The ArturiaMicroFreak Stellar Limited Edition is a hybrid synthesizer with various oscillator models, capacitive touch keyboard controller and vocoder function. The compact instrument is the result of a cooperation between Arturia and Mutable Instruments and contains various, digital synthesis models such as eg. Karplus Strong, Wavetable, FM, Waveshaper, Grain or Chords. These models are unmistakably due to Mutable Instruments. Here especially the Plaits oscillator from Eurorack was the inspiration. Last but not least there were also some synthesis models from noise engineering were added. The tone generator is followed by an analogue 12dB multimode filter that corresponds to the OberheimSEM VCF.
The Stellar Limited Edition
The detailed control panel of this limited special edition features beautiful graphics and symbols in space style, together with the elegant grey housing, the Stellar Limited Edition of the MicroFreak is a real eye-catcher. From the factory, the "space traveler" comes with the new granular engines Scan, Cloud and Hit, which are intended for modifying and triggering recorded audio material.
Vocoder function
One of the main features of the Microfreak is a 16-band vocoder! A separately available gooseneck microphone is simply plugged into the instrument and turns the MicroFreak into a vocoder with the corresponding synthesis model. Especially for the Vocoder the sound generation was extended by sawtooth, square and noise to reproduce the classic vocoder sounds in the best possible way. The Timbre and Shape control adjust the behaviour of the 16 frequency bands. The possibilities go far beyond the typical robot speech. Several presets give an insight into what the instrument is capable of. For a three-part chord or a string sound, especially with the integration of the arpeggiator, open up an undreamt-of range of sounds. The headphone jack in the device is a TRRS jack, like the ones used on cell phones and their headsets. The microphone is connected here, and an optional adapter can also be connected to make the audio input accessible. Connect a drum machine here, and the synthesized drums from "Members or Mayday - Sonic Empire" find their way into your own music.
Movement!
In addition to the BPM-synchronizable LFO, two envelopes provide for changes in the sound; one is kept classic with an ADS structure, the other functions optionally as an A/D envelope, can be looped or works in the style of a slope generator. The range of movements is completed by a modulation matrix that visibly displays sources and destinations. Playing aids are an arpeggiator, the sequencer and the extravagant capacitive touch keyboard with 25 keys, which additionally outputs CV, Gate and Pressure via separate jacks.
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