20-The Arturia MicroFreak- Sequencer Part A

Here is a demonstration of the sound and functionality of the sequencer present on the Arturia MicroFreak.
This video was funded by the Patreon supporters of Automatic Gainsay. Support the creation of this video and all of the Automatic Gainsay videos that have helped you by becoming an Automatic Gainsay supporter on Patreon!
/ automaticgainsay
The theme music was composed and recorded using only the Arturia MIcroFreak. The drums were programmed using a Korg Triton LE.

[@gothmommyenjoyer]

Its 3:30 AM, my girlfriend is asleep in bed next to me, and i just bought one of these on Amazon lmao

[@automaticgainsay]

That is fantastic! ha ha

[@SkullOfTheAbyss]

So, what do you think of the MF?

[@transgirl420]

It's replaced me. He makes me sleep on the floor now, and it took my spot on the bed. Thanks a lot, Automaticgainsay 😡

[@AcousticBruce]

I wanna play that meme video where it shows all those men nodding their head in approval.

[@stylesraw]

"Freaky idea" as they would say in the manual... use the sequencer as a modulation source. Program a sequence with no actual notes in it, just modulations. Hit play on the sequence and jam on the keys, you will have programmed modulation effecting your jam.

[@e-conrecords4665]

That’s a pretty common feature these days.

[@cl_audio_90]

that tip is amazing :)

[@LawrenceBrock]

Thanks Marc, very happy you have kept these MicroFreak videos going. Love my Freak and keep learning new stuff each time I use it. For example, in step sequencing mode you can change the sequence length with shift-rate/swing. Would be great if they allowed this in normal sequence playback - altering the sequence length on the fly is fun and currently involves menu diving to achieve. Can’t wait for Part B!

[@justFUNdimples]

Wow! Thanks... I did not know that.

[@pablocamarasa9633]

This collection really helped me to understand the microfreak and get the full potential of it. It's kinda intimidating at first but now I start to getting it. Thanks a lot, man.

[@automaticgainsay]

I am glad to help!

[@atgalacticnorth1872]

that ring on the index finger of your right hand be tight, huh? Thanks for the vid though, I've been working at this synth for a couple years now and still feel like a complete noob.

[@gregorycampbell5142]

Hahaha 🤣, at 13:33 "ok, we've smoothed out the 1st mod track; let's see what we've got..." *music happens... form of: razor blade & rusty nail pincushion tied to the tails of at least 6 cats, each on slightly too much meth, standing on an infinite chalkboard; also somehow sounds totally rad* "...I was not expecting that... 😳" It's ok, literally no one was expecting that. 😶 But I, for one, appreciate the heck out of it! 🙆🏻‍♂️ ... awesome. 😁👍

[@vixstar46]

Hey Mark. Thank you for your MicroFreak series. I enjoy your sequencing videos because I make the same damn mistakes! Others seem to just get it but seeing people, ie - you, making those errors and then saying, not only makes me feel good but also showing what went wrong helps us noobies.

[@zenn3339]

I've had my microfreak for a while now and am just learning the sequencer. This helped alot! Thank you!

[@ShortKicks7733]

Amazing Thank you!

[@NatLifeSounds]

How to clean the sequence and delete modulations on the sequence, and delete the last step of modulation for sequence? Thanks

[@angieleenjuvert8991]

How could I delete the sequence modulations? I’ve read online where some people say you just press (shift)+ (oct l mod) but that doesn’t work. I watched the video a few times and don’t recall that being mentioned unless I missed it lol

[@h.p.brownsaucecraft7966]

Ok, dumb question here because I just got one of these, how do you save it once you have the sequence you like?

[@Kae6502]

But wait, there's more! :D

[@JustifiedHope]

This was amazing. Thank you.

[@RosssRoyce]

Sequencer is poor if you cannot hear the note of a step before choosing it! Or you can actually?

[@danpreston564]

The wonderful thing about Marc reviewing sequencer functions is his sheer wonder at functions that are standard on literally every synth sequencer in the last 30 years. Arturia do make a great sequencer, though. The Keystep is brilliant.

[@aramg4]

Love it! Love the freeform aspect of it, and love that this is closer to what the actual experience is and allowing us to come along on this journey with you.

[@danielmulholland5869]

Can you play over your sequence in a different oscillator type than you sequenced originally? Ex. Your sequence is playing something from karplus strong and your playing over it with something from wavetable. That would be sick.

[@DadaPoopoo]

Good question. Did you ever get an answer?

[@BrunoFinger]

You sound just like cgp grey

[@shchii6296]

hi, who knows how to change step state from on to tie in step mode editing?

[@davidpickett3546]

How do you change the bpm of sequence?

[@ShanyeSoT]

So I record a sequence but I cannot play it. It doesn't make any sense to me. I've watched several tutorials but after I record a sequence, I cannot play it. Pressing the play button does absolutely nothing but everything leading up to it worked perfectly fine. Someone please help me out here.

[@xplo8554]

Check your midi clock and sync settings

[@Dannyexplosion]

Thank you. Just purchased the MicroFreak. New to synthesis and I find this very useful AND entertaining. Subscribed.

[@automaticgainsay]

Thank you!

[@SmashSquatch30]

Actually same - this is my first synth. Loopop's video got me started and this series is awesome for a more in-depth look.

[@Barney_Wharam]

thank you so much for this vid

[@drTinta]

Brevity is the soul of wit

[@bsmith8166]

How do I turn the MF into a 303?

[@MRH4U5]

I don't know if my unit is faulty but if I adjust different parameters whilst the sequencer is playing. The pattern seems to change by itself from A to B. I don't know if this is normal but it doesn't seem right. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

[@Taskuvesku]

If you hold "Shift" button while sequence is playing, you can change it's note also.

[@girlinagale]

Does that restart the sequence on key change (like Minilogue xd), or keep flowing in the sequence when the key changes (like Moog Mother 32)?

[@Taskuvesku]

@@girlinagale I think it does not restart sequence. Only note.

[@writinghealing]

Super helpful! Thank you! And disregard your friends dissing on your synth videos :) My only suggestion would be that the video is zoomed in a tiny bit so that we can see the controls a bit bettet while viewing on a cell phone. Cheers!

[@MrOregan22]

Thanks man 👌

[@audiolego]

GQ Doty❤❤❤

[@nico37]

oh sweet...I didn't know about sequencing motion effects...this thing gets freakier every day :D

[@Longuncattr]

Nice to see you continuing this.

[@WAGinWNY]

Cool! Was learning the sequencer today but didn’t understand about the modulation tracking before this. Thanks!!

[@noodlingaround2023]

Many thanks for another excellent video.. Looking forward the continuation..

[@johndavidpeer3107]

Mine has a terrible hum when switched off. It also buzzes when on, although not as bad. Has anyone else got this? It's such a neat synth, I want to keep it! USB power is much better, but I keep hearing it needs its adapter.

[@automaticgainsay]

My experience with capacitive keyboards at Buchla would suggest that you have a grounding problem with your electrical system, or perhaps lighting or an appliance that generates this...

[@johndavidpeer3107]

@@automaticgainsay Yes, it's definitely related to the power. I took it and a guitar amp to another location, and it still did it. So I don't think it's my studio (nothing else hums like this). It goes away with USB power. So yours doesn't hum at all?

[@johndavidpeer3107]

If mine is the only one that hums, I'll return it for a new one. I can't afford to own a lemon! I hate return things that might have an easy fix, but I still have not heard back from Arturia, so back it goes until I get one that works!

[@Trailer_Sailor]

@@johndavidpeer3107 Hi John, never fret!...Lol, sorry for the pun...Question, do you hear this hum with headphones directly from your microfreak? As Brad has stated, grounding is extremely important! Don't go thru an amp! Listen directly from ur freak. I hope this helps good luck & keep (Freakin On)!

[@coltranius]

John David Peer mine does the same. Horrible loud hum, then I turn it on and it’s gone.

[@jthorpe4droid]

Pretty cool, not really played with the sequencer to modulate parameters, sounds a bit like when I program up my monostation to patch flips etc...

[@Paradroidx]

Question man. Not sequencer related, but does the pitch strip also serve as a mod wheel source? Thanks!

[@justFUNdimples]

@AutomaticGainsay How do you erase each Seq Mod?

[@truthseeker3907]

Thank You Marc Doty, This is Cool!. Thumbs up! :)

[@squishmusic]

Is is possible to run the arp at the same time as seq? or if not can one play the arp live from the keys if its used as a mod source?

[@angelferreira8805]

Is it possible to send the clock from ableton to the MF?

[@janriepshoff5237]

One of the best if not THE best video on MicroFreak's sequencer I've seen so far!

[@BrancoArgenta]

is it possible to use the scales in the sequencer?

[@Drama-Traxx]

I'm trying to stay focused and I thought this was going to be a good video but my God man im more confused now.

[@automaticgainsay]

That is an uncommon response.

[@simpilotspud8296]

Is there a way to lower the sequencer count from 16? Like having a sequence of 8 or 4 instead of 16

[@XTINCTIONation]

Yes, In the preset settings you can change the length of the sequence from 4 to 64

[@pierreb8267]

Happpy to see these videos about Microfreak are back😃 thanks!

[@invaderx3]

Good video but watch at 1.5x speed

[@Readchendreher]

These are sick sequences. I like it and your videos too.😃

[@slevinsChannel]

i really like your videos about the microfreak and learned a lot. keep it up :)

[@rockhead11]

Now if Arturia would only add a very much needed METRONOME. Having two 64 step sequencers available for each patch is so cool.....

[@xplo8554]

Tap along with your foot bud

[@rockhead11]

@@xplo8554. My sequences are a little beyond the tap your foot point, bud

[@xplo8554]

Forgive me, oh music master

[@rockhead11]

@@xplo8554 it’s ok. Once you get through puberty, comment again

[@eleven9286]

@@xplo8554 lol

[@e-conrecords4665]

Can someone tell me what key that sequence was in? 😆

[@Dolores5000]

Cool

[@GrootsieTheDog]

Marc is the best. I’ve learned so much about synthesis watching and reading his content. This has given me the confidence to be creative and explore ideas of my own by providing grounding fundamental knowledge. Variaphonic, paraphonic, monophonic, polyphonic...understanding the differences between these was a paradigm shift.

[@automaticgainsay]

Hey, thank you! I’m glad to help!

[@easibroeasibrode6381]

Muchas gracias, no tenía ni idea de estas funciones.

[@fjfrancois]

Dude your music is like an abstract paint

[@popwa6977]

COOL!!!

[@brianbrill]

Been waiting for this. Thanks!

[@papas_lapas]

Thank you.

[@enslavedbyvegetables3407]

Hello. I did exactly what the video told me to do the other day. It worked. But I try to do it again the following day and I cannot get it to work. I followed your video once again to see if I was missing a step. I wasn’t. I can do everything open to the point where I want to play in here my sequence. So when I hit pattern it does not light up and I can’t get it to work. What am I doing wrong? I just got this machine a few days ago so it’s all new to me.

[@DadaPoopoo]

Did you figure it out?

[@MrBadboomer73]

I had the same problem. Solution for me was to go into Utility and set Source to auto. I had changed it to midi.

[@walrtbstudios5430]

Fair play to the synth (which I have been known to badmouth in the past)- this appears to be one of the easiest sequencers to use in all the hardware I’ve played. Well done Arturia- this time…

[@acefstripe]

I like when you can change the octave while performing over top of the first sequence (shown around 7:50). very useful when playing live. great work.

[@haitiwaves]

im trying to make a sequence and save it in the patches that came with the synth (not the INIT ones) but I cant save them. dont know why. any lights?

[@buschovski1]

Me too man I tried too. . I don’t think it lets you do that. That was kinda disappointing.

[@stylesraw]

All the factory presets are write protected. Save it as a custom preset and voila

[@MottiWolkenbruch]

You can lift the write protection in the settings.

[@digitalsea9147]

To much talking and word finding

[@automaticgainsay]

illiterate

[@raukuscorpas5413]

this machine is so full of surprises its just as much fun to watch someone else playing with it .thanks.

[@Arfenhaus]

Really appreciate the video demo / guide, but oh man, working off a script would have made this a bit easier to follow.

[@automaticgainsay]

THAT’S NOT MY SCENE, MAN

[@CatFish107]

@@automaticgainsay LoL. OK this comment netted you a subscriber.