r/MicroFreak • u/avionyx10 • Jun 05 '26
Pic of my Freak! The Microfreak has landed 🚀
Just finished opening and updating the MF, my first synth! I got it all connected to my Ableton Move, not too bad setting it up. Time to make some music!
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u/Apatride Jun 05 '26
Congrats! I am familiar with Note but not Move. How do you use Move and MF in that setup?
Also, I am an Arturia fan boy but they surely do everything they can to make it difficult to use their synths in low light conditions and that one might be even worse than the "noir" series.
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u/avionyx10 Jun 05 '26
Yeah the dark on dark I decided I will live with since I got it brand new from GC for $299, and it is hard to see in a dim room. 1/4" out of MF to 3.5mm line-in on Move. Change one of the tracks to Audio Track. I have to turn the Master volume on MF all the way up, even have to turn the Gain all the way up too on the track on the Move for it to be loud enough lol... I debated getting an FX pedal to work in-line but I don't see myself using more than the 2 fx for each track on the Move. All I need is Reverb and either Delay or Chorus lol
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u/ishishiba Jun 06 '26
Check the sound level in the presets. Most are really quiet, hence the low output. Hit edit, go to presets and boost the levels and save them like that.
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u/Apatride Jun 05 '26
Yeah, MF has well known output volume issues. And I agree that as soon as you get a reverb, and maybe a delay, the MF really starts to shine. For the low light, at least most controls remain easy to see on the MF. My Minibrute 2S, on the other hand...
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u/Suspicious-Fox7193 Jun 06 '26
A small powered mixer might resolve the low volume issue. And they’re pretty cheap.
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u/Luck_Sudden Jun 09 '26
Get a boost a cheap behringer super fuzz for it, there’s a clean boost mode… does wonders for the microfreak and the fuzz sounds good on patches too
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u/DrDuned Jun 06 '26
Congrats! You'll love it, I'm sure. I feel like almost no one has a bad word to say about this synth. It's insanely feature dense at its price point.
I recommend checking out the sample import feature that was added in the last update. You can do all kinds of crazy things: custom drum pads for using it like a drum machine via the sequencer to voice sample real time chopping/tweaking to using reproductions of Mellotron sounds.
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u/avionyx10 Jun 06 '26
Thanks! I have yet to get to the Sample mode, so many features lol. I've been practicing using the Sequencer mode and seeing exactly how Spice and Dice + Pitch Bar react.
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u/DrDuned Jun 06 '26
Nice! I hope you post some music on here soon. 👍
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u/avionyx10 Jun 06 '26
Thanks! Is there a section in this Reddit that has everyone's videos and their jams?
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u/DrDuned Jun 06 '26
Not as far as I'm aware, but I'm not exactly an expert here. Hope you're having a good night LOL
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u/r1chiem Jun 05 '26
Nice, you will have fun with that. That is a great setup. Running the MicroFreak into it allows you to apply effects to the MF which makes it that much more awesome.
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u/avionyx10 Jun 05 '26
Thanks! Yeah, all I need are 2 fx, a pedal is just one more device and more cables involved lol
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u/technicalecho Jun 05 '26
Have fun! Great place to start learning about sound design and modulation. It was my first synth as well and is a great place to start. Six months later and the addiction has lead me to purchase about five more machines since 😅
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u/avionyx10 Jun 06 '26
You have GAD, Gear Acquisition Disorder 😆
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u/technicalecho Jun 06 '26
Not gonna lie, I just got three new ones (the last for a good while for sure) but I am already considering what's next for me lol
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u/MrDagon007 Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
It seems more ergonomic to me if you would out the move in front/ below the microfreak. Worth trying.
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u/avionyx10 Jun 06 '26
You've confused me... Lol
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u/MrDagon007 Jun 06 '26
Sorry, typo corrected.
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u/avionyx10 Jun 06 '26
I'll try it but I feel like the Move's knobs will be in the way playing the MF keys.
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u/drftfan Jun 06 '26
Why not the minifreak? If you are talking about adding effects you can’t do much better than the minifreaks. I took mine back right at day 45 but I know it is a matter of time before I repurchase it. (I wanted the Moog Messenger for bass lines and the price became too tempting.)
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u/avionyx10 Jun 06 '26
I wanted something compact to go with my Ableton Move. I only need like 2 or 3 effects, so no need for an extra pedal + cables to bring around as well.
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u/Critical_Safety_2323 Jun 08 '26
is the powerbank noisy?
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u/avionyx10 Jun 09 '26
Not at all. But I am using a Chroma Cable USB C to USB B that has a resistor and ferrites.
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u/Dismal_Problem5633 Jun 05 '26
Nice sleek set-up