Sound designers at Arturia are no strangers to meticulously and methodically deconstructing the elements of aural intrigue that make our favorite synths tick. The MiniFreak throws down the gauntlet with a 37-key hybrid design that utilizes a dual-oscillator 2-engine architecture to elicit dynamic, undulating sonics with multiple lanes of modulation. Its powerful, onboard FX engine, velocity-sensitive keybed, and analog filtering are engineered to inspire with responsive, dynamic polyphonic synthesis. Boasting over 20 playing modes across a 6-voice polyphony, the reimagined Freak modulation matrix abounds with artistic opportunity. To take this synth into another dimension, you’re also getting the MiniFreak V, a VST counterpart for use with your DAW. It's armed with identical sound engines to deliver a digital doppelgänger for expanded sound design and patch development to be loaded back onto the hardware.
Harnessing years of cutting-edge development and thorough research, the MiniFreak is a living tapestry of voltaic action, reactive, responsive, and ready for sonic exploration. Armed with 22 oscillator modes, the dual-engine architecture takes its 6-voice polyphony into inspiring realms of Virtual Analog, FM, Additive, and many more forms of synthesis to serve as the bedrock of the MiniFreak’s premiere polyphonic potential. The engines can be sequenced to process the first one through the second, supplanting your sound with even greater dynamism to generate unique behaviors as you play. Analog filters and VCAs add a distinctive touch to the MiniFreak’s output, with a powerful 7 x 13 modulation matrix to continue expanding your sonic horizons.
While the MiniFreak is brimming with explorational opportunities, mileage is magnified exponentially by its armature of sonic tools. Two LFOs are available per voice, which can be completely customized with multi-segment shaping alongside one envelope and one cycling envelope, respectively, with each voice. There are 10 total FX options with three digital FX slots that can be assigned to insert or send modes, offering a combinatorial explosion of options with 6-mode distortion, 3-band EQ, shimmering chorus, and more. Let your sounds breathe and undulate across the aural terrain with polyphonic ADSR, Spice & Dice randomization, or the distinctive FM & Ring Modulation — control the chaos.
Boasting a 37-note Slimkey velocity-sensitive keybed, the MiniFreak includes aftertouch, spontaneous sequencing/arpeggiation, and a suite of randomization across four different modulation lanes, creating a responsive, reactive instrument as powerful onstage as it is in the studio. When more control is in order, the 64-step sequencer is divided into four 16-step pages, accommodating plenty of approaches to performance. Tactility and form factor have been thoughtfully and masterfully realized with the MiniFreak, between its real-time feedback and vivid, OLED display, and the sturdy, responsive knobs. No matter where the synth sits in your rig, an adaptable array of I/O management includes MIDI in/out/thru, Clock in/out, an audio input, L/R channel outputs, and a headphone output.
The MiniFreak’s power isn’t limited to our corporeal realm. Out of the box, you’re given access to Arturia’s Mini Freak V — a dedicated doppelgänger of the real-life synth. Inject this VST in your DAW of choice to experience an identical instrument, fully loaded with the sound engines and architecture that define the rich physical synth. Plus, a combination of 256 factory presets and 256 assignable user slots affords you with heaps of room for precision sound design, live performance, and tailored patch making.
MiniFreak is a polyphonic hybrid keyboard that unites dual digital sound engines with analog filters, playful modulation, instinctive sequencing, and rich stereo effects for sounds that are immediately curious, beautiful, and chaotic in equal measure.
Discover endless sweet spots between sonic universes and tear up the rulebook with an addictive hybrid synthesizer that invites you to play without consequences.
2 engines, 6 voices, 31 oscillator modes.
From Virtual Analog to FM, Additive to Granular, collide contrasting modes for compound polyphonic timbres, feed Engine 1’s sound into Engine 2 for stacked sonic interplay, and process your voice or external audio through its architecture to unleash any sound’s wild side.
Immediate modulation means nothing is off-limits.
With twin LFOs, polyphonic cycling envelopes, and customizable LFO shapes, modulate your sound engines, filters, effects - even your modulation sources themselves. Anything goes with this simple-but-powerful modulation matrix, putting any flavor of animated, evolving, or untamed sonic alteration at your disposal in seconds.
Savor vivid stereo textures with built-in effects.
Explore MiniFreak’s layout, controls, and secret sonic weapons in detail, from the one-knob Modulation Matrix to the multi-functional touch strips.
Playfulness that communicates on your level.
MiniFreak is a monster built for playing. Enjoy polyphony that responds to your every input with a quality Slim-key keybed with aftertouch, make sweeping changes to your sound with dynamic macros, turn your melodies into dense chord stacks with Chord mode, and keep your harmony in-check with Scale mode.
Movement on tap, randomization on command.
Explore sequencing and arpeggiation that goes way beyond tapping notes in. Lock variety into your patterns with 4 modulation lanes, introduce dramatic octave jumps, drop in ratchets, repeats, and mutations on the fly - and of course, the Freaks’ signature Spice & Dice guarantees musical alterations and creative randomizations aplenty.
Out of the box, explore a curated selection of over 300 patches to whip up your appetite for Freaky hybrid sound. Created by some of the world’s most experienced and prolific sound designers, this library has a little something for everyone. But don’t take it from us, hear it for yourself…
| Type | Keyboard Synthesizer, Black |
|---|---|
| Sound Engine | 2 x Sound Engines |
| Analog/Digital | Hybrid |
| Number of Keys | 37 |
| Type of Keys | Silm-key Keybed |
| Aftertouch | Yes |
| Velocity Sensitive | Yes |
| Other Controllers | 2 x Touchstrips |
| Polyphony | 6-voice Polyphonic |
| Presets | 384 Factory, 256 User Slots |
| Oscillators | 31 x Oscillator Modes |
| Waveforms | Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Square |
| LFO | 2 x LFOs (per voice) |
| Filter | 31 x Analog Filter with Lowpass/Highpass/Bandpass Modes |
| Envelope Generator | 1 x Envelope (per voice), 1 x Cycling Envelope (per voice) |
| Effects Types | Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, Reverb, Delay, Distortion, Bit Crusher, 3-band /Peak EQ |
| Arpeggiator | Yes, Performance |
| Sequencer | 64-step, 4 pages of 16 steps |
| Audio Inputs | 1 x 1/4" TS |
| Audio Outputs | 2 x 1/4" TRS (left, right) |
| Headphones | 1 x 1/4" TRS |
| USB | 1 x Type B |
| MIDI I/O | In/Out/Thru/USB |
| Pedal Inputs | 1 x 1/4" TS (sustain) |
| Other I/O | 2 x 1/8" TRS (clock in, out) 1 x 1/8" TS (reset out) |
| Mod Matrix | 7 Sources, 13 Destinations |
| Features | OLED Display |
| Software | MiniFreak V VST |
| OS Requirements - Mac | macOS 10.13 or later |
| OS Requirements - PC | Windows 10 (64-bit) or later |
| Power Source | 12V Power Supply (included) |
| Height | 1.57" |
| Width | 22.75" |
| Depth | 9.09" |
| Weight | 6.48 lbs |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 571001 |
