Arturia MicroBrute Analog Synthesizer Keyboard

No longer available at zZounds
This tiny monosynth sounds huge! Like its big brother MiniBrute, the MicroBrute rocks a 100% analog signal path, including a Steiner-Parker multimode filter.

Despite its minuscule size, Arturia's MicroBrute analog synthesizer packs a surprisingly phat punch that'll please synth wizards and novice knob-tweakers alike. Driven by just one oscillator, the monophonic MicroBrute features a 100 percent analog signal path with a Steiner-Parker multimode filter to give your sound a unique bite, plus a step sequencer, modulation matrix, mini keyboard, and much more for hands-on programming, patching, and playing.

There is so much you can do on the MicroBrute -- create throbbing dubstep bass lines, make your tracks soar with heavily effected melodies, sequence your analog gear, connect it to a DAW for a full-on desktop rig, and more. And for the price, you can't beat what this pint-sized synth can do.

All-Analog Synth Driven By 1 Powerful OSC

A 100 percent analog synthesizer for under $300? You bet. Musician-friendly in more ways than one, the MicroBrute has a completely analog signal path that's sure to please the audiophile in you. Shape your sound with the synth's single voltage-controlled oscillator, which features three mixable waveforms -- saw, triangle, and square -- plus waveshapers like Ultrasaw (for dance anthem sounds), Pulse Width (for thin nasal sounds or rich square tones), and Metalizer (for harsh, harmonically rich sounds) that animate audio signals even further.

If you want new harmonic content, you can use the Overtone Oscillator to generate new sounds ranging from an octave down to a fifth above the base Oscillator read more pitch. What's more, the MicroBrute's Sub-5th control makes it very easy to sweep the spectrum.

Flexible, Hands-On Routing

Want to make even more of your own sounds? Patch in to the synth's little Mod Matrix to create custom sounds or to interface with modular synths in your studio. Sometimes the most satisfying part of playing a synth is plugging and unplugging those cables. Use the MicroBrute's modulation matrix to create totally new sounds or to play through your other favorite studio gear.

Vintage Sound with Modern Connectivity

When it comes to incorporating the MicroBrute into your current studio setup, you've got options. If you have awesome vintage gear in reach, feel free to connect it to the MicroBrute, as Arturia's micro beast boasts a standard 1-Volt per octave CV/ Gate for direct interfacing with old-school units. It also has a MIDI In jack and a handy USB/MIDI interface for working with DAWs and plug-ins. Tack on a laptop, MIDI controller or MIDI-equipped keyboard, and a modular system, and you have a powerful yet portable performance rig.

Easy Tone Tweaking

The MicroBrute gets its unique sound from the Steiner-Parker filter, whose design was first used on the classic Synthacon synthesizer in the 1970s. The diode ladder filter's Low pass, Band pass, and High pass modes let you easily manipulate your tones with distinctive larger-than-life flair. And don't forget Arturia's famed Brute Factor -- with this onboard, you can dial in aggressive, squelchy, distorted sounds that you just can't get on other synths, unless you've got a MiniBrute.

Capture Song Ideas on the Fly

A step sequencer is built right in so you can build solid foundations for tracks, directly on the MicroBrute. You can easily create rhythmic patterns by step-inputting notes and rests, and then play them back in real time as you make your edits. Because the MicroBrute also sports a mini keyboard, you can also transpose sequences up and down by simply hitting a key, and put your focus where it belongs -- on making music. The monosynth's step sequencer and keyboard are just two of the instruments many features that will help you in the composition department.

Features:

- Compact monophonic analog synthesizer
- 100 Percent analog signal path for pure analog warmth and tone
- 1 VCO with 3 waveforms: Saw, Triangle, and Square
- Waveshapers such as Ultrasaw, Pulse Width, and Metalizer modify and animate your sounds
- Overtone generator adds harmonics from one octave down to a fifth up
- Steiner-Parker filter with Low pass, Band pass, and High pass modes yield a unique, robust sound
- 25 Mini-key velocity-sensitive keybed
- Step sequencer onboard to capture song ideas, generate rhythms and melodics, and more
- Modulation matrix provides fun modulation possibilities plus flexible routing with other synths
- 1-Volt per octave CV/ Gate for interfacing with external gear
- MIDI In jack and USB/MIDI connectivity for working with software
- Pitch-bend and Mod wheel for expressive playing

"Looks tiny, sounds massive," is how Arturia describes its super-compact MicroBrute monosynth. Yes, indeed!
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- 25 Minikey keyboard
- Octave up and down buttons allow for a full range of transpose options
- Monophonic Analog synthesizer
- Steiner-Parker multimode filter.
-- Low Pass.
-- Band Bass.
-- High Pass.
-- Bi-polar Envelope amount control.
-- Keyboard tracking
- Arturia's famed Brute Factor
- Voltage Controlled Oscillator
- Oscillator waveshapers.
-- Ultrasaw for creating dance anthem sounds.
-- Pulse width for creating thin nasal sounds or rich square tones.
-- Metalizer for creating harsh, harmonically rich sounds
- Overtone Generator.
-- additional harmonics, from 1 octave down to 5th up.
-- Sub-+5th spectrum shaper
- Oscillator Mixer (Overtone, Saw, Triangle, Square)
- Wide range LFO with 3 waveforms.
-- Saw, Triangle, Square.
-- Freq range from.
-- 1Hz to 200Hz.
-- Syncable to external sources, sequencer or internal
- ADSR envelope
- VCA with GATE and ENV modes
- Pitch-bend wheel
- Modulation wheel (can control filter cutoff or LFO amount)
- Mod Matrix standard 1 Volt per octave.
-- Envelope Out.
-- LFO Out.
-- Ultrasaw modulator In.
-- Pulse width mod In.
-- Metalizer In.
-- Overtone/Sub modulator In.
-- Cutoff In.
-- Pitch In
- External Audio Input with Input level control
- 1/8" headphone output and 1/4" audio output
- CV/GATE interface.
-- Pitch Out.
-- Gate Out.
-- Gate In
- MIDI Input
- USB 2.0 Type B jack
- Glide time control
- Step Sequencer.
-- Rate control knob.
-- Tap Tempo button/Rest input in record mode.
-- 8 storable sequences.
-- PLAY and RECORD modes.
-- Sync to external MIDI clock
- 12Volt, 1Amp Center pin + DC connector
- Weight (3.9 Lbs)
- Dimensions (12.8 x 8.7 x 2.4 inches)

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Web: https://www.arturia.com/support

Arturia MicroBrute Analog Synthesizer

The Arturia MicroBrute is the tiny analog synth with vast possibilities. Based on the award-winning designs of its brother, the MiniBrute, the MicroBrute puts all the essential building blocks of an analog classic into a package that's pure hands-on fun. If you're a beginner, you're looking at one of the easiest to use and most unique sounding synthesizers we think money can buy. And if you're a synth veteran, we think it won't have escaped your attention that MicroBrute is also a seriously capable semi-modular sequence-able beast. Wait till you hear how it sounds.

Rip woofers from their housings with bass. Spend years coaxing different pads, leads, effects, wave-folded growls, vintage tones, modern tones, punchy drum kits and glittering sequences. Process audio. Sequence analog gear. Give your modular an LFO and Envelope Generator. Hook up to your DAW and make whole tracks. Hook up to your Drumtracks, open your door, and play a whole gig. Tiny in size, tiny in price, huge in sound, and vast in potential. We've had so much fun with MicroBrute: Now it's your turn.

Power

The voice path on MicroBrute is 100% analog. This makes for superior sound quality and warmth. The MicroBrute will inspire your tracks. The purity of signal allows it to sit in the mix well.

Vintage Sound with Modern Connectivity

The MicroBrute allows you to connect to vintage gear via standard 1-Volt per octave CV/ Gate. The MIDI In jack makes the MicroBrute the perfect sound module expansion to a MIDI rig. The USB/MIDI interface will allow your MicroBrute to connect with your favorite software application. This combination of interfaces makes MicroBrute a great companion to a monolithic modular system, a classic MIDI equipped keyboard or a modern laptop

Oscillator

The oscillator is the heart of the MicroBrute and it does not disappoint. It features 3 waveforms that are mixable. This allows you to shape the sound in limitless ways not found on any other synths. Along with the SAW, TRIANGLE and SQUARE waves, MicroBrute features waveshapers which modify and animate the sound, to create an even wider palette of sonic possibilities. The Overtone Oscillator will generate additional harmonic content, ranging from one octave down to a fifth above the base Oscillator pitch. The Sub-5th control will allow you to continuously sweep spectrum. Never has a single oscillator synth sounded so big.

Steiner-Parker Filter

The Steiner-Parker filter helps to give the MicroBrute its unique sound. This filter design was first used on the classic Synthacon synthesizer in the 1970's. With Low pass, Band pass and High pass modes, you will not find more filter personalities from any other synth in this price even in many synths at 3 or 4 times this price.

Step Sequencer

Our step sequencer is a source of endless inspiration. You can step input notes and rests creating rhythmic patterns that you can playback and switch between. Transpose your sequences up and down using the keyboard and you will have a composing tool that will open up fresh ideas.

Matrix

The Mod Matrix is a patchable system of modulation routing. This flexible scheme gives you not only ways to create your own sounds, but it allows for excellent interfacing with a Minibrute or modular synths

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. (9 ratings)
Submitted April 7, 2014 by Thomas S in Oakland, CA

"If i knew how amazing this was. .. I would have bought it earlier."

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This amazing little synthesizer is super easy to get started on and is so intuitive itl take you no time at all to start developing your own sounds. I use it mainly for bass and synth leads, but have had luck making some interesting hi-hats and kicks as-well. You will be very happy with your purchase even before you start to get creative with the mod matrix. The sequencer they managed to incorporate into the machine makes everything so much fun and so opens up a whole other world of opportunities. The possibilities are endless, and I am now a die-hard fan of analog sound design.

Musical Background:

DJ; Producer; Sound Engineer, pro-actively making music for 4 years, guitar-10years

Musical Style:

Bass, hip hop, dub, midtempo, DnB
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