Arturia MiniBrute Tricks And Tips

This video, via flux302, offers some tips and tricks for using the new Arturia Minibrute synthesizer

The MiniBrute features a pure analog signal path, with a VCO wave mixer, the classic Steiner-Parker multimode filter, as well as numerous analog innovations such as the Metalizer, Ultrasaw, and the Brute Factor.

If you’ve got your own tips for using the Minibrute, leave a comment!

17 thoughts on “Arturia MiniBrute Tricks And Tips

  1. another tip ive discovered that was somewhat unexpected in terms of super aggressive bass sounds – it involves using a combination of the headphone out routed to the audio-input, as well as a bit of the “brute factor”… both knobs around 12 oclock or so, its touchy so you have to play with it to get it right – also you have to set the mix for audio-input slider somewhat low

    set the filter to “high pass” mode, with resonance at or around zero – play with the cutoff a bit, but set it near the middle and use a negative filter envelope

    any combination of oscillators works with this but the best results are from the triangle wave modulated heavily by the “metalizer”, which is further modulated by either the envelope or LFO or both… as well as the sub-oscillator, at any setting – many combinations are possible for a wide variety

    it results in extremely aggressive sounds reminiscent of heavy metal guitars or other incredibly distorted yet harmonically pleasing sounds.. really cutting distortion thats very musical, not just noisey

    hard to describe but its something ive never ever heard from any other analog, especially without any external FX processing

    i was surprised to get these kinds of bass sounds from a high pass filter.. its crazy but its awesome

    1. Now that sounds really interesting! 🙂 Would you mind giving us an audio example of this heavy-metal-like sound you are describing? I have yet to hear a synthesizer that is capable of mimicking a decent metal guitar…

    2. Using feedback like this is something that should be among the first things to try on a new synth that has the option to do this. It’s one of the standard “tricks” on a Minimoog/Voyager as well.

  2. This is a cracking wee synth, I know some people moan it’s only got one oscillator but it has massive sonic capabilities. Definately getting one these over the much hyped Mini MS-20…..

    1. sorry about that. unfortunately there was a hitch in the way the video was recorded and that was basically my effort to salvage what I could of the video. luckily I’m pretty sure you don’t need my boring commentary to figure out whats really going on in there right?

    2. ond btw for the most part the only stuff thats really cut off is mostly me saying ” UMMM” not much info was really cut out as I wasn’t really speaking during most of the tweaking. sorry though.

  3. Running the Headphone out to the Audio in is completely pointless on the Minibrute, that connection already exists internally.. that’s what “Brute” is, pure and simple.

    If you make a headphone -> audio in connection, and have the audio in half way up and the brute factor half way up.. all you’ve done is create the exact same condition that turning brute factor all the way up to 100% would give.

    Its elementary to verify this the first time you try and and compare. The whole point of Arturia adding the Brute factor was so that we don’t have to waste our time or cables making the connection ourselves.

  4. I really wish there was a website dedicated to all the things you can do with the minibrute, plus having a main page for patch sharing saves on hunting through all of the other sites that people are posting on. I think it was pretty fun doubling the brute factor and from what I remember it gets twice as weird when it’s cranked that way, but I did that when I first got it. I like how some of the switchs kind of hang when you mess with them but I’d really like to learn more about using the external input to add another oscillator to my mix and mess with that some more. I like running my microkorg through the Steiner Parker filter can’t say I hear much of a difference but my audio comes out of what I’m fairly certain is an analog mixer made by Alto, so I don’t know aside from its capabilities as a filter if it’s really adding much analog warmth to the MK but it’s function in comparison to the filter the MK has is atleast different enough to notice.

  5. The most useful “trick” I’ve found is to take their dry-erase preset boards, scan them, and print off a hundred so you can write down the stuff you really like.

    Once you get to know the instrument you should be able to intuitively dial up what you’re looking for, but sometimes I’ll find things that have to be set very specifically and it’s nice to know how to get back to those. Plus it always saves studio time to have that kind of stuff written down, even for sounds I can easily recognize how to get back to (or think I can). Love this synth.

  6. Some tips for the audio in possibly?
    Its incredible but the signal has latency or is it because
    1. how the filter and amplification envelope are set up
    2. something else
    3. what about ENV speed – slow or fast if its about polyphonic synth with pads?

    I have to press the keys on any device routed trough midi in full strength *velocity just to get the signal running trough. Vice versa . for example – midi out to another synth, midi in to art. minibrute. And then just some polyphony works some just don’t.
    Thanks in advance.

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