MicroFreak Firmware 5.0 - Samples and Granular Processing! Full Walk-through.

[@gurninkelpies]

As someone who doesn't have thousands to spend on gear, i'm grateful for how much value is getting packed into this little machine!

[@OscillatorSink]

The continued support of microfreak as a platform is really admirable!

[@nerfytheclown]

As someone who has now spent thousands on gear over the last few years; i could not agree more. My $300 Model: Cycles cannot even begin to create the kind of awesome reactionary sound-fields that the Micro comes with out the box! 😂 (But it's still amazing)

[@88keyz]

Agreed

[@sub-jec-tiv]

@@nerfytheclown Model:Cycles is excellent for making fm percussion.. but this little bastid is great at so many things!

[@nerfytheclown]

@@sub-jec-tiv yeah it's fun but it barely escapes being a toy. I just hope it's as quality as it seems, and doesn't end up "a Casio on a plastic beach" too soon.

[@OscillatorSink]

Please note: I was informed this morning by Arturia that this firmware is not being released now until the 30th of May to give them time to fix bugs, but that it's still being announced today. Obviously with a little more notice I would have edited the video, but there was simply no way for me to get that done. Sorry for the disappointment of having to wait, but hopefully this whets your appetite!

[@awpMusic1]

ah! that's why I can't find it on their website!

[@jordans5218]

Thank you

[@synthphilosophy]

Looking forward and the anticipation on its own sometimes brings more joy than the actual thing anyway. We have something to look forward to. This update will fit perfectly in my new workflow. Thanks a lot for the information, as always great content. Much

[@JayKaufman]

I saw this and immediately went to update mine, only to find the 'coming soon' banner for the MicroFreak product page. I am much disappoint! Haha.

[@grandmasterjo1]

Hello Jeremy The MF is beginning to sound like the microcosm Would it be redundant to buy the Microcosm at the moment ?

[@Jengalese]

I love that I can buy a piece of gear and new features are added throughout the life of the device. Cool time to get into synthesis

[@OscillatorSink]

Arturia treating the Microfreak as a platform for new ideas and features is one of the biggest blessings to the inexpensive end of the synth market.

[@CiabaMusic]

Things you didn't know to want in life: Hologram Microfreak Those grains engines would have been more than enough for a proper firmware update, and then there's a different envelope mode, thise crazy key s&h, and samples! The folks @ Arturia really hit that out off the park, once again! "Everyone needs a Microfreak (and an Ms70cdr to go with it)

[@Usul]

I am surprised to see this. A typical company would have reserved major upgrades like this for only the most recent product line offerings (e.g. the Minifreak). To see this on the Micro is incredibly satisfying. It feels like Arturia really cares about their customers by continuing to provide additional value long after the purchase has been made. They could have easily just done a cash grab and put all the R&D dollars for this feature in to a Micro 2 version that would require users to buy a whole new unit to get this capability. I keep buying more and more Arturia stuff. Announcements like this make me glad to be a customer. Can't wait for the release.

[@olldomu5790]

yeah this vid made me say WTF 5 firmware upgrades, thats some great care for the customer. ive only got a keystep but yeah im gonna be supporting arturia a lot more. their initial usage of mutables logo and branding without permission (they obv didnt need permission for the oscillator code as its open source) but im totally over my beef with the noise engineering oscs added and fucking five firmware updates

[@lorrenaelliott161]

I read the "about’ section on the Arturia page while I was doing the update and THESE 2 GUYS are true pioneers… they do this for the love … they get the cash from the software stuff I think… I am officially in love with Arturia …. They are both classically trained musicians AND digital sound design experts. … I can’t wait to see what they come up with next…

[@jonprudhomme7694]

Everytime I think I have reached peak freak, Arturia drops new features. Very excited to give this a spin!

[@bilonggrisimmeri]

This does the same as my Roland V-SynthXT, yet sounds completely different. MicroFreak is delightfully raw and glitchy, AND the menu system looks less "divey", despite the Roland having a bigger screen. Atruria are amazing value for money and definitely leading the field.

[@sonicimperium]

Wow, thanks Arturia for continuing to give us these gifts! And thanks Sink for all the demos!

[@artephank]

Amazing. Now Arturia, port it to Mini :) BTW, they are marketing geniuses. Prime example how to make previous generation not obsolete. And they included sample start and loop modulation - which most modern hardware samplers are lacking (unfortunately)

[@anonymoushuman8344]

The way they stagger the new firmware features, it seems Arturia is using the micro to help market the mini and vice versa. They're hoping people who have one or the other will buy and keep both.

[@artephank]

@@anonymoushuman8344 exactly. Marketing masterclass.

[@rodrigolaporte274]

I bought one when it came out. Then sold it. And a couple years later, seeing how Arturia improved it, I bought it again, and I couldn't be more happy about it

[@petri..]

Was looking for a nice cheap synth and remebered that I had seen this odd little synth in a lot of videos that I hadn't paid attention to and did not know the name of. Now I know that it's name is Arturia Microfreak and it seems to be an incredible piece of gear. I really love the fact that they keep on updating this affordable little music box! Getting mine tomorrow! 🥳❤️

[@els1f]

I love Arturia!😭🙌 I don't ever say I love a company, but y'all are SO BADASS with these updates! 👏🔥🔥

[@dustyaudio]

Every time I think I’m going to sell this thing… just wow. Thanks for the walkthrough

[@ForecastGrim]

Lmao same. Pretty sure it’s never going anywhere at this point.

[@teckno_senpai]

loll seriously. i was testing the waters to potentially downscale my setup but NOW?? MicroFreak is going NOWHERE... it's forever GOATED lol. value/quality/feature ratio is just off the charts!

[@MattJacques]

Exactly - was assuming I'd dump the Micro for the Mini but at this point the Micro has some legit functionality the Mini doesn't!

[@rayderrich]

I just pre-ordered the Stellar edition of the MicroFreak and look forward to some summer sound exploration. Thanks as always OS.

[@OscillatorSink]

I hope you enjoy it!

[@85bryanc]

I am blown away. What is happening in the synth world! What other product can you buy where manufacturer actually improves the existing product over time. We live in a throw away society so to see things like this and the updates that elektron is pushing to their devices seems unheard of. This truly fills my heart with joy. I can't wait to get my hands on this update 😍

[@DonSmiths]

Synthstrom Audible's Deluge is another shining example of a high quality electronic instrument manufacturer. Frequent firmware updates to an already amazing instrument and they're even doing hardware retrofits for their updated OLED displays - and they just announced open sourcing their firmware. Another incredible company (like Arturia). Totally agree with you about being filled with joy. Real proud of the people in these companies.

[@G.Man-]

​@@DonSmiths Let's hope InMusic & Co don't end up buying them out...

[@antichicmusic]

wow, do you guys realise, Arturia basically brought an almost entire ensoniq eps 16+ asr 10 wave boy trans waves grain manipulation sampling feature in an update. I was waiting for years for this type of feature to reemerge in a hardware machine. Amazeballs!

[@DesiLofi]

Listen to Kayne West unreleased mixtape he did in 1997 it’s in KZbin he did that with a ensoniq, I got a MC707 and if I wanted to do hip hop sampling like Kayne is that possible now? I always wanted a Microfreak , finally gonna get oneb

[@antichicmusic]

@@DesiLofi hi, not sure about the mc707s features, but I think what you are referring to is classic sample lifting off records or other sources, i.e. crate digging. This mostly involves straight sampling and rearranging short beats or loops by repitching at lower or higher keys and or rearranging snippets to make new loops and riffs from otherwise known recordings without going into the granular level. Although there are some artist that took it to extremes. I think an Akai MPC would be a suitable modern day device what you would be after. Very quick for chopping rearranging chops and beats.

[@caeliachapin5317]

Oh hell yeah! I was hoping for another update, but was thinking it probably wouldn't happen. Thanks for this!

[@mmmdananananone]

This update is brilliant. I am so glad I bought a Microfreak 3 years ago; I still feel like I'm only scratching the surface of what it can do. The only bugbear for me is the keyboard which has become very glitchy, but I can play it with a MIDI controller for a more satisfying feel.

[@LandonBalk]

This thing just keeps getting cooler!

[@alonsoroman4907]

Thanks for going in such a detail on everything!

[@IpfxTwin]

Fantastic news and an awesome demonstration! This synth is the gift that just keeps giving!

[@peterjessop1878]

Now this is a nice surprise on a Wednesday afternoon.

[@FreddieShreddieTV]

think this might be my new favourite channel. thanks so much. I am now an intermediate user of this synth now. im using it with the roland j-6 (I cant play chords well) its huge with that combo

[@krazywabbit]

I appreciate these kind of updates vs a new paint job. Thank for the demo.

[@cheapnoiseinthehouse5578]

Man! Arturia is killing it!

[@jeffryarchambeau5441]

I bought a second Microfreak for keyboard-split goodness instead of a Minifreak. I know it's not the same... the Microfreaks are MORE! Especially with this update.

[@pthelo]

I'm 40 seconds in and I can tell this is a MAJOR update!

[@chitlun]

Astonishing what they keep coming up with for this little blighter! I love the fact I can sequence my modular with it too. I'm a big fan of the more snappy envelope. Cheers for a great vid Mr OS.

[@OscillatorSink]

I'm a snappy envelope advocate too - it will be on by default for most of my patches. Even at longer decay times it gives a pleasing "acoustic" response.

[@TheLordcasio]

FINALLY!! A relevant vid about the update (vs. "what me and my wife are doing"-bs). Thank you for keeping it clinical.

[@dreamsofwidnes8949]

absolute quality mate. Really clearly explained, top job!

[@RJJNY]

Thanks so much for this video, has proved extremely helpful. The new possibilities are so vast as to be almost incomprehensible, appreciate your ability to both comprehend them and explain to those of us a little slower on the uptake. I had no problem with the update using the latest version of Midi Control Center on a Mac, but the Microfreak did start behaving weirdly at one point while playing around with samples - resolved after switching it off and on again. Would be so helpful to have an option to turn off the keyboard pitch entirely to allow a set of samples to be played from multiple keys without pitch shifting, hope that can be added in a future firmware update (unless there's a way I've missed). My compromise has been to pre-shift the pitch of each sample before importing.

[@cornishwavesmusic]

Still great to hear you do this Sink even if early, excitement building

[@rainbow_mess]

Plugging in the microfreak and then getting 'no updates' is one of the tragedies of my life. Sounds amazing though!! Thanks for giving it a full walkthrough - can't wait for it to release on the 30th :)

[@lachiebradshaw6617]

Haha! Same!!! Released on the 30th and not today.

[@chinchillas]

I've been wantin a sampler with an analog filter, especially a granular one. this is so cool

[@MattJacques]

So awesome! But no fair not dropping it today... happy to work through the bugs and have a 5.1 come out May 30th! 😆

[@theaudioeng]

Can’t wait for the Mini Freak port for us Mini guys! 🎉

[@thewistfulsnail]

Really atmospheric tones with this new update! Can imagine this being perfect for ambient and lofi music. The drum samples mangling could be great in dnb and dubstep

[@OscillatorSink]

I will be going predictably ambient with this update for sure!

[@larsfrosznielsen3536]

Thanks a lot for going through the new things

[@OscillatorSink]

You're welcome!

[@mister36]

The visualization of the loop parameter was very handy.

[@wiskybiz]

In the top right corner above the save and utility buttons are written the words 'Grain de folie'. Translated from french it means 'Grain of madness'. Quite fitting. (There may be a black sticker mysteriously covering these words.)

[@treetopjones737]

"We all go a little mad sometimes." - Norman Bates

[@MyWorstEnemyIsMyself]

This is incredible!!! this new feature will be an amazing feature to dig in, on my future music releases, thank you Osc Sink for this wide and in depth review about this new update, your content as usual es top notch!!!

[@OscillatorSink]

Cheers!

[@beatnikcafe]

I think I have had the MF from almost the beginning or it belonged to a friend before he gave it to me, but it was well worth the price and would still be today, in my opinion Arturia has perfectly balanced the release of a new product with significant updates to continually add more value. I hope this translates to new sales of the Minifreak and Microfreak and also increases brand loyalty among their many customers. I for one think very highly of their products and approach to software and hardware design. As also, this was a wonderful and inspiring review/demo. I hate to admit but even though I think the Microfreak is amazing I still have considered letting it go, mainly because I like to keep my setup as minimal as possible. The added oscillators and sample playback will be another reason I won’t be getting rid of it anytime soon.

[@eyeball226]

This sample mode seems perfect for SNES style samples (very short, basically just attack+loop). I'm definitely going to rip some instruments from Secret of Mana.

[@OscillatorSink]

Hell yeah.

[@TheMinecraftbud1]

Honestly im kinda hyped just for the ability to run any sample through an analog filter

[@85bryanc]

That is genius! Might be the thing I do when I get my hands on this update. Cheers!

[@eyeball226]

@@OscillatorSink Just looked up the specs and it's even 32kHz sample rate for the base pitch of the samples (which is also what the SNES sound chip used).

[@sub-jec-tiv]

LA Synthesis pan floot baby!!

[@db3944]

Wow. So its a sampler now? What a gift!!

[@OscillatorSink]

It sure does!

[@randommcranderson5155]

its a sample player, not a sampler

[@mikemeengs5720]

Great video...thanks! (This video is probably getting tons of plays right about now!)

[@QuantumKatmusic]

thankyou for this walkthrough, everyones making videos blabbing about how great it is and no one is showing how to utilize any of it, so thankyou for taking the time to make something usefull, content creators these days...so excited to have something new to make a video with, so much oversaturation, nice to find something usefull

[@OscillatorSink]

Thank you! A lot of people don't seem to have the patience for more technical/in depth demos, and I get that, but I try to make videos that I'd want to watch and that I'd find useful.

[@victorroberts4637]

❤ Wow! This is such an awesome update! And awesome demo! Micro freak is the best investment I’ve ever made :)

[@profitsandloss]

I hope this makes it to Minifreak!

[@KyleBartReidFilm]

Yea! Just bought one.

[@OscillatorSink]

I am crossing all of my fingers. The possibilities with layering oscillators with samples + the built in effects are mouth-watering!

[@profitsandloss]

@@OscillatorSink Mouth watering indeed!

[@AntlerBranching]

ooph! oh, hell yeah! am so excited about this. thanks, as always, for such a thorough walk-through. 🖤

[@OscillatorSink]

You're welcome!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Thanks for making this video! Love your channel, keep up the great work!

[@grandmasterjo1]

Who said Christmas comes once a year 😂 With Arturia and Santa Claus like Osc Sink the gifts keep coming. Thank you Arturia the MF suddenly turns into a better beast. Thank you Osc Sink for the over view of this magical update. ❤❤❤❤

[@tangentpuppet]

Omg wow sooo cool! Can't wait until this update is released.

[@Turbo_TechnoLogic]

Jeeez I'm gonna check the Midi Control Center every day hoping they release it earlier than 30th May :D

[@grainyday]

freaking hell you released the video faster than Arturia . by 25 minutes :)))) amzing stuff !

[@Curious_Skeptic]

First amazing update on any machine this year!!

[@wallygator57190]

Was already awesome gets marvelous now! It's one of my favorite gear.....

[@olldomu5790]

youve got a voice as soothing as mylar melodies. so relaxing. great video. need a freak

[@HenritheHorse]

Might finally buy it after this update!

[@FloChai]

What an exciting news. Can’t wait for the 30th❤

[@annother3350]

Great sound at the end there!

[@OscillatorSink]

Thank you! It was essentially a variation of the patch I showed in the Cloud Grains section - sounds like this just fall out of these new modes.

[@humanprogram]

Sounds amazing! Great overview! Dying to get my hands on this, thanks for the deep dive. I’d recently been running MicroFreak thru Syntakt’s effects, and it looks like they’ll be even better friends soon

[@OscillatorSink]

Very good friends, especially when you start midi sequencing all of the CV on the microfreak!

[@VII89]

im watching this with my jaw dropped. Anyone who does not have a microfreak is fucking up. I am even considering to buy a second one to stash it away so i can make sure i have a backup in 10 years, should anything happen to my trust microfreak. I have a lot of amazing pieces of gear...OB6, Rytm MK2, Microcosm, etc....but the microfreak BY FAR takes the cake when it comes to versatility and value for money. Incredible, legendary machine! Thanks Arturia (and i am NEVER a brand-fanboy).

[@tantzeknut]

Just an awesome update. Looking forward to release date

[@videolandlubber]

Brilliant walk-through! Thank you!

[@alban6101]

Wahou !!! I'm french and i mean..., i'm so proud of ARTURIA ! You can imagine it easily, ... * I Like your videos about Microfreak insider... ...ing, if i could say.. As i'm an intuitive person, sometimes, i was sure Arturia will enhance this "machine"... And it's here, again, just after the MiniFK

[@infn8loopmusic]

I am so excited for this. What in the world could be better than new free toys for my favorite toy 🤣👋

[@eyeball226]

I never would've expected this. Assumed it wouldn't have enough memory for reasonable sample playback.

[@baqcasanke]

Right? Being able to affect them real time with the filter and mod matrix is dope ❤

[@genmce]

I’m very much enjoying your mf videos, thank you!

[@whirrings]

This is very cool, thanks for demo, can't wait to dig in - at the end of the month! 😀☹😆😩😂

[@jordans5218]

More slap! By far my favorite music machine.

[@martijnvandervelde2166]

I cannot wait for Arturia to release an update that will allow for sampling internal sounds or external sounds via the microphone making this a true standalone and on-the-go machine.

[@OMG-KMB]

Oh My Krishna this is too crazy good I can't even THANK YOU ARTURIA ❤

[@teebeedahbow]

The only problem with the evermore magnificent Microfreak is that now I need seven of them for a complete set up!

[@G.Man-]

Really 🤔

[@teebeedahbow]

@@G.Man- Really. Just bought number two. Six left to go!

[@GOICOBA]

That manual is gonna be a monster after this update :D

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

eeeeeeep!! I'm so excited & I just can't hide it!! I'ma keep my microfreak 'cause I bleep I likey!! ooooh, yeeeaah!!

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

>>>THANK YOU AURTURIA!

[@valley_robot]

The only synth I own , sold my room full of gear , I have the freak and an MPC one , more than enough for me

[@tr606]

This is the very best news

[@halcyonwinds1970]

I’ve been wanting a MF since it came out but this last update finally compelled me to get one. I’m pretty sure my subconscious just took over for a few minutes and made the purchase without my conscious consent. 😂 I’m not mad though. Can’t wait for it to arrive!🎉

[@Spurgte]

Be prepared for extensive troubleshooting because the microfreak is far from a plug and play device

[@pongtrometer]

I’ve wet my pants before you even talked about the sampling…. Snappy percussive random goodness…. Ps are you gonna do a drum kit walkthrough with the synth. Gr8 overview as per usual.

[@OscillatorSink]

(check my newest video 😉)

[@pongtrometer]

@@OscillatorSink you DON! Topman much thanks in advance, gonna check it now 👾🎹

[@jimistixxdrums]

Thanks so much for your videos. Respect to the NIN

[@OscillatorSink]

I had to do it (badly, and incorrectly).

[@kalmarnagyandras]

I was already looking at the microfreak... And they also released a new colourway. My wallet is already cowering in the corner :)

[@OscillatorSink]

Send my sympathies to your wallet!

[@benoitgoncalves5026]

Such nice explanation, thank you

[@jzno]

Best sNth I EVER BOUGHT! I was always wishing for samples and now granular on top: OH MY GOODNESS!!! It would be great if we could record samples into it via TRRS...guess it's not possible?

[@OscillatorSink]

It's not possible in this version, and I would imagine that the re-encoding of the data might be a bit too heavy to be done on the microfreak itself... But then I didn't ever imagine we'd have sample playback so... Who knows?!

[@RichardQuirkmusic]

I'm a bit late coming to the video but I've been tempted to get one to use the sample & granular modes with some samples from the Entropic Doom. I think a purchase is inevitable

[@ianovic69]

Just when the bouncing balls had me hooked, that sound at the end sent me completely over the edge. Old school electro vibes? I'm in.

[@ParadiseFound909]

Incredible !!

[@a11pu1poj]

Well this is exciting! excited for the release!!

[@diarx1]

Very cool! Hoping one day we might also be able to sample direct through the mic, or with a line in adapter of some kind?

[@treetopjones737]

Line in would be better quality.

[@baqcasanke]

It has no line in. But sampling via the mic would still be dope for granular synthesis

[@floatinganarchychannel3204]

Random feature ❤

[@OscillatorSink]

Yeah, i really don't want folks yo overlook how cool this actually is!

[@lorrenaelliott161]

40:53 yes , yes YES!!!!

[@OscillatorSink]

Y E S

[@baqcasanke]

Remember when TV makers wanted to “get a tv into every home in America”? And they kept making super cool shit to entice people….. i feel like thats what arturia is doing with the microfreak….. they’re trying to make the Mf be the one synth everyone “has to have” And its working 🔥

[@stevewright8201]

I was just about to sell my microfreak. now im gonna have to get it back out of its the box !

[@dschesters]

Holy fuck! .... sorry for swearing but.. HOLY FUCK!

[@OscillatorSink]

Comment approved. Profanity justified in this case!

[@VictorSteiner]

They do so many things with this machine, I hope one day they will at least put the CLOUDS reverb on there so I can jam in the park with a reverb and I don't have to bring a 2nd case/battery to power that.

[@hollywood4834]

There’s no way to add effects because of the interface. They could add an osc that includes reverb etc but it’s never going to be possible to have global effects. Also… be grateful for years of free updates, rather than lamenting something it was never intended to have.

[@eyeball226]

@@hollywood4834 It's not just the interface, it's the architecture. After the oscillators it's all analogue. As you say, they could put reverb into an oscillator model, but that would be before the filter and VCA.

[@d3tuned378]

I AM LITERALLY VIBRATING IN MY CHAIR RIGHT NOW

[@e-conrecords4665]

Lordy!

[@OscillatorSink]

Isn't it?

[@night_speed]

Wow that's awesome. So now it basically has AFX mode like the Bass Station II in a roundabout way. Or sample flip on the Circuit.

[@marcbrasse747]

I’ve been looking for a stable and easy to use solution for granular sampling on hardware for years and now, when I have at last been able to work out a VST plus hardware controller hybrid, it suddenly becomes available on this platform. The Gods look down and laugh!

[@MaxOstrovtheheadyhive]

Have you seen red means recordings vid on the tempera? Released yesterday. Looks like what you might have been waiting for. 😊

[@OscillatorSink]

The Tempera looks amazing. A bunch of other granular synth announcements at Superbooth too - 2023 is the year of granular.

[@randommcranderson5155]

@@MaxOstrovtheheadyhive they haven't announced a price yet. Don't anticipate anything until they tell you what it will cost. There are a lot of amazing synths that I'd love but I just can't justify the sale price.

[@marcbrasse747]

Aw! The Tempera promises to be an almost ultimate integration of the concept. It’s only mistake being the 4 pot programming interface. If it has a good software editor and the price is right I will however still be VERY tempted.

[@rgrant]

Oh man, I made the wrong choice when I chose the Circuit Tracks over this....