Why is this thing so unreasonably good?

Howdy! Today we're going to talk about some freaks with a special place in my heart - specifically the amazingly fun Arturia Microfreak and it's new sibling the Arturia Minifreak.

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[VenusTheory]

Not to go all Twilight but: are you team Mini or team Micro? 🤔

[Zarathustra]

Dude, "play means you are experimenting with different processes and ideas and experiencing the results without the pressure of expectation and definition". That is beautiful and accurate in a way that I did not expect clicking on a YouTube video. Kudos

[strmchild]

The MicroFreak was already really impressive when I bought it, but what really blows me away is Arturia kept releasing major (free!) updates with significant new features — including the vocoder update where they revealed the headphone jack is actually a TRRS that supports mic input! They also added new oscillators from Noise Engineering, increased the number of patch slots, and kept giving us new presets. What a great company.

[crybo]

Great little synth. When I’m waiting on my kid’s piano lesson, I take the Freak, the Korg Nu Tek and a power bank and jam for an hour in the car. What a time to be alive 😊

[yokii-dokii]

Beginner (ish) here. The Microfreak is my first hybrid synth and I am in LOVE with it. I've had it for just over 6 months or so, and I use it almost everyday, but I've never gotten to a point where I've felt limited or bored with it. I sort of love how raw and unpolished it sounds. Really adds some unique/authentic grittiness to my tracks!

[kianr]

love that you mentioned how your 8 year old nephew would enjoy this just as much. i remember being about 8 years old going to my parents friends house for dinner, and they had this keyboard with a bunch of random knobs and sliders. i always looked forward to playing around on that thing while the parents had dinner. i probably tried to figure out what every single knob and button did, it was seriously so intriguing. i agree this is a very important aspect, and i'm glad you emphasized this. i totally forgot about this until you mentioned it. we all have this inner drive to explore and create, and its amplified when the equipment makes it easily accessible

[chrispiotrowski]

Bro this is my first video I've watched on your channel and I have to say you probably have one of the most pleasing voices to listen to I've ever heard!

[MyWorstEnemyIsMyself]

You're absolutely right, the Microfreak opened my mind in 2020 in a really meaningful way(i did an entire EP with almost just the MF), this instrument has been inspiring me to make music for so long that it's part of my signature sound and style, if you put the effort on it, you can do a huge palette of sounds and SFX, i use mine with an EHX Oceans 12 pedal and is really awesome.

[floatinganarchychannel]

I have the microfreak for few years now and i can do so many sounds with him, full track from scratch, the new noise modules : Harm, Bass & sawX are super fun, and for neuro head its a dream to have sine noise on a synth :)

[huntergalloway]

I’m obsessed with hybrid synths/samplers. Something about a flexible digital sound source going through a decent filter just does something magic.

[rougepied]

I’m juste a hobbyist musiciann. Until recently, I was never interested in electronic music. The microfreak is my first synth and I love it. Like you said, it's a great synth to get started with. I spend hours experimenting with sounds more than playing music. And I love it.

[dmcinnis]

I loved this introduction to these two devices. Thank you!

I'm 53 and honestly never seen anything quite as versatile, open for creativity and inexpensive as the MicroFreak. I now have GAS with the Mini.

[AndrewPhilippov]

MicroFreak and Zoom MS-50G pedal is one of my best gear purchases this year. Also i love that it is working with any powerbank, so no need to use 12v power supply, and this means that i can play with it on my couch, or in a park.

[michaelhurt]

Bought a Micro one week ago, and it is perfect. I think I came in backwards, as I started with diy synth projects and then eurorack, before finally buying something playable with a keyboard. I'm still mostly planning on building my own, but the Micro integrates beautifully with CV. This is all a far cry from my days sample mashing on ACID and Sound Forge 20 years ago! It's been a long time coming; a buddy of mine scored a minimoog at a garage sale when I was 15, and I've been stuck on the sound every since. Loved this. You really hit the nail on the head about it's teaching ability. I have not watched or read a single instruction, and I've figured out the sequencer and mod matrix with ease! My two year old can make a tune wart. Need I go on!?! Hopefully my wife takes the hint on the mini for Christmas...

[static-san]

I bought a MicroFreak for pretty much the exact reason you almost cited near the end: I wanted a hardware synth but not just any hardware synth. The ability to save presets as well as tweak them in real time was what sold me. And some polyphony. And the price point. Both the MicroFreak and the MiniFreak are in a product space that they almost have to themselves.

[DmitryPuffin]

Got myself used mikrofreak month ago and boy, its awesome little machine. Packs a lot of synth power with ease of use. Sequencer surprised me a lot. Also it took place of a controller with polyphonic after touch. I was using Push 2 a lot, but sometimes I was missing actual keyboard. Mikrofreak filled this gap nicely.

[lokelosk]

I recorded an ambient/chill album using only the Microfreak and free reverbs, and it's one of my most successful things released (that is, for a hobbyist musician with limited reach that don't do much self-promotion). It's really versatile and fun to use.
The Minifreak really got my attention and jumped to first in my list of "synths to buy whenever I get the money".

[incaroads]

I love the way you keep featuring that zoom box. I have so much zoom stuff that I have long since stopped trying to shake a stick at it. it's all good and commensurately inexpensive. these two things seem like a great pair.

[RaleighHeckel]

Hey there - first time seeing one of your videos. Just wanted to share how enjoyable it was. Honestly one of the best made YouTube videos I’ve seen in awhile. I’m primarily a guitarist and am slowly learning more about the world of synths and you applied such a relaxing/calm aesthetic to this video, and provided a friendly and insightful overview of the instruments. I’m a fan of your storytelling style, both audio and visual. Subscribed!

[jckingize]

You, my friend are NOT the average YouTuber and in addition to the great choices of music education you share, your sound designing chops are first rate. Great video, I too am a Freaky Funky Fan of the Freaks. Having been one myself for more years than I am willing to admit, however the biggest giveaway clue being that I have only come out at night for over thirty years. ( The Freaks Come Out! )
Keep doing what you do. You Create Great music, You Are an actually REAL human being and your talent is "oddly enough for a YouTuber" much greater than you actually realize. "Never change Venus Theory..."