Arturia MiniFreak Vocoder synthesiser

General

Arturia's Minifreak, at the time the slightly more mature version of the MicroFreak, is proving to be a popular synthesiser. And not without reason, of course: extensive sound-shaping capabilities, a tidy price, and: MiniFreak V. With the latter, you get a virtual copy of the synth for your DAW, with that plug-in also controlling your real MiniFreak. Can the 'experience' get any bigger? Sure, with the Arturia MiniFreak Vocoder. Basically the same device, in white, and with a vocoder (and microphone) added. So with this, Arturia joins the select group of brands that make such a vocoder synth. Funny enough, just about all those synths have a similar form-factor, apparently this is what a vocoder synth should look like.

Features of the Arturia MiniFreak Vocoder

The synth engine is that of the MiniFreak: a polyphony of six, with two oscillators per voice that can also be used paraphonically for a polyphony of 12. Particularly deep sound-design capabilities, 'tis belist not a clone of the many run-of-the-mill synths from the 1980s. But the most important thing for this product, then, is the vocoder. With this effect - which by now has vintage status - you apply the timbre of your voice (the formants) to the sound of the synth. So basically, you make your synth talk and sing the way you do. The effect may be a bit cheesy, but that is mainly because the music made with vocoders in the past has now become somewhat dated. So it is high time to explore new paths; the innovative sound-designers who want to discover new sounds may come forward. And of course: if you like cheesy, then you may report too! In any case, we expect a lot from this synth!