#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 -

1 Like
#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.

8 Likes
#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.

5 Likes
#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.

1 Like
#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.

2 Likes
#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.

1 Like
#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))

2 Likes
#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.

1 Like
#119

Now if only they would make last loaded preset load on boot. It worked in the 80s :crazy_face:

2 Likes
#120

The 80s are always in style!

Preset behavior enhancements
The last saved preset will reload upon restart, Chord Mode’s most recent chord is retained within your saved preset, and more."

3 Likes
#121

I think that was one of the changes in this version :slight_smile: [edit: jinx!]

I always use an INIT preset and make something new from scratch.

1 Like
#122

I normally refer from caps, buy I meant (and wrote) last LOADED preset, the improvement in this fw is it loads the last SAVED preset.

Basically any synth (and module) IMO should power on as it was powered off WITHOUT me having to do anything.

2 Likes
#123

it was my first time using the MIDI control software and it is just unbelievably clunky and dated, especially compared to Arturia’s plugins! while I was reorganizing my preset library it and the Microfreak crashed or lost communication pretty frequently.

That said - while I was scrolling and tweaking, with an analog delay patched in and my recorder running, I was just like damn…this thing rules! I can’t get over how versatile it is.

I’m really digging being able to use 2-voice unison as a detunable suboctave, it opens up a ton more monosynth sounds. And I only scratched the surface of the new oscs but I’m really excited about them.

#124

Yeah I even contacted them with a plead to release the seemingly already in place specs for sysex (dump requests), but they refused and told me to use the midi control center. Clunky, only reason I installed win10 in a virtual machine on my linux laptop. I’d much rather be able to back up individual patches and have fun randomizing parameters (did this with the Yamaha reface dx, so much fun!!!), but for some reason they are determined to push mmc down my throat.

Besides that, awesome synth (wish it would load last loaded preset though)…

3 Likes
#125

I got my Art Freak ‘used’.

After one session with it I felt there was something very wrong with it.

After I factory reset it, it’s completely fine.

I doubt I will ever sell it . It’s Ace!