Arturia MiniFreak - First Look

Arturia MiniFreak - First Look - Sonic LAB

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Күн бұрын

Today's the day for the big Arturia announcements - and the one we have most experience of is the new MiniFreak which is an expanded MicroFreak - (the Algorithmic Synthesizer with multiple oscillator types).
The MiniFreak doubles up the Oscillators to two - with 20 oscillator types on board, keeps the multi-mode analog filter and adds 3, quality, digital FX. It also has a physical 37 key keybed (short travel) with aftertouch. There's two control strips which can do pitch/mod or macro 1/2, each with four destinations or a sequencer/gate control for the on board sequencer.
It also comes with a free VST version MiniFreak V
We fully confess that we didn't get the time to do the full review in time for this deadline, but first impressions are pretty positive.
If you have any questions for the full review, please leave them in the comments.
MiniFreak is priced at €599/$599/£559 inv VAT
Arturia.com
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Пікірлер: 370

@sonicstate 3 ай бұрын

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@barryjenkins1179 Жыл бұрын

Whenever Nick says 'I'm getting lost in it' my wallet starts getting nervous

@audiolego Жыл бұрын

Or if there's no 0 APR for 4 years on a credit card.

@incaroads001 Жыл бұрын

Ha ! So true. I've spent more money because of that statement than I can shake a stick at.

@dennismossinkoff7993 Жыл бұрын

It is a boomer

@dennismossinkoff7993 Жыл бұрын

Atruria bigg..upp.... New gear!!!! Sounds bigg

@satin360 Жыл бұрын

relatable

@prinzbach Жыл бұрын

Amazing video as always. I really like the experimental ambient mood that this synth delivers. Great work!

@JayHosking Жыл бұрын

Those custom patches you made are just fantastic. Thanks for this!

@TheUnfinishedSynth Жыл бұрын

Sounds like a fun synth for some wild experimentation. Good job Arturia.

@tekis0 Жыл бұрын

Yeah, Arturia are impressing me lately!

@kirkegodfrey414 Жыл бұрын

wait till ya make a track with several of the miniFreakV in ya DAW (its VERY VERY fun)

@morrower1067 Жыл бұрын

Arturia does it again! Thanks for the video, looking forward to a closer look!

@ProckGnosis Жыл бұрын

Damn...immediate BIG like! Was impressed with the MicroFreak enough, that I'm sure I and MANY others are happy to see a substantial expansion of that feature set...

@whitelightenergydads Жыл бұрын

i'm glad you made this video! i miss when you used to do a lot of reviews. i trust your opinion more than a lot of the other people on here. and you play nicer stuff, so i can get a better sense of how something sounds.

@jm6734 Жыл бұрын

Amen! Not to mention integrity. Some of these channels are cringing to the unwatchable.

@rodrigolaporte274 Жыл бұрын

Actually I wanted a quick overview at this point and not the long full review, so this was perfect, Nick!

@WilyEPeyote Жыл бұрын

Me too, totally hit the spot. Love my Micro, want one of these!

@HOLLASOUNDS Жыл бұрын

All videos on this sythersizor are quick reviews made fast because the videos need to come out on day of release to take advantage of KZfaq search spike.

@scottsweatshirt9753 Жыл бұрын

I was admitted to Hogwarts this past year and use my syrthersizor in House Slytherin.

@deadmanwalking6342 Жыл бұрын

Several sounds have a physical modelling tonality to it, very nice!

@tarshenry Жыл бұрын

I already love this synth so much. Top video!

@macronencer Жыл бұрын

This is a beautiful-sounding synth, I have to say! They've packed a lot into a small package.

@mathmanmrt Жыл бұрын

the microfreak was already an amazing synth and, except for the keys, this looks like a great extension of the original brilliance that is the microfreak. one can learn to use the microfreak in an afternoon and then spend a lifetime mastering it. arturia has really done a great job.

@final_mile_music9713 Жыл бұрын

My goodness there’s some talent at Arturia. I love my Polybrute. It’s a masterpiece. So we’ll thought through.

@electronicbagatelle Жыл бұрын

Sounds really nice, esp the paraphonic mode. Lovely to meet you at Synthfest Nick and the rest of the crew. Ismini

@dankeplace Жыл бұрын

Great synth, great upload, look forwards to full review then a Friday Fun

@dlinnoedlinnoe Жыл бұрын

I can't imaging what they'll have as MegaFreak in 5 years :) Thanks for the intro! Really really good instrument.

@dlinnoedlinnoe Жыл бұрын

P.S. I watched some more reviews... I wish I didn't have MicroFreak to have an excuse to buy MiniFreak :)

@HOLLASOUNDS Жыл бұрын

It would be Superfreak and might actually show up on the market sooner then We think possibly next year if the Minifreak sells well.

@d3tuned378 Жыл бұрын

@@dlinnoedlinnoe i have a microfreak and i am absolutely buying a mini

@fortheloveofnoise Жыл бұрын

@@dlinnoedlinnoe Just send me your Micro, problem solved.

@EarlyMist Жыл бұрын

Johnny Depp Sipping on a Mega Pint while tweaking, and tweaking the Mega Freak

@chedhead3278 Жыл бұрын

Cheers Nick, liked a lot about the microfreak, not so much the 'keys' and general design, this seems spot on. Looking forward to the review.

@TimHighamFilms Жыл бұрын

Great video - thanks Nick and Arturia!

@sjascuba Жыл бұрын

great first look. Thanks my man!

@RikMaxSpeed Жыл бұрын

Awesome sounds - i’m so glad Arturia made my dream a reality: a poly version of the MicroFreak - insta-buy!

@heartajack Жыл бұрын

This was inevitable and I’ve been patiently waiting. Love the MicroFreak and this just looks like A great follow up. The built in effects are really gonna help, too.

@HOLLASOUNDS Жыл бұрын

Superfreak will probably come out next year. Full size key sythersizor.

@jpmudkip1870 Жыл бұрын

@@HOLLASOUNDS I have a feeling they’d call it MacroFreak to keep with the naming scheme

@HOLLASOUNDS Жыл бұрын

@@jpmudkip1870 They planned to make the Microfreak with keys originally but went with the tutch strips instead of keys to cut down production cost by about $100 per unit and also to make it stand out from other small mini key sythersizors on the market. Now they are using the succes of the Micro to sell the Mini. The Minifreak would never of sold anywhere near as well as the Microfreak.

@mathmanmrt Жыл бұрын

@@HOLLASOUNDS as i commented above, i think the macrofreak should have a 61 key pcb keybed which makes the microfreak such a joy to use.

@X22GJP 2 ай бұрын

@@HOLLASOUNDS as far as sales go, pure biased speculation. You bitter?

@inthefade Жыл бұрын

First channel I come to when I see a new interesting synth has been released.

@raffitchakmakjian Жыл бұрын

sounds very modern, love it.

@polarxta2833 Жыл бұрын

What a great sounding synth !

@dxutube Жыл бұрын

Hope all is ok with yourself Nick, enjoying the content, take care, Minilogue owner

@huukihuuki Жыл бұрын

omg. this is going be my first synth purchase since 5 years.

@silentkayak Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your review. I have a mcrofreak but now I want a minifreak. One day!

@rideofthefrequencies1871 Жыл бұрын

That thing sounds fantastic.

@chrisjohnson8262 Жыл бұрын

Nicely done!

@huli8557 Жыл бұрын

More than a really interesting machine : it's my next synth!!

@ianpritchard6375 Жыл бұрын

Quite a beast! Be good to see the computer interface/sound librarian when available (it's not available on the site yet) as I find it faster to get an overview of parameters (and adjust them) on a big screen rather than an OLED.

@rokkimason4199 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Mr. Nick!!!!!

@cloudwalker7148 Жыл бұрын

No questions, just VERY excited to hear some Nick Batt original patches on this thing! 😁

@tropicheist6347 Жыл бұрын

This one is pretty impresive. Nice sound too.

@awilsonator Жыл бұрын

sounds really good!

@jonbirchartist Жыл бұрын

What a great little instrument.

@DMTCYMATICSDreamMusicTemple Жыл бұрын

Great to be back here

@VirtualRiot Жыл бұрын

First impression was great! How does it compare to something like the ASM Hydrasynth Explorer? I feel like both synths are in the 'compact, digital and full of possibilities' category, something for jam sessions and live shows.

@Techwonderland Жыл бұрын

Looking forward to a full size key Superfreak 😎

@LaymensLament Жыл бұрын

macrofreak

@AlchemicalAudio Жыл бұрын

Superfreak! Can’t wait!!

@HorstDerHoden22 Жыл бұрын

@@LaymensLament macronfreak

@annother3350 9 ай бұрын

Thats what your mum said

@maxpowers3494 Жыл бұрын

The head scratch at 14:29 has me sold.

@ded5630 Жыл бұрын

I have the micro and 600 is crazy but this looks and more importantly sounds so amazing.

@MatusFinchus Жыл бұрын

Sounds wonderful, Nick! I was toying with picking up a £200 Behringer Neutron this coming weekend. But might wait another month and get this (or indeed, when it's available). Hmm, ponders...

@ClifBratcher Жыл бұрын

Holding out for the PolyFreak/MatrixFreak 😄

@raffitchakmakjian Жыл бұрын

that would be sweet, I was thinking the same think. Love what I'm seeing/hearing, I feel like this is the most modern synth available atm, even considering the Korg wave synths and the ASM Hydra.

@vjspectron Жыл бұрын

8:48 - you know this synth means business when it nearly kills Nick here, we almost lost him! Looks like a great way to scale-up the 'freak line. Nearly everything looks to be improved! Hopefully they got rid of the vocoder so a future update can give us one that can be used with any oscillator!

@richc848 Жыл бұрын

Arturia are getting better and better at what they do, both hardware and software. I hope they keep their software prices fair and don't go to subscriptions, because right now I think of them as some of the good guys in the synth world.

@anonymoushuman8344 Жыл бұрын

Agreed. If Arturia tries to go to a subscription model, they won't be getting any more business from me.

@unclemick-synths Жыл бұрын

Nice video 👍. Another amazing synth but I really don't make the most of the synths I've already got! 😥. On the plus side, when I finally outgrow my MicroFreak, this one is likely to still be in production.

@rokkimason4199 Жыл бұрын

oOoOO! Been waiting for this!! Micro freak on steroids!!! Gonna get pronto!!!!

@YomYestreen Жыл бұрын

Thank you Arturia, for putting pitch and mod touch strips on this, therefore annihilating any GAS I would have had. ❤

@X22GJP 2 ай бұрын

Awwwww

@kevdavies3445 Жыл бұрын

excellent short review put a deposit on one today they are hard to get

@ssssssssssss885 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the speedy review, it's all I need: I want it right away 😀 (need to sleep a few nights over it and pay the taxes first) 😀

@EarlyMist Жыл бұрын

Analog filters... one of the things software has yet to nail, definitely go a looong way with this synth. Same with the Peak/Summit.

@tothefinlandstation Жыл бұрын

Definitely want to see a demo of the audio in features!

@fortheloveofnoise Жыл бұрын

Seconded!

@GeorgeLocke Жыл бұрын

My questions center on the sequencer: can you change patterns via midi? Does it do motion sequencing/ parameter locks well?

@MrLarsDF Жыл бұрын

Sounds massive 👍😊😊👍

@mobiledaw1436 Жыл бұрын

Massive improvement but not cheap as chips. It will stack nicely with the microfreak.

@beamannydanny Жыл бұрын

THE PLAT IN CLOOD PRESET 😍😍😍

@ultrajayme Жыл бұрын

Oh nice. Last synth he was this impressed by is the XD. That's really saying something.

@RobertKgma Жыл бұрын

Is the Aftertouch Polyphonic? Would be great to know if that data works over USB MIDI as well along with all those touch strips!? Looking to use it as my new main studio keyboard/synth.

@Kablehead Жыл бұрын

Sounds pretty good.

@adamkrasneski3679 Жыл бұрын

Is it quick keystep type midi channel changing or menu diving?

@unemployablegraduate Жыл бұрын

Didn’t fancy the Microfreak, but this sounds amazing with the upgraded effects and it seems much more inviting.

@MrPoppymusik 11 ай бұрын

I thought the same, got one and love it and now have 3 I total , played via a master keyboard 👌

@virtuafighter3 Жыл бұрын

Is there scope for putting HDMI on a synthesiser or keyboard ?

@manyeras1788 Жыл бұрын

Do you know if it can be changed with a microfreak for more voices the way 2 microfreaks can be changed together.

@marcthomas8192 Жыл бұрын

OMG! Does it have morphing between parameter values like the polybrute?

@cocacool9829 Жыл бұрын

Hi Nick, nice first impression, could you dig into the full sound potential of the miniF as in nearly all YT reviews people seem to stick to the poor digi organ pads and obvious bass where I heard some great Novation and Waldforf Q like sounds mext to modern groovy waving EDM chords. The microF was able of doing some tricks in different sound genre direction bit then ran i to its limitation. So look forward to see the real scope of the miniF.

@LarsBjerregaard Жыл бұрын

Looks interesting Nick, looking forward perhaps to a full review. Your last two videos have been 360p only, what's happening?

@TheEstateOfHoHu Жыл бұрын

I also love these vids when they come in 360p!

@Psychlist1972 Жыл бұрын

This is quite nice.

@nanotrax Жыл бұрын

sound of the future

@davidlherring Жыл бұрын

This looks and sounds amazing! I was wondering, can the Audio In be routed directly to the effects without needing to hold a note down to keep the VCF/VCA open, or does it always go through the whole chain?

@waynesilverman3048 Жыл бұрын

Don't know ,good job my other comment vanished before by accident as I thought u meant vc2 as I've got a minilogue

@Wagoo Жыл бұрын

It seems like there's a Minifreak V VST too, with modelling of the analogue filters, but that's not available unless you have the hardware for now. Looks like a fun update to the freak series! I wish they had a 19" rack version that doubled as a desktop as I have no need for mini keys

@fuenstock Жыл бұрын

A desk top module would be ace!

@eddievanheinous666 Жыл бұрын

Everyone and their dog owns an Arturia keyboard controller.... the mini keys are just unnecessary

@HOLLASOUNDS Жыл бұрын

Should expect alot of Microfreaks coming on to the used market.

@ElginChris Жыл бұрын

@@HOLLASOUNDS cool even cheaper than now which is ridiculously low. I’ll get another

@dankeplace Жыл бұрын

The keys are good for transposing and sequincing, arp play along. I think this is perfect sizing for what's on offer, it certainly does more imo than a Modal Cobalt.

@raffitchakmakjian Жыл бұрын

dang, did y'all just drop this video? hasn't even finished encoding lol. Wasn't expecting this, wow.

@MuadDib74 Жыл бұрын

Looks great...but what's with the super ow res video?

@IliyanIrmanov Жыл бұрын

Please, can you compare the Analog filter from the hardware with the digital filter from the VST with the same patch.

@enochroot9438 Жыл бұрын

Would be a great recommendation for a first synth

@rakazamra148 Жыл бұрын

Thanx for the great review. Is the analog filter is the same as the microfreak(oberheim filter)?

@clearsailing7993 Жыл бұрын

Is there a good book on how to use this synth?

@KosmicKitchen Жыл бұрын

Arturia has been on the roll for quite a while. I really like the effects on this. Would you see creative ways of using this along the microfreak or does it make the 'micro' redundant?

@waynesilverman3048 Жыл бұрын

Good to use both live sequencers going and bass line from one

@GrootsieTheDog Жыл бұрын

Nick is the first person I’ve heard correctly compare this to the Minilogue XD. Especially if you install all the Mutable Instruments user oscillators, giving you about as many of the same synth engines the freak has.

@bobdzerk3971 Жыл бұрын

#minifreak ? Does the Minifreak (hardware or VST version) respond to polyphonic aftertouch from an external midi controller? I would like to use the Microfreak MPE keyboard to control the Minifreak.

@jonnyhead Жыл бұрын

Is the output any higher than the microfreak?? That's notoriously quiet.

@aquaticborealis4877 Жыл бұрын

This thing is going to sell like bonkers

@beastie244 Жыл бұрын

I bought the micro freak and had to return it due to grounding issues and other issues with the conductive keyboard. Looking forward to messing with this

@HalfGodHalfBeast Жыл бұрын

wonder if we'll get a matrixfreak next then

@KiR_3d Жыл бұрын

Hi, Nick! Nice review :) I would like to know: do Arturia plan to make some kind of a PCB-keys version of MiniFreak and plus multitimbral abilities. In the current state it's not my synth. I think that with PCB keys it will be cheaper in production. And multitimrality is just a matter of more memory and CPU usage. Or it would be cool to see PCBKeyStep 37 and MiniFreak as a standalone module. Then I could make them friends :)

@CharleyHale Жыл бұрын

Sounds amazing. Wish there was a piano patch for live performances

@Gummo22 7 ай бұрын

Can you program poly chords in the sequencer?

@sam.kosmische Жыл бұрын

fingers crossed for a desktop version!

@keybeardist Жыл бұрын

Any chance you will get to demo the Black Corp Ise-Nin?

@markhammer643 Жыл бұрын

Limited dollars to spend, and I wanted something a little more "grown up" than a Microfreak. Was considering a Cobalt 5, but I think this one is where my dollars are going to go. Nice job, Arturia, and good demo, Nick.

@GoodAfternoonDave Жыл бұрын

have you looked at the Hydrasynth Explorer? sounds incredible and great value

@markhammer643 Жыл бұрын

@@GoodAfternoonDave It WAS on my list, but this thing seems to have wooed me away.

@X22GJP 2 ай бұрын

@@GoodAfternoonDave Hydra is nowhere nearby as user friendly and immediate as this.

@GoodAfternoonDave 2 ай бұрын

@X22GJP agreed, the minifreak is great for people with limited experience but he said he wanted something more grown up than a microfreak and the mini is just two of the same synth engines from the micro. so the Hydra seems way more "grown up" to me and it has poly aftertouch. What's the right synth depends on who you are. I'm an experienced sound designer, so the hydra is right for me. But I still love my microfreak too, it's great with a small modular rig.

@kimdiez2681 Жыл бұрын

The display (if its called a display) would require me to put 3 pairs of reading glasses on to halfway read it. But it does sound good and thanks for the review !! This one should really come in a 61 key with real mod/pitch wheels and it would be much more practical imho.ooops and more polyphony and a BIG display !!

@crybo Жыл бұрын

Nice! Real keys! Mini though! Prefer how the Micro looks though! FX! More mod slots! More voices! I like it!

@HOLLASOUNDS Жыл бұрын

The Minifreak will massively reduce the sales of new Microfreak 1 because people will choose the Mini over the Micro. 2 there will be a big increase of Micro for the used market.

@EarlyMist Жыл бұрын

Can this one be battery powered like the Micro?

@Naotaku Жыл бұрын

Can't wait for the Regular Size Freak :)

@richc848 Жыл бұрын

The AverageFreak.

@kurtafterall Жыл бұрын

Funny you mentioned the Minilogue xD. I am tempted to swap my xd for minifreak as it seems much more capable sonically. But the overall sound quality of the Arturia is a bit clinical, isn't it? Sounds like a hardware version of Pigments 😊 of course in a good way

@tweakingtuesday1743 Жыл бұрын

Does the keybed feel the same as keystep?

@florinchelniciuc831 Жыл бұрын

Hi sir! One question : this or bass station 2? Thanks 🙏🏻

@symbiat0 Жыл бұрын

So far, no one on YT has mentioned a shipping date for the MiniF 🤔

@erlendmagnussen8922 Жыл бұрын

FAB

@randomexcessmemories4452 Жыл бұрын

I've got big hands, so I don't know how well this will work, but if the pattern holds, a full-size version should come!

@randomexcessmemories4452 Жыл бұрын

@@user-cl3re8xi7y That is true. I've just never been comfortable with mini-keys. I have an older Yamaha synth with them and it is somewhat uncomfortable to play at times.