I'm a Minifreak and So Can You

[@LonnonFoster]

Presets: beautifully crafted. Content ID: expertly dodged. Love that Trent sound.

[@BenGeorge77]

I like this post-embargo long view kind of stuff. Anyone can get pumped for a synth on drop date, but it's cool to see if someone still cares after the hype wears off.

[@Pighood]

You absolutely nailed it.

[@BOMBPHONICS]

My girlfriend got me a Minifreak for Christmas last year. This thing is soooo good! I didn’t realize until this video you’d made any presets. Thank you for doing a badass job and making such informative videos. This is my first actual hardware synth.

[@semyonboyk0]

I used to own a Microfreak. Loved the sound, wasn't so fond of hardware. Purchased a Minifreak VST as soon as it became available for everyone, and I'm a happy freak now. Really enjoy your presets, Jeremy, especailly the pads.

[@Ziraya0]

This video is like a proof of concept for an album I would put in my main rotation for 20 years

[@JCdjMadrid]

What amazing synth, I’m falling in love with the warm an dirty sound. Thanks for the demo.

[@MarkusJevring]

I wasn't sold on the minifreak, but this really changed my mind. There seem to be a lot of sound design options in there. Would love a video on how to actually design some of these things. Especially how to get the expression controls into it. Really cool stuff!

[@chameleonblockstudios]

How incredibly good this sounds in different genres is pretty mind blowing

[@jazzad]

I use a Microfreak that I already find incredible. The Minifreak pushes things even further it's surreal. We live in a blessed era for synth musicians.

[@MKS21471]

Funky Klav has been labelled as "Percussive Keys" in the Arturia MiniFreak V plugin, which makes more sense. Nice sounds! Thanks for contributing these.

[@sinewaymusic]

Love seeing how you're rediscovering your own presets. They're really really good. 🌟

[@h2o1969]

That is what I was thinking.

[@krazeeeyezkeith]

Nice to see a RMR review of this one. I liked your comment about how basically everyone in this community has already reviewed it on YT ha ha. But once again you have your own take on it and your audience like me appreciates seeing / hearing your take on it. Cool presets. Thanks for posting this!

[@JGlassy]

I’m constantly learning new approaches with my Minifreak; great video here!

[@austonianb]

Love the exploration of these awesome presets. You share so much of your excitement, pride, and sometimes the thrill of rediscovery. I feel like you show the value of the MiniFreak so clearly in this video.

[@tmg5214]

Yea man, that at 11:30 sounds amazing. I just ordered (before this video) the MiniFreak Stellar Edition. Im happy af about it.

[@RIKAAR_Ambient]

I also bought the Stellar Edition! Beautiful looking and sounding Synth! Calculator: VST Mini Freak Synth 199.- so the hardware "just" cost around 280.- Very cool

[@Hummelsbusch]

This thing is a future classic. I will order one as soon as possible. All the best Jeremy!

[@baconbigbeats]

I can’t wait for the Rick James signature edition “Superfreak” to come our in 2035.

[@dodgedforgottenn]

Stellar sound design

[@exion101]

Dude! I've been gravitating to your patches ever since I grabbed the minifreak. Excellent stuff!

[@kuciferr]

if this is the minifreak imagine a macrofreak

[@joshjaren5408]

or a superfreak. *cough, cough...*

[@kuciferr]

@@joshjaren5408 holy shit you nailed it

[@Steph_7d7]

Megafreak, would be the 88 key version

[@pjohns92]

I'm excited for the pocket size quasi freak

[@whirled_peas]

Personally can’t wait for NormalFreak

[@ejmikk]

Best Minifreak video. You just made me buy the thing!

[@BaconWafflesBuddy]

Sounds awesome man!

[@mt.nowhere]

I’ve been doing chorus before distortion on guitar for years ever since I learned that was how Bob Mould got that sound in Hüsker Dü, love it. Cool to hear it with synths!

[@BESTOFTHEABOVE]

Big M83 vibes on the last patch - super cool machine and patches!

[@rochefsky]

SO glad you're covering this awesome synth! I promise not to buy one... 😬

[@X22GJP]

Great, so don’t buy one then!

[@DendriticFractals]

Pirate the vst It's fucking awesome sounding Still buying this someday soon

[@Alkatross]

@@DendriticFractals what vst should I look for? And what cracker geoup?

[@helpmeiaminhell]

LOVE this synth.

[@linkVIII]

18:40 I want more of this heartbreak

[@sambeard4428]

I can imagine those macro controls in combination with the amazing synth engine are amazing for transitions and build ups when making songs

[@liantrosretrospectiva4134]

this is a hell of a synth and your video shows it more than any I've seen before

[@cadetesespaciales]

Gunner! ❤ I totally see myself using that one on my just acquired Minifreak

[@shidomiso]

This is dope. I have a Micro running through a Beebo, and it is super fun. Highly recommend for folks that want the sounds without having the time or talent to do all that programming.

[@lesynthlofi]

I love your presets! They’ve helped me with my own work a lot already. Great video demonstration, as usual!

[@BiologicalDataScientist]

Expertly crafted!!!

[@luispat8633]

Great presets jeremy! Specially the transpiano!!!!!!

[@ZedCactus]

Excellent video… I just wanted to add that you can quantize any signal in the Wavestate as well with the mod-processors or whatever they’re called. I’ve got a patch where I quantized the pitch bend for example.

[@Kevinjames0976]

The synth I didn’t think I needed but recently purchased, about 3 min after watching this video.. 👍

[@hoagy_ytfc]

For those of us who don't have enough space for more hardware, it's also available as a £99 VST. Which is nice.

[@duster8373]

hot dang, it's $199 now

[@Soundwrecker]

Good stuff. I think this is way more useful to the folks who bought this, plus those looking than the day 1 deluge of template reviews.

[@NextGenEvgen]

Good sounds and strong synth

[@BinauralBae]

I love the minifreak V. Snagged it with V collection 9 on the cheap.

[@johnd7564]

It's part of V Collection now? Is it supported now in Analog Lab?

[@moonsofjupiter]

Great vid. I can see one in my future. Love your passion when you hear something you like.

[@moonsofjupiter]

Just got the Minifreak Stellar and am in love. Thanks for inspiring

[@RealityShiftUK]

@@moonsofjupiter getting a mini freak stellar tomorow cant wait! wasnt sure at first as i already have the vst but i think its worth it for the hands on control etc

[@robertlohr7902]

AAAAH I ACTUALLY PLAYED SEVERAL OF THESE IN A GUITAR CENTER AND HAD NO IDEA YOU MADE THEM! I was waiting for the nice folks to process the gear i was selling (line was long) and jammed out on destro and 5th element for like 40 minutes !!

[@thetrick9]

These presets are awesome!

[@TheSoulMessiah]

love the pads and the trans piano is just pure fire! thanks, Jeremy

[@SolidtraxNL]

Very nice video about 'The Frog' Jeremy🙂 This is such an amazing and versatile piece of gear for the price, but not only that, just an amazing synthesizer with LOADS of possibilities that will never bore you. Feel honoured to have created a couple of factory presets next to your ones 😎

[@owRekssjfjxjxuurrpqpqss]

The VST is great. Don’t see a huge need for the hardware version. You can get the vst without paying 4x the price for the hardware. The filter is analog rather than the digital vst filter but otherwise the sound is identical. I had the microfreak before but I sold it to get the minifreak’s VST and it was 100% worth it imo. The build quality of the microfreak was pretty cheap anyway so I didn’t see a huge appeal for keeping the physical synth around if I can do everything it can do and more in a VST.

[@nsjx]

The filter is the cream of the MF. When driving the filter even a little, the mask of the soft falls away. I know becauseIxwas hoping to feel that I could just take my laptop with me and do some patching remotely. It's just not the same silken sound, but still nice. Patches with low res you might get away with. I get the price/utility thing. If the V is workin for ta great. :)

[@owRekssjfjxjxuurrpqpqss]

@@nsjx never really liked the microfreak’s filter tbh, not sure if it’s similar in the minifreak. I could always run it through the filter of another analog synth if I felt that the digital filter is lacking but it sounds pretty similar to how the microfreak’s filter sounded.

[@SilentPity]

I think you're missing a lot by not having the controller, especially aftertouch and the two touchpads. Jeremy make a pretty clear case in this video for that actually!

[@owRekssjfjxjxuurrpqpqss]

@@SilentPity 599 dollars for a midi keyboard with aftertouch doesn’t seem worth it to me when I will likely just modulate everything anyway, I can get a midi keyboard with aftertouch and accomplish the exact same thing with the VST if I wanted that aspect. I found the keyboard on the microfreak fun but it’s not something I really miss.

[@d3tuned378]

Really stoked you have patches in the factory bank. Had to rewind to make sure I heard you correctly!

[@rich_in_paradise]

I'm glad you made this video because even as someone who's bought a ton of arturia software, I kinda ignored the wave of videos that came out about the Minifreak a few weeks back because it looked like a million other basic analog synths. And it's not that AT ALL. Judging by this video it's one of the most interesting I've heard in a long time. Now the question is whether to get the actual keyboard or just the VST, hmmmm...

[@falazarte]

A fantastic demonstration of how powerful is this synth. I have the MikroFreak and I wasn't sure if it would be redundant to get the Mini but they seem they can be a great companion to each other.

[@imlxh7126]

Yoooo, k-strong for CLAV sounds? That’s BRILLIANT. I know a guy who might be into making use of that…

[@st170ish]

That'll make some awesome heavy Prodigy style music... nasty distortion 🤯

[@jamescollins3009]

I've been messing around with just the VST and loving it! Would be curious to hear your thoughts on the solo VST vs. the hardware

[@LPRPresents]

Wowwwwww at 8m that preset is DEADLY.

[@LPRPresents]

And AGAIN at 945.

[@gabortudos7461]

Jeeeeesus thats a nasty lil synth goddddayum!

[@ChrisHuelsbeckOfficial]

Fantastic video! Love my MiniFreak, had it since mid November and every day I find out new things to try out! I really hope they'll also make a VST of the MicroFreak...

[@TheNormalUniverse]

awesome demo!

[@lazersheep]

I already love my microfreak, but hearing all of that, and seeing how well everyone has taken to it, I guess I'll be figuring out a minifreak soon enough. Thank you for showing your presets and showing what a cool range you can get into with them!

[@AlienRegalia]

Dude, how do you not get one? Incredible

[@AlienRegalia]

I bought it Red, I didn't want to but I bought it

[@screamingstrings76]

damn I haven't paid much attention to this synth and maybe i should have! lots of coverage here. Would be an incredible first piece of hardware for beginners too that said I am not buying one for myself, i just don't need it! I know a few people who might though haha

[@robertsyrett1992]

I get that presets can serve the function of showing what a synth can do, but honestly I vastly prefer presets that are more like alternative 'init' patches that can be tweaked. I wonder if there are preset packs like that for the minifreak.

[@Jerel_with_a_J]

Definitely need one of these soon-ish

[@BackspinZX]

Hey, a useful review just when I'm thinking about buying one of these! Dope! :D

[@johnd7564]

Jeremy, the VST IS generally available now. Not just for hardware owners.

[@Dogboy73]

Thinking of selling my Microfreak, Minilab 3 and replacing the hole they leave with a Minifreak. Wondering if it will work okay as my DAW master keyboard.

[@nsjx]

Great patching Jeremy. I was lucky to get early but im in euro and have had an eager ear to the ground for an expanded Microfreak wxkeys. You got great music taste as well 🎉 Hope you guys are enjoying the rural life... Justxwait, it gets better n better as you become acquainted with the nature on whole new levels while immersed. Congrats on the new pup too 👍

[@hexwavemusic]

Oh man! I didn't know you made presets for this, I inadvertently used a bunch of yours during jamuary :) Very good stuff!

[@RealityShiftUK]

I’m very tempted to buy the hardware just have the vst I’m messing around with the sequencer and it’s great!

[@Powhart]

7:57 that's some Prodigy level of sound!

[@MarcusKnappMusic]

Good stuff, thanks for the video! I honestly kinda wish the Minifreak was available as a desktop module. Not a lot of space for keyboard synths in my apartment.

[@johnd7564]

It's remarkably compact - not tall and not wide. Get a Decksaver for it (expected in March) and you can easily store it away when it's not needed, or put other stuff on top of it.

[@olekmy1292]

I still have issue deciding between this and Hydrasynth Explorer 😢

[@domingoleija3436]

Daz the first time I seent a real man treat sat freaky synth like a Man. Well done amigo. I didn't know it had beats up in derr?

[@randommcranderson5155]

I don't really understand arturia's launch of this device - nothing was ready, no manual, vst was still under development, etc. Not sure why they launched before they were ready. I did buy the actual minifreak hardware and love it, so I guess it doesn't matter that much. When they update this with a wavetable oscillator it will be amazing too. Main wish is the return of the capacitive keyboard (I loved that thing on the microfreak) or MPE - that would have made this thing even more expressive. Still trying to figure out if having a minifreak means its time to sell the microfreak or not. Even though the minifreak is without a doubt better, there's something about the tiny microfreak that I love, and I'm very comfortable with it at this point.

[@createmakestuff4694]

Can't say for sure, but I imagine they had some Q3 and Q4 sales targets to hit by the end of march, and they needed Minifreak out to prepare for whatever the next thing they have underwraps. Get the minifreak out so they can build off the hype and customer reviews of that. Granted, I could be talking completely out of my ass and have no idea what I'm talking about.

[@timothyharrison]

These presets are inspiring. I’m going to go take them apart! Also I love the little red shadow on the keys. Yup.

[@nictrax]

I also like the merfox thumbnail 😁

[@MusicWizard85]

For the price I think this sounds great. To me it sounds better than a Hydrasynth Explorer. I think at the end of the day though I'd rather only spend 1/3 of what a Minifreak costs and just get Arturia Pigments 4.

[@aardvarkmindshank]

Ok stop already. I will buy it 😂. Brilliant sounds. You have talent 😂

[@510th]

Bodyrox - Yeah Yeah vibe @ 15:00 cheers mate!

[@benmorrow1701]

My understanding is that the presets are the reason why Roland d50 is held in such high regard after so long. Some people near worship the guy who created some of those presets lol.

[@GuidoGautsch]

Is that the guy who founded Spectrasonics?

[@benmorrow1701]

@@GuidoGautsch yes you got it. Eric Persing

[@kunaikai]

Heartbreak is my favorite patch

[@lasideasfugazes]

I love you Jeremy

[@janeeightfive7331]

Hey there! Awesome video about the MiniFreak. I only have the VST but I’m loving it. Since I’m new to synths, could you explain how you set your macros to be able to change the brightness of the sound?

[@MrMarcLaflamme]

16:15 sounds totally like something from Fez. Call the preset Fedora 😀

[@domingoleija3436]

It's either that or stay in the dungeon masonic Hall?

[@BobNoble]

This or the Hydrasynth Explorer? I'm looking for a compact synth with keys to use beside a groovebox for a small live setup

[@RedMeansRecording]

This

[@dokma_eu]

I don't know... but this freaky synth doesn't move my feet, as there are more than few others in the same price range that I enjoy more. Like Korg Modwave and OpSix, or those Modal or PWM synths. Not to mention various soft vintage synth collections from Arturia or UVI.

[@adrielleon7791]

Ah so good. You should do a Trent sound design class.

[@Death_By_Media]

Add tension between the melodic content and texture and play with lots of triads and occasional dissonance you got it .😅

[@dmcinnis23]

So much to say after seeing this. All the feels! This synth simply blows me out of the water. Thank you so so much for this amazing demo. Gorgeous presets, Jeremy. Right at 20:00. Oh my goodness. And 21:24 sold me on this machine. Ever since I heard the "African Qween" preset on the Polybrute I've been hoping for something less expensive where you could do kick-a** arpeggiation. I think this is it!

[@kaitlyn__L]

This definitely takes the crown from the microKORG for a compact affordable first synth. More knobs, more intuitive controls, and the menu-grid in the top left communicates things better than the Korg’s manual lookup table front. As much as I love my microKORG, and feel no real need for this; if I was just getting started in this year this would definitely be my first synth.

[@DoctorNemmo]

No vocoder yet?

[@ThePsychoghost]

Oh fuck! It does the acid! Now I have to get this synth

[@676bun]

I got the minifreak a year ago (nov 2022) I don't see your patches, maybe I need to upgrade the firmware? I've never updated it, so maybe thats why.

[@evankeal]

The micro was a lifetime of exploration. I guess this is made for afterlife usage.

[@PaulSpades]

Any thoughts on how the minifreak stacks up against the minilogue(not monologue) or maybe microkorg? I'm looking at adding a decent expressive synth to get into more live playing.

[@RedMeansRecording]

Kills them both

[@aardvarkmindshank]

I can hear a lot of Pigments DNA in there. Which is only a good thing. I got it for 99 bucks add-on to the v9 collection and it’s awesome.

[@luvche3]

Any other synths around this price that you'd recommend? It would be my first synth in like 15 years, and I'm really wanting to get back into it

[@RedMeansRecording]

Hydrasynth explorer

[@bluestone9726]

*holy molies*

[@DionDeGennaro]

This thing sounds massively hugely big

[@TvMacfly]

Thank you great job !!!

[@acidbased]

Does buying the hardware get you the VST? I see it’s 199 standalone.

[@dodzidenudzakuma]

Yes it does.

[@acidbased]

@@dodzidenudzakuma thanks! Maybe one day i'll get the hardware. ended up with the VST for $99.

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@dodzidenudzakumaman, wish Korg would do that. You just get a discount on opsix/wavestate etc plugins if you bought the hardware.

[@Death_By_Media]

You bless us peasants with your sound design me lord 😂

[@TommyLoaded]

I live in a giant bucket.

[@OmniTorch]

@red means recording where can i find the presets on your patreon? i cant seem to find them after signing up.

[@RedMeansRecording]

They're not on Patreon. They're in the synthesizer.

[@OmniTorch]

@@RedMeansRecording oh. lol