MiniNova is a powerful mini-keys synth with incredible performance controls which enable you to tweak and warp the onboard sounds, and your own voice. It has the same synth-engine as it's big brother - the UltraNova - and comes with 256 awesome sounds so you can get started straight away. If you want to dig deeper, it's got a fully editable Nova-class synth engine (derived from the legendary Supernova series in the 1990s).
Is MiniNova for you?
MiniNova's compact size, massive sound and performance/editing controls make it perfect for producers, gigging musicians and anyone creating music with computers - it can also be a 37 key controller keyboard with MIDI I/O. The voice-tune and vocoder enable you to recreate classic vocal effects, as well as brand new voice-bending possibilities!
Choose your sound
MiniNova has 256 onboard sounds and space to save another 128 of your own sounds. You can quickly search for sounds by selecting the type of music you're making, or the type of sound you're after whether it's bass, lead - hip hop or techno. MiniNova comes with a free software Patch Librarian so you can store as many sounds as you want on your computer. If 256 is not enough, there are numerous soundpacks for MiniNova assembled by renowned artists and sound designers. These can be downloaded free from: novationmusic.com/soundpacks
Tweak, warp and arpeggiate your sound
MiniNova can do things other synths can't. It has knobs which allow you to tweak and edit the sounds, but it can also 'animate' sound with 8 back-lit buttons. These trigger 'mods' in the synth engine that can warp sound in incredible ways as you play. There is also a large knob for filter cutoff so you can get instant control of the filter whatever else you are doing. MiniNova has an arpeggiator with 33 patterns. You can use the 8 buttons to jam with these patterns, creating totally new sequences in realtime.
Classic & brand-new vocal effects
MiniNova takes vocal effects one step further. As well as a vocoder, it has voice-tune - or the 'Cher' effect. This means you can talk into the mic and play the tune you want your voice to follow on the keyboard. You can also run your voice through MiniNova's effects engine, adding reverb, distortion, chorus/phase, gator compression or EQ. This doesn't need to be limited to your voice; there is an input which you can plug a guitar or any other instrument and give it the same treatment; effects or vocoder.
The synth engine & effects
MiniNova has an enormously powerful synth engine, unheard of in such a compact synth. There are 14 conventional waveforms to choose from (square, sine, sawtooth, pulse, triangle and combinations), 36 wavetables and 20 digital waveforms. Each of the 3 oscillators (per voice) have density/detune for fattening up sounds, virtual sync and 'hardness' - which acts as an additional lowpass filter. There are 14 filter types (and you can run 2 simultaneously), 6 envelope generators, 3 LFOs and 20 modulation slots where you can link modules of the synth engine together to shape sound. MiniNova can add up to 5 effects to each voice including distortion, reverb, chorus/phase, delay, compressor, EQ and Novation's unique gator effect.
Editing software included
Editing sounds in such a powerful synth can be overwhelming, so we've created a software application gives you visual access to the synth engine. The MiniNova Editor works as a plug-in within your DAW or music software. You can fully edit MiniNova using the hardware, the software just makes it more simple to see what you are doing.
Features
Hugely powerful mini-synth with UltraNova’s sound engine
Brand new voice-tune and classic vocoder effects
Tweak and warp your sounds in realtime
256 awesome onboards sounds - instantly searchable
Layer up to 5 effects per voice
Comes with editing software and a software patch librarian
Run guitars and other instruments though the vocoder and effects
37 key controller keyboard with MIDI I/O
Specifications
In the Box
USB cable
Power supply
User manual
Included Software
Synth engine
Per patch
3x oscillators
1x noise generator
2x ring modulators
Waveforms include:
Square, sine, tri, sawtooth, pulse, 9x saw:pulse combinations.
20x digital waveforms
36x wavetables
Filter types
Modulation sources:
Total of 66 Destinations including:
Oscillator pitch, pulse width, wavetable index, level and sync
Filter cutoff, resonance, envelope settings
Effects parameters and send levels
Recursive modulation (modulating modulation sources themselves)
5 effects slots per patch
Distortion – up to 2 instances
Compressor – up to 2 instances
Chorus/Phase – up to 4 instances
Delay – up to 2 instances
Reverb – up to 2 instances
Gator
EQ
Misc
VocalTune
12 band vocoder
Arpeggiator – 33 patterns
Realtime Arp rhythm editing function
Chord function – lock up to 10 notes
Patch storage - up to 384 on hardware (ships with 256 factory patches)
Hardware:
Utility, display and patch select controls
16 character custom LCD
1x large detented patch select encoder
1x patch sort switch
1x volume dial
1x detented data encoder
5x navigation/utility buttons
2x patch navigation buttons
Keyboard/performance controls
Pitch wheel (LED lit)
Modulation wheel (LED lit)
37 note keyboard with velocity
4x smooth edit/performance pots
1x large smooth filter pot
1x six position parameter selector switch
6x parameter indicator LEDs
8x three-colour, back-lit animate/arpeggiator/favourite patch-select buttons
2x animate/arpeggiate LED indicators
1x back-lit 'hold' button
1x animate/arpeggiator/favourite patch toggle switch
1x 'favourite' patch select button
1x arpeggiator tempo control pot
1x arpeggiator tempo indicator LED
2x back-lit arpeggiator control encoders
2x back-lit octave select buttons
Inputs, Outputs, rear panel
XLR dynamic mic input
1x ¼” jack inputs
2x ¼” jack outputs
1x ¼” jack headphone output
Sustain pedal on ¼” jack input
MIDI in/out
12 volt power input
USB/DC/off power switch
USB port (MiniNova can be powered via USB)
Kensington Lock port
Dimensions
Length: 560mm
Height: 75mm
Depth: 250mm
Length: 22.04"
Height: 2.95"
Depth: 9.84"
Weight