I finally got my new toy.
I took my first spin with the MiniBrute 2S outside and I got a lot of looks and a few people came up and said “what’s that”??
This is the Minibrute 2S analog monophonic semi-modular sequencing synthesizer... that’s all! 😂
I really wanted to get a hardware synthesizer for a long time now. Initially, I chose to get the Polybrute from Arturia. YES... it is more than $3,000... but sure... no problem. ...There was just one hurdle... I don't really have the space at this time. (That and it might be a little complicated for a first synth for me at this point.)
In response to this conundrum, I decided to go for a smaller, more manageable synth. It was a tough race between Korg's Minilogue and Wavestate, Arturia's MicroFreak, the BassStation II, and the Novation MiniNova... however, the winner was the Arturia Minibrute 2S! ...And I'll tell you why:
This is a perfect synth, especially as a first synth.
Most people (including myself) have a lot of software synthesizers (like the software recreation of the MiniMoog I blogged about earlier). There is a myriad of advantages: they don't take up space, you can use them as instruments capable of creating a much wider variety of sounds than a hardware synth... for a fraction of the cost. HOWEVER, they are not so good for learning and of course it is much more fun to sit and turn knobs and actually feel the power of the machine... in this case THE BRUTE.
BRUTISH it is... it's called the MiniBRUTE not the MiniSissy... and for good reason.
The sound of this machine is something quite unique to most of the software synths. It produces a really rugged sound which yes, can be tamed, but don't expect too many soft leads or airy pads... as an analog mono synth it really shines and does what it is supposed to do. If I wanted more versatility, yes, I would have opted for the Minilogue, however, most of the software I have is good for that too. If I wanted to opt for just killer bass lines and noisy leads, I could have went with the BassStation II... HOWEVER, the patchbay in the MiniBrute 2S not only gives it the additional functionality which pushes it over the edge... it also ensures its expandability into future modular setups I am sure to possess in the future. (for my non synth friends, this means that I can connect it to different electronic components which produce and modify sound in the future).
In addition to the sound and patchbay, the sequencer is just inSane. Four separate tracks including a crown jewel... an adjustable envelope for each step in the sequencer. This means that you can modulate (for my non synth friends... when us musicians say this word we mean "make sounds wobble"... basically) from not only the 2 LFOs, VCO2, the ADSR, AD (retrigger), the pressure and velocity sequence settings, and external sources... but also these envelopes... it is just amazing and really difficult to quickly wrap one's head around the sound creation possibilities.
This is why it is a good learning synth as well... lots of ways to work with modulation and to learn the patchbay without Polyphony and additional filters per voice getting in the way. Additionally, it is entirely analog which means you get that non digital sweeping modulation and that warm, fuzzy sound you can entirely replicate with digital and software (well I am sure Arturia would beg to differ on the latter point).
Arturia makes a version just called the MiniBrute 2. This version has a keyboard but a much tamer sequencer. Being that I don't have a hardware sequencer, but I do have THREE midi controlling keyboards... I chose to go for the sequencer. The pads on the 2S place one octave's worth of sound and I can always hook a keyboard or my computer up to the 2S in the future and control the full range that way. Moreover, I can use the 2S as a four track sequencer in the future for additional gear.
Of all the things I was really impressed with (which was basically everything)... actually the metalizer (wave folder), the patchbay, and the FM possibilities were among the most impressive. (For my non synth friends: FM means taking one sound wave and running it into another to change the sound and provide new sound character... think of the SEGA Genesis music we all heard growing up... that machine used FM which gave it a little bit of that buzzy sound... FM is not only buzzy though... lookup Yamaha DX7 E Piano... and you'll immediately recognize the soft sound.) The metalizer does just what it sounds like, and you can run additional waves through it (not just the default triangle wave) thanks to the mod matrix (patchbay).
My only small gripe with this synth is that the pads are very great and comfortable, but I would like to have a little more control over the velocity and pressure dynamics of each pad press. Perhaps extending the key travel would help?
In the future, I may upload some demonstration and explanatory videos to YouTube, but I am not really trying to be a YouTuber... so it is not high on the priority list.
It is really too difficult to explain all this stuff, but I might release some videos in the future, but who knows.
SCOPS
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