Arturia’s MiniFreak
If you’ve read some posts on this blog you’ll know I’ve been leaning into an 80s synthpop thing in the last 12 or so months. It started by sketching together some songs which then grew into an album which I’ve been releasing songs under the moniker Doxkyn.
The Synth Rabbit Hole
Intrigued by hardware synths I dove down the rabbit hole. I bought some desktop synths (Korg Volca Keys and the Volca FM2). I think I’m going to have to do a separate post about the Volca Keys. Its toy-like appearance makes it a complete sleeper when it comes to serious analogue synthesis at beginners’ prices that punch well above their weight. It has definitely found a home in a lot of the pieces I’ve been writing.
Enter The MiniFreak
The MiniFreak is really a next level synth for the price and I would even go as far as saying it could be the only hardware synth you could need (unless you’re a diehard “gotta be analogue” type of person).
The MiniMimic
This synth is quite literally a freak and can achieve some amazing sounds especially once you master the mod matrix. BUT it is also an excellent mimic at more traditional synth sounds. You can craft incredibly authentic sounds from many of the iconic synths of the 70s and 80s. This great video by Bloom Music demonstrates this exceptionally well and he is generous enough to share some free patches for the MiniFreak.
More Free MiniFreak Classic Analogue Patches
If you’re a MiniFreak owner looking for more free classic analogue patches you can check out fellow Aussie Luke Million’s offering. He also has some paid premium patches he’s poured a lot of time into that are amazing start points for classic analogue sounds. Being an owner of many hardware synths, he really knows what he’s doing which makes these patches mint!
Hardware & Software FTW
Having the hardware is great for creative tweaking on the fly and quick patch creation but when you couple that with the inclusion of the MiniFreak V software things get very cool. The MiniFreak V soft-synth is pretty much the same as the hardware save for the analogue filters and VCAs. You can dial up patches or import 3rd party patches into the MiniFreak V and then control it all from the hardware.
I find this handy when sketching ideas to start with the software instrument and then when I’m ready to commit something I will run the hardware through my external analogue chain as well as FX to give it that little bit of that extra razzle-dazzle.
The Takeaway
This is a top bit of gear and I’ve only brushed the surface in talking about it’s features (I’m still learning them myself). It’s an inspiration machine as well as a workhorse. It’s got plenty of depth for the experienced synth nerd but also a whole heap of brilliant patches that the beginner can use and tweak for immediate gratification for use in their music. Couple that with the inclusion of the soft-synth companion plugin and the communication between the two and you’ve got a great centrepiece to your synth set up.
Will I buy another synth? Probably. Do I need another synth, not really. At this point, I can safely say that the MiniFreak does everything I need a synth to do.
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