Novation Circuit Tracks, MicroFreak, & Minilogue (making a song)

I show the making of a futuristic synthwave jam with the Novation Circuit Tracks, Korg Minilogue, and Arturia MicroFreak.
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My current favorite music production gear:
Novation Circuit: www.zzounds.com/a--3972602/it...
Korg Electribe 2: www.zzounds.com/a--3972602/it...
Roland MC-101: www.zzounds.com/a--3972602/it...
Model:Cycles: www.zzounds.com/a--3972602/it...
Arturia MicroFreak: www.zzounds.com/a--3972602/it...
ATH M40 headphones: www.zzounds.com/a--3972602/it...
Edited by Coastland Creative: www.coastlandcreative.com
Note that some of the above links are affiliate links, which give me a commission (at NO extra cost to you!) if you use them to buy something.
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[@SpaceJamOnBluRay]

Man, this is a beautiful piece and I really hope it ends up on an album. Thanks for breaking it down and showing your creative process as well. I always appreciate your videos done in this manner.

[@antoniovalladolid2642]

Super inspiring Gabe! amazing to see how balanced so many sound sources sound at once. Great that you have the Miniliogue, it is a pleasure to have so many controls at hand.

[@patrickstach2928]

Love your work and channel, Gabe. You are such an extremely talented musician. Keep up the stellar work. :)

[@kierenmoore3236]

That sounded great! Well done! I especially like the tones from the OG Minilogue and that Circuit soundset! 😎👌🏼

[@BryanVehonsky]

Just ordered a Microfreak last night and planning on upgrading my OG Circuit to a Tracks very soon. Your recent Microfreak videos really helped convince me.

[@RaddMann3]

Minilogue is nice addition to your gear. Loved the sound from it. Nice bass too.

[@glennwilsonboerstlerii535]

Awesome video Gabe!

[@System-1541]

Nice! You nailed that 80s sound. It brings to mind images of the last starfighter.

[@MidlifeSynthesist]

That was awesome dude! Keep killing it💪🏼💪🏼

[@SebastianBeyer]

wow....just wow . neonoire vibes

[@bose5160]

I just ordered a Tracks today. I can't wait to pair it with my Freak and JU-06A! Retro heaven...

[@JoshIsMakingMusic]

Great stuff, and very inspiring.

[@Turbo_TechnoLogic]

This was pretty epic, congratz. Damn I should get a Circuit for my Freak and Volca Drum (or instead)

[@FelipePerez-ti7eo]

sounds amazing

[@SuchaDoofus]

Its like the 90s never happened. Great work.

[@Syntox]

What a dope track!

[@NewKilnStudios]

Just got tracks with the plan of buying rythm when it comes out. Looking forward to see them paired on your review. Keep up the great content

[@akdm82]

Makes me want to watch a sci-fi movie. 🍿 👍🏻

[@aloharay]

good example of how the new midi channels connected to external synths really open up the sound pallette of the strong sequencer of the Circuit.

[@elsantoproductora]

Sounds killer

[@samprock]

Space-cious cool track. Enjoyed watching process, Gabe!

[@KazmaHD]

anybody else ever jam out with there favorite KZbinrs? i cant be the only 1

[@davidjones9706]

I'd love to see you work with a wavestate!

[@jeffreyheffner908]

I agree we need to figure out how to get him one

[@tjay8351]

Nice!

[@infn8loopmusic]

Thanks for making this great video. It really turned me on to these products that I am very much enjoying. I almost have this exact trinity 🤣 I got the Roland JDXI instead of the arturia microfreak, but but I did get the tracks and the Minilogue. I may end up picking up the microfreak at some point but... The Roland JDXI covers so much ground I wanted to mention it here in case anyone hasn't tried it or checked it out. Having a similar setup to this but with two capable sequencers and all of those juicy Roland samples and another analog synth ... It's just amazing. I think the microfreak might beat it in expressiveness but I can't be sure. I don't know if I'll ever tap the true potential of all this gear but I'm working towards it, someday ...

[@samueldavies8461]

My Trinity was the JDXI, Minologue Xd, and Dreadbox Typhon

[@TheInternetIsDeadToMe]

This is basically my setup. The Minilogue is great. Holy trinity Unite!!

[@crusterzan]

I have also the same setup. Do have any looper? I'm thinking to get one but I'm not sure how will work with the current setup.

[@lawrencewatts1838]

still so resistant to using the scenes mode, haha. absolutely sick jam, I've bought the delorean dreams pack on your recommendation and this has given me lots of inspiration for it!

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Haha it's not necessarily resistance, I just straight up forget it's there a lot of the time. Session switching is super ingrained in my brain.

[@lawrencewatts1838]

@@GabeMillerMusic Honestly they're both good for different things innit. like I don't think Scenes remembers track mutes, only the patterns you have selected, so I always end up leaving a blank pattern in slot 8 and using it as a mute. Which sucks, that's a whole pattern that's essentially useless now! I started on the Tracks though so Scenes feels more natural and every time I watch a vid where you session switch I'm like "oh yeah, that's totally also an option"

[@Reis_mit]

Already ordered the circuit tracks and microfreak as my first hardware. Let's see what will be next 😊

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Hope you enjoy them!

[@xoLoveMatters]

Your CircuitTracks videos get me so excited to have my own!! I've been trying for like a month to figure out when it will release to us commoners, or is that secret info?

[@GabeMillerMusic]

It's out now, just hard to get because people have been snapping them up like crazy.

[@xoLoveMatters]

@@GabeMillerMusic ohh ok, I saw "preorder" on some websites and I guess that confused me. Thanks for the reply!

[@daryn86]

Lmao Gabe I just got a minilouge at the pawn shop for $240. I have this exact setup now 🤣🤣. Of course I search and you come up!

[@mattcero1]

Connector type Signal(s) sent 1/8’’ mono (TS) Clock pulse only 1/8’’ stereo (TRS) Clock pulse and start/stop

[@valdiskrebs566]

Great demo! Have you tried the MIDI In to play the internal synths from a MIDI controller?

[@bartjanc]

Thanks Tristan

[@jorgerezg3686]

Excellent video!! could you explain me, how do you connect the 2 synths and the circuit tracks?Thanks a lot!! Regards form Argentina!

[@GraemeMarkNI]

Novation, please incorporate mute stated into the scenes so that we can save on session use 👍

[@7digger3]

Thank you again. Could you please test some Novation to Novation setups. connecting their own products together , it would be amazing if they automatically merged and expanded upon each other, rather than just controlling one-another, but instead they become an extension of the playable surface, adding or unlocking features and functionality not otherwise available. being able to allocate certain functions to only work on one or the other would be cool too. I have a circuit tracks and 49sl mk3 , While we can use both to have a good jam together, we inevitably overload the signal chain or something and one device will lose sound and needs to change a program and come back.

[@samtully6949]

damn I actually have 2/3 of this set now

[@samuelwnovak]

The groovebox workflow has never really made sense to me; thank you for this insight into the thought process of how one thinks about using it in the context of an ensemble of instruments and how one might use it to structure a piece. I’m a “classically-trained” composer so I know a thing or two or ten about music, but every time I see somebody use one I’m like “how tf does this even work, I just see lights and pads seemingly tuned to a scale. What am I even looking at?” 🤣

[@LikeCarpenter]

Saving my ass off for a circuit tracks… To add to my volca, bass, fm, keys & sample, plus Uno synth & monologue & nts1

[@JeffHendricks]

Wondering if you could do something similar to this with a Korg Volca Keys and and the Volca Nubass. Would sound pretty close, I think, if the Circuit Tracks does all the sequencing heavy lifting.

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Yeah you could totally do that. I've used the Keys for a couple of other jams and connecting it to the Circuit really unlocks its power.

[@bauer6105]

Is it possible to use the minilouge as a midi keyboard for the tracks? And if so, is it possible to use the arp on the minilouge aswell? Maybe even by giving the tempo into the korg to have a synced arp?

[@tommydogs4855]

Dope synths man, Souds like a 80's :ow Budget SCi-Fi movie my favorite LOL.... Metalstorm or Deathstalker off the Top

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Glad you dig it! I'm all about the sci fi vibes

[@tommydogs4855]

@@GabeMillerMusic I just picked up my Tracks at GC and mentioned you and the guy at Pro audio knew exactly who you were too! You inspired me GM

[@crusterzan]

I have exactly the same setup. Will you upload more videos with this trio?

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Probably at some point! It's definitely one of my favorite gear combinations.

[@ldmdesign5610]

I have the Tracks, the Modal Skulpt and a mb33 - extra budget

[@tommydogs4855]

My new set up is gonna be a Volca Nubass and on the other side of my Tracks will be a Roland JX-03 Gabe any thoughts on if I should add a mixer? Right now I got a Presonus 96 but it has 5-din midi for the player price lol

[@defbones5597]

Hey Gabe! Love your vids! How would you record this track in order to release it on streaming platforms : one take with circuit straight in your daw, or track by track to have full control over all the instruments? I do it the second way but gosh I'm really have the impression to loose time :O !

[@GabeMillerMusic]

In the case of this specific track, I'm planning to put the jam from this video onto an EP as is. That's usually what I do, but if I was putting an emphasis on releasing super polished music, I'd probably go through the extra time to record individual tracks more often. It depends on the genre though, stuff like synthwave or house can get away with being a little more rough around the edges.

[@defbones5597]

@@GabeMillerMusic yep that's for synthwave too, and I've already told myself that a one-shot take could bring some roughness and a less robotic feel comparing to my previous releases ^^. Gonna try it someday !

[@ranlev]

Very nice thanks for the video - Quick question: I'm planning on connecting my tracks to my Korg Wavestate however want to use both audio inputs in the tracks for the L + R output from the wavestate (just one synth, yet want stereo) - any idea on how to switch the two mono inputs on the tracks to be used as a single sterep pair?

[@GabeMillerMusic]

You can't switch them directly, but there is a workaround... You plug into both inputs, then hard pan them left and right. The challenge is to remember to give them the exact same treatment when adjusting volumes, effects, or sidechain.

[@ranlev]

@@GabeMillerMusic Thanks Gabe! sounds like something Novation needs to fix with a simple global setting to be able to map both inputs as a stereo LR for Midi 1 and thus have good UX. the workaround's main issue is that it is per-project mixer setting and not persistent when creating my next project, a bit of too much effort to re-do over and over if this is my fixed device set up.

[@habitat2990]

Cool video. This really got me thinking about the old circuit and if you still have kept yours. If so how does the new circuit play with the old circuit is there a possibility of pairing the two up as a power pair? I think this is a major question a lot of us have is should we sell the old circuit to buy the new circuit or should we keep our old circuit? I would be interested in your thoughts. I’d also be interested in how the old circuit & the new circuit might be paired up to create some interesting sounds. Sorry that this has nothing to do with this video but I watch a lot of your videos and some reason this popped into my head Being that you’re a huge advocate of the circuit.

[@GabeMillerMusic]

I haven't tried pairing both yet, but I definitely plan on it. I imagine it'll work well, although I imagine it'll create some of the same issues that connecting the MC-101 did when I did a video on that.

[@mattzr1550]

@@GabeMillerMusic i think you could just tempo sync them

[@habitat2990]

@@GabeMillerMusic I would love to see that in action & would make a great video. Also might help out those of us torn whether to keep around the og circuit or sell it and put the money towards the Tracks.

[@fehmidimassi6051]

Thanks for all the videos, I have a question, can i use PO-33 KO as a Sampler and sync it with the Novation Tracks as inpout sound

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Yep, I did that the other day. Stay tuned for a video on it in a week or two

[@fehmidimassi6051]

@@GabeMillerMusic thank you so much, I have bought the circuit tracks after seeing your video and it's amazing, just missing that Sampler :/

[@Syntox]

KORG MINILOGUE GANG, show up!!!

[@vertigev]

Awesome track! How do you do a drum fill every 8 bars? Didn't quite understand that part..

[@GabeMillerMusic]

I've chained all 8 patterns together for that drum track, and all the patterns are empty except for the ones with fills.

[@vertigev]

@@GabeMillerMusic Ohhhh ok, very cool. Thanks!

[@feeisme]

What type of audio cables are you using to go from Microfreak to circuit tracks (ts, trs, brand)? I am experiencing a lot of signal loss (volume) going through the tracks. I still have to turn down the other tracks synths with the volume of the Microfreak turned up fully. Awesome video.

[@GabeMillerMusic]

I don't remember the brand off the top of my head, but I've been able to use some standard 1/4" guitar cables I got from a local music store without a problem.

[@mohill1003]

YOU SHOULD START A CLASS OR SCHOOL! YOUR KNOWLEDGE IS HEAVY

[@providman]

Can it control software/ios synths via usb to 5 pin midi cable? Would love to try incorporating & sequencing AniMoog or any of the Jordan Rudess synth apps

[@GabeMillerMusic]

It's not something I've messed around with yet, but I've seen a few people in the community pull it off.

[@bartjanc]

Just need a camera connector kit (the one with power connector) and a (class compliant) audio interface that has midi-in (which almost all have)

[@providman]

@@bartjanc I was able to get it working using the ipad cck and a 5 pin midi to USB A cable, no need for audio interface - 5 pin midi into the Circuit Tracks, & at the other end the USB>cck>ipad.

[@cutjack242]

og minilogue

[@yujmusic]

For someone who still uses DAW but like to sequence some hardware, is the Launchpad Pro mk3 a good replacement for the circuit tracks?

[@GabeMillerMusic]

The Launchpad only has a USB out, so you'd need some way for your computer to talk to the synths regardless. The Launchpad is a controller for a computer, and the Circuit can work as that, but it's meant to be completely self contained. I did a video that's a beginner's guide to music production hardware if you're interested. I should also mention that if you plan to record your synths with an audio interface, the original Circuit will be plenty for sequencing them.

[@yujmusic]

@@GabeMillerMusic Thanks Gabe!

[@karolwasilewski6528]

Hi, just connect from the L(mono) synthesizer to the circuit tracks R do not need? Will he play stereo?

[@GabeMillerMusic]

The Circuit's inputs are mono, so they'll be right up the middle. You can pan them though, so if you have a stereo synth with two outputs, you could feed them into both of the Circuit's inputs, then pan those hard left and right. But if your synth just has one output, you can plug it into either Circuit input and not worry about it.

[@karolwasilewski6528]

@@GabeMillerMusic I have minilogue xd and korg kross have two outputs if I connect them mono to circuit tracks it will come out stereo?

[@Ic37r011]

Bought the pack but the novation software doesn't recognize the file extension in projects or patches.

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Check out my tutorial on Components, it'll show you how to deal with the various file types.

[@MrFox.1995]

My setup, is way more cheaper or i think so, a microkorg, monologue, po 12, Keystep and a Volca FM

[@user-sx2iw2hq3l]

How many inputs have Cirquit Tracks. I mean, to put into Novation a Korg Minilogue you need mono left and right, but what about microfreak? After all, in fact, you can drive one stereo synthesizer!?

[@GabeMillerMusic]

It's got two mono inputs, so in this case, I'm using one for the Minilogue and one for the MicroFreak (both mono).

[@user-sx2iw2hq3l]

@@GabeMillerMusic thanks. Want to ask Minilogue is the mono synth and Microfreak is too?

[@shonjones7231]

Can the Tracks control midi CC?

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Yep! I covered how to set that up in yesterday's video, and you access the CC templates by hitting "preset" while you're in a midi track.

[@schmapps1]

Can the circuit tracks also control program changes? So that, for instance, you could switch patches on one of the external synths if you wanted to start a new song?

[@LikeCarpenter]

Does the tracks record what you actually play or just step recording

[@GabeMillerMusic]

It doesn't record anything, just step sequences the devices and feeds their audio back in so that it can be processed (reverb, delay, volume/panning, sidechain).

[@seisner1]

I noticed you weren't using the keys on either of the synths. Can you use these to play in patterns or do you have to use the pads on the circuit. Sorry if this question reveals my blatant misunderstanding of this stuff!

[@GabeMillerMusic]

All good! In this case, the Circuit is controlling the synths, with the Circuit's midi out running into the synths' midi in. It is possible to control the Circuit with a midi keyboard, I just didn't have it setup to do that.

[@seisner1]

@@GabeMillerMusic thanks! Is it possible to use the keys to record a pattern on the circuit and have the circuit play the pattern back?

[@philipbush9900]

Cant do that with the rythm

[@va941]

I have the mpc1...and sometimes...It feels like too much...too much options...(thou another synth or two would not hurt)...been looking at the tracks for an alternative option for more jammin/having fun kind of a thing...had the original circuit but sold it because did not like the Nova engine...but with the tracks I think I could live with it when paired with the microfreak....and maybe the new Lemondrop 😉....tried playing the polybrute at a local shop and hated the feel of the knobs....so damn slippery smooth...super bad tactility...two thumbs down from me...is it the same with the microfreak?

[@yes0genesis]

Does this mean you are selling your volca keys?

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Not at all, that stays! It's still a great little synth with a distinct sound from anything else.

[@yes0genesis]

@@GabeMillerMusic Nice, I just picked a used one up to fill the analog poly synth void in my collection.

[@PaulSalamoneComedy]

Sorry but why bother with the Minilogue? Why not just get two Microbrutes?

[@MichaelMoore-bx6st]

ML sounds different, and does proper polyphonic / unison mode. I own and love both though, just for different reasons

[@dingusito40]

Gives Mass Effect vibes without the drums.

[@GrootsieTheDog]

Little disappointed: Novation tech support informed me that the pitch wobble on reverbs 7&8 are “normal” behavior. That’s a bummer. Its an oversights that the manual doesn’t mention that reverbs 7&8 are modulation reverbs and it’s also a bit disappointing that you can’t have longer reverb times without it sounding like it’s going through a pitch lfo. Which doesn’t make sense.

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Huh I didn't know that. I'll have to mess around with that myself, I don't usually use reverbs bigger than 4 or 5 on the Circuit.

[@GrootsieTheDog]

@@GabeMillerMusic This is good info on this subject from Novation Tech: The reverbs decay times can be adjusted via NRPSs on program channel 16. So although the modulation cant be changed on the more modulated reverbs, the decay (default is set at 64 out of 127max) can be lengthened on the cleaner verbs.

[@wurlinnawurl]

Wow you really like to hear yourself talk huh?