Bad Gear - Arturia MiniFreak
Vložit
- čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
- Become a Patron and get access to music clips from the show, additional content, Bad Gear samples and even more AudioPilz madness
/ audiopilz
Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Arturia MiniFreak. Is this hybrid digital and analog synthesizer the long-awaited superfreak? Is it more powerful than its little sibling, the Arturia MicroFreak and can it compete with the other synths in this pricerange like the Korg Minilogue XD, Modal Argon and Hydrasynth Explorer?
Thanks to Tom of Synth Anatomy for lending me another instrument from his collection!!!
Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:57 Overview Arturia Mini Freak
01:59 Synth Engine, Polyphony
02:13 Oscillators (Mutable Instruments, Noise Engineering)
02:58 Display, Frog Animation
03:19 Filter
03:26 Modulators (LFO, ADSR, Cycle Envelope)
03:45 Modulation Matrix
04:00 FX Section
04:22 Chord Mode
04:33 Sequencer, Arpeggiator
05:02 Presets, Patches
05:23 What else??? (Pricing, Thanks!!!)
05:48 Hate
06:09 Jam 1 (Big Bass)
07:01 Jam 2 (Smooth Sounds)
07:56 Finale (French House Subversion)
08:28 Verdict
09:33 Patreon Vocoder Shoutout - Hudba
![[FREE] Cochise type beat - "SELECTIVE"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ikGgsGZi1LM/mqdefault.jpg)
Audiopilz: slaps roof of YT channel
Full Tracks, Extended Jams, Sample Packs: www.patreon.com/audiopilz
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/audio.pilz/
Can we just start calling you a Professional Synthhead Jimmy Rustler? I mean, it isn't easy to rustle me about my purchases, but you came pretty darn close.
And no I'm not buying a polybrute, thanks very much...
Still wanna see SidStation, an original MiniMoog and the Sound Blaster 16 default MIDI sounds...
Velcum to baad geer, da show dat is now about brand new stuff that was only released a few veeks ago...
At first glance this synth hasn't been out long enough for me to know it is actually bad geer.
But, vell to be honest, zerr isn't any geer viv vobbly buttons that I haven't already laid to vaste...
Next veek the UB-Xa, vich hasn't even been released yet 😮
...
😂
(No, I don't own a minifreak or micro freak)
Any true Bad Gear fan knows that if you truly watch an episode, it takes 1/2 an hour to view.
Edit: I'm so happy to read I'm not the only
"meme pauser" here. Instead of feeling like it's only me doing this, it's meme.
That's the way!!!
Facts!
Haha, indeed! I watch 1 times through for the synth review. Than dissect piece by piece for the memes haha. Still haven't found a way to properly trace the origin of the video in the final jam thought
Naw dude… 29 minutes 😂
yep i am starting to roll it all the way thru one time and then go back for a second life after laughing-death 👍👻
I bought one as a 50th birthday present for a friend. Thought I’d give him a chuckle by programming some sounds before I gifted it.
I loved the synth.
I gave him a Starbucks gift card instead and kept the synth.
Am I a bad person 😮?
About as bad as the gear;)
Did you get them a $600 Starbucks card?
@@zackcolbourne6921 yeah, and they programmed some great coffee sounds with it!! ☺️
To be fair friendship can have it’s healthy limitations especially when it comes to Arturia synths, I have the micro freak, I should review it really🤔
@@zackcolbourne6921 second prize - a $1200 starfucks card
this is getting personal
❤️❤️❤️😔😔😔❤️❤️❤️
3:16
@debu206. Are u French?
Always has been 🌍👩🏿🚀🔫👩🏿🚀🌌🛰️
What does that mean? How many of your devices are Bad Gear?
The best wine, bread, frog, and horse around.
Why is "Bad Gear" the series that shows every synth in the best possible light? Florian has a gift for making bad gear sound good and good gear sound amazing. Keep it up! Watching these videos is a highlight of my Monday morning procrastination.
Thank you so much!!!
pretty sure that's the point....
another wonderful episode, and some exceptionally good jams! thx always pilz, your contribution to our community is of immeasurable value
Thank you so much!!!
Dearest Florian,
Thank you for continuously making this wor-orld a better place.
Warmest regards,
Rocco
Thank you so much, Rocco!!!
These jams are absolutely jaw dropping and beautiful ❤️ the rest of the video is incredible as always 🙌
Thank you so much!!!
Just got mine yesterday. Very pleased.
The presets in this video are actually really really good ❤
This synth might be on my list for the future 🙌❤️
Definitely worth a shot!
It's the epitome of freakyness!
I sold mine because it was very hard to get to something I like. your mileage may vary^^
@@couchcamperTMare you blaming your tools? 😉
I am blaming the uninspiring sound my other tools don't produce. You may not know the concept, it is called "taste"@@sub-jec-tiv
I've got one and love it. Very versatile and extremely enjoyable to work with. Great synth
Thank you!!!
Amazing as usual Florian! I love my Microfreak and have been so tempted by the Mini. I have so much i want though waaah! Oh and big appreciation/thanks for the full screen linger on my CS80 meme! It put a big smile on my face! 😊
Great meme, thanks!!!
So happy to see you do this one! 🎉 I love your videos so much! ❤
Thank you so much!!!
The MiniFreak sounded thick. Certainly it's a strong competitor in its price range with state of the art features. Thanks again for another great show!
Thank you!!!
I don't know if I'd say state of the art, but I agree that it seems awesome!
I have no idea why ppl say its thin and has no bass. They just playing with the init patch? I have the MF as my first hardware synth and love it. I get that its no moog mini with bass tones but its also the price of a loaf of bread and a pack of cigarettes in northern Canada
@@slipknotboy555it has the best step sequencer in a keyboard. Ever. (My first synth was a 101 in 1983, I’m serious) 😅😂
@@sub-jec-tiv The Mini Freak *definitely* punches well above it’s weight as a synthesizer.
My most anticipated episode yet!!!!!!
It was about time!!!
another masterpiece, bravo!
so glad to see this machine get put through the bad gear gauntlet - the ed banger nod for the finale was *chef's kiss
Thank you!!!
I got this one a couple of months ago after trying the VST demo. It hasn't disappointed me since, and only gets better the more I get to know it.
👍👍👍
It’s my first polyphonic hardware synthesizer btw! For someone mostly working with VST’s up till now, it is a great way to step out of “the box”, and experience how intuitive a deficated hardware interface can be, without losing the flexibilty of digital synthesis.
My next one will probably be the Korg Minilogue XD, or a (second hand) Prologue, to finally dive deeper into “true” polyphonic analogue synthesis (the PolyBrute remains out of my budget for now, unfortunately).
Have you looked into the Prologue already? Should be an interesting piece of gear for your channel as well. ;)
Bad Gear man has once again sold me on something I wasnt even thinking about.
Sorry bout that;)
I’m so glad that it’s ticking all the boxes at first glance
It usually does;)
I'm anticipating the day a product is so bad that it doesn't tick the boxes, but most designers just aren't that bad
Has there ever been an episode where the gear DIDN'T "tick all the boxes" at first glance?
Dude this is some amazing music you made this episode!!
Thank you!!!
Great vid as always. I think I must have pre-empted you a bit when I suggested this synth a couple weeks back, depending on the lag between when you make these vids and when you upload them. I really liked this little synth, and was very tempted. I already own a Polybrute, yet somehow I still feel attacked.....
Love your work my man.
Thank you!!! Great suggestion!!!
I was between MiniFreak and Hydrasynth for my first "real" synth (upgrading from Volcas). Both are great options and now I need a Bad Gear for the Hydra!
Actually did a jam on the big Hydra for the Klangfarbe channel;)
I have the Hydrasynth and frankly if I could do it over again I'd go with the Minifreak.
@@apoclypse The only correct choice is BOTH! lol
@@AudioPilz ....searching....
@@jboulderct
I was trying to avoid that...
dang that screen is tiny but all the little animations look so crisp and smooth! Nice job, Arturia UI team
You can compensate for the small screen by connecting it to your PC or Mac and running the Minifreak V plugin and connecting the two. Then you get the full graphical feedback when you start messing around with the parameters.
👍👍👍
@@YouHaventSeenMeRight getting the K88 for piano does the same!! And reads plugins!
Love it! The most entertaining review 👏👏👏
Thank you so much!!!
This is why I love your show. I haven't given this thing any thought since the initial launch. Sounds really good. I also regret selling my MS-2000B. 🥺
❤️❤️❤️
Ive never wanted a synth more! Sounds fantastic!
👍👍👍
The VST to hardware syncing is a huge bonus for patch design. I really enjoy using it in my projects.
Danke Synthmeister 😎🤟
its power hungry though
Bitte!!!
I bought this as a gift for a friend and had a chance to play with it (and also with the VST). I believe this is a very competent little synth, there is lot to like in it. Very easy to make sense of the synth engines (esp in the VST, which has a few screens :D), compact size and very nice mini keys that are actually playable (unlike the Korg Wavestate, with full size but unplayable keybed). I would consider buying one for me, but I can't justify the use. Your demo was amazing BTW!
Can I be your friend as well?
Thank you so much!!!
Not only did I smile, but I entertained the possibility of buying this freaky mini! Great video!
Thank you!!!
Hey Florian, how long does it take you to put a video together? Between the jams, shooting video, and the **crazy** amounts of memes and clips you put in your videos I'm shocked how consistently you keep up a weekly schedule, you're a consistent beast! Wonderful video as always, you make wallets cry worldwide.
magicians do not reveal their tricks so simply my man
teamwork
Thank you so much!!! It's usually a week;)
Lol “Modern Talking” at 1:41. I love this channel! 😹
@@AudioPilzsuch a hard worker CZcamsr. I can tell the hard work.
You're really going through everything I own eh? :-D. Can't wait to see and hear this one!
Nothing personal;)
@@AudioPilzwhat do you consider "GUT GEAR"? It would be nice to see instruments that you really think are good...
I mean... I own a lot of the Bad Gear but it works for me and the kind of music that I produce ;)
When I want to know anything about something ... I first search your channel! All I want to know covered, to the point, and I can 👉hear👈 it, also in context. Perfect! This was just the practical side haha. Great to watch! Thank you for all your efforts!! Keep up the good vibes!! 👾👾👾
Thank you so much!!! Happy to hear that!
Hey Florian, great video again. It is impressive to watch your informative-reviewing-humoristic-sounddesigned-videoediting video's!
Maybe some nice suggestions for new episodes:
- Yamaha CS6x
- Novation A-Station
- Yamaha DX-200
- Nord Lead 3
- EMU Xtreme Lead
Thank you so much!!! Great suggestions!!!
Excellent demos/tunes. This synth has real character and good sound. Less sold on the packaging though.
Thank you!!!
its a great synth, really approachable and easy to use.
I like the packaging and features but not the sound haha
@@Grant82gc To each their own I guess 👍 I hate mini keys with a passion.
"Polaroids of the Pyramids" is so sample worthy - deserves it's own track.
Agreed!!!
this is awesome! I'm really thinking about getting this and its perfect!
👍👍👍
Nice choice !
I bought this one a couple of weeks ago.
I was visiting a music store that I always go at during my yearly visit to a metropolitan city.
I first tried the Oberheim, then a Prophet and many more until I fell on the Minifreak and boy I was immediatly blown away by the sounds it made. I didn't expect to like it that much but I decided to buy it right away and the guy from the store said they were selling like hot cakes. I didn't have trouble believing him !
I also borrowed a Microfreak for two weeks and was disappointed that the Mini lacked features from its little sibling such as granular sampling and poly aftertouch
Nice!!!
I was so happy when the minifreak came out and the used market was flooded with people selling the older microfreak allowing me to buy one for cheap!!! It's my only hardware synth but I'm very happy! :)
Great choice!
With all of online hate the Hydrasynth garnered (too digital, too complex, uninspiring presets, etc.), is weird that it didn’t appeared on this show before the Minifreak.
Great suggestion, thank you!!!
@@AudioPilzNoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! 😭
Sweet! I'm on the fence on getting the deluxe.. maybe outside your norm on for 73 keys.
I love this instrument so much. Just pure inspiration.
👍
The minifreak was my second synth after the Roland SE-02 and I love it. A lot of the presets are definitely oriented to more digital sounds but it can emulate classic sounds a lot better than I expected!
👍👍👍
I do love the way Arturia do business 😆
They're amazing with firmware updates and support.👍
;)
I bought the Minifreak a month ago after watching dozens of videos on it and the competitors -- to me it came down to the Hydrasynth or Mini. My tipping point was the Arturia V inclusion. it's my first synth and my verdict: I absolutely love it.
Nice!!!
Great content as usualy. Congrats amigo! Greetings from Brasil.
Obrigado!!!
Thanx for yet another awesome episode Florian. The _microfreak is tempting, but at this price point I can get the whole mini keys experience with the hydrasynth explorer - which would be my first choice.
Btw, that movie behind the 3rd jam, looked out there. Love, from Down Under.
Thank you so much!!!
The sound is good. The mix is good. The review is good. Good luck
Thank you!!!
Dude is an amazing composer
Thank you so much!!!
@@AudioPilz Bad Gear Jams, Vol. 1-10, will be the 21st century electronic classics
Great video as always Florian! Those demos! 🤤
Cool to even hear some patches that we made, thanks!
Great stuff, thanks!!!
@@AudioPilz no need to thank us, as your stuff is so excellent!
The first jam hits hard! Nice!
Thank you!!!
The jams are killer on this one! I really my Microfreak. I think I'll try the plugin Minifreak next time it's on sale rather than shelling out for the hardware, but I'm tempted.
Thank you!!!
Jus type "minifreak VST torrent" into any search engine ;)
Who has the money to shell out for software these days!?
The sheer amount of synth specific memes this guy manages to shove into a single video is mind boggling
Thank you so much!!!
One fun trick I've found with my Minifreak is to use it as a controller for the VST version but pipe the hardware synth audio in to my computer aux in, really fattens up some of the sounds running them in parallel. But I have found one patch that the hardware and the VST handle differently enough that it's just clashing jangle. Great video Florian!
Thanks!!! Great technique!!!
It's an amzing little beast! As your second jam clearly shows :-) I love mine!
Thank you!!!
I love my freak! As a beginner it's a beautiful toy, the presets are great, mingling with the sh*tload of oscillators is a joy. You could have mentioned the additional filters in oscillator 2, which can do some really interesting stuff, even to a "boring" saw wave.
If Arturia holds up the standard regarding firmware updates like on the micofreak, this beast has a bright future.
I had the comb filter in there for a short sound, great stuff
Vienna has always been the place for musical forward thinkers. Where Mozart engineered his operas, Falco played his bass, Florian shows the "wooooorld" what is possible here in Vienna!
I am convinced, the next caditate waiting for its transformation will be the Walzer. The "Schrammel-Sequencer" will most probably be an Viennese invention following our great tradition. 🙂
👍
I’m here for whatever Wien has to give us.
Prost!!!
I think I actually spotted a Kontragitarre in one of the last videos…
hey Professor going in fairly hard but I appreciate it.. I almost bought a mini freak but decided to get two Plaits clones instead.. I have a ton of gear but the only piece I own as far as I know that is on the Bad Gear lineup is my four TX81Z's which of course is understandable.. keep these extremely fair truthful reviews flowing..
🤘😁
Thank you!!! Love the TX!
I think I'll wait for the "Mega Freak" 😉. Love the channel!
Thanks!!! Behringer UltraPhreak
A meme every 4.2 seconds, on average. That, my friend, is impressive.
Thank you so much!!! Did you actually count?
I did! From 0:15 to 5:47 to be fair to you. I didn't want to skew the data with the tunes. So much work goes into these videos. I wanted to put a number to the madness. Thank you for the great content!@@AudioPilz
Still better than most synths out there for the price (even near double) asked.
👍👍👍
I would go with the hydrasynth personally
I think this thing sounds great. Mine will be here next week.
I love my MiniFreak! I like my synth too!! 😮Great content per usual 👌🏾
Thank you!!!
Great video!!! I bought the Polybrute (my first poly synth)before MINI came out and still haven't recovered, so I grabbed the VST for $40 when it first came out. Arturia has been an amazing addition to my sound.
Thanks!!! 40 bucks is really nice!!!
@@AudioPilz Exactly Right? Especially when it sounds like this!!!!
slaps roof of Florian's computer
This bad boy can hold so many *m é m ė š*
Meme Machine!!!
My minifreak came with the vst free. Eh I absolutely love the synth, highly recommended. Love your channel.
Thanks!!!
Thank you, love your channel!
Thank you so much!!!
Haha! Having a Microfreak already, I did skip the Minifreak and went straight to the Polybrute. Yeah, it was finance wrecking, but it's a great sounding beast ... er ... brute! Great fun as always! Cheers!
Thank you!!!
the brute series isn't really the same as the freak series, although I wouldn't say no to a PB
@@randommcranderson5155 Oh, definitely not the same. I'd actually like to eventually have a Minibrute 2S. They're all differently animals.
I was just thinking I needed this synth. Maybe I shouldn't watch. BUT I CANT HELP MYSELLLLLLF NOOO
Surrender to the GAS!!!
@@AudioPilz I mustn't. I've bought a Syntakt and Digitone in the last 2 weeks. But to be fair I did sell my OP1 Field just today so there is cash burning a horrible great hole in my wallet and GAS prevention straight jacket
Mine comes in today ! Can't wait !
😀😀😀
The LFO Man picture, brilliant!
Thank you!!!
This doesn’t seem like bad gear, more like a nice review.
It does come with a few limitations;)
@@AudioPilzlimitations breed the best creations 🎉❤
Will there be a final full size synth in this arturia line? Maybe with 12 voices and full size keys? A Maxifreak or even a Superfreak? As a microfreak and polybrute owner I would be tempted but slightly freaked out by the prospect
Arturia is more and more involved with physical gear, so hopefully...
SuperFreak would be much appreciated!!!
@@AudioPilz freakydeaky!
You have 6 fingers on each hand?
@@treetopjones737 it helps to ensure you won't get any note priority interruptions when playing big chords (even up to 8-10 notes) with long tails, and you can even have two sets of normal-sized chords ringing out without interrupting each other. Or just the flexibility to double-up the 12 voices into 6 bigger ones for most uses, but being able to split them up when you really need to.
Another Great show!! ❤
Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
My first piece of hardware... I feel all warm whenever I see those goofy little keys
You mentioned Hydras at the end... another Glen Darcey family which ticks boxes 👀
❤️❤️❤️ Yeah, plenty of people suggesting Hydras!!! Thanks for the suggestion!
the only thing that peeves me about this synth is that they ditched the poly AT when they moved to a mini keyboard, from a capacitive one. They could have done it, ASM managed it with the Hydrasynth Explorer
👍👍👍
ASM has the benefit of being 100% Chinese, no? All other companies have their engineers, researchers, and other staff outside of China, even if all their products are made in China.
Still, The Hydrasynth Explorer may be what helps push development of more poly AT keybeds at lower prices.
Ensoniq did it for 1000 dollars in 1987.
@@JustinEdwords $1000 in 1987 is equivalent to $2690 in 2023 money.
@@Jason75913 yes I know, but nobody else did it anywhere near that price for years, and you can get an sq80 used for about 600 dollars today
We've had the Microfreak and the Minifreak. When will Arturia finally give us the next logical step? When will they give us the Freak?! If that happens, I hope you'll be able to do a video on it because I know you'll do it justice! :D
I also want all the freak.
With Arturia, it has to be "Le Freak" anyway.
@@manuelgilbert1119 J'ai besoin du Freak entière, s'il vous plaît!
Make it full a 7 octave keyboard, they can call it the Super Freak ( RIP Rick James ).
Thank you!!! Le Freak!!!
Great jams in this one..as usual. sweet
Thank you!!!
I bought mine used from a guy who upgraded to a polybrute. great guy, great price. would do it again.
lmao how do people think the minifreak is bad? it sounds ABSOLUTELY phonomenal
You know the drill, one person’s Bad Gear…;)
Sounds great! And reminds me I really want a Hydrasynth😂 Great video as always bud🤘
Thank you!!!
Again a great video ! 👍
Thank you!!!
I still say this is the working class person's Buchla Music Easel. A whole sonic ecosystem with an inexhaustable supply of terrain to explore.
Great analogy!
ah, the MiniFrench, I mean..Freak. c'est tiquingue tout les boxes
def solid banger at the end tho!
les boîtes
When I listen the opening music it feels more iconic everytime
Thank you so much!!!
Another one I may have to get. This sounds right up my alley. A lot of the demos I watched didn't quite showcase how nasty this thing can get.
Thanks!!! Nasty as hell!!!
i got recommended this video while playing mine lol. great vid!
Thank you!!!
visual analogy for after touch blew my head of. yh, grass has after touch. love it
Thank you!!!
great episode!
Thanks!!!
Wow am i glad i bought the micro freak!
Brilliant 😎👍 6:09 this is why this synth is high on my wishlist.
😀😀😀
Yowza 😱 I'd actually forgotten how amazing the editing is on these 😨
Thank you so much!!!
The third jam video is fantastic!
Thank you!!!
You have a great ear my man!
you are a master of what you do !
Thank you so much!!!
I want one of these more now than I did before watching the vid - great synth I reckon
😀😀😀
Wow. Finally. Bad gear, you are rock!
Thank you!!!
Concerning the LFO, you can even design your own thanks to the touch strip! I love mine, it is beautiful and nice to use, despite its tiny display.
Designing your own LFOs is the next step in sound design. You're not really a sound designer if you use stock LFOs.
Nice technique!!!
i love the memes on this videos. you are great man!
Thank you!!!
Great sounding jams, loads of funny memes, and in discussing the Mod Matrix, my favorite line “You sunk my battleship”. 😂
Thanks!!!
I agree with the end statement. Way too big of a gap between this and the polybrute.
Great vid as always!
🙂
Thank you!!!
I really like this synth. It beats the pants off a lot of my bigger lads. Flexible and quirky. Only let down when I first got mine was firmware update brickage and RMA. These things happen, but also happened with the replacement. Somehow I managed to recover it by retrying about 10 times (it was a slow Sunday). No idea why it suddenly was alright, but all good in the end. I tend to favour my Hydrasynth when it comes to digital goodness, regardless of the MiniFreak's analogue filter, but it's still a lot of fun to mess about with and I've spent hours at a time with a big smile on my face throughout using it.
Wow, didn't know about the update stuff! Thanks for posting!