Arturia - MINIFREAK 49

The Arturia MiniFreak 49 synthesiser combines two digital engines and over 30 oscillator modes, ranging from FM to wavetable. Its per-voice analogue filter enriches sound design with nuanced timbres, from the most familiar to the most experimental.

It utilises variable-state analogue filters, polyphonic VCAs and audio-speed filter FM. Its second engine processes the first via filtering, FM or distortion, and the audio input can be routed through the voice architecture. This design enriches the analogue-digital hybrid synthesiser and expands the processing of external sources.

The MiniFreak 49’s XYZ touch matrix is used to assign modulations, navigate between presets and control Freak Control, including macros, Gate and Spice. Gestures on this surface affect multiple parameters, making this pressure-sensitive touch-matrix synthesiser highly expressive. The ability to create custom LFO waveforms directly refines control over sound movement, without requiring multiple adjustments to the controls.

To compose evolving patterns, Arturia has equipped it with a 64-step sequencer featuring 4 tracks of automated modulation, as well as an arpeggiator incorporating octave jumps, ratchets, repeats and Spice & Dice functions. Three digital effects slots, each with 13 algorithms, add a varied range of finishing touches, including a vocoder that can be used with an external source or on its own. The 1.3-inch OLED screen makes it easy to read the settings, whilst the MiniFreak V plugin ensures DAW integration, preset management and bidirectional keyboard control with aftertouch.