RS041 Novation Mininova: Big Bang Theory

Have you ever wondered why music is ‚played‘? Is it because it‘s meant to be fun for those playing and listening? So why are there so many people out there who are as seriuos about their music as the Lego movie dad is about his Legos?
‚Make it fun‘ does seem to be the wrong mantra for this demographic, because if you show them a Novation Mininova, they will be quick to point out how it looks and feels like a cheap toy, how those keys are just to tiny to be of any use and, of course, it‘s synth engine does just not sound ‚right‘.
Well, brace yourselves Lego dads, because here is someone who actually really likes ‚playing‘ with their toys (me!) and who is automatically drawn to machines that look like they are ‚fun‘.
What did I find?
Well, a lot of great sound!
Don‘t think so?
Then go check for yourself and hit that play button!
If you like the background animations in my videos, go check out my new sub channel Rejected Synths Recycling Center, where you can download them for use in your own video projects:
/ @rsrecycling
Credit where it‘s due, I‘ve used content from this channel for the cloud visuals in this video:
/ @fantasystorygeek
Track-list:
0:00 Intro
0:17 Introduction
1:35 Just a clone?
2:44 A very short VA history
3:00 Synth engine specs
3:22 Software Editors
3:41 Controls and Connectivity
5:36 Let‘s play!
6:19 Animate
7:11 Arp
8:25 Arp plus Filter
9:08 Latch it!
9:48 Two Finger Magic Trick
10:50 One finger only!
12:00 Rage Wheel
13:05 Vocoder
13:43 Some nice patches
15:14 Conclusion
16:06 Outro

[@kinetic-cybernetic]

I almost didn't get this synth due to the menu diving criticism but now I get that design decision. It's about separating configuration and music performance. It's slow to configure because they are prioritizing a clean panel for performing. It's ok to be slow if you're not in front of an audience and you're just exploring sound attributes in your couch. Once your patch is designed, then the immediacy of your 4 assignable knob slots and 8 animation buttons is right there, no need to even touch the MENU button. I prefer that to having to transport a huge physical panel, and risking damaging 50+ pots at every rehearsal and jam.

[@Goettel]

I'm finding that the menu diving is actually not that bad, and it's a great little synth to make sounds on, even without an editor.

[@kinetic-cybernetic]

@@Goettel Agree! I actually don´t use the editor

[@wighttoan]

There was a Mininova and a MicroKorg XL for sale locally for around the same price used. I went with the Mininova because of the animate buttons. The vocoder is really great on these. I don't mind the little chiclet keys.

[@andydina378]

One of the most useful demos of Mininova one can find. Many thanks

[@IIeTpOc9H4uK]

The most informative overview I've seen so far. Big thanks!

[@TH3_FURY]

Thanks for that great review !

[@System-1541]

As far as the microphone goes on a used unit, if you ask Novation where you can buy one there's a good chance they'll send you a new one free of charge even though they know you got it used. So far they gave me a new octave of keys even though my unit is passed the warranty and they gave me free midi breakout cables for my Circuit even though I got it used.

[@RANDOMLOOPGENERATOR]

They also sent me a complete set of knobs for my BS2 which was bought second hand.

[@System-1541]

@@RANDOMLOOPGENERATOR Now see, that is customer service! Congrats on having a BS2! I had one of those. Fantastic synth!

[@ramseydoon8277]

Holy crap, this is convincing

[@klaytonvonkluge4905]

Wow, thanks for this info; I got mine used, and although I haven’t used the vocoder much, it seems kinda wonky… @Vox Electronica - How do you get ahold of them? Anyone ?

[@System-1541]

@@klaytonvonkluge4905 Live chat in the support section of their website. The vocoder is quite good.

[@frederikclement7795]

Great video about a great synth! Thanks!

[@rejectedsynths]

Thank you for watching!

[@klaytonvonkluge4905]

Great video , thanks 🙏🏼 subbed

[@ASAPJermz]

Nice bro, appreciate you doing this! Just ordered a new unit from Guitar Center. I'm happy I went with this MiniNova compared to the MicroKorg & Arturia MicroFreak 💯🙏🏼

[@rejectedsynths]

Always glad to help! 👍

[@zorbanongreco]

Great demo. Thanks.

[@rejectedsynths]

Glad you like it 👍

[@johnsmith-nd9yo]

Nice synth. I've owned one for 10 years but dont use it due to menu diving. After 10 years I have no idea how the animate part works(beyond your demo part at 7:11) , I need to look into that.

[@4matcollectiva847]

Mikrokorg and mininova and moog prodigy was my first ever synths and still im jamin with them .

[@MikeRenouf]

I have the Ultranova and the sound it makes (ie same as mininova) is great. I think its even uglier than the mininova but I couldnt care less though 😆. If people dismiss these synths due to appearance it keeps the second hand market affordable 👍

[@andersschroder2483]

Amen

[@klaytonvonkluge4905]

I get a lot of heckling and actual insults when I show or tell of my own miniNova, but it’s powerful if you don’t mind some menu diving, and the sounds belie it’s “toyful” appearance

[@Dan-ms4oq]

The animation feature is pretty fantastic. I use my Lauchcontrol's pads for pretty much that use but having them on board sounds like a really nice experience. I hope the used price doesn't get jacked up. If I wanted to get the bigger one does it have all the same features?

[@rejectedsynths]

The Ultranova has some more features like a usb audio interface, midi thru but no vocal tunig (aka Mickey Mouse voice fx) for the mic

[@paulburkhart2619]

Sounds good, seems to have more distinctive character than a MicroKorg? The animation keys look fun.

[@rejectedsynths]

Yeah just imagine progamming those with your own stuff, instant madness 🤗

[@klaytonvonkluge4905]

The sounds and versatility got me, and a price point I couldn’t refuse; (I did get mine second hand, but everything is fine and intact) Along with vocoder, but if I’m being 💯 honest, if I had seen all the hateful reviews and condescending comments about this beforehand, my fickle nature and naïveté/ ignorance about synths probably would have swayed me to look elsewhere for an analogue real hands -on unit …

[@dannymolns3573]

Kinda in the same boat. Decoding between this and the bass station. I know bass station is analogue so not necessarily comparable. Will probably end up with a Korg for the analogue and the Mininova for digital. Made any cool patches yet?

[@alseveron6558]

I love this vid, and the sounds you demonstrated, which reflect my own tastes. I'm torn between getting the Mininova or the Korg Volca FM 2 with an added keyboard. Which do you think is the more versatile?I'm not interested in the vocoder, but apart from that, I'm looking for versatilty and ease of use. The mininova's superior polyphony may be the clincher, however, its tiny, breakable keys are a turn-off.

[@rejectedsynths]

The mininoval as a whole is far more versatile, as you are limited to fm with the volca. While the keys of the mininova are flimsy, you can also control it from an external keyboard 😉

[@alseveron6558]

@@rejectedsynths Thank you!

[@49diewj]

Hey, great vid. perhaps you can answer a question that I can’t seem to find anywhere else. You showed that it has an output as well as stereo jacks, so what is that for exactly? Can you actually pan the oscillators when setting up a patch? So, for example, a sawtooth-based sound on the left, and a sine-based sound on the right? I’m asking because I want to use this with my ESX1 ElectroSpit talk box. It uses separate L and R channels for the two different drivers on the device. One driver handles the low smoothe sound, and the other driver does the higher sharp sound.

[@rejectedsynths]

Hey there! Now that is a very specific question....let me see....looking at the manual, I would say no. The way the voice engine works, the oscillators are mixed in the first stage before they are further processed and there is no option of oscillator panning at this stage. So whatever comes out of that part of the voice engine has already been mixed and can not be separated again. You'd probalby need a multitimbral synth for that.

[@49diewj]

@@rejectedsynths thanks for the quick reply. Dang, that’s too bad though. Still think I might go with this one, as it seems to be the best bang for my buck.

[@rejectedsynths]

You should look out for a multitimbral synth or at least for one that can layer more than one patch at the same time. This way you should be able to play two sounds and pan those to the stereo outs. Options that I've covered on this channel are Novation's KS series or the M-Audio Venom. The Venom should be fairly cheap too,

[@couchcamperTM]

if it was just for the vocoder, wouldn't the Korg be a better option?

[@rejectedsynths]

You also get all those voice transformation FX, pitch shifting and the like, not sure if the microkorg can do that too 🤔

[@onurBrunonurBruno]

mininova has 18 voices. Microkorg has 4

[@rejectedsynths]

Oh, didn't know that. Seems like a mayor advantage then

[@kinetic-cybernetic]

Sound is amazing. What I dislike of the synth is the fake wood on the sides. That's plastic, right? Materials imitating other materials are tacky. But still, it's my default generalist synth.

[@rejectedsynths]

About as fake as you can possibly get. I really don't get why they added those, would look completely out of place even if it was real wood 🤷

[@dodgingrain3695]

It doesn't seem to sound as smooth as the KS series.

[@rejectedsynths]

A little rough around the edges, yes indeed

[@MaximErased]

Good review, but clipping is terrible

[@rejectedsynths]

There is a very thin line between just right and urgh, that I'm still exploring 😝

[@Hermanos1995]

Junge du bist sooooooooo Deutsch haha, man hört dass du jedes Wort sehr sehr Deutsch betonst, warum redest du nicht einfach Deutsch.?

[@rejectedsynths]

Deutscher Sprachraum vielleicht 120 Millionen Menschen, Englischer Sprachraum 1,35 Milliarden Menschen 😉

[@femto859]

@@rejectedsynths Junge ich schwör

[@rejectedsynths]

😂