The Analogue Bandwagon

[r05c03]

Wow, Unfiltered you world view is very simple. I am sure that they did give the functions names "instead" of putting in a second oscillator. From everything I have heard about synth, from people that actually got their hands on it, it is not a toy. Silly names? You are posting on the board of company that makes Moogfoogers, Clusterfluxes, and Lil' Phattys. The Minibrute is a small, full sized synthesizer whose sonic pallet will compliment many a synth rig.

[unfiltered37]

The model D is my only synth (other than a ARP string machine), and dull is the last thing I would say about it. It's simple, but as Bob Moog said, "simplicity elevates". The minibrute is simple not out of design, like the minimoog, but just cheapness. They made way too gimmicky (renaming basic functions) to try and set it apart, while making it look like a cheap USB midi controller. It could have been an awesome synth, and maybe they will make a cooler one, but as is, it's mad cheesy. A dark energy, slim phatty, mintaur or SEM especially is way cooler to me. That said, I would still like to play one.

[unfiltered37]

Wow, Unfiltered you world view is very simple. I am sure that they did give the functions names "instead" of putting in a second oscillator. From everything I have heard about synth, from people that actually got their hands on it, it is not a toy. Silly names? You are posting on the board of company that makes Moogfoogers, Clusterfluxes, and Lil' Phattys. The Minibrute is a small, full sized synthesizer whose sonic pallet will compliment many a synth rig.

Yeah but they are not renaming simple functions to try to trick the uninitiated newbs into thinking they are "revolutionary". They are just creative names for the products themselves. Why not just call an oscillator a "wave puker" or a filter a "schpunken rez". My synth has a metallizer, does yours?! Sorry, I'm more about substance and even style than gimmicks.

[Mr Arkadin]

The model D is my only synth (other than a ARP string machine), and dull is the last thing I would say about it.

Wow, how to misrepresent what I actually said. Read again. I said having just having the Model D as a sound source would be dull to me, I did not say that the Model D was dull - in fact I said I would love one, but I also like Roland synths because they are different to Moog. I like variety in life and do not discriminate sound sources in some pious manner.

The minibrute is simple not out of design, like the minimoog, but just cheapness.

Oh, so you know the developers personally then? You've chatted with them and they told you that did they? You could just as easily argue that the Model D was also made for cheapness as not everyone could afford a Moog Modular.

[unfiltered37]

? You could just as easily argue that the Model D was also made for cheapness as not everyone could afford a Moog Modular.

I didn't represent or misrepresent anything, I just said the model D by itself is not dull to me. There is a difference between "cheap" and "cheaper". The model D was cheaper than a modular, but by no means cheap, in fact it cost the same as a car at the time. The minibrute is cheap, otherwise you would have more than 2 octaves and another oscillator at least. You can't tell me one oscillator and a tiny keyboard was a mere design choice, if it was, they should hire new designers. I'm not saying the minibrute a total waste, but for a little more money they could have made a formidable synth without cheesy contrived names for simple features.

[Mr Arkadin]

You'd have to be pretty naive to think anything in life was not in some way dictated by a budget choice. Why doesn't the Model D have a separate LFO? No separate Release knob instead of shared with the Decay? No adjustable keyboard tracking, just switches? Design choices or ways of not perpetually adding to the cost? You start off with what you'd like, then you whittle it down and see what you can get away with losing.

I still want to know how you know that having a single osc was a budget choice? If their design start point was something like the SH-101 or SH-09 then two oscillators was never in the game plan. You seem to know an awful lot about the inner thoughts of the design team at Arturia.

[artpunk]

"The Analogue Bandwagon?" Come on.

There have been plenty of analog synths going on.

ummm yeah, I thought that was kind of the point of using the term, that's if I am understanding the meaning of it correctly...

Meaning

Join a growing movement in support of someone or something, often in an opportunist way, when that movement is seen to have become successful.

Maybe I'm mistaken...that happens quite a bit!!



edit: I'm not sure what the Minibrute will be like until I get to see and play one. I don't see how anyone can make any kind of judgement without physically experiencing a piece of hardware, and even then it often comes down to subjective tatses. For me I don't care what anyone calls a particular piece of circuitry to get a certain result, it's the way the result manifests that matters to me. I'm also big on beautifully, solidly constructed devices that are also very functional, I think that's why I love my Moog products. If the Minibrute is built solidly or near the calibre that matches my Analog Factory keyboard, at it's (the Minibrute's) price point I would be more than happy. As it is, I don't know until I see/hear one. I think I'll be getting a Slim Phatty and Minitaur before anything else anyway...

[r05c03]

It seems to me that Unfiltered was in the design meetings and knows everything about this synth and the whys and wherefores of what features were included and were not....There is no patch memory, there is not midi control of every parameter on synth. Those seem to be the largest price control points. There are a few historic samples of single oscillator synths that are not considered toys, and design of the envelop shapers themselves recalls one of those famous synths. Could the 25 key keybed been a footprint choice? One of the features they are pushing on this synth is its' portability. I am not sure if you are aware but a lot of electronic musicians these days have a whole array of synths and modules laid out essentially in a large pedal board sized space. This would fit nicely into a modern rig, much better than a Model D at anyrate.

[unfiltered37]

So you're saying it's not possible to know the design characteristics of a synth without being on the design team? 25 keys was a footprint choice? Then why even have keyboard? I think r05c03 must have gotten duped into buying a minibrute because of promises of metallizers and brute forces and supersaws. All synths are toys, but this is a newb toy. And to even try to compare it to a model D, the highest sold and most revered keyboard synth ever made, is absurd. Not even in the same ballpark, league or even sport.
Again I haven't played it and I do want to, but just look at it, it looks like a $50 midi controller. If that was their design choice, geez, take some cues from Moog. And the gimmicky cheapness is a huge turnoff. Even with one oscillator and the same price range, they could have made something that doesn't look like a child's toy.

[r05c03]

Wow, you are really condescending, in all respects. Not only do you have no idea what you are talking about but you have no idea whom you are speaking two, their level of knowledge, or their dupablility. I am done with you because you are obviously not worth my time, at best, and a troll at worst. Good day. Expert.

[stiiiiiiive]

I had the chance to exchange a bit with some of the designers. Here are some clues (...I may have posted yet, don't remember).

The aim of the MiniBrute is to allow the most musician to access a true analog synth, hence the low price... and compromises.
The guys who worked on the MiniBrute got some difficulties deciding what to include or not in the design. For instance, some wanted a 3 octave keyboard, but the portability was a key feature so they decided to keep 2 octaves.
Other example : patch memory and MIDI over the whole panel. Those, as stated before, are the most expensive features to implement. They were put apart right on.
Plasic sides: wood was too expensive... but the idea came up at one point.
Second oscillator: there was not enough place for it, physically speaking, IIRC.

Personally, I think this is a noble project. The sound, the experience of playing it and how fantastic the synth is... huh... feels to each and everyone are just too subjective to be spoken about. The design?... Ok. It... is...cheap... on purpose... and that's good... for many of us... isn't it? Hum. To relate the design to the former sound and experience, I'll wait to have my hands on one.
Plus the future first batch is almost entiremy sold yet and I'm sure this will be a huge success

[unfiltered37]

Wow, you are really condescending, in all respects. Not only do you have no idea what you are talking about but you have no idea whom you are speaking two, their level of knowledge, or their dupablility. I am done with you because you are obviously not worth my time, at best, and a troll at worst. Good day. Expert.

It's not possible to call someone condescending the way you do without yourself being condescending. If you fell for their BS "it's revolutionary" marketing tactics, your dupability is substantial.

[r05c03]

Keep talking expert. Shine the light of awesome on your face.

[unfiltered37]

Personally, I think this is a noble project. The sound, the experience of playing it and how fantastic the synth is... huh... feels to each and everyone are just too subjective to be spoken about. The design?... Ok. It... is...cheap... on purpose... and that's good... for many of us... isn't it? Hum. To relate the design to the former sound and experience, I'll wait to have my hands on one.
Plus the future first batch is almost entiremy sold yet and I'm sure this will be a huge success

I think its a good project as well, I like the filter and sliders (they should make more synths with real sliders, not like the Odyssey), which allow multiple sweeps with one hand. But you can make a synth inexpensive without looking or feeling cheap, and obviously they put profit and novelty ahead of quality. The Dark Energy is an example of an inexpensive yet great sounding and a high quality build without cheesy add ons. I mean, to include an arpeggiator instead of another oscillator or more keys is kinda lame I think. I have never liked arpeggiators, they just seem like less functional sequencers to me, especially if you have midi ports. And though I do see the demand for such a synth, its just weak that they missed out on making a better synth.

[unfiltered37]

Keep talking expert. Shine the light of awesome on your face.

I like how when people get angry, they tell the person they're angry at to do what they would do anyway, like: "Yeah keep walking" or "Yeah that's right you better look away".