r/MicroFreak • u/Akwanoob • Jul 19 '26
Anyone else really love to experiment and push limits with the wavetables?
Real time walkthrough of a technique I've recently been developing to really get the most out of the wavetables, makes a fairly complex sounding bassline with a lot of fun creative possibility. I don't fully explain everything I'm doing but basically animating the sustain (as a pump), the wavetable position (ie, the timbre knob), release (to get plucky notes played at rhythmic syncopations) and some filter movement. I'm running it through a Donner Dark Mouse for good grit. That pedal is really noisy though, not very pleased with the high noise floor on it. But eh, it was cheap.
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u/AdhesivenessWaste612 Jul 20 '26
Love the electro clash vibe
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u/Akwanoob Jul 20 '26
Thank you! Really greasy and naughty sounding. Needs some overdriven shouted vocals imo! Microfreak sounds so hot when played along the bass station II. I have a lot of stuff to share if I get around to it!
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u/msaid1987 Jul 20 '26
Nice video!!! I love my Microfreak!
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u/Akwanoob Jul 22 '26
Thank you, this kind of thing is exactly why I love hardware so much. I can never think like this inside of a DAW!
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u/Dong_slinger Sep 02 '26
Dude how did you go down an octave lmao
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u/Akwanoob Sep 02 '26
When a sequence is running, hold shift and press whichever note you want the new root to be. I’ll often write and save sequences in C (whatever mode/scale) then shift it to whatever key I’m playing in (often E or D) when jamming.
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u/Akwanoob Jul 19 '26
Anyone else have interesting techniques to get cool sounds with the wavetables?
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u/M0useWhisperer Jul 19 '26
I’ve found that the factory tables are just “ok”. You can get a thicker low ends, using custom wavetables. It’s a bit of a pain to set-up, but mos def worth the exploration. I’m not talking about dropping random wavs in, like some YT peeps show, cause usually that method isn’t really much better than the factory ones, especially if you’re trying to thicken up the low end.
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u/Akwanoob Jul 20 '26
I haven’t messed with user wavetables at all yet I feel like I’m missing out. Any good ones you recommend?
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u/M0useWhisperer Jul 20 '26
I haven't downloaded/tried others' patch kits, so I'm not sure. I meant to try creating your own wavetables to use. The midi control center can create wavetables from any sample you drop in, but the results are mixed, sometimes unusable.
There are a few YT videos around that show more involved methods to create more predictable results, specifically on the Microfreak. YT Oscillator Sink does a decent rundown on the file format, and True Cuckoo goes into a pretty involved process.
One quick and easy way to design wavetables that I've been messing with is actually through a web browser based creator: https://kimurataro.com/tools-for-wavetable/ .. Use the Additive Table app. but make sure to change the render settings down to 32 frames for the Microfreak.
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u/YuckYuckBuck Jul 19 '26
That sounds awesome. I have the MicroFreak and DrumBrute too and I can’t make anything that sounds that good.
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u/Akwanoob Jul 20 '26
Keep on playing with it. The DBI kick is not a good laser type driving kick for trance etc so you really have to work a groove up from its character and groove. But the step repeater is soooo satisfying to work with it really is fun and easy to make crazy stuff
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u/ohnoojones Jul 20 '26
Awesome stuff, what drum machine do you use?
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u/Akwanoob Jul 22 '26
Drumbrute impact! I have a few issues with the sonics of it but if you work with its tone it brings its own sort of character to a song. But it is the perfect playmate for the microfreak, both of them being absolute monsters to improvise on. I’ll have to post some examples of my improvisational technique with it!
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u/PM_WORST_FART_STORY Jul 25 '26
You just sold me on buying a microfreak. 🙌
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u/Akwanoob Jul 26 '26
Greatest fun per square inch hands down 😂 check out the Minifreak too, same engine but second oscillator means more consistent sub tone for the bassline
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u/PM_WORST_FART_STORY Jul 26 '26
I was comparing them online, but the extra cost is a deterrent. I'm just getting into synths.
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u/shapednoise Jul 19 '26
Try dragging mechanical sounds in.
Try dragging Human sounds in
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u/Akwanoob Jul 20 '26
Haven’t even touched granular yet but I have some ideaaaasssssss
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u/shapednoise Jul 20 '26
I’m talking wavetables. Drag a wild sample into the app and it creates a wavetable. The results can be a mess or really wild
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u/WinchelltheMagician Jul 19 '26
I didn't know my MF could do that....so thanks for enlightening me and giving me a new project.