Arturia MiniFreak V, the software Freak for your DAW is out now - December 1, 2022

Twinned algorithmic softsynth
As an exclusivity for MiniFreak owners, MiniFreak V is a, like-for-like software emulation of its hardware polysynth counterpart, combining identical digital engines with perfectly modeled analog filters, plus a plethora of wildly creative modulation, sequencing, and expression controls - your Freak in the box.

Full hybrid synthesizer power, directly in your DAW.
Choose a Freaky flow to suit your style: enjoy indistinguishable hybrid sound and seamless integration between hardware and software with a VST version of MiniFreak.

Arturia MiniFreak is available now for 599€/$599 USD. The MiniFreak V is a free download for all hardware users and runs as a VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (Intel + Apple Silicon) and Windows.

www.arturia.com/products/hardware-synths/minifreak/minifreakv

 

Last edited: Dec 2, 2022

I saw this yesterday in Arturia's FB page:

How long before a certain group makes this one no longer exclusive to the owners of this hardware synth (which sounds good by the way)?

 

Is it just me, or does this look like a watered down version of Pigments?

 

Similar but not the same. This is the same Arturia graphic designer team that made Pigment. I think Arturia has done an excellent job.

 

Unlike Other Hardware from Arturia the Midi Control Center is not used for the MiniFreak. The MiniFreak V does all the Firmware and links directly to the MiniFreak Hardware . I tried using it without the Software Center app and the MiniFreak would not connect.It said login to use. Arturia didn't explain the MFK didn't use the MCC and took me a while to find the info. Had a firmware update too but no Changelog was present. It does look similar to Pigments in the GUI structure. Lets hope they add the user wavetables and vocoder in the future

 

Hope they make a microfreak V too, just for us micro owners

 

Tutorials | MiniFreak V - Overview

 

Last edited: Dec 3, 2022

wow. didn't expected that. wondering if it loads microfreak presets as well?

 

MiniFreak
V1.1.0
New features

• Touch buttons sensitivity setting added
• Transport Receive setting added
• Gate, Spice and VCF Velo Amt now send MIDI CC
• Updated octave handling on Arp mode: Poly
• ModWheel, Vibrato and Pitch Bend can now be recorded in the Mod Sequencer

Changes

• Improved Touch Strip and Touch Button response
• No more clicks when changing presets
• Vibrato settings now displayed when pressing the Keyboard button
• Improved Velocity response
• Major improvements of LFO Shaper curve editing
• Major improvements of Local on/off and ArpSeq MIDI handling
• Gate Length is now full range
• Improvements of the Sequencer button LED handling
• Improved pot behavior when assigning Macros
• Updated some names in the Sound Edit and Utility menus

Bug fixes

• Macros and Matrix now properly sum
• No more MIDI issues when using USB on mac
• Spice and Dice now sends ratchets properly in MIDI
• No more screen conflicts when turning two parameters at the same time
• Sync Glide times are now correct
• Custom Assign parameters are reordered correctly in the Macro assign screen
• Macros do not jump back to 100 when reaching -100
• Macros do not change their value when assigning them in the Matrix
• Lowest held note is protected from poly stealing with Hold activated
• Pentatonic scale uses the right intervals
• Screen UI issues solved
• User preset filter now properly displays user presets
• No more unwanted * next to preset name when changing presets
• Chord mode now played correctly from Sequencer
• Clock is no more lost when changing MIDI settings while playing
• No more stuck notes when playing with a sustain pedal in Unison
• CycEnv Mono retrig source now affects all voices simultaneously
• Chord + Seq in Mono Mode now properly reacts to incoming MIDI
• Mod Recording is not exited if all slots are full
• Mod Sequencing now works properly with Pitch

V1.0.0

• MiniFreak first firmware release

 

Been playing wit it for half an hour now, I retract my statement. This is not a watered down Pigments. They've done an excellent job.

 

Would you care to sum up how different it is ?

 

(........)

 

Last edited: Dec 2, 2022

So I guess technically this is their most faithful hardware emulation?

 

Yes Sorry I should have mentioned that

 

It's much simpler yet powerful, there are many different types of sounds to choose from that go way beyond the usual subtractive stuff -we got Karplus-Strong, modal, speech and formant synthesis, to name a few.

The sequencer is not as great though : it's a simple piano roll with 4 modulation options from velocity. Pigments' sequencer is among the greatest in a virtual instrument (stuff like Falcon, I consider a different category).

Its simplicity is its strength. You can get tons of useful sounds in two seconds, without having to do any complex routing. Other than that, I believe you can create every sound in Pigments too, it will just take longer.