don't ever be embarrassed about learning! I'm learning synthesis and sound design and learning from your videos as you also learn the machine is so helpful.
Smokey here too. All over the west, I suspect. Have you tried VCV Rack? It is a full Modular synthesizer in software. It's one of the best ways to learn synthesis principles because you are building your synth a connection at a time. Most of the modules are free and many are implementations of real world hardware. It can be triggered by midi controllers and DAWs. It's sort of an endless playground for playing around just to see what happens when you try something. It's awesome. It's free.
In the same vein (although not free), there's an iPad app called miRack that wraps up many VCV modules and makes them available via AUv3 to things like AUM.
Thank you! I've played with a few free modular apps on my girlfriend's iPad but that's about it. I know I'm in the minority, but I don't really enjoy modular that much.
I love my Microfreak. It's almost hard to make bad sounds on it, really. The only thing it lacks, IMO, is effects. The NTS-1 is a good option for that. I've got a stereo modulation pedal, a stereo delay pedal, and a stereo reverb pedal, all from Flamma, behind mine to handle the effects and to "stereofy" it. I went with the Flamma pedals specifically because they have lots of control and the ability to store presets.
@@ArcadianWren Yes. The effect chain I use is mono our of the Microfreak into a Flamma FS05 Modulation. From there, I take the stereo out into the Flamma FS03 stereo Delay, and then into the Flamma FS02 Reverb. I then take the stereo out of that into a stereo channel on my mixer, and the stereo out of that goes to my recording interface.
Excellent! The Microfreak is s device that has impressed me every time I've seen it being used but, so far, I haven't bought one. Hmmm, now could be the right time 😜
Instead of a NTS-1 (which I don't own), I run my Microfreak through a Zoom MS-70cdr for spacey effects. If I didn't already have the Zoom pedal, I'd definitely get a NTS-1. Perhaps I will still get one eventually, as it certainly does have its own unique character and features.
I have been torn between the two... ms70cdr is more sturdy, the nts-1 is more portable, and has a headphone out--the zoom needs to go through an amp/preamp/mixer, which means more stuff to carry around for portable jams. Kinda depends on what you find most important
fascinating voice. I have this same combination, but I couldn't get a sound recording. Can you tell me how you got stereo sound recording by connecting it to a sound card?
@@FreeBeat it’s cool. I did too (5 kids and moving into a new house), so I’m going to post a Late08 (or 80Late, not sure which I’m gonna call it) some time this weekend
I’m interested in the Microfreak but I’ve been spoiled by the sequencer in the Cycles. I was wondering if I could sequence it from the Cycles.. and then use a key step for getting melodies onto the Cycles 😂
Hey love your video and got this combo for myself. I have one problem tho... The volume output of the mf is very low compared to the nts, so that when I get a nice pad done on the mf I blow my speakers out with the volume of the nts osc xD help?
That only applies if you’re using the 1/4” output on the MF which is balanced mono, so the two channels effectively cancel each other out. Using the headphone out is fine. It’s a summed mono signal on a stereo jack.
last year, when someone mentioned smoke around him, I could easily pinpoint his location. this year, he could be everywhere. Greece, Turkey, Israel, Russia, USA (in a lot of states) and the list goes on.
@@FreeBeat yeah or just a TRRS adapter. I went dongle crazy a few years back trying to hook up various synths into different devices. I wanted to be able to capture live video with direct audio on an android phone. I didn't have a laptop at the time either so i tried a bunch of different adapters and devices and nothing ever worked the way i wanted. For a while my ex girlfriend's ipad with irig2 worked pretty well but eventually the irig2 software got really buggy and barely worked half the time. I bought a Tascam dr40x figuring that would help but again i have no way to sync audio/video. Eventually i got lucky and my old boss sold me his old but barely used macbook pro with hard drive and memory upgrades. I'm rambling but just like cable and power supply issues are things no one thinks about so is connectivity. A simple thing like using a vocoder can turn into frustration without the right gear. What I've learned is there's no rush. Eventually we will all have a setup that works it just may take some time. With the amount of money i spent on 20 and 30 dollar dongles that are useless i could have spent that on more fun stuff but i wanted everything to work right now. So now I record everything to a 4 track cassette with several sub mixers if needed. Then believe it or not I that goes through three pedals, compressor, delay and reverb. Then to a presonus 2 in 4 out interface which is affordable and works great. And then to the laptop which is really only used to upload the music and make videos or jams. I try and keep all the music creation outside of the box as they say and for no good reason other than i spent years making music in a DAW and i find this way is more therapeutic if that makes sense. I'd love to see your set up from synth to upload and I'm sure lots of people would be interested plus your thoughts on dongles and connectivity because there are little things that do come in handy like midi splitters and small 4 channel micro mixers. Are you like me and have a drawer full of devices that have you convinced that if you wanted to you could connect a hair dryer to a turbo grafix 16 with zero latency and no clipping?
This is not an insult, l really wish you would use some real FX. I know you like it raw, but an H9 or even the Behringer multi effects , or a Kaos pad changes the whole game! I might add the Behringer is like $30 but priceless at the same time! I do use the NTS1 mainly for it’s user Drone. The Kaos pad can be pretty inexpensive even the phone version is really helpful. Just my opinion! I believe synthesizers are 50 percent sounds and 50 percent manipulation with fx.
don't ever be embarrassed about learning! I'm learning synthesis and sound design and learning from your videos as you also learn the machine is so helpful.
My personal combo is using it with a Korg Kaoss Pad KP3 for the effects and sampling/looping.
Add a tape delay pedal and you're golden!
That's awesome, thanks for sharing!
Loved your little jam with the freak
Thanks!
One of my go to combos as well!! Awesome stuff Free Beat!
Thanks as always my friend!
Smokey here too. All over the west, I suspect.
Have you tried VCV Rack? It is a full Modular synthesizer in software. It's one of the best ways to learn synthesis principles because you are building your synth a connection at a time.
Most of the modules are free and many are implementations of real world hardware. It can be triggered by midi controllers and DAWs.
It's sort of an endless playground for playing around just to see what happens when you try something.
It's awesome. It's free.
In the same vein (although not free), there's an iPad app called miRack that wraps up many VCV modules and makes them available via AUv3 to things like AUM.
Thank you!
I've played with a few free modular apps on my girlfriend's iPad but that's about it. I know I'm in the minority, but I don't really enjoy modular that much.
I love my Microfreak. It's almost hard to make bad sounds on it, really. The only thing it lacks, IMO, is effects. The NTS-1 is a good option for that. I've got a stereo modulation pedal, a stereo delay pedal, and a stereo reverb pedal, all from Flamma, behind mine to handle the effects and to "stereofy" it. I went with the Flamma pedals specifically because they have lots of control and the ability to store presets.
Nice!
@@ArcadianWren Yes. The effect chain I use is mono our of the Microfreak into a Flamma FS05 Modulation. From there, I take the stereo out into the Flamma FS03 stereo Delay, and then into the Flamma FS02 Reverb. I then take the stereo out of that into a stereo channel on my mixer, and the stereo out of that goes to my recording interface.
@@ArcadianWren Incidentally, I've also used it with a Zoom G3n multieffects pedal, but I like the Flammas better -- more and easier realtime control.
Very enjoyable experience, stay safe with all the fires.
Thanks so much!
7:32 this is epic, it should be the end theme from a 1980s crime thriller 🐄👍
Excellent! The Microfreak is s device that has impressed me every time I've seen it being used but, so far, I haven't bought one. Hmmm, now could be the right time 😜
It seems that arturia keeps raising the price, so I would do it sooner than later.
Instead of a NTS-1 (which I don't own), I run my Microfreak through a Zoom MS-70cdr for spacey effects. If I didn't already have the Zoom pedal, I'd definitely get a NTS-1. Perhaps I will still get one eventually, as it certainly does have its own unique character and features.
Zoom is a great pedal. I also started using the effects on the SP404. I think freebeat would take to the SP for beats and the effects quickly.
I have been torn between the two... ms70cdr is more sturdy, the nts-1 is more portable, and has a headphone out--the zoom needs to go through an amp/preamp/mixer, which means more stuff to carry around for portable jams. Kinda depends on what you find most important
I agree the MF needs an equally portable effects processor. I'd pair it with a Mini Kaoss Pad 2S, so you can record the jam also with that one.
Yeah that's an awesome combo as well!
fascinating voice. I have this same combination, but I couldn't get a sound recording. Can you tell me how you got stereo sound recording by connecting it to a sound card?
Loved it 👍🏾 Great sounds 👏🏾👏🏾
Thanks so much!
At times, this almost had a modular synth sound. Super dope!! Any 808 plans tomorrow?? Like an op-z, po-33, or MPC jam with some 808 samples??
Thanks! I completely skipped 808 hahaha
@@FreeBeat it’s cool. I did too (5 kids and moving into a new house), so I’m going to post a Late08 (or 80Late, not sure which I’m gonna call it) some time this weekend
I’m interested in the Microfreak but I’ve been spoiled by the sequencer in the Cycles. I was wondering if I could sequence it from the Cycles.. and then use a key step for getting melodies onto the Cycles 😂
You definitely can!
Hey love your video and got this combo for myself. I have one problem tho... The volume output of the mf is very low compared to the nts, so that when I get a nice pad done on the mf I blow my speakers out with the volume of the nts osc xD help?
Is the audio cable between Microfreak output and NTS-1 input mono or mono to stereo? With a stereo cable the output is much too low.
I'm using a basic stereo cable and haven't noticed any level issues
@@FreeBeat Now that's strange. Are there MicroFreaks with different output levels? Read about the problem in several places.
That only applies if you’re using the 1/4” output on the MF which is balanced mono, so the two channels effectively cancel each other out. Using the headphone out is fine. It’s a summed mono signal on a stereo jack.
@@andyraps Thanks for shedding a light.
That's some good doomsday music. You should have sat on a hilltop with the smoke and red glowing sky for a background.
Luckily we don't have any red sky yet, last year it got pretty wild towards the end of August.
that comment about the smoke from the fires, sounds like here in northern utah
last year, when someone mentioned smoke around him, I could easily pinpoint his location. this year, he could be everywhere. Greece, Turkey, Israel, Russia, USA (in a lot of states) and the list goes on.
Yeah I'm in the Pacific Northwest of the US so not terribly far from Utah. It just gets worse and worse every year, stay safe
You should take advantage of that vocoder next time.
I need to get my hands on a compatible mic first!
@@FreeBeat yeah or just a TRRS adapter. I went dongle crazy a few years back trying to hook up various synths into different devices. I wanted to be able to capture live video with direct audio on an android phone. I didn't have a laptop at the time either so i tried a bunch of different adapters and devices and nothing ever worked the way i wanted. For a while my ex girlfriend's ipad with irig2 worked pretty well but eventually the irig2 software got really buggy and barely worked half the time. I bought a Tascam dr40x figuring that would help but again i have no way to sync audio/video. Eventually i got lucky and my old boss sold me his old but barely used macbook pro with hard drive and memory upgrades. I'm rambling but just like cable and power supply issues are things no one thinks about so is connectivity. A simple thing like using a vocoder can turn into frustration without the right gear. What I've learned is there's no rush. Eventually we will all have a setup that works it just may take some time. With the amount of money i spent on 20 and 30 dollar dongles that are useless i could have spent that on more fun stuff but i wanted everything to work right now. So now I record everything to a 4 track cassette with several sub mixers if needed. Then believe it or not I that goes through three pedals, compressor, delay and reverb. Then to a presonus 2 in 4 out interface which is affordable and works great. And then to the laptop which is really only used to upload the music and make videos or jams. I try and keep all the music creation outside of the box as they say and for no good reason other than i spent years making music in a DAW and i find this way is more therapeutic if that makes sense. I'd love to see your set up from synth to upload and I'm sure lots of people would be interested plus your thoughts on dongles and connectivity because there are little things that do come in handy like midi splitters and small 4 channel micro mixers. Are you like me and have a drawer full of devices that have you convinced that if you wanted to you could connect a hair dryer to a turbo grafix 16 with zero latency and no clipping?
@@night_speed Haha wow what a journey! My setup is super simple, I just have everything plugged into my Zoom Livetrak L-12 mixer/interface haha.
This is not an insult, l really wish you would use some real FX. I know you like it raw, but an H9 or even the Behringer multi effects , or a Kaos pad changes the whole game! I might add the Behringer is like $30 but priceless at the same time! I do use the NTS1 mainly for it’s user Drone. The Kaos pad can be pretty inexpensive even the phone version is really helpful. Just my opinion! I believe synthesizers are 50 percent sounds and 50 percent manipulation with fx.
I love the NTS-1 effects haha. What makes them less real?
Not a mistake just a happy accident. 😆
As is everything we do haha