#99

Just to confuse things: Novation has recently switched to using the Korg / Makenoise type on recent products. My Launchkey Mini MK3 has 3.5mm MIDI out that I can plug directly into my 0-coast.
Converters are available on eBay, or you can wire your own if you have the tools.

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#100

It’s not referenced in the Microfeeak manual, like the use of the Plaits code is.

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#101

image

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#102

I love the knob-turn wrist flick. I’m guilty of that myself :smiley:

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#103

Its like the chef’s kiss of audio production.

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#104

You have to tweak the gain, hiss mode and volume quite a bit to get an intelligible sound, but it can certainly be achieved. Unfortunately, since it’s an “Oscillator type” and not a global feature, you can’t use it with any of the other algorithms.

Microfreak algorithms have three parameters (the oscillator itself that is, there are plenty of other sound design options); the vocoder oscillator uses 2 of those to set the vocoder pitch and bandwidth, so the underlying carrier wave only has one parameter (wave shape). Obviously there are other sound design options but this definitely limits the range of sounds you can achieve.

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#105

Hi! I just ordered a Buchla 208c and am considering the Arturia Microfreak as a touch-sensitive keyboard / CV controller. I think you’re one of the only forum commenters with the exact hardware combo!

How do you feel about using the two together after all this time?

Were you able to get proper Buchla gates out of it? Would love to connect pressure to timbre and set gates with the MF.

Thank you!

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#106

hi! i wish i could give you an informed reply but i don’t have the microfreak anymore, it went long time ago as a part of a larger trade — turns out, fixed 12tet controllers are just not my cup of tea. however, it did feel good, very responsive to pressure and its arpeggiator is useful, if you are into that kind of thing. IIRC i still have to use my Synovatron CVGT1 module to convert gates to properly drive my 208r rev.1 though…

#107

works really good for me -

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#108

Wow what a beautiful build! Love the slow increase in chroma.

So you were able to get accurate pitch, pressure and gate values from the MicoFreak to the Easel Command? Was that soundcloud link composed using arpeggiation from the MicroFreak to the Easel?

Did you run into any hitches or have to route your signal through any external modules? Any cable adapters?

I’m this close to ordering a MicroFreak hahaha

#109

Thank you for the prompt response!

I’m still very new to the world of analog synthesis and cable/voltage compatibility so I’m having some trouble understanding how the MicroFreak’s gate can be routed to the Buchla Easel Command.

I know that the MicroFreak can output 1.2v/o CV Pitch but apparently it can also output several different types of Gate signals: S-Trig, V-Trig 5V, V-Trig 10V. Had you tried one of these?

#110

MIDI is your friend :slight_smile: no need to cable it otherwise. All very straightforward! Yes using MF arp if I recall. Have fun!

#111

New firmware update includes 3 oscillators by Noise Engineering :grin:

This doesn’t feel like a sort-of-Manis and sort-of-BIA in a keyboard, any more than the original algorithms felt to me like Plaits-in-a-keyboard. The lineage is pretty clear but the results and the vibe are very different IMHO.

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#112

I hope this is a sign that they learned from their past mistakes and now did properly partner up. At least it looks like that. Which is good, since I still keeping getting back to it and thinking that maybe I should just get one.

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#113

Thanks for posting this excellent news.

For many months, I have felt myself “on the fence” regarding the purchase of an Arturia MicroFreak. This excellent news has put me “over the edge” as Humpty Dumpty might put it.

In a week or so, an Arturia MicroFreak should arrive at my domicile at which point I will upgrade the firmware and engineer some noise.

I plan to replace an Akai XR20 drum machine with the MicroFreak in my epic set-up as the MicroFreak ought to produce noise and percussion sounds at my command.

Yesterday, I searched in vain for a drum machine to replace the Akai XR20 but now I see the MicroFreak can replace it + do an awful lot more. It is a “bang for the buck” situation I find myself in.

Before you jump the gun, I am not putting the XR20 up for sale. It will instead be relegated to my “floor” set-up where it can mingle freely with a LEPLoop or perhaps other synthesizers.

We shall see.

#114

Yeah, I think they did it right this time. (Although if it were me I might have dropped the base frequency of the oscillator for Sawx by an octave or two to compensate for SawMod being able to raise the most salient frequency by 5 octaves… it very easily goes into aliasing territory but misses some of the low growl that Manis Iteritas has. Still, it’s a very cool algorithm.)

I often wonder how much better the original release would be if it were an actual collaboration with Emilie. I feel like a couple of the algorithm choices they made were misguided and either could have been skipped or tweaked to be more suitable in the synth’s context.

But overall it’s a fun instrument, and the last couple of updates have been good ones.

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#115

this is exciting! beyond the new oscs it looks like this update improves the preset handling - truly was my only complaint about it.

it’s really surpassed expectations for me. one of my favorite non-obvious uses is to hold down a sequence or arpeggio on a patch with a long release, and then clock it from either a Zularic Repetitor or one of Marbles’s t outputs. an incredibly easy & cost-effective way to add polyphonic chordal movement that’s tied into the rhythms of the patch without being locked to rigid timing.

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#116

The arp and sequencer are fun, but I also really like it for drones. I was excited for the Noise Engineering additions and didn’t even realize they’ve added a Unison mode (Shift+Paraphonic) with tuning options under the preset menu. That really lets you stack up some scary cluster drones and breathes new life into some of the oscillator types.

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#117

This is a pleasant surprise! And, if I’m reading it right, does appear to be a proper collaboration compared to the really awful misrepresentation of their use of Mutable’s code with the initial roll-out.

Now how to find some time to actually give it a whirl between the college semester beginning and the kids never ever having in person school again (I exaggerate (a little))

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#118

That is indeed a very nice addition next to the Noise Engineering oscillator models. One other shortcut for the unison mode that we run into whilst sound designing a bunch of sounds for this release and is very handy tbh, is the following shortcut:

Hold (Shift+Paraphonic) and turn the Preset encoder to change the detune amount of the unison.

So luckily there is no need to go to the menu for detuning. In the menu you can also change the Unison Count (stacked voices) and choose between 2, 3 or 4 voices. About the tuning, you can even stretch it to an octave or create other (bizarre random) tunings if you set that up in the matrix.

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