I agree. I have tons of synths and drum machines and other gear including eurorack and the Microfreak more often than not is the first thing I reach for when starting or finishing a track.
Just wanted to say, every time I watch one of your videos I get a burst of inspiration that I end up opening my Ableton to work on the tons of unfinished music that's piling up. The way you edit your videos and your enthusiasm for the tech and breaking down how it works is very inspiring - your channel is a gem that deserves way more!
OMG thanks for letting us know! Gonna start playing with my microfreak the minute I get some time off, can't believe they added this feature!! The gift that never stops giving
Whenever people accuse “SynthTubers” of being elitist or fetishizing expensive gear I am going to point them to this video (and others) that celebrate well-designed, inexpensive gear.
David is the most wholesome music youtuber. Not only do I learn something new from him every time I watch his videos - but it also has some kind of a relaxing, therapeutic effect on me. Good job David!
This is by far my favorite thing about Arturia, how they keep adding functionalities to older models. Many companies would just re skin and release as a new model instead of upgrading a synth that came out 4 years ago.
I am probably not going to say this correctly but I hope my meaning is clear. You have a great voice for this sort of thing. Between that and your phrase and general vibe it just makes this whole thing easy to watch and a great experience.
I have been in a music rut for around a year, finally upgraded my Microfreak to firmware v5 and digging into the sample functions because of this video. Thank you for the simple, creative, and straightforward explanation!!❤ I could not for the life of me figure out how to get the sample modes to work right up.. I felt super dumb I love sound and synth, but I'm fully self taught as of a few years ago. samplers and sample pads just are really fun and speaks to me. My bf and I went to a store on my bday a while back and I played with the MFreak for a few minutes and had to have it.
The music he makes at the end sounds so retro to me, like the music during or at the end of TV documentaries and science shows from the 90s! I can imagine Carl Segan saying something in fron of camera as this music gets louder and louder. 😄 Nice to hear!
i've been making music for almost 3 years and playing keyboard for 2-just wanna put it out there that you make what looks like the simplest chords to play just going off finger placement sound beautiful and intricate, haha. you inspire the heck out of me
It's so funny I was just debating getting one and went to go watch your review and here's this new video. Always happy to see you work! This is def a great way to start my bday today. Thanks for doing what you do!
Damn! This incredible little instrument simply keeps getting better and better with every update! SO glad I chose to invest in one last year - it's worth its weight in gold! Samples just open up a whole new avenue of possibilities beyond what it was already capable of.
Właśnie zainstalowałem aktualizację i wgrywam pierwsze sample, dzięki David za kolejną inspirację! Mam sporo sprzętu ale Microfreak daje tyle radości i satysfakcji! To wspaniałe, że w dzisiejszym świecie są takie perły jak Arturia. Cały czas rozwijają możliwości. Każde odpalenie Microfreaka to przygoda, odkrywanie i tony zabawy! IMO jeden z najwspanialszych instrumentów w całej historii, nigdy się nie nudzi, zawsze zaskakuje, a godziny mijają jak minuty ;)
Thanks to your videos, I've ordered a Microfreak and I can't wait to get it. Ty for the inspiration! Where's that video on the vocoder functionality?!?
I LOVE your videos. Everything about them, they have inspired me to start experimenting with sound. One of my next steps is to learn some music theory. Its truly fascinating so if anyone has a starting point for me that would be very helpful!
139bpm you can load make 17 pad presets with 12 second samples or 2 12seconds with cross fades between them as one sample, you can make 50 4 seconds one shots with tail or 100 2 second stabs with out tail
got like 2 hours ago , already creating presets with my favorite vs ti because the keyboard becomes part of you and the presets are more emotional. i had to set the sensitivity to 10 and velocity and after touch to exponential just like all my other arturia keys lol
Great Arturia update... BUT Apple Silicon Macs started coming out in November 2020, so that MIDI control app should have been made native long ago. It's inexcusable that it isn't and has to run in emulation.
They've made their VSTs and FX AS Native, which is what matters. Who gives a fuck if the MIDI control app is? Inexcusable? Hardly. Native Instruments still hasn't ported tons of stuff to AS
I used to be a bit put off by the weird keybed but this has really swayed the decision for my next synth purchase. Absolutely awesome. I mostly jam on the circuit rhythm and this seems to tick the (very few) boxes that the rhythm leaves empty.
Really making it difficult - the decision between Micro and Mini.. Really impressed with ARTURIA’s offerings, especially in the hands of a capable musician! Great video, thank you David.
@@mikamulperi Yes and the best part I hold one note with my finger and tap my feet on any electrical cable on the floor and get little electrocuted but it produces other cool notes randomly. Worth it.
@@kevinjackson7539 PCB board. But yes they are conductive. Don't be afraid it doesn't hurt. Only tingling when ground is not present. It only happen when AC outlet is not grounded like when I connect it to my laptop and the laptop is charging. But when powered with Powerbank nothing hapoens.
1:54 Idk if that works on MacOS too but on WIndows you can just select all files at once and click open and they will all be sequentially loaded, saving a lot of time and clicking
You're really good at this type of content (first time seeing one of your videos). I've been meaning to pick up a MicroFreak. I'm more of a groovebox type of person, but I've gotten fair at making patches with soft-synths and I think I'm ready for an actual synth. Seems like a great first synth. The sampling engine is right up my alley for sure.
I watched the video cause I got a MicroFreak a couple of weeks ago. I did have a sampling process, but I wasn't sure if there was any better way. This one video killed two birds for me. It covers the preset menu for the synth, and getting some sampling workflow tips. Thank you! My take on the Microfreak: is not my favourite synth (yet? ;p ), but definitively fun to use.
You should try synthesizing your violin sound, with an old Casio CZ-101. Using phase distortion synthesis works pretty convincingly, for string and bow. With that said, I've never wanted the OG Freak more than I do right now. I'm a sucker for tiny grains. -Get yourself the Nunomo Qun. 😉
Great video and nice examples of sample modulation! Damn, this is now the final reason for me to buy a Microfreak :D I mainly work for my lofi music with the Liven Lofi-12 sampler and the PO-33 K.O., but all the modulation options of the Microfreak to model samples are fantastic!
the microfreak is up there with the digitakt in terms of bang for the buck. Both seem to just keep getting new features for free that feel like i dont deserve but they just keep coming!
I think sample selection is a modulation destination and you can assign that to "key" to have more than one sample in a preset. I remember seeing that in a video.
Was about to pull the trigger on a Poly D for Moog polyphony but saw a video of a dude loaded Minimoog samples onto the microfreak. How long does it take you from finding s sample to having it playable on the freak?
Great video. I have bit of an odd question for you: will you use this? I don’t know what your setup is - you seem to have a wonderful variety of both acoustic and electronic instruments - so I’m wondering if you have something else in your arsenal that can play with samples. If so, which instrument would you prefer to use? If this is the only one, then this new feature seems like loads of fun.
I suspect I will use it most to try and get glitchy granular sounds? I have a ton of synths, but I don't think actually have any _hardware_ granular synths.
literally in the exact same situation right now! I don't have much money, but I was thinking about buying my first analog synth for almost 2 years, and I know it's gonna change the way I write my music. I feel like I'm gonna buy microfreak, but it's mostly because it's just cheaper
Honestly, as someone who’s played both. If you want bread and butter synth sounds, microkorg is a good bet. Microfreak is rather weird for a first synth but will give you a much wider breadth of sound
I love music but I'm no way musical although I've had cheap keyboards and a Korg synth. The actual putting together of elements I never quite grasped but I'm impressed with your work here. Very cool.
Would this be a good first synth to checkout as a guitar player? I'm looking to expand my modest home production into the synth/drum machine/sampler realm, but I also don't want to bite off more than I can chew. The Teenage Audio OP-1 also interests me for it's all-in-one compact size, especially with the original version being more affordable now on the used market. Not sure if the OP-1 is what I should be looking at for a first synth/song sketching station though. Thanks!
I come from the 70s and 80s. I think the Microfreak is not just amazing for its price but just one of the best synths ever. Already a classic.
I agree. I have tons of synths and drum machines and other gear including eurorack and the Microfreak more often than not is the first thing I reach for when starting or finishing a track.
"The gift that keeps on giving" describes it pretty well - although I bought it for myself.
I can't vibe with not having real keys though.
@@blastofo always can hook it up to some proper midi keys
@@pgwwa2 didnt know that. thats cool
Just wanted to say, every time I watch one of your videos I get a burst of inspiration that I end up opening my Ableton to work on the tons of unfinished music that's piling up. The way you edit your videos and your enthusiasm for the tech and breaking down how it works is very inspiring - your channel is a gem that deserves way more!
thank you so much!!!
Plus 1. This is my fav YT channel for inspiration and tips.
Same!
Coherent, concise, transparency where often the method of sharing information gets in the way of the listening, thx
I’m about to open up my wallet and buy a micro freak 😅 🔫
OMG thanks for letting us know! Gonna start playing with my microfreak the minute I get some time off, can't believe they added this feature!! The gift that never stops giving
That's what she said
Whenever people accuse “SynthTubers” of being elitist or fetishizing expensive gear I am going to point them to this video (and others) that celebrate well-designed, inexpensive gear.
You come across a lot of people like that? Cause I don’t. Maybe it’s you being so pretentious. And now you know.
The pedal he uses costs almost twice as much as the Microfreak 🙂
As someone who inhabits the world of photography and video, music production is a cheap hobby.
David is the most wholesome music youtuber. Not only do I learn something new from him every time I watch his videos - but it also has some kind of a relaxing, therapeutic effect on me. Good job David!
These are my #1 comfort videos. I try to save them for times I'm stressed
This is by far my favorite thing about Arturia, how they keep adding functionalities to older models. Many companies would just re skin and release as a new model instead of upgrading a synth that came out 4 years ago.
Exactly, and slap another $100 onto the price. Arturia give it to us for free.
Nicely done! That flute sounds soooo good!!
I just downloaded this update the other day so it's very handy having someone illustrate it. Thank you David!
I am probably not going to say this correctly but I hope my meaning is clear. You have a great voice for this sort of thing. Between that and your phrase and general vibe it just makes this whole thing easy to watch and a great experience.
Ah, thanks so much
Positive energy comes from this. Thank you
I have been in a music rut for around a year, finally upgraded my Microfreak to firmware v5 and digging into the sample functions because of this video. Thank you for the simple, creative, and straightforward explanation!!❤ I could not for the life of me figure out how to get the sample modes to work right up.. I felt super dumb
I love sound and synth, but I'm fully self taught as of a few years ago. samplers and sample pads just are really fun and speaks to me. My bf and I went to a store on my bday a while back and I played with the MFreak for a few minutes and had to have it.
The music he makes at the end sounds so retro to me, like the music during or at the end of TV documentaries and science shows from the 90s!
I can imagine Carl Segan saying something in fron of camera as this music gets louder and louder. 😄
Nice to hear!
i've been making music for almost 3 years and playing keyboard for 2-just wanna put it out there that you make what looks like the simplest chords to play just going off finger placement sound beautiful and intricate, haha. you inspire the heck out of me
Are you kidding, I literally grabbed one today hahaha Lets goooooo!
One of my favorite uploaders- thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and music with us
It's so funny I was just debating getting one and went to go watch your review and here's this new video. Always happy to see you work! This is def a great way to start my bday today. Thanks for doing what you do!
I love my MicroFreak. I can't wait to do the upgrade and thanks for making it so easy.
Im glad tou all jave this because the music i want to make will be forever stuck in my head and soul. Youre very lucky to have this tech.
Damn! This incredible little instrument simply keeps getting better and better with every update! SO glad I chose to invest in one last year - it's worth its weight in gold! Samples just open up a whole new avenue of possibilities beyond what it was already capable of.
With every video featuring the microfreak, you make me want to buy it more and more Dx
Właśnie zainstalowałem aktualizację i wgrywam pierwsze sample, dzięki David za kolejną inspirację! Mam sporo sprzętu ale Microfreak daje tyle radości i satysfakcji! To wspaniałe, że w dzisiejszym świecie są takie perły jak Arturia. Cały czas rozwijają możliwości. Każde odpalenie Microfreaka to przygoda, odkrywanie i tony zabawy! IMO jeden z najwspanialszych instrumentów w całej historii, nigdy się nie nudzi, zawsze zaskakuje, a godziny mijają jak minuty ;)
I keep forgetting to update my freak.. and after your video.. I definitely NEED to update it!! Thank you David.
Flutes!! These videos are always a treat :)
also the loop in the end is amazing!
Thanks David. I didn’t think it would be worth the time to do this update right away but you’ve got me excited to check it out!
This ended up reminding me of the comfy synth genre! Really love the sounds and textures you created!
Waiting for my MicroFreak to arrive soon, that was a no brainer purchase with this update!
Awesome demo! Definitely considering grabbing one now haha
Just ordered mine! Super excited! (Already have the LVX yeah!)
I just bought one second hand, excited to get home and start playing with it!
Thanks to your videos, I've ordered a Microfreak and I can't wait to get it. Ty for the inspiration! Where's that video on the vocoder functionality?!?
Wow, thank you so much for this! I had no idea I'd been missing out on incredible updates. Cannot wait to load some samples! PS Love the music 💜
I LOVE your videos. Everything about them, they have inspired me to start experimenting with sound. One of my next steps is to learn some music theory. Its truly fascinating so if anyone has a starting point for me that would be very helpful!
You're the developer of Decent Sampler? Damn, it's so dope, I'm using it often, thank you a lot for that!
Oh and now I know what granular synthesis is. Thanks!
I was not aware of this. What a great feature!
Intriguing. Thanks, David.
I’m definitely getting super excited to get one of these. Now I’ve gotta decide if I’m gonna buy this or a car first.
Get a car…
car
Yes but a car will end up costing you a lot more money unfortunately. Especially after insurance and gas, repairs etc.
Get a car buddy. So you can make more $ and buy synths.
@@marsoblivi0n945 that is my goal.
I did not know this, ,this is awesome! I will update my MicroFreak when I get home 🙌🏾
This is so relaxing❤
Powerful, great video man 🙂
Such a wicked little box. Great video.
I haven't been this excited to discover a new RUclips channel since a while! love your videos!
Oh god, now I’m gonna have to buy one of these. 😂 Well played sir.
139bpm you can load make 17 pad presets with 12 second samples or 2 12seconds with cross fades between them as one sample, you can make 50 4 seconds one shots with tail or 100 2 second stabs with out tail
got like 2 hours ago , already creating presets with my favorite vs ti because the keyboard becomes part of you and the presets are more emotional. i had to set the sensitivity to 10 and velocity and after touch to exponential just like all my other arturia keys lol
Great Arturia update... BUT Apple Silicon Macs started coming out in November 2020, so that MIDI control app should have been made native long ago. It's inexcusable that it isn't and has to run in emulation.
Yes, I'm inclined to agree. It seems an odd oversight :/
They've made their VSTs and FX AS Native, which is what matters. Who gives a fuck if the MIDI control app is? Inexcusable? Hardly. Native Instruments still hasn't ported tons of stuff to AS
I just connected my new freak to my M1 max studio and it worked fine
Synth beginner here- I think this is the one i’m going to start with. :)
I'm glad you uploaded a video for the new update! Does anybody have any ideas what audio interface I should use with mine?
I love your videos. This was the main thing I wanted mine for. To produce that mellotron sound (think strawberry fields intro)
Thanks
Exactly! I don't know why that was the first sound I wanted to transfer over :)
@@DavidHilowitzMusic it is simple but so musically useful.
I have just purchased and wow - very powerful little Freak !!!!
This synth is just incredible. I’d recommend it to anyone, it does so much.
So cool. Thanks for sharing.
Love your vids David!!!!
I used to be a bit put off by the weird keybed but this has really swayed the decision for my next synth purchase. Absolutely awesome. I mostly jam on the circuit rhythm and this seems to tick the (very few) boxes that the rhythm leaves empty.
This video just confirmed me buying the microfreak as my first synth
04:09 Holy shit Davidm what kind crazy amazing videography was that?!
Fair play dude.
2:53 that chord is heavenly
Bm9/Gb
Really making it difficult - the decision between Micro and Mini.. Really impressed with ARTURIA’s offerings, especially in the hands of a capable musician! Great video, thank you David.
Microfreak: smaller, can be usb powered
@@mikamulperi Yes and the best part I hold one note with my finger and tap my feet on any electrical cable on the floor and get little electrocuted but it produces other cool notes randomly. Worth it.
@@MS7.7 are those metal keys?
@@kevinjackson7539 PCB board. But yes they are conductive. Don't be afraid it doesn't hurt. Only tingling when ground is not present. It only happen when AC outlet is not grounded like when I connect it to my laptop and the laptop is charging. But when powered with Powerbank nothing hapoens.
If you live in a very humid place you should evaluate it, the microfreak does not work correctly in those environments
1:54 Idk if that works on MacOS too but on WIndows you can just select all files at once and click open and they will all be sequentially loaded, saving a lot of time and clicking
Ah, really? I tried to on Mac and it didn't work, but it might have been user error.
You're really good at this type of content (first time seeing one of your videos). I've been meaning to pick up a MicroFreak. I'm more of a groovebox type of person, but I've gotten fair at making patches with soft-synths and I think I'm ready for an actual synth. Seems like a great first synth. The sampling engine is right up my alley for sure.
I watched the video cause I got a MicroFreak a couple of weeks ago. I did have a sampling process, but I wasn't sure if there was any better way. This one video killed two birds for me. It covers the preset menu for the synth, and getting some sampling workflow tips. Thank you!
My take on the Microfreak: is not my favourite synth (yet? ;p ), but definitively fun to use.
Hey guys! You can select multiple samples from your file explorer and drag them into the software!
Wow. Truly changes everything about it.😎✌️✌️
Love my Microfreak, but for live use I can't seem to get used to the keys. But in the studio, I always get back to it.
Super cool! Thanks David :)
I’ve been feeling the desire for a micro freak, now you’ve sold me on it 😮
You should try synthesizing your violin sound, with an old Casio CZ-101. Using phase distortion synthesis works pretty convincingly, for string and bow.
With that said, I've never wanted the OG Freak more than I do right now. I'm a sucker for tiny grains. -Get yourself the Nunomo Qun. 😉
Great video and nice examples of sample modulation! Damn, this is now the final reason for me to buy a Microfreak :D I mainly work for my lofi music with the Liven Lofi-12 sampler and the PO-33 K.O., but all the modulation options of the Microfreak to model samples are fantastic!
THIS IS SICK THANKS SO MUCH
I completely forgot about the update. Thanks
Just got one a week ago loving it
Love this. You might have finally sold me on the MicroFreak.
the microfreak is up there with the digitakt in terms of bang for the buck. Both seem to just keep getting new features for free that feel like i dont deserve but they just keep coming!
I think sample selection is a modulation destination and you can assign that to "key" to have more than one sample in a preset. I remember seeing that in a video.
wait really!!? If that’s true, that’s amazing!
I echo that. Another video perhaps!?
I actually referred to Oscillator Sink's video here but my comment got deleted I guess. Or I never pressed enter :)
Great review of the new feature! Interesting what Arturia might bring in the future with possible MicroFreak 2
Handy little guide to the new functions. What I need now is the equivalent of iOS’s ‘Audioshare’ app for Mac in order to manage samples…
the granular stuff is. CHEF'S KISS!!
this synth just turned into a granular sampler like whaaat
When you first played the flutes, it sounded kinda like lean on me by bill withers
Was about to pull the trigger on a Poly D for Moog polyphony but saw a video of a dude loaded Minimoog samples onto the microfreak.
How long does it take you from finding s sample to having it playable on the freak?
Even better if you buy the Moog Synths in IOS for like $15-30 USD you can sample those and load them on the Microfreak 😮 Moog sounds in the MF 😊❤❤❤
Thank you !
I need to do this right now.
This is awesome! I’m updating now.
4:47 - Man just made a jingle for a cyberpunk pharma company.
Great video. I have bit of an odd question for you: will you use this? I don’t know what your setup is - you seem to have a wonderful variety of both acoustic and electronic instruments - so I’m wondering if you have something else in your arsenal that can play with samples. If so, which instrument would you prefer to use? If this is the only one, then this new feature seems like loads of fun.
I suspect I will use it most to try and get glitchy granular sounds? I have a ton of synths, but I don't think actually have any _hardware_ granular synths.
Subscribed! Your videos have good structure
Wow that's cool! Is is on the MiniFreak too?
I’m so torn between the micro Korg and this micro freak:( I’m new with synths… any suggestions?
literally in the exact same situation right now! I don't have much money, but I was thinking about buying my first analog synth for almost 2 years, and I know it's gonna change the way I write my music. I feel like I'm gonna buy microfreak, but it's mostly because it's just cheaper
Honestly, as someone who’s played both. If you want bread and butter synth sounds, microkorg is a good bet. Microfreak is rather weird for a first synth but will give you a much wider breadth of sound
One of the best synth actually, due to quality and price and also the fact Arturia keep it evolving 🎉
I think so too. It's quite a bargain for what you get.
@@DavidHilowitzMusic many digital operators and one analogic filter ! And quite fun to use, not as complicated as other stuff
I got a micro freak years ago. It’s pretty sweet but it would be dope if I could upgrade it to have this capability.
One sold
ey bro. how'd u do that shot at @4:09 that shit was fye
Is there a super simple sampler keyboard that you can plug audio in push record then push stop & it's on the keys? Like a modern day vss-30?
What about Minirfreak?
Does the minifreak also have this feature? I have been on the fence for months between the two and I love this update. :)
Thank you, beautiful video. Subscribed!
I love music but I'm no way musical although I've had cheap keyboards and a Korg synth. The actual putting together of elements I never quite grasped but I'm impressed with your work here. Very cool.
Now I need the MIcroFreak...
Would be interested to see a comparison on the built in effects in the Mini Freak vs some of the pedals you use!
Could you recommend some maybe FM/wavetables synth for deep house plucks like raindrops and other high quality and rich (but not metallic) sound?
Would this be a good first synth to checkout as a guitar player? I'm looking to expand my modest home production into the synth/drum machine/sampler realm, but I also don't want to bite off more than I can chew. The Teenage Audio OP-1 also interests me for it's all-in-one compact size, especially with the original version being more affordable now on the used market. Not sure if the OP-1 is what I should be looking at for a first synth/song sketching station though. Thanks!