Arturia Releases V collection 5 with HUGE improvements all around

Arturia V-Collection 5

Arturia has announced the release of its V collection update.  This update is a major rewrite of both the GUI and engines of these seminal synths. Featuring all new Minimoog Filter modeling amongst the many improvements this years update is a truly inspiring collection.

Along with updates to the currently available collection of synths for v-collection4 , New synths join the fray! :  Synclavier V, the B-3 V, the Stage-73 V, the Farfisa V, and Piano V, a complete suite of acoustic pianos.newpacks

The new GUI’s represent a hi-res depiction of each synth and function as the real instruments would. Continue reading

Arturia unleashes iSpark for iPad, why you should care.

So below I’ll post the regular press release and info but lets talk about why this release actually matters.Menu

  1. you can use your SparkLE usb controller with this app, that means you have an actual tactile hands on drum machine experience with just a iPad as the processing power… think about this for live shows or that “stand alone drum machine” feel… thats pretty dope right?
  2. its available for iPad air and above… why does that matter? well because it means they are jamming serious power into this app and not letting older iPad units hold it back with lack of processing power. This is a double edged sword because I’m sure Arturia risks missing out sales from owners of older iPad devices. It also means the writing is now on the wall for those of us with older iPads (I currently own an iPad 4 and was hoping to get one last year out of it.)Studio2
  3. the in app store looks to have a promising host of content. Already there are three promising expansions with more to come. I love new sounds at affordable prices.Library2
  4. ableton link is already tested and working along with a host of other sync abilities. very nice to see this app playing nicely in a host of varied environments. Continue reading

Arturia MatrixBrute interview with Glen Darcey NAMM 2016

Arturia Just dropped a BOMB at NAMM 2016

 

The Matrix Brute feels very solidly build. has some serious heft and a solid build. the manufacturing is done by a new company and I am assured the build quality is far superior to earlier runs of products. the filter section is deep with two multimode multi pole filters that can run parallel or series. the mod matrix will make your mind snap. instant easy routing of any parameter… then there is the modular capabilities around back… check the video for more! be sure to watch to the end for direct audio of Glen Darcey tweaking it.

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Arturia Keystep for your sequencing needs

Arturia Keystep controller sequencer

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You need a portable USB MIDI controller, but also want a keyboard that provides a musical playing experience. You have some MIDI modules you want to connect as well, but don’t want the footprint of a large keyboard. You have a modular synth system and analogue gear you want to control via CV (Control Voltage). You want a step sequencer with polyphonic capability that you can sync to your favourite modern and vintage gear. If only a single product could do all of this. Dream on? Not necessarily. Now, thanks to Arturia, that dream has become reality… ready yourself and your music, for the KeyStep Controller & Sequencer does all of this and more!

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Arturia announces “brutal offer” price saving on minibrute

Arturia announces ‘Brutal Offer’ on markdown MiniBrute monosynth masterpiece

“I’m impressed by how different this synth sounds from anything else I have heard. It’s fun to play and doesn’t need much processing to stand out in a busy mix. This is definitely a new classic. Bravo Arturia!”
– Stefano Ritteri (DJ and producer, 2015)

GRENOBLE, FRANCE: music software and hardware developer and manufacturer Arturia is proud to celebrate the now-classic status of its super-successful MiniBrute Analog Synthesizer — an amazingly compact and bijou analogue monosynth (boasting MIDI, USB, and CV connectivity, together with a host of unique features) — with an appropriately-baptized ‘Brutal Offer’ offering an unmissable and unbeatable €150.00 EUR/$150.00 USD discount in a time-limited promotional pricing campaign starting on May 4…

Mere months after being unleashed on an unsuspecting synth world back in 2012, Arturia’s amazingly compact and bijou MiniBrute Analog Synthesizer successfully took said synth world by storm, rapidly reseting the price/performance benchmark to seriously soar through the subtractive synthesis sound barrier. Benchmarking what an analogue monosynth could (and should) be in the modern musical age, awards aplenty and sales success soon came calling as MiniBrute rapidly established itself as Arturia’s hardware calling card, helping heat up competition in the productive process as rival manufacturers followed the trendsetting company’s lead. Low and behold, another analogue renaissance was soon in full flow. Only this time it was time for new designs to take the lead over vintage synths. Continue reading

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Arturia KeyLab 49 Producer pack review

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The KeyLab 49 has been high on my list of potential purchases for a while. I was not fully satisfied with the current controller keyboard I was using, but I also was having trouble finding a controller with the specs I wanted.  When I first came across the KeyLab 49 my initial impression was that I really liked the metal casing, the smooth turning knobs, the beautiful blue LED scheme and the layout. I was admittedly a little worried that the light synth action of the key bed would turn me off (being used to a much stiffer controller) however this proved to be unsubstantiated. I found myself very much enjoying the keys over the past 2 months that I have spent with the board.
     A few items that really stand out for me are the wonderful faders. It may seem like a small item but they really are a joy to use when sculpting synth ADSR settings. I also found my self enjoying the ability to quickly browse presets from the controllers preset and category knobs. The included software really illustrates how far Arturia has come in the past few years. While All the sounds in the Analog lab software are certainly usable, I did find that the newer offerings (SEMV) compared to older offerings (ModularV) show a much higher sonic quality (listen to a filter sweep between the two and you will hear a marked improvement in the new software).
The vast number of Presets make it a real joy to quickly and easily find what you are looking for. I had no troubles with the software stability I also found it utilized the controller very well. Continue reading

How to Mod the Arturia Minibrute and Microbrute! (add LFO out and Waveform Out!)

Modding the Minibrute

For some time now I have really loved the Brute series from Arturia. I also tend to be the type of person to just never be satisfied even when things are going great. So today I decided to modify my brutes.  The one feature I always wished the Minibrute had was LFO output so that it could be used to control my modular.  Well today I rectified that problem with a simple mod that you can do with very basic tools.

All that is needed is a few mono 1/8″ jacks, some wire, some solder, a soldering iron, a screw driver and a drill.

Here is a list of the solder points and what they are. The video below details not only how to perform this mod, but how to actually find these types of modifications yourself!

Minibrute waveform output list

—- LFO OUTS :

PT34 = SAW LFO , PT32 = TRIANGLE LFO, PT35 = SINE LFO, PT33 SQUARE LFO, PT130 = RANDOM LFO,

PT176 SELECTED LFO

——-    VCO OUTS :

PT180 = SQUARE SUB VCO, PT7 = SQUARE VCO, PT119 = TRIANGLE VCO, PT120 = SAW VCO

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MICROBRUTE

TP93= SQUARE VCO, TP94 = SAW VCO, TP102 = SUB VCO, TP124 = TRIANGLE VCO