has great Videos. Good explanations - timestamps aso.

Nobody is using a korg kaoss pad (mini) with that machine ? or better in its "Setup"? Was thinking of getting that, too ?!?!
This is a SmartAss. Really nothing more than that !

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DaveyG
Posts: 2499
Joined: 03 May 2020

03 Jul 2020

I consider the keys to be an asset rather than a liability. I might feel different if it was my only keyboard, especially if I was expecting to play it without looking at it. It does have little plastic ridges around each key to keep you on track but still allow you to do crazy sweeps and "machine gunning" that are just not possible with a conventional keyboard. Theramin and Stylophone impressions are easy and you can vibrato on the keys, or modulate anything else with extra pressure or by putting a second finger on the same key.

The only minor gripe I have is that when you are working with the touch controls immediately above the keyboard (arp, seq, bend, splice, and dice) it's really easy to accidentally brush the very top of one of the black keys. Apart from that and the flashing light of annoyance the only other thing I would like is a slightly higher output level. It could definitely do with boosting a little.

Otherwise it's all good. More oscillator types than I know what to do with, an easy-to-understand mod matix, a decent PC librarian, plenty of free presets and a great manual which include little inspirational tips.

I really don't think you'll get a better or more interesting synth for the money. It's a synth that just begs to be fiddled with and it's certainly kept me entertained during lockdown.

EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

03 Jul 2020

Half the reason I'm considering the Microfreak is to have a different kind of playing surface!

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

03 Jul 2020

DaveyG wrote:
03 Jul 2020
I consider the keys to be an asset rather than a liability. I might feel different if it was my only keyboard, especially if I was expecting to play it without looking at it. It does have little plastic ridges around each key to keep you on track but still allow you to do crazy sweeps and "machine gunning" that are just not possible with a conventional keyboard. Theramin and Stylophone impressions are easy and you can vibrato on the keys, or modulate anything else with extra pressure or by putting a second finger on the same key.

The only minor gripe I have is that when you are working with the touch controls immediately above the keyboard (arp, seq, bend, splice, and dice) it's really easy to accidentally brush the very top of one of the black keys. Apart from that and the flashing light of annoyance the only other thing I would like is a slightly higher output level. It could definitely do with boosting a little.

Otherwise it's all good. More oscillator types than I know what to do with, an easy-to-understand mod matix, a decent PC librarian, plenty of free presets and a great manual which include little inspirational tips.

I really don't think you'll get a better or more interesting synth for the money. It's a synth that just begs to be fiddled with and it's certainly kept me entertained during lockdown.
how about putting a stripe of isolation tape directly under the touch controls ? You know, these small ones about an inch wide. ?

... and just joking, but playing the freak "sober" would reduce THAT "behaviour" to a minimum, wouldn´t it ? :lol:
This is a SmartAss. Really nothing more than that !

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

03 Jul 2020

My "Wakeup!"

Microfreak w/
Moog MF107
mini Kaoss Pad 2s
it's BIG RED Brother KP3+ - STILL A BEAST :D
Roland Torcido

Next to me - up and running through the audio Chain - and ready to Freak the Micro -
- EarthQuaker ToneJob
- DigiTech Luxe
- MX103 Echoplex
- MXR MX87 Bass Compressor
- MXR M159 Stereo Tremolo

The POD 60 wares (2 MN MMGs, MI Shelves, and modern QUASLFO) shines my Computer's Sound.

TOMORROW - ill try the Microfreak through the 'Computer chain.' I never got around to it. :mrgreen: But, it's high time. :mrgreen:
O1B-MFreak-Plus.JPG
O1B-MFreak-Plus.JPG (232.99 KiB) Viewed 2924 times
NDKay wrote:
03 Jul 2020

Nobody is using a korg kaoss pad (mini) with that machine ? or better in its "Setup"? Was thinking of getting that, too ?!?!

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

03 Jul 2020

I look forward to more oscillators! The blinking light doesn't bother me and the keys are great for certain types of things that would be impossible with a traditional type of keyboard. I do wish the envelope was a full adsr though. That's the only kinda negative for me. But come on, for that price and the huge sonic palette? Plus it keeps getting better with updates? Dude...

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

03 Jul 2020

i would second the ADSR.

But yeah, the "bang4buck" is great !
This is a SmartAss. Really nothing more than that !

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

03 Jul 2020

Is this a real wish on your List? ... like with some basis other than 'adsr'?

Do you own something with an actual adsr? is it more useful?
And, do you not WISH 'it had THREE A-D-S-R's for Filter? AMP? Optional?
And, then, don't they need to operate in both + and - directions?
And, wouldn't you really want a HOLD or DELAY in you A-D--S-R? All Three+ of them? Or, is one enough?
Looping?

I have Intellijel Dual ADSR, Cwejman's Dual, TINSR, KOMA's, .... couple other ADSRs...

Maths, Quadrax, QuadLFO, D-LFO, etc... basically, Rise-Falls gets used 90-99% of the time?

What's your real-world ADSR experience that makes it a WANT?
PhillipOrdonez wrote:
03 Jul 2020
I look forward to more oscillators! The blinking light doesn't bother me and the keys are great for certain types of things that would be impossible with a traditional type of keyboard. I do wish the envelope was a full adsr though. That's the only kinda negative for me. But come on, for that price and the huge sonic palette? Plus it keeps getting better with updates? Dude...

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

03 Jul 2020

although this was not going in my direction, i would like to answer that.

One point for me is that i am used to the ADSR from (nearly) all softsynths i use(d).

Another point (way smaller), i dont have any device with ADSR and would like to get "in touch" with that.
This is a SmartAss. Really nothing more than that !

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

03 Jul 2020

O1B wrote:
03 Jul 2020
Is this a real wish on your List? ... like with some basis other than 'adsr'?

Do you own something with an actual adsr? is it more useful?
And, do you not WISH 'it had THREE A-D-S-R's for Filter? AMP? Optional?
And, then, don't they need to operate in both + and - directions?
And, wouldn't you really want a HOLD or DELAY in you A-D--S-R? All Three+ of them? Or, is one enough?
Looping?

I have Intellijel Dual ADSR, Cwejman's Dual, TINSR, KOMA's, .... couple other ADSRs...

Maths, Quadrax, QuadLFO, D-LFO, etc... basically, Rise-Falls gets used 90-99% of the time?

What's your real-world ADSR experience that makes it a WANT?
PhillipOrdonez wrote:
03 Jul 2020
I look forward to more oscillators! The blinking light doesn't bother me and the keys are great for certain types of things that would be impossible with a traditional type of keyboard. I do wish the envelope was a full adsr though. That's the only kinda negative for me. But come on, for that price and the huge sonic palette? Plus it keeps getting better with updates? Dude...
Dear 01B,

It is not a real wish on my list, it is more in a "would be nice" if, but it's fine. I do have one thing with separate decay and release, nothing fancy like your eurorack modules though. Not complaining about the envelope!!!! 🤗

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

25 Aug 2020

Happy times, new oscillator: vocoder 😀


EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

25 Aug 2020

Where did they get that white one!?

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

25 Aug 2020

EdGrip wrote:
25 Aug 2020
Where did they get that white one!?
Limited edition run, should be available in stores soon. Same functionality as the classic one though. I do like it better in white, but oh well 🤷‍♂️

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DaveyG
Posts: 2499
Joined: 03 May 2020

25 Aug 2020

PhillipOrdonez wrote:
25 Aug 2020
Happy times, new oscillator: vocoder 😀

Ooh, nice!

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Crumbfort
Posts: 185
Joined: 20 May 2018

25 Aug 2020

Ace! Love my microfreak. Also just picked up this super cheap editor which is working great: https://micro-freak-editor.jimdofree.com/

Great to be able to send it crazy CV from the RRP/automate parameters in Reaper.
Descent: Legends of the Dark // Darkeport Productions // The LotR: ACG // Blue Zones (Netflix) // Chef's Table (Netflix)

(Composer for visual media / Adeptus Mechanicus Synthseer)

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

26 Aug 2020

Oooohh. Like it in white. Anyone want to buy my black one?! :shock:

EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

26 Aug 2020

Back to the old "buy a limited edition white Microfreak or put the money towards a Grandmother" dilemma, then.

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fieldframe
RE Developer
Posts: 1037
Joined: 19 Apr 2016

28 Aug 2020

Any word on the octave buttons with the new firmware?

I ask specifically because Arturia *has* addressed this in the latest MiniLab II firmware, so they're clearly aware that it's an issue for some.

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

28 Aug 2020

fieldframe wrote:
28 Aug 2020
Any word on the octave buttons with the new firmware?

I ask specifically because Arturia *has* addressed this in the latest MiniLab II firmware, so they're clearly aware that it's an issue for some.
Still flashing.

EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

28 Aug 2020

EdGrip wrote:
26 Aug 2020
Back to the old "buy a limited edition white Microfreak or put the money towards a Grandmother" dilemma, then.
So you're saying I should buy both. ?

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O1B
Posts: 2037
Joined: 26 Jan 2015

29 Aug 2020

...I hear ya! .... I hear ya!

Image
EdGrip wrote:
26 Aug 2020
Back to the old "buy a limited edition white Microfreak or put the money towards a Grandmother" dilemma, then.

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

02 Sep 2020

Trying to get aftertouch from the mf pressure to control Reason instrument and not being able to achieve this. Does anyone here know how to make this work?

Thanks 🤗

madmacman
Posts: 786
Joined: 18 Jan 2015

02 Sep 2020

PhillipOrdonez wrote:
02 Sep 2020
Trying to get aftertouch from the mf pressure to control Reason instrument and not being able to achieve this. Does anyone here know how to make this work?

Thanks 🤗
I'm afraid this doesn't work. :( Iirc, then the MF sends "Poly Aftertouch", while Reason can only handle the classic "Channel Aftertouch" data.

If you are on Mac, you could try to convert the data on the fly with tools like MidiPipe, but I don't know if the results are satisfying.

Feature Request to R12: Support Poly-AT :D

PhillipOrdonez
Posts: 3732
Joined: 20 Oct 2017
Location: Norway
Contact:

02 Sep 2020

Awww, yes!!! Reason 12 poly aftertouch!!!!

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