Arturia MiniBrute - analog monosynth

[Black Tomorrow]

I had to sell all of my analogs recently, but I'm viewing this as an opportunity. After everything I've read about the Minibrute, this is at the top of my list when I'm able to buy an analog again. And AG's video demos solidified that. Looking forward to the next 2 vids.

[Scories]

The thing I like it that it has that almost polivoks like bizarre noisy aggression everywhere on it. It just sounds loud, brash and saturated all the time.

Yes, but not only that.
Something very important is the level at the input of the filter. And with the faders of the oscillator section, if not set "full" all the time, you can have very smooth sounds if you want.

About the choice of the filter, in this video (in french, sorry..) you have the MiniBrute explained by his father:



The talk about the filter start et 5'45.
Enjoy !

Very interesting indeed. Basically he said that from his modular experience, he realised that the so-called 'caracter' differences from one filter to an other are not as vital as we might think. The biggest difference comes from the way the filter is being attacked - in other words, the volume at the input. He designed the Minibrute in a way that it could sound sweet and mellow when the oscillator sliders are set at low volume and very agressive when set at high volume. Usually, we raise sliders at max position, so Minibrute users should take this in consideration if they want to escape from harsh sounds.

He has specifically chosen this specific filter for the gritty sound and versatility in 4 modes. But he had to tame the resonance in a way it could self-oscillate without blowing glasses. The Ultrasaw is basically useful to simulate 2 oscillators, but he don't like how it sounds when beating at fast speed and high frequencies (even though this particular sound is quite useful in techno). And the metallizer is some sort of complex waveshaping. Finally, the brute factor is a feedback with compensated volume so the volume remains stable.

[GuyaGuy]

^inreresting, thanks for the rundown for non FR-speakers.
I will have to test his approach to filters. I'd often wondered about the effect of volume on a filter's response.

[Ned Bouhalassa]

Usually, we raise sliders at max position, so Minibrute users should take this in consideration if they want to escape from harsh sounds.

Thanks for this. It sounds like a very important point to consider...

[tekkentool]

Usually, we raise sliders at max position, so Minibrute users should take this in consideration if they want to escape from harsh sounds.

Thanks for this. It sounds like a very important point to consider...

There will be no mercy from the harsh sounds. No mercy.

[Push-Pull]

Scories: thank's for the translation !

I will have to test his approach to filters.

I did the test with the MS20: with the osc volume at "ten", you have this typical MS20 sound. At "eight" the filter gives a more mellow and round sound.

[Kidney05]

Scories: thank's for the translation !

I will have to test his approach to filters.

I did the test with the MS20: with the osc volume at "ten", you have this typical MS20 sound. At "eight" the filter gives a more mellow and round sound.

Wait which parameter is supposed to be set lower than ten? Envelope amount? Why would the oscillator amount affect the filter?

[SSquirrel]

Wait which parameter is supposed to be set lower than ten? Envelope amount? Why would the oscillator amount affect the filter?

I would guess that if the VCO volume is cranked it might overdrive things slightly and produce the more harsh tone. Happens on guitar all the time. If you want to quickly dial sounds back some to mellow out a bit, turning volume down can help

[Scories]

Scories: thank's for the translation !

I will have to test his approach to filters.

I did the test with the MS20: with the osc volume at "ten", you have this typical MS20 sound. At "eight" the filter gives a more mellow and round sound.

Wait which parameter is supposed to be set lower than ten? Envelope amount? Why would the oscillator amount affect the filter?

Very interesting. Seems like some basic knowledge the vast majority of us just missed. By rising the osc volume slider looking for hot outputs and high signal-to-noise ratio, maybe we overdrive filters quite often.

[Kidney05]

Scories: thank's for the translation !

I did the test with the MS20: with the osc volume at "ten", you have this typical MS20 sound. At "eight" the filter gives a more mellow and round sound.

Wait which parameter is supposed to be set lower than ten? Envelope amount? Why would the oscillator amount affect the filter?

Very interesting. Seems like some basic knowledge the vast majority of us just missed. By rising the osc volume slider looking for hot outputs and high signal-to-noise ratio, maybe we overdrive filters quite often.

But what about DSI instruments? You can't control oscillator volumes, only mix.

[GuyaGuy]

But what about DSI instruments? You can't control oscillator volumes, only mix.

You're screwed. You got suckered into a synth a non-variable gain stage between the oscillators and filter! Ha!

Just kidding. Lots of synths are like that. Just means they are 0.05% less versatile.

But not all DSIs are like that: The Evolver has volume control for all 4 oscillators.

[Black Tomorrow]

Very interesting. Seems like some basic knowledge the vast majority of us just missed. By rising the osc volume slider looking for hot outputs and high signal-to-noise ratio, maybe we overdrive filters quite often.

This is probably the case. For instance, the mixer on the Moog Rogue is specifically labelled with overdrive if you bring the sliders above a certain point.

[Ashe37]

At this point my biggest question on the Minibrute is how well made it is... what the build quality is like and if it will hold up to a few years' use. AG, if you still have the one you were reviewing, please play the h**l out of it and get back to us on this maybe throw it in a small road case and load and unload it form your car ten on twenty times, too

[Push-Pull]

The sides are in plastic, but the box (panel) is in metal. Like a Yamaha CS or a Korg MS...

[Ashe37]

The sides are in plastic, but the box (panel) is in metal. Like a Yamaha CS or a Korg MS...

or many other synths made these days...