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Arturia MicroFreak
Synthesizer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The MicroFreak is a synthesizer manufactured by French music technology company Arturia and released in 2019.[1] Described as a "Hybrid Experimental Synthesizer", it uses 18 digital sound engines (algorithms) to synthesize raw tones.[2] This digital oscillator is then fed into a multi-mode analog filter, giving the MicroFreak its hybrid sounds.
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Sound engines
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The MicroFreak has 22 distinct sound engines (as of the 5.0 update),[3] which are:[4]
- Basic Waves – a standard synth voice using traditional waveforms
- Super Wave – a group of detuned waves (like a supersaw),
- Harmonic – a form of additive synthesis where you set volumes of frequencies individually,
- Karplus-Strong – a physical modelling system to replicate string sounds,
- Wavetable – a method of synthesis where the waveform transitions through a table of different waveforms,
- Noise – various types of noise and static.
- Virtual Analogue – a standard subtractive synth voice,
- Waveshaper – a triangle wave that is repeatedly wavefolded,
- Frequency Modulation (two operators) – a method of synthesis where a wave modulates the frequency of another wave,
- Formant – a form of granular synthesis,
- Chords – an engine that plays groups of notes paraphonically,
- Speech – a vocal synthesizer,
- Modal – a physical modelling engine that replicates the sound of hollow objects,
- Bass – another waveshaping algorithm specifically for basslines,
- Harm – a mixture of waveshaping and additive synthesis,
- SawX – a supersaw being phase modulated,
- Vocoder – a voice transformer similar to a talkbox,[5]
- User Wavetable – an engine to use your own wavetables,
- Sample – an engine that plays back loaded samples,
- Scan Grain – a granular synthesizer that scans through a whole sample,
- Cloud Grain – a granular synthesizer that creates overlapping grains from a sample, and
- Hit Grain – a granular synthesizer that creates percussive sounds from a sample.
Of those, 12 are made by Arturia (Basic Waves, Super Wave, Harmonic, Karplus-Strong and Wavetable, Noise, Vocoder, User Wavetable, Sample, Scan Grain, Cloud Grain, and Hit Grain), 7 are made by Mutable Instruments (Virtual Analogue, Waveshaper, Two operator FM, Formant, Chords, Speech and Modal) from their "Plaits" eurorack module,[6] and the remaining 3 are made by Noise Engineering.[7]
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Firmware updates
Arturia made available user installable firmware updates for the MicroFreak with additional features and improvements in the years after the original release.[8][9]
- 1.0 – MicroFreak released with this firmware
- 2.0 – Added noise engine, chord mode and scale quantisation
- 2.1.3 – Added vocoder engine. Vocoder edition released with this firmware.
- 3.0 – Added noise engineering oscillators, unison mode and more preset slots
- 4.0 – Added user wavetable engine and 64 more preset slots[10]
- 5.0 – Added sample and grain engines, 128 more preset slots, and a sample and hold mode for keybed modulation. The Stellar edition released with this firmware.[3]
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Variations
It received a limited edition white Vocoder design in 2020. [5]
Reception
It is considered by some to be one of the best value for money synthesizers of modern times.[11][12] According to the music production website MusicTech it has "an enormous amount to offer and will really reward exploratory use".[12] The MicroFreak was popular due to its many sound engines and modulation options.[13][14] The MicroFreak received 9/10 from MusicTech (MusicTech Choice Award);[12] and 9/10 from MusicRadar.[11]
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See also
- Arturia MiniBrute – another synthesizer by the same company
References
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