Arturia MiniBrute Analog Monophonic Synthesizer - New / Red

Combining the renowned savoir-faire of ARTURIA in designing professional musical instruments, and the expertise of synth "guru" Yves USSON in crafting the finest analog modules, MiniBrute is a revolutionary analog synthesizer MiniBrute was built with a simple goal in mind: offer great analog sound, through a very easy to use interface, and without ever compromising on quality. The result of fine R&D and skilled craftsmanship: a 100% Analog Audio signal path, delivering huge basslines, screaming leads, outstanding arpeggios and FX?s. Analog synthesizers of yesteryear are highly sought-after on the second hand market for their warmth, fatness, slight instability, and their unmistakable sonic character. Digital synths, on their part, offer more possibilities but tend to sound sometimes sterile and loose musicians in endless menus and boring sound digest concepts. Today, MiniBrute comes as a bold statement, standing proudly among legendary analog machines like the Minimoog, Pro-One, SH-101, MS-20, and Odyssey. MiniBrute, brings the finest analog sounds as heard on iconic electronic records, whilst imprinting its own unique features and strong attitude.

Hands-on heaven

Forget about tiny LCD screens, forget about menus and sub-menus, forget about double functions and complex control. Minibrute brings back the fun and the immediate hands-on experience of synthesis. You want to make it stronger? Grab the sub-osc slider and move it up. You want it brighter? Grab the filter cutoff knob and turn it up. You want your sound to grow fangs and snarl like a beast? Grab the Brute Factor knob and turn it up! It?s that easy.

Connect to the world

Thanks to its full MIDI/CV/USB connectivity, MiniBrute is designed to fit seamlessly in any modern or vintage studio. MIDI In/Out : Sequence MiniBrute from your computer?s MIDI interface and DAW, or any MIDI gear. Alternatively use MiniBrute as a master MIDI keyboard. CV Gate In/Out : Chain MiniBrute to your vintage synthesizer to get a beefier sound. Remotely sequence MiniBrute from your vintage sequencer. Use MiniBrute to control your vintage synths (CV/Volt). USB In/Out: Sequence MiniBrute directly from your computer?s DAW without needing a MIDI interface. Use MiniBrute as a USB-MIDI controller. Audio In : Process any external sound through MiniBrute?s filter, VCA and Brute FactorTM circuit. MiniBrute can be used as an analog powerhouse for adding warmth, grit and filter effects to drums, guitars, vocals, and more.. . It will alternatively generate automatic basslines from percussive sounds by switching the Gate source selector to audio.

MiniBrute can also be used as a MIDI to CV Gate interface, ensuring the link between your computer-based studio and your vintage gear.

Sounds with an attitude

So what does MiniBrute sound like? MiniBrute is certainly not capable of producing all the types of sounds, but it does very well what it is designed for : classic analog sounds, including powerful basses, hypnotic drones, screaming leads, acid sequences, ethereal monopads, 80?s arpeggios, mind blowing FX?s and fascinating sonic experiments. If you are more into deep funky basses, mellow leads, clavinet or woodwind-like sounds, Minibrute can produce them as well, but the danger zone is always at a twist of a knob?MiniBrute delivers a deep bass and a lead sound using the glide function.

Your sounds, your attitude

MiniBrute comes with no electronic presets. You build yourself every sound you hear. Believe us, this is fun, this is creative and this helps make better music (and honestly, this is not harder than browsing sub-menus). Now of course you can still play sounds made by other programmers. And you can store your sounds. How is that ? Arturia delivers preset sheets that fit on the surface of the MiniBrute. Following instructions set on the preset sheets, you get a preset sound in a minute. And if you want to store your sound, just take one of the blank sheets and write your marks.

Oscillator on steroid

No DCO (Digital Controlled Oscilator) is used in MiniBrute, but only pure VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) ensuring that classic analog sound. MiniBrute?s VCO is classic in its sound and modern in its shape, allowing you to mix individually 4 different waves, as well as white noise and audio in. Add to that a sub-oscillator and several analog signal enhancers such as the Metalizer and the Ultrasaw, and you get custom shapes that currently no other analog hardware synthesizer can match. Minibrute?s Sub Oscillator generates sine and square wave. It will allow you to rattle the house by descending as low as two octaves down. The Ultrasaw brings shimmering sawtooth waveforms that will considerably enrich your tone. It basically builds two phase-shifted copies of the basic sawtooth signal. These copies have independent and ever-evolving phase shifts with respect to each other, and are eventually mixed with the sawtooth signal. This results in a lively, rich, and bright ensemble effect whose character depends on the modulation rates of the phase-shifted copies. This is the first time such a feature is offered in analog format.

The Metalizer takes the basic triangular waveform and ?warps/folds? it to create very complex jagged waveforms that are rich in high harmonics. This results in ?metallic? pitched sounds that are ideal for harpsichord- and clavinet-type tones. Dynamic modulation (LFO or envelope) of the warp/folding parameters opens up a realm of ?klangorous? sounds that will nicely cut through your mix.

Modulations galore

Modulations are key to widen a synthesizer?s sound palette. But too many synths offer limited possibilities and in the end very few different sounds, MiniBrute opens the door to a world of combinations that will allow you to create your unique and original sonic signature. LFO1 waveforms include a collection of sine, triangle, sawtooth, square, random square and random sine. The moulation amounts are bipolar towards 4 destinations : PWM & Metalizer, Pitch, Filter, and Amplifier. This means you can really get creative and start, for example, modulating the Filter with a negative slope, while increasing the Pitch. LFO range stretches from 0,1 Hz to 100 Hz allowing you to go anywhere from progressive evolutions to wild frequency modulation effects. LFO2 with adjustable rate can be set to 3 Vibrato modes with trill up, down and sine modulations. 2 ADSR ENVELOPES are available on MiniBrute. The Filter Envelope and the Amp Envelope. Filter Envelope can be routed to modulate the Pulse Width of the Square wave and the Metalizer Amount. The Envelope fast/slow switch allows you to command ultrafast 1 millisecond responses for snappy electro basses and leads, to more than 10 seconds responses for slow evolving soundscapes. To extend the modulation routings further and link them to your expression of playing, MiniBrute benefits from Mod wheel and Aftertouch controls. Each one of them can be set to modulate either the Cutoff or the Vibrato. Mod wheel can also be set to control the general LFO amount.

Steiner-Parker Filter

MiniBrute embeds the legendary Steiner-Parker multimode filter. Introduced for the first time in the Synthacon synthesizer, back in the 70?s, this marvellous filter not only brings a Low pass mode like competitive designs, but also Band pass, High pass and Notch positions, making it a highly versatile and praised boutique filter. The MiniBrute filter is based on the core of the legendary Steiner-Parker multimode filter and has been improved to deliver an even wider range of cutoff and resonance. Nyle Steiner himself has validated and approved these improvements . Teamed up with the Minibrute multiwave oscillator, and the wide modulation capabilities, the Steiner-Parker filter brings an extreme versatile and agressive edge that will make your sound stand out.

Brute Factor?

The Brute Factor? was inspired by a patch made on a famous vintage synthesizer connecting the headphone output to the external audio input. The result is a kind of feedback loop that is ideal for raspy and grungy sounds. This patch has been adapted and implemented internally in the MiniBrute. For low Brute Factor? settings, the distortion is smooth and gentle but becomes harsher as you turn up the knob. When turned up above about 75% of the way, the MiniBrute can go berserk and produce barely controllable, crazy feedback sounds.

A real arpeggiator

MiniBrute comes with a 25 note keyboard fitting the modern musician?s need of mobility. On the other hand, it offers a very nice arpeggiator that will allow you to create complex melodic patterns without needing to be a skilled keyboardist. Minibrute?s arpeggiator boasts a full set of features, from octave range, to play mode, tap tempo, step size, not to forget the swing control to change your groove on the fly. In addition, the arpeggiator is fully synchronizable with the MIDI input and with the LFO1 (using the clock switch), enabling perfect timing during your performance.

A keyboard taylored to your needs

MiniBrute features a quality keyboard including velocity, aftertouch and 25 lightweighted keys for a fast and accurate performance. Aftertouch can be routed to the Cutoff or Vibrato amounts for maximum expression.

Arturia MiniBrute Features:

• 100% Analog Audio Signal Path
• Steiner-Parker Multimode Filter (LP, BP, HP and Notch)
• Voltage Controlled Oscillator with Sub-Osc
• Oscillator Mixer (Sub, Sawtooth, Square, Triangle, White Noise, Audio In)
• LFO1 with 6 waveforms and bi-polar modulation destinations
• LFO2 with 3 vibrato modes
• Brute Factor? delivering saturation and rich harmonics
• Ultrasaw generating shimmering sawtooth waveforms
• Metalizer bringing extreme triangle harmonics
• Two ADSR Envelope Generators
• 25 note Keyboard with Aftertouch
• Rugged Aluminium Enclosure
• External Analog Audio Input
• CV In/Out controls: Pitch, Gate, Filter, Amp
• MIDI In/Out with 5-Pin DIN connectors
• USB MIDI In/Out
• 1/4? Audio Output and 1/4? Headphone Output
• Gate Source Selection: Audio Input, Hold, Keyboard
• 4 Modes of Arpeggiation
• 4 Octave Range Control
• 6 Time Divisions
• Swing Control