MiniBrute User`s Manual
Contents
1. basic patch Once your MicroBrute has been correctly connected to your sound system set all the controls to the positions shown in Figure 1 This is going to be referenced many times over as the BASIC PATCH OSCILLATOR yell LL Sy 5 4 a ay n a a 3 1 o H 2 q A SS Octave gt Sub gt Fifth Ultrasaw Pulse Width Met lizer z f a Wa Y y 4 W ly Arturia J J Overtone u b Ny ly ee J A N t Glide ENV Am i LFO Or Env C Gate C Mm A cu lt Cutoff Mod Wheel ave ne VCA Figure 1 Switch on your MicroBrute there will be about a 5 10 second time with no sound Once if is booted up let if warm up to stabilize the pitch You can of course use It before it is warmed up but the pitch WILL drift for the first few minutes These settings also called a PATCH are very useful This patch makes a good reference point to start doing sound design Remember it and refer to it often This will helo you gain a better understanding of what each control does and how they interact with each other so that you will grow more rapidly in your skills Now try playing some notes and listen to the sound The sound of the basic patch is just that BASIC What you are hearing is the raw SAWTOOTH WAVE from the OSCILLATOR Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 14 Introducing The Oscillator The oscillator is the tone generating center of the MicroBrute The2. It has a total of 8 sequences Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 43 Pattern This knob selects between the 8 patterns Play Mode This selects between PLAY OFF and RECORD Play In Play mode the sequencer will play based on the Keymode Keymode is set in the MicroBrute editor software Off This turns the Sequencer Off Record This puts the sequencer into Record mode This will allow you to record over an existing sequence If you move the switch to Record but then realize that you do not want to write over the current sequence you can either move the switch back to OFF or select the sequence that you want to record over with the Pattern Knob When you record your first note rest Then you have written over the current sequence Rate The Rate knob sets the sequencer s clock rate from 30 bpm to 260 bpm The red LED under the knob blinks in sync with the tempo beat Internal Sync With the Sync set to internal the Tempo knob acts as expected its position sets the general BPM value The Sync mode can be set using the MicroBrute Editor software External sync The Rate knob acts differently if MicroBrute detects an external MIDI clock on the MIDI Input or USB connector An external MIDI clock will turn the Rate control into a time division control where it acts as a performance oriented divider multiplier Fully counterclockwise will set the sequencer to play back notes at 1 note per measure at the fastest clo
3. originally designed by Nyle Steiner allows for wide ranging sounds and many sonic possibilities Low Pass Filtering The BASIC PATCH has the FILTER set to full open in LOW PASS mode This means that it is not affecting the sound of the OSCILLATOR at all In LOW PASS mode having the CUTOFF knob in the full clockwise setting means that all frequencies will pass through it See Figure 3 i O f J Brute Factor Qs L e Figure 3 With the BASIC PATCH set play a note and listen to the sound as you turn the CUTOFF KNOB counter clockwise You will hear the sound get darker and darker until it goes away totally High Pass Filtering With the CUTOFF knob still all the way counter clockwise move the MODE SWITCH to HP See Figure 4 You should now hear the sound come back This changes the filter to a High Pass Filter Just as the name implies it allows the HIGH frequencies to pass though With the knob in the full counter clockwise position the filter is allowing all frequencies above that setting to pass through it i 4 _ J Brute Factor Qe L Po _ Figure 4 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 16 Now press a key and try turning the knob clockwise and listen to the result You will hear the sound get thinner and thinner sounding until it goes away completely at the top of the range See Figure 5 z off 200 ENV Amt KBD Tracking Figure 5 Band Pass Filtering Now mo
4. square sawtooth and triangle waves Amount The Amount knob regulates how wide the modulation coming from the LFO is It allows you to attenuate the level of the signal to get more subtle effects Rate The rate knob allows you to set the speed of the LFO It allows for a range of 1Hz 200Hz When the LFO is sync d to MIDI Clock via the settings accessed in the MicroBrute editor software or the Sequencer the rate control will change between fixed time divisions of the Incoming or Seq clock These sync d rates are 4 measures 2 measures 1 measure Y note 4 note The Rate and the LFO sync can be set within the MicroBrute Editor In the editor you can set whether the LFO is Free running or Reset on each note Free running a free running LFO will have a set rate that does not change Reset the LFO can reset to a default start point on each Note Sequencer Gate This allows you to have the LFO start at the same point on each note on message Sync This will allow the LFO to run on it s own clock or external MIDI clock source in the FREE setting or have it tied to the timing of the Sequencer with the SEQ setting LFO Settings via the MicroBrute Editor There are a number of settings for the LFO that determine how it operates These settings can be accessed via the MicroBrute Editor Software Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 39 Mod Wheel The Mod Wheel can be assigned to two different functions The Mo
5. while the sawtooth wave sounds very bright The square wave sounds a bit like a clarinet and the pulse wave resembles an oboe The Sine wave is a pure waveform meaning that it is only made up of a fundamental frequency The Saw Square and Triangle are more complex waveforms and are made up of multiple sine waves a fundamental sine wave that determines the base frequency and sine waves representing higher harmonics also called overtones or partials of that frequency which when added together produce a unique timbre Figure 19 These harmonics are an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency i e the second harmonic is twice the fundamental frequency the third harmonic is three times the fundamental and so on A good reference that many people know would be the drawbars on an organ The drawbars increase the volume of sine waves that are tuned to the harmonic overtone series When you increase the levels you are making a pure tone into a complex waveform Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 25 Time domain Spectral domain 2 27 ms fundamental 440Hz amplitude amplitude time f h2 h3 h4 h5 h6 h7 h8 h9 h10 h11 h12 h13 frequency fundamental 2 27 ms AULA time f h2 h3 h4 h5 h6 h7 h8 h9 h10 hll h12 h13 frequency harmonics or partials amplitude amplitude Figure 19 The rate at which the oscillator oscillates creates the pitch The oscillators in a synthesizer are no different than ones found on electrical tes
6. in the MOD MATRIX Pulse width PM Modulated pulse DIA time amplitude Pulse witdh modulation PWM Figure 21 The Metalizer takes the basic triangular waveform and warps folds it to create very complex jagged waveforms that are rich in high harmonics This results in metallic sounds that are ideal for harsher tones that fit well in dance music or lead sounds that need to cut through a mix The Metalizer has a default connection to the ENVELOPE via the MOD MATRIX By turning up the ENVELOPE AMOUNT control and turning up the METALIZER knob you will hear the effect If can also of course be controlled via the LFO or Keyboard CV Figure 22 initial triangular wave warping folding factor metalizing amount Figure 22 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 27 Filter What is a filter In general a filter follows the oscillator and signal modifiers wave shapers and alters the spectral content of the incoming sound This can involve either removing filtering out or emphasizing resonating particular overtones Filters are very important circuits whose design contributes greatly to the synthesizer s overall sound and character Filter types on MicroBrute Low pass Band pass and High pass A filter can operate in various ways or modes In the MicroBrute the filter can operate either as a low pass filter a band pass filter or a high pass filter In low pass mode the spectral contents below a given c
7. s Manual 40 Mod Matrix The Mod Matrix allows for patching modulation sources to modulation destinations The Jacks are standard 1 8 3 5mm mono jacks and all connections hold to the standard 1V per octave standard that most modern modular synthesizers support When you patch a jack into one of the CV Outs if will break the normal connection The Matrx s standard connections are ENV gt Metal amp LFO gt Pitch The CV Output should be able to drive 4 Inputs Modulations Sources The jacks under CV Out are considered Modulation Sources These are the Envelope Out and LFO outputs One other Modulation source is the Keyboard CV output on the Rear panel They all output a signal that can control external synthesizers or be patched to Modulation Destinations within the MicroBrute Modulation Destinations The jacks under the CV In section are all inputs These can also be called Modulation destinations The jacks are e Metal controls the same parameter as the Metalizer knob The Envelope output is the default connection to the input Turning up the Envelope Amount knob will send the signal to the Metalizer control e Saw this allows patching to the Saw animator of the Ultrasaw One way to test this is to patch the LFO Out to the Saw in Make sure the LFO Amount and the Ultrasaw Amount and Saw Level are turned up e Sub this allows control over a modulation circuit in the Overtone circuit It will allow you to modula
8. then do it once more in about a week or two Doing this a few times will get you rapidly up to soeed with how to use the MicroBrute Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 24 4 Synthesis Basics Your MicroBrute is a true analog synthesizer this means that all sounds are produced by analog electronic circuits No digital computer circuitry is involved in the tone generation and filtering of the sound This gives MicroBrute a huge and warm sound Analog synthesizer architecture The analog sound production chain uses what is called subtractive synthesis The basic sound generator or oscillator creates a tone with a rich harmonic content the filter then subtracts harmonics to create new variations on the original timbre Subsequent circuits an envelope generator in conjunction with a VCA or voltage controller amplifier alter the level in a precise way to create dynamics Oscillators The oscillator is the circuit that produces the basic waveforms for sound creation This device produces an electronic signal characterized by a repetitive shaped pattern called a waveform Most analog synthesizers will provide some or all of the following basic waveforms sine wave triangular wave sawtooth wave square and pulse waves APIO NAL time Sinewave Triangular wave Sawtooth wave Square wave Pulse wave amplitude Figure 18 The different waveform shapes have different timbres For example the sine wave sounds dark and plain
9. use only high quality shielded cables Cable s supplied with this product MUST be used Follow all installation instructions Failure to follow instructions could void your FFC authorization to use this product in the USA NOTE This product has been tested and found to comply with the limit for a Class B Digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules These limits are designed to provide a reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential environment This equipment generates uses and radiates radio frequency energy and if not installed and used according to the instructions found in the users manual may cause interferences harmful to the operation to other electronic devices Compliance with FCC regulations does not guarantee that interferences will not occur in all the installations If this product is found to be the source of interferences which can be determined by turning the unit OFF and ON please try to eliminate the problem by using one of the following measures e Relocate either this product or the device that is affected by the interference e Use power outlets that are on a different branch circuit breaker or fuse circuits or install AC line filter s e In the case of radio or TV interferences relocate reorient the antenna If the antenna lead in is 300 ohm ribbon lead change the lead in to coaxial cable Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 50 e f these corrective measures do not b
10. will make the filter open much faster across the range of the keyboard KBD Tracking Envelope The envelope is normally triggered by the keyboard GATE signal lt can also be triggered by other GATE sources such as the Sequencer or the rear panel s external GATE IN jack The required gate signal at the back panel is a standard 10V positive gate This means that most modern modular synthesizers will trigger if properly a ENVELOPE pe of O Y ds ENV Amt a _ N N po E ago Env de Gate VCA Attack Decay Sustain Release Envelope Amount The ENV Amount control will vary the output signal from the envelope This allows you to attenuate it so that you can control how much of the signal goes to the destination To route the Envelope to a control destination use the Mod Matrix Note that this control does not affect the Filfer s Envelope Amount control as it is a separate feed VCA switch The VCA GATE Env switch allows you to select two options for controlling the output level of the MicroBrute By selecting GATE the VCA Voltage control amplifier will simply open and close based on the input from the keyboard sequence or external gate source You will not have any kind of change over time with the level of the Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 37 sound With the switch set to Env you will then be able to control the level using the controls from the envelope The type of sound th
11. 9 NOTICE e Use only the provided AC adapter as specified by ARTURIA e Read and understand all the instructions e Always follow the instructions on the instrument The manufacturer s warranty does not cover service charges incurred due to a lack of knowledge relating to how a function or feature works when the unit is operating as designed reading the manual is the owner s responsibility Please study this manual carefully and consult your dealer before requesting service PRECAUTIONS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING e Before cleaning the instrument always remove the electrical plug from the outlet as well as the USB cable When cleaning use a soft and dry cloth Do not use gasoline alcohol acetone turpentine or any other organic solutions do not use liquid cleaner spray or cloth that s too wet e Donotuse the instrument near water or moisture such as a bathtub sink swimming pool or similar place e Donotplace the instrument in an unstable position where it might accidentally fall over e Donotplace heavy objects on the instrument Do not block openings or vents of the instrument these locations are used for ventilation to prevent the instrument from overheating e Donot place the instrument near a heat vent or any place of poor air circulation e Make sure the line voltage in your location matches the input voltage specified on the AC power adapter e Donotopen and insert anything into the instrume
12. Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 42 When you change the octave with Down Up buttons transposition occurs only after a key amp has been pressed The Octave section transposes the MicroBrute keyboard over a wide pitch range One LED among the five colored LEDs 2 red 1 orange 0 green 1 orange 2 red is lit at a time and indicates the transposition octave The default selection is O green LED where the leftmost C key corresponds to C2 130 81Hz and the rightmost C key corresponds to C4 523 25Hz To shift the keyboard up by one octave press the Up button Pressing the Down button once shifts the keyboard down by one octave and the leftmost C is now Cl and the rightmost is C3 Pressing the Down button a second time shifts the keyboard down by one more octave With the Down and Up buttons the MicroBrute can play notes from CO 32 7 Hz up to C 2093 Hz Master Volume The Master Volume knob sets the MicroBrute overall output volume which fits the standard 4dBu line level To silence the MicroBrute turn this knob fully counter clockwise Master Volume Sequencer pes SEQUENCER ps Pattern 1 2 N Sama gt i A Xx 874 Rate Play Off Record Play Tap Rest The Sequencer allows you to record a series of notes in and then it will play them back in the order that you played them in The Sequencer on the MicroBrute Is a step sequencer that allows you to record the notes from the keyboard
13. Brute Low pass Band pass and HIGN PASS cccconccccncnnnoccnnnnnaccnncnnaccnnns 28 Resonance or SIMOMOSIS anier AEE E ATE AARAA 29 Voltage Controller Amplifier sitios idol 30 INO GUIGIONS os asas 30 Hoya Ue prefe loo q LFO AMA E O e O wasnt aan aua mane atta 31 ENVIOS SENSO A A 31 Ls AA O EE rae Une OPN a a ARO RE SSE Se eS RoR 32 S FONT Ranes 33 OSCILA TOR tasado 33 TVS OSCIIOTOR andi is Sonal TIKS sere aarne oa 33 SOW CAUS OW erran E lia 33 suae danad PULE VV IG sais 33 M nge ana Metalize sesana EE E A N 34 Ihe Overtone selena ai io 34 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 3 The Flor o o ot tired decadencia 35 Moo E vente ove ne ene ny ee E roe ee Nene oe ee eee 35 A Ree eer A E ee Per eC et E et eRe IE Den eA Re 35 RESORTE A 35 o POM A A A NA 36 ENV Alar COR VSO AMOU nd 36 RB IS NN ON spate cet bg Ge steak ii Nose pc nee case end oes aioe nc eee tenance 37 BV GIO iris 37 ENVIOS AMO Urondo 37 MD A A ROT a eee er 37 PT MONS cst aces A NI ato tte Sean 38 DECOY SIGO a A A Eire RD eee ER ren 38 SUES Le Ta wcll A eee ope sis ar nn Ree Meir Mtn Tee mt A A A ED ee ET eet peer 38 RELOS E II e eo de nated 38 Envelope Settings via the MicroBrute Editor idilio 38 LFO O 38 MAS Se e E T T E E E ee 39 ANO A A E E seen eee E T EO 39 EE IE E PONSE EAA EAE PERA EAEI II II ANE A EA E 39 S AA SAAS I AE O IEE E I E AEE AES AS AAAS E A OE IE SAEIA AA E E OEA 39 LFO Settings via the MicroBrute Editor ia A 3 MOA Wheel e dee UD deL 40 Me Sn T
14. E PU hee IMATE nT Type MICROBRUTE Serial Number XXXXXXXXXXX Power Adaptor 12Vdc 14 Connecting the MicroBrute to the World Always power off all audio gear before making any connections Failing to do so may damage your speakers the MicroBrute synthesizer or other audio equipment After completing all connections set all levels to O Power on the various devices with audio amplifier or monitoring system last then raise the volumes to a comfortable listening level Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 11 Analog Modular Synth Lu CEEI eget RIES oo iaa RG bers 4 cK ee orm Q n PA Bue tH Ps ley 144 ar TI TI TY TI TI 1 TY be CEC Wie up AAT CKI a 2 OY Audio Audio Outputs Input Computer USB ANALOG SYNTHESIZER Line Out Input Level input J oC O Pitch Out Gate Out Gate In 2V OCIA Key Follow O 4 Pitch Bend Finetune Power CV Gate ON OFF Inputs Outputs AC DC Power Adaptor To AC Outlet CD Player Guitar uy EAU MIDI Keyboard Controller Here is an overview of the MicroBrute synthesizer s connectors Audio Input amp Outputs 6 35 mm 1 4 mono jacks Headphone Output 3 5 mm 1 8 miniature stereo jack Ee e A 3 5 mm 1 8 miniature mono jacks MIDI Y Tessa so Standard MIDI DIN 5 e US EEEE EEE Standard USB type B Power DC INPUT c eee 12 Volt 1A
15. O 40 ela Or GEC APP E EEE 40 Glide a eee a eee 40 Mod Malicia E E S 41 Modulation s SOUC ES ada 4 M d laton DesihciONRSsam aida o 4 General CONTOS via idad 42 LA A 42 SS A O A A A O 42 DEE N SRR er Ree Eee EVR eae ES A Ee UR A TEE OOIE E NER POOR TBD RE IEE ER TTT Ae E EO 42 MOSTE WV OIC secon accu e ro E OO 43 Sequence aia 43 cn AN 44 PIIVIAOA Si Ni 44 O cate 44 6 Red DAN IA neue a ete deuce aaa 46 od A BEE oh ARR EE ne REET eU DAE eee E a dan 46 USD A A A sss eae 46 MiDisiscar sacan ad sa idos 46 AUNO Mirta its 47 Fe Sack aaa da aaa 47 PRU GIO DUIPUIS 2 A A A tade ane aehnwstentanes 47 EV GAIE VO acia da ad 47 Gel MicroBrute ConneciON ii A as 48 7 LEAL NOTES eco 49 No liability for consequential damages ccssccsecccesccesccscccesccesccesccesccesccesccesceesccesceescees 49 FCC INSOMNIO UNG a a ad 49 Canada daa 50 A A A E ee Eee Te or 50 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 4 1 Introduction Congratulations and thank you for your purchase of the ARTURIA MicroBrute analog synthesizer The MicroBrute is based on the award winning analog designs of its big brother the MiniBrute The MiniBrute became a modern classic by bringing excellent sound quality user features and craftsmanship to the market with a price point that no others were able to match The MicroBrute builds on this legacy and is designed to be another modern classic for anyone from the first time synth buyer to the experienced pro w
16. SAW CV input Square and Pulse Width 1 ly 2 4 The level of the Square wave is controlled with the knob labeled with the square symbol Turning it down completely mutes the signal and moving it up increases its level When the Pulse Width knob is fully counter clockwise it creates adak a 50 square pulse Turning the Pulse Width knob clockwise transforms the square wave into an asymmetrical pulse whose width can be increased up to 90 The pulse can also be modulated using the LFO Envelope or Keyboard by using the PWM patch point in the Mod Matrix Pulse Width Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 33 Triangle and Metalizer The level of the Triangle wave is controlled by the knob labeled with the Triangle symbol Turning it down completely mutes the signals and moving it Up increases the level Turning the Metalizer knob from fully counter clockwise to fully clockwise warps the triangle wave s smooth flute like sound into complex metallic sounding waves The wave warping folding OI can also be controlled using the METAL input in the MOD MATRIX it is normalized to be controlled by the envelope the amount of which can be adjusted with the ENV Amt knob in the envelope section d Metalizer The Overtone oscillator The Overtone oscillator level is controlled with the knob labeled Overtone Turning it down completely mutes the signal and moving It up increases its level The Overtone oscillator is a signal that is created t
17. USER S MANUAL MICRO BRUTE ANALOG SYNTHESIZER rturia MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 1 PRODUCT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS Glen T DARCEY Bruno PILLET ELECTRONICS Yves USSON Bruno PILLET Francois BEST Laurent BARET Robert BOCQUIER DESIGN Axel HARTMANN Design Box Morgan PERRIER INDUSTRIALIZATION Nicolas DUBOIS MANUAL Glen DARCEY Morgan PERRIER SPECIAL THANKS TO Frank Orlich Jean Michel Blanchet Michael Hosker Sebastian Rochard Boele Gerkes Antonio Rodriguez Katsunori Ujlie Howard Jones Alex Theakston Jim Cowgill Drew Anderson Ray Barbee Keith Shocklee Kevin Lamb Jim Norman Ryan Wood 1sedition July 2013 Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on behalf of ARTURIA The hardware unit and the software product described in this manual are provided under the terms of a license agreement or non disclosure agreement The license agreement specifies the terms and conditions for its lawful use No part of this manual may be produced or transmitted in any form or by any purpose other than purchaser s personal use without the explicit written permission of ARTURIA S A All other products logos or company names quoted in this manual are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners ARTURIA S A 1999 2013 all rights reserved ARTURIA S A 30 chemin du vieux
18. an electronic organ sound that has no dynamics By changing the ATTACK DECAY and RELEASE parameters we can control how the sound fades in sustains and fades out Set the SUSTAIN to the minimum setting play with the ATTACK DECAY and RELEASE settings and listen to how they affect the sound Figure 12 ENVELOPE A oo pal gt E r q _ gt ETE A roe tae Jn 1 EWETTI Figure 12 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 20 Introducing The LFO Now let s add some movement to the sound LFO is short for Low Frequency Oscillator The LFO is routed to the Pitch of the OSCILLATOR by default This routing is completed in the MOD MATRIX The white dotted lines show the default setting Figure 13 Figure 13 With the BASIC PATCH the LFO s output amount is routed through the MOD WHEEL Play a note and increase the MOD WHEEL and you will hear the pitch start to wobble To have the LFO bypass the MOD WHEEL set the MOD WHEEL switch to CUTOFF Figure 14 When you move this switch the AMOUNT knob in the LFO section will determine the amount of modulation coming from the LFO es LO y Ly d Glide Amount LFO Amt ar A WA Cutoff Mod Wheel Wave Figure 14 Change the LFO waveforms to hear the effect on the sound You can also change the AMOUNT and the RATE controls to hear the effects they create Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 21 Introducing t
19. anual 29 Voltage Controller Amplifier The VCA or voltage controlled amplifier generally follows the filter The VCA behaves in a similar way as the volume control except that it controls the level based on Control Voltage signals The gain of the VCA is controllable by the GATE or ENVELOPE on the MicroBrute The amplifier is primarily responsible for shaping a sound s dynamics audio input Amplifier audio output Modulation signal Figure 27 Modulators Modulators provide signals that are designed specifically to control the behavior of oscillators wave shapers filters and amplifiers For example when you sing with vibrato you are modulating your voice with a low frequency change in pitch typically around 5Hz or so The tremolo circuit in a guitar amplifier modulates the amplifier s level Modulators are useful to create dynamic pitch changes timbre sweeps and level variations The modulators in the MicroBrute are the LFO low frequency oscillator envelope generator and even the keyboard can be considered as a modulator Using the MicroBrute s CV inputs and MOD MATRIX modulators can also be provided by external sources that generate control voltage CV signals and gate signals that turn modulators or notes on and off Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 30 Low Frequency Oscillator LFO An LFO is very much like a regular oscillator except that it typically runs at a much lower frequency The MicroBrute low frequency
20. at you are trying to get will determine the settings you choose Attack slider the Attack slider sets the duration of the envelope s first stage The Attack time ranges from 2 5ms seconds to 2 5 seconds Decay slider the Decay slider sets the duration of the envelope s second stage The Decay time ranges trom 2 5ms to 2 5secs Sustain slider The Sustain slider sets the level of the envelope s sustain stage Release slider The Release slider sets the duration of the envelope s final stage that takes place after you release a key or once the GATE signal goes low Depending on the filter section s ENV Speed switch the Release time ranges from 5ms to 5secs Envelope Settings via the MicroBrute Editor There are a number of settings for the envelope that determine how it operates These settings can be accessed via the MicroBrute Editor Software See the section of the manual for MicroBrute Editor for more information LFO The LFO is a low frequency oscillator It is the primary modulation source for the MicroBrute s other sections The LFO is designed to operate from approximately 1 Hz up to 200Hz It can be used to create subtle pitch vibrato or can be pushed to the maximum to get wildly changing sounds or E xXx Amount 7 N AN Wave Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 38 Wave Select rh O I The LFO offers several modulation waveforms that can be selected using Wave the switch The options are
21. basic patch has the Sawtooth Wave turned up fully Try turning the Sawtooth Wave down to 0 and turning Up the Square Wave as shown in Figure 2 OSCILLATOR PY J Y 7 SE Y L N AH carl PR Overtone Figure 2 You will hear the sound go from a brighter buzzy sound to a more rounded and hollow tone Now try turning the Square Wave down and turn up the Triangle Wave The sound will be even darker now Turn the Triangle Wave down and turn up the Overtone level and listen to it More Oscillator options The knobs directly above each of the waveform level knobs adjust aspects of the sound of each waveform itself Turn up one waveform level at a time and then try turning the knob directly above to hear how the sound changes You can hear how varied the sounds can be Combine sounds Now try turning up more than one level knob and mixing the sounds of different waveforms together When you start mixing waveforms and adjust the wave modifiers above them you start to hear the great variation of sounds that you can generate on the MicroBrute Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 15 Introducing The Filter Now that you have been playing with the OSCILLATOR and are familiar with some of the things if can do return the knobs to the BASIC PATCH settings so that we can explore the FILTER section The FILTER is just what it implies It filters or removes aspects of the signal that is put into it The Steiner Parker filter
22. ch ne 38240 Meylan France http www arturia com Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TINKOAUCION aenn 5 ZION AMA MON EEIEIE IN E EIA PA E A ESEE IE SE E E 9 Usage PrecauUIO NS 9 Register your INSTUMEN E iii dde 11 Connecting the MicroBrute to the World oooooocoooccooconoconoconoconoconoconoconoconoconocononos 11 Warm Up and General TUNING sciiariia iii EEE 13 A nra E EO 14 Create your first sound the basic patch cccccsccesccesccsccesccsccesccsccesccsccesccsccescescsesceeces 14 introducing Te OScilato eenden aaa a a a dias 15 More Osa toro NS sereine E ET E EN 15 COmDINSS OUN anene a a ER toe 15 INTOAUEMO TINS Hiriart 16 LOW POSS FIS O io locas 16 aci PP O 16 Bonares el SIA a nected TAE TE TE EETA 17 FINOT RGS ONGN O C nasa AAA id aci 17 RETER GS GMOS CILLA TOR Soriana AAA AN OE 18 BrO FOC TO add AAA EA AAA Ia 18 INTOAUEINO The Enel Pe iaa 19 ERVE LORE TOMO Arlt ii iii 20 introducing The Oui ala T 21 introducing the Mod Mal DlssistinaiiiaS 22 INTOQUCINO The SEQUENCO siii iii 23 RECON A BASE PANO A RA TA A E 23 NS SITIO REST S or aa E li E E E EAT 23 MOVIDO O Miss ia 24 A S MINESIS BASIC Sii 25 Analog synthesizer architecture nidad 25 Oscar ennnen N E N AN 25 SIGnal Mode Sens nord 26 Milo A O E TE PO O O ease ee tees 26 TMEPUIse MOTA MO GUI ONON a aod nia cua 27 MISMO IZ sa AAA 27 A nn PO 28 AS AAA o ne EE RAC To ON eT ie ECE aT en ee 28 Filter types on Micro
23. ck wise setting it will play the steps back at 1 32 notes Divisions are 1 measure Y note 4 note 1 8 1 16th 1 32nd Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 44 Tap Rest The Tap Rest button has two functions 1 Tap Tempo 2 Inputting Rests when recording sequences Tap Tempo the Tap Tempo button will allow the user fo manually set the rate of the sequencer by tapping the button in real time The number of taps that get averaged to calculate the tempo can be set using the MicroBrute Editor software Rest The Tap Tempo button will act as a rest input when you are recording a sequence When you are in record pressing the Tap button between notes will allow you to skip a note Figure 29 shows and example of the Rest being used to edit the rhythm in steps 3 and 7 of a pattern ss ENVELOPE pere ak Pattern I E Nx Y Nx ENV Amt pa Env amp Gate VCA Attack Decay Sustain Tap Rest 12345678 Figure 29 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 45 6 Rear panel A MICROBRUTE cd ANALOG SYNTHESIZER Line Out Input Level Input e Pitch Out Gate Out Gate In Q o e Key Follow Q Pitch Bend Power supply Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 46 The Power button turns the power on off The DC connector receives the MicroBrute s external power supply plug Only connect the 12V DC 1A center positive power supply that came with your MicroBrute Connecting any other power supply cou
24. d Wheel switch in the controls section determines the Modulation wheel assignment Mod to Cutoff The Mod Wheel Is routed to the Cutoff frequency control This in effect is the same as the Cutoff Knob but in a more user friendly performance setup Being that this works in conjunction with the Filter Cutoff control there are some settings of the Cutoff that will end up with you not hearing any effect of moving the Mod Wheel To hear a change you may have to adjust the Cutoff control up or down Mod to LFO Amt With the option LFO Amt the Modulation Wheel controls the LFO modulation signal level When if is at its minimum position Min the modulation destinations receive no LFO signal The control also works in conjunction with the LFO Amount knob in the LFO section If the LFO Amount is set to O then adding mod wheel will do nothing You will need to have the LFO Amount control up to have the Mod Wheel control the LFO The Glide knob sets the amount of portamento i e how long it takes for the pitch to glide from one note to another when notes are played on the keyboard or by the Sequencer With this knob fully counter clockwise there is no glide and the note pitch transitions instantly to the next note Turning this knob clockwise increases the portamento effect At the maximum setting it takes approximately 4s to glide from the lowest C of the MicroBrute keyboard to the highest C two octaves above Arturia Microbrute User
25. dard positive going 0 10V gate The CV inputs and outputs are standard 1V per octave Gel MicroBrute Connection The MicroBrute Connection software and its dedicated Users Manual are freely downloadable from the ARTURIA website www arturia com Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 49 7 Legal Notes No liability for consequential damages Neither ARTURIA nor anyone else involved in the creation production or delivery of this product shall be liable for any direct indirect consequential or incidental damages arising out of the use of or inability to use this product including without limitation damages for loss of business profits business interruption loss of business information and the like even if ARTURIA was previously advised of the possibility of such damages Some states do not allow limitations on the length of an implied warranty or the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitation or exclusions may not apply to you This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state FCC Information USA DO NOT MODIFY THE UNIT This product when installed as indicated in the instructions contained in this manual meets FCC requirements Modifications not expressly approved by ARTURIA may void your authority granted by the FCC to use the product IMPORTANT When connecting this product to accessories and or another product
26. en amp Key architecture designed in the 70s and offers 12dB octave slopes in LP and HP modes and 6dB octave slopes in BP mode Resonance This knob lets you create a resonance peak at the cutoff frequency Turning it clockwise emphasizes the partials at the cut off frequency and the sound becomes more aggressive When the knob reaches its last quarter zone the filter will start to oscillate on its own However this oscillating behavior depends on the cutoff frequency the MicroBrute filter oscillates within a range beginning around 350 Hz up to approximately 8 kHz To extend the oscillation range use the Brute Factor knob Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 35 Brute Factor The Brute Factor feature drastically alters the filter characteristics so expect highly unpredictable results at extreme settings You have been warned The Brute Factor is a special MicroBrute feature inspired by a common patch used on a famous vintage mono synthesizer that connected the headphone output to the external audio input The result is a kind of Brute Factor feedback loop that s ideal for rasoy and grungy sounds This patch has been implemented internally to the MicroBrute and is controlled by the Brute Factor knob This knob s normal position is fully counter clockwise which disables the Brute Factor turning Up the knob gradually adds distortion to the sound For low Brute Factor settings the distortion is smooth and gentle but becom
27. equences of notes Alternative ways of playing the synthesizer are available through MIDI control and external CV GATE signals Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 32 5 Front Panel Features OSCILLATOR i Sub gt Fifth Ultrasaw Pulse Width Metalizer a 4 a ly a ats y o e a a a res DE D ly gt A Overtone A rh OSCILLATOR The oscillator and its signal mixer The oscillator delivers three basic waveforms sawtooth pulse triangle wave and our new PLL Overtone oscillator The bottom row of knobs on the oscillator are the level controls for each waveform The upper row of knobs are waveshaper controls for each of the waves The MicroBrute allows you to blend and mix the different waveforms to create more complex sounds Saw and Ultrasaw The level of the Saw sawtooth wavetorm is controlled with the knob labeled with the saw icon Turning it counter clockwise completely mutes the signal while turning it up increases the level When the Ultrasaw knob is fully counter clockwise only the saw signal is audible Turning this knob clockwise mixes more Ultrasaw sound in with the plain saw signal The Ultrasaw consists of two copies of the plain saw these can be modulated by patching the LFO to the SAW control in the MOD MATRIX The phase shift of one copy is modulated at a constant rate 5Hz while the second copy s phase shift modulation rate can be controlled with the
28. es harsher as you turn up the knob When turned up above about 75 of the way the MicroBrute can go berserk and produce barely controllable crazy feedback sounds ENV Amt envelope amount The ENV Amt lets you control the amplitude and polarity of the envelope signals sent to modulate the filter cutoff frequency At the O position 12 o clock no envelope modulation occurs When turned counter clockwise below the O mark the ENV Amt knob sends an increasing amount of the inverted ADSR envelope When turned clockwise beyond the O mark the ENV Amt knob sends an increasing amount of the standard positive going ADSR envelope This effect is additive so as you add ENV amount you may need to turn the filter cutoff down to get the desired effect Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 36 KBD Tracking The filter cutoff frequency can also be keyboard controlled The KBD Tracking knob lets you adjust how the cutoff follows the keyboard At the full Counter clockwise position the keyboard CV will not affect the filter cut at all With lower filter settings you will hear the sound get darker and darker as you play up the keyboard To have the sound track with the notes you are playing and have the filter cutoff remain even across the scale set the knob in about the 12 O clock position With the knob in the 12 o clock position if will open the filter at the same approximate amount as the keyboard goes in pitch Turning the knob to the far right
29. he Mod Matrix The MOD MATRIX allows you to route the modulation sources ENVELOPE LFO and KEYBOARD CV You can route the different sources to the destinations with the 1 8 mono jack PATCH CORD s that come with the MicroBrute As we said in the LFO section the LFO defaults to being patched to the PITCH control Using the BASIC PATCH insert a PATCH CORD from the jack labeled LFO to the jack labeled FILTER Now when you increase the MOD WHEEL the LFO will change the FILTER CUTOFF You will need to turn the CUTOFF knob down to hear the effect As you can see the ENVELOPE defaults to being routed to the METALIZER control By putting a cord into a source or destination jack you disconnect the hardwired routing The MOD MATRIX has two output sources ENV and LFO and 6 input destinations 1 Triangle wave METALIZER SAW animator rate PULSE WIDTH of the SQUARE wave SUB Overtone modulation PITCH 6 FILTER Cutoff Any output can be routed to any input SL A A _ MOD MATRIX parara j l d ENV Metal y a a 3 Mee E LFO Pitch PWM Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 22 Introducing The Sequencer The SEQUENCER Is a fun and musical addition to the MicroBrute It will allow you to program in phrases and patterns and play them back at different rates Start off by setting up the BASIC PATCH Recording A Basic Pattern Set the PLAY MODE switch to RECORD Figure 15 Play _ Off J Record Play Tap Re
30. he minimum setting and the DECAY slider to the maximum setting To have the ENVELOPE affect the FILTER CUTOFF you need to turn up the ENV Amt knob in the FILTER section The ENV Amt knob can go either positive or negative Let s go with positive for now You will want to turn the CUTOFF knob down to hear the effect In Figure 10 we have the RESONANCE control up part way to make the effect more interesting Press a key and listen to how it seems that the FILTER CUTOFF is being moved by itself Reducing the DECAY slider will make the effect of the filter sweep go faster If the DECAY is set too low it is moving the CUTOFF so fast that you might just hear a Click Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 19 ENVELOPE TO VCA The BASIC PATCH has the VCA Voltage Control Amplifier set to GATE which means that the sound will come on when you press a key and will shut off when you release it To control the LEVEL of audio using the ENVELOPE move the VCA switch to the ENV position Figure 11 ENVELOPE aii ATTACK AAA Sustain MUERES Figure 11 Since the SUSTAIN slider is at the maximum setting and the ATTACK DECAY and RELEASE settings are at the minimum settings you will hear the same thing that you would hear with the VCA set to GATE Now let s shape the sound s amplification envelope which determines how the level changes over time when you play a note Until now the Sustain level has been set to maximum which results in
31. ith a studio full of gear Since the late 1990s ARTURIA has received acclaim from players and reviewers alike for designing state of the art software emulations of the venerable analog synthesizers from the 1960s to the 1980s From the Modular V back in 2004 to Origin a modular system of a new generation that we introduced in 2010 from Analog Factory Experience the first hybrid synthesizer ever debuted in 2008 to the Oberheim SEM V released at the end of 2011 our passion for synthesizers and sonic purity has given demanding musicians the best software instruments for professional audio production Beeuee a la oe ET SOFTWARE JUPITER 8U UNNE KERI Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 5 HYBRID ITA A THE PLANER Artuma E HARDWARE Overview of some of ARTURIA s software hardware and hybrid instruments After recreating so many legendary analog synthesizers by translating these classic instruments into sophisticated DSP algorithms the time was right for ARTURIA to introduce an analog synth of its own the MiniBrute But reproducing analog circuitry is not the same as designing great sounding analog circuits so we enlisted the aid of Yves USSON an extremely talented analog circuit designer and synthesizer enthusiast whose work spans three decades Besides being a talented researcher in bio molecular microscopy his clones of the modules originally designed by Bob Moog as well as ARP or EMS and hi
32. ld damage the MicroBrute USB gt The USB port allows interfacing with a personal computer If can be used for MIDI communication as well as editing some of the synthesizer internal parameters such as MIDI channel sequencer settings or updating the firmware through the MicroBrute Connection software MIDI ii The MIDI In jack lets your MicroBrute be controlled from other MIDI devices You can use MicroBrute as a sound module and connect a full sized MIDI Keyboard like our Arturia Keylab 49 or 61 if you want a wider playing range or if you just want full sized keys If you are using MicroBrute as a sound module use a MIDI cable to connect MicroBrute MIDI In connector to your external MIDI device s MIDI Out connector Audio In The Input Level potentiometer adjusts the amount of an external audio source guitar synth drum machine etc that can be plugged into the MicroBrute signal chain via the rear panel Audio Input jack This makes it possible to process an external audio signal with the filter and amplifier also note that this signal can trigger the envelopes NOTE this is a line level input To use this with a guitar or microphone you will need to boost the levels with a pre amp first The Input Level knob is recessed so that it does not get in the way Just push on the knob and it will pop out for adjustment When finished just push it back in Fine Tune The Fine Tune knob provides precision adjustment of
33. mp Center pin positive Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 12 Warm Up and General Tuning As with all true analog synthesizers after being powered on the MicroBrute needs a warm up period of approximately five to ten minutes This allows the oscillator to reach a stable operating temperature which insures accurate oscillator pitch Warm up time depends on the external temperature a colder ambient temperature will require longer warm up times while a hotter ambiance will result in shorter times Once the synthesizer has reached its running temperature tune it to pitch Use an external tuner to check the instruments tuning if needed tweak the Fine Tune knob on the rear panel to tune the MicroBrute to the desired pitch The MicroBrute has been designed for rock solid pitch stability when operated in normal temperature and humidity conditions at external temperatures between 20 C and 32 C in temperate areas In practice the MicroBrute provides satisfactory operation over a much wider temperature range although extreme external temperatures or fluctuations can lead to longer stabilization time or erratic tuning Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 13 3 Quickstart This chapter provides the basic instruction that you will need to create your very first sounds with the MicroBrute In subsequent chapters we ll get deeper into the sound design process so you can create more animated and complex sounds Create your first sound the
34. nt as this could cause a fire or electrical shock e Do not spill any kind of liquid onto the instrument e Inthe event of a malfunction always take the instrument to a qualified service center You will invalidate your warranty if you open and remove the cover and improper testing may cause electrical shock or other malfunctions e Do not use the instrument when thunder and lightning is present e Donot expose the instrument to hot sunlight e Do not use the instrument when there is a gas leak nearby e ARTURIA is not responsible for any damage or data loss caused by improper operations to the instrument e ARTURIA recommends the use of shielded and less than 3 meters long cables for Audio and ferrite equipped CV Gate and USB cables Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 10 Register your Instrument Registering your instrument establishes your legal ownership which entitles you to access the Arturia Technical Support service and be informed of updates Additionally you can subscribe to the ARTURIA newsletter to be informed of ARTURIA related news as well as promotional offers Connect to your Arturia account via this URL http www arturia com login If you do not have an account create a new one Once you have your account and are logged in go to the section My Registered Products and add the MicroBrute synthesizer by entering its serial number as printed on the sticker located under the machine rturia MICROBRUT
35. off frequency remain unchanged while the partials below the cutoff are attenuated Spectral domain pitched signal Spectral domain filtered pitched signal filter slope Highpass filter amplitude amplitude f h2 h3 h4 h5 frequency h2 h3 h4 h5 frequenc Spectral domain Spectral domain q y white noise filtered noise a LS 5 i i 2 Highpass filter E pee ope a E E oO frequency frequency Figure 25 The cutoff frequency in any of these filter types does not have to be static controlling it with other devices like a keyboard keyboard tracking an LFO or envelope generator creates dynamically changing and interesting timbres Resonance or emphasis Spectral domain pitched signal Ep resonant peak Spectral domain qe filtered pitched signal orroprrsrrrrnannsroo oo ssa Resonant Lowpass filter filter slope amplitude amplitude f h2 h3 h4 h5 frequency f h2 h3 h4 h5 gt Spectral domain hdd inicio white noise Spectral domain resonant peak filtered noise Wir 5 Resonant s 2 Lowpass filter E filter slope E E frequency frequency Figure 26 Resonance is a filter s ability to amplify or emphasize partials that are close to the cutoff frequency thus creating a peak in the spectral response This parameter can be increased up to a point where the filter no longer acts like a mere filter but starts to oscillate on its own Arturia Microbrute User s M
36. omes an oscillator With the RESONANCE at the maximum clockwise position turning the CUTOFF control will vary the pitch that you hear See Figure 8 Be careful as it can result in some high volume sounds coming out Figure 8 Brute Factor The BRUTE FACTOR control can add some subtle grunge to warm up the low end on a sound or it can be cranked up to create some nasty Brutal sounds BE CAREFUL AND TURN DOWN THE OUTPUT VOLUME BEFORE TURNING THE BRUTE FACTOR UP You will find that the BRUTE FACTOR knob and the influence it has on the sound will vary greatly based on the settings of the CUTOFF and RESONANCE knobs as well as the MODE switch Brute Factor Qe Ly Off 200 KBD Tracking Figure 9 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 18 Introducing The Envelope The ENVELOPE will allow you to shape the FILTER CUTOFF the VCA output volume and other parameters via the MOD MATRIX Setup the BASIC PATCH again and we will experiment with the ENVELOPE and the FILTER CUTOFF Now change the FILTER and ENVELOPE setting to be the same as you see in Figure 10 Brute Factor a el ol y 0 i A 11 i i Pd be rs iir 7 Mi y S 4 O 00 ENV Amt KED Tracking ENVELOPE EE i eT OO C a 129 NN a A mm old z ETHE vel Fi E af Figure 10 The BASIC PATCH has the SUSTAIN value at the maximum setting which basically turns the envelope on full Start off by moving SUSTAIN to t
37. oscillator can produce various waveforms at sub audio frequencies 0 1Hz up to 200Hz In general the waveform options are sine or triangle sawtooth and square waves The amount or output level of the LFO can be controlled before being fed to the target devices to make subtle or wider range sounds Envelope Generator Contrary to an LFO an envelope generator or ADSR generator for Attack Decay Sustain Release does not provide a repeating pattern but is something that starts at a certain time runs its course and then ends The time that an envelope starts its sequence of stages is normally triggered by the keyboard a sequencer or the Gate input Pressing down a key or sending a gate signal provides an evolving signal with four different stages The ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN and RELEASE The attack stage determines how long it takes for the envelope to go from zero to its maximum level The attack time can be as short as 2 5ms or as long as 2 5 seconds The decay stage begins when the attack stage reaches ifs maximum value After the attack stage is finished the decay takes over and decreases from this maximum attack level down to a level set by the SUSTAIN parameter The speed of this decay can vary from 2 5ms to 2 5 seconds The sustain stage starts at the end of the decay phase and remains at the sustain value as long as a keyboard key is held down or a gate signal remains full on The sustain level is variable between zero no s
38. power cords or connecting cables The use of an extension cord is not recommended However if you must use one make sure that the cord has the ability to handle the maximum current needed by this product Please consult a local electrician tor more information on your power requirements This product should be used only with the components supplied or recommended by ARTURIA When used with any components please observe all safety markings and instructions that accompany the accessory products SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE The information contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing However ARTURIA reserves the right to change or modify any of the specifications without notice or obligation to update existing units IMPORTANT Always follow the basic precautions listed below to avoid the possibility of serious injury or even death from electrical shock damages fire or other risks The product used either alone or in combination with an amplifier headphones or speakers may be able to produce sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss DO NOT operate for long periods of time at a high level at a level that is uncomfortable or a level that exceeds prevailing satety standards tor hearing exposure f you encounter any hearing loss or ringing in the ears consult an audiologist immediately It is also a good idea to have you ears and hearing checked annually Arturia Microbrute User s Manual
39. ring any satisfied results please contact the local retailer authorized to distribute this type of product If you cannot locate the appropriate retailer please contact ARTURIA The above statements apply ONLY to those products distributed in the USA Canada NOTICE This class B digital apparatus meets all the requirements of the Canadian Interference Causing Equipment Regulation AVIS Cet appareil num rique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Reglement sur le mat riel brouilleur du Canada Europe CE Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 51
40. rom the main oscillator but it allows for pitches that are down one octave from the main Suh EA or up a 5th above the main creating either a sub oscillator or second oscillator tuned up a fifth effect My NAS This allows you to thicken up the sound greatly Turning the SUB gt FIFTH knob allows you to blend from the octave down and 5th up sounds You can then modulate this control by patching the LFO or ENV fo the SUB Overtone jack in the MOD MATRIX This will greatly thicken up the sound even further Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 34 The Filter Cutoff Resonance Brute Factor 0 ay il Ey ag ley 4 de HP gt O L N A 4 Y Mode A ENV Amt KBD Tracking Filter Modes This selects among the three filter modes LP low pass BP band pass and HP high pass The LP mode Is the most commonly used and provides sounds which are full fat and round The BP and HP modes provide thinner and harsher sounds Cutoff This knob adjusts the filfer s cutoff frequency The frequency range goes from below 20Hz when turned fully counter clockwise up to 18kHz when fully clockwise For example in LP mode you can adjust a sound s brightness The filter alters the oscillators timbre via the three resoonse modes described previously LP BP HP The cutoff can be controlled by the keyboard the Envelope the LFO via the mod matrix and the mod wheel The MicroBrute filter is based on Nyle Steiner s Sall
41. s own designs are highly renowned in the modular world and continuously produced under license by specialty manufacturers Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 6 What s more he s always willing to share his considerable experience and pass along his knowledge to others All his schematics stay open to the D I Y community most of his works can be found on the Yusynth project website and he casts a long and welcome shadow on the major Internet forums devoted to analog fanatics Yves USSON and a couple of wired friends Combining ARTURIA s acclaimed savoir faire in designing innovative musical instruments and Yves deep knowledge and experience both the MiniBrute and MicroBrute analog synthesizers have their roots in the 1970s yet incorporates the best of the 21t century 1 D I Y Do It Yourself 2 http yusynth net Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 7 Octave z Prrturia Sub y fth N 7 7 mM e huul T e z Attack E g amp eS We built the MicroBrute with the idea that many people need an easy to use synth for live and studio purposes But an easy to use synth must still retain excellent sound quality and enough features to keep a sound designer busy for years It is true that MicroBrute is simple to use and allows anyone to tweak sounds and make music without having to delve too deep into synthesis but it does not mean that the experienced user will not be impressed wi
42. st Figure 15 Now start playing notes on the keyboard When you start playing notes it will erase the sequence that is in the currently selected memory When you are finished move the PLAY MODE switch back to OFF To play a sequence just move the PLAY MODE switch to PLAY and press a key Now your sequence Is playing back You can transpose the sequence up and down by playing different pitches on the keyboard Speed up and slow down the sequence by turning the RATE knob or pressing the TAP TEMPO button 3 times Inserting Rests You have now made a sequence that has a continuous string of notes Figure 16 While that is fun if is more useful to have syncopated patterns Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 23 To create a pattern that has rests in it simply press the TAP REST button each time you want to place a rest In Figure 17 you can see the result of the pattern if you were to press the TAP REST button between playing notes Figure 17 There are a number of settings that can be accessed via the software editor These features are described in detail in the separate MicroBrute Connection manual Moving On If you have followed all the steps of this Quick Start you should be fairly familiar with how to make a sound and what some of the main features and functions do to modify the sound If you are new to synthesizers It is recommend that you do the quick start procedures one more time from the beginning and
43. t equipment except that they can be put under VOLTAGE CONTROL A music synthesizer allows you to change the pitch of the oscillator by using a voltage In the case of MicroBrute the keyboard LFO Envelope or external voltage source can be voltage control sources that affect the pitch Signal Modifiers Signal modifiers or wave shapers transform shape or distort the oscillator s basic signal to change their harmonic content The MicroBrute provides three signal enhancers The Ultrasaw builds two phase shiffed copies of the basic sawtooth signal These copies have independent and ever evolving phase shifts with respect to each other and are eventually mixed with the sawtooth signal This results in a lively rich and thick ensemble effect Figure 20 On the MicroBrute you can control the Ultrasaw rate with the LFO ENVELOPE or KEYBOARD CV OUT by patching it in the MOD MATRIX Ultrasaw Shifted copy 1 Shifted copy 2 Figure 20 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 26 The Pulse Width Modulator or PWM takes the square wave and changes the ratio between the time the waveform is at maximum or minimum The square wave corresponds to a 50 Pulse Width PW The pulse width can be set over a wide range 50 to 90 making it possible to create a wide variety of tones from hollow and rich to nasal and thin Figure 21 On the MicroBrute the pulse width control can be controlled by the LFO ENVELOPE or KEYBOARD CV OUT by patching it
44. te the Overtone waves and create some huge sounds Try patching the LFO Out to the Sub in Make sure the LFO Amount and the Overtone Level pots are turned up Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 41 e Pitch this controls the Pitch of the oscillator By default the LFO Output is patched fo this to allow for LFO vibrato e Filter This allows control over the Filter Cutoff control Note that the filter section already allows for both Envelope and Keyboard controls apart trom the Mod Matrix e PWM This is the input for the Pulse Width control General Controls Keyboard The MicroBrute keyboard covers a two octave range which can be extended using the Octave Down Up buttons The keyboard can also be used as a fully polyphonic MIDI controller for other devices via the rear panel USB jack Wheels The MicroBrute features the two classic control wheels The Pitch wheel position defaults to the middle of its range and returns to its default position when released This wheel creates a pitch bend effect where the player can shift pitch smoothly up or down while playing a note The amount of shift is proportional to the rotation of the wheel The Range of the Pitch bend defaults to 2 semitones The second wheel is the Modulation wheel It sets the overall amount of modulation signal sent to targets selected by the MOD Wheel switch Depending on the switch setting it controls the Cutoff or the LFO amounts Octave Octave
45. th the sound possibilities that this little powerhouse has The pure analog oscillators with the newly designed OVERTONE PLL offer more raw tone generation options than many synthesizers in the 1000 price range The multimode Steiner Parker filter is The same design that is found on the MiniBrute The inventor Nyle Steiner himself looked over our design and gave his stamp of approval Many synthesizers with large price tags only give you one filter mode MicroBrute gives you three Add the MOD MATRIX patch bay the multi wave LFO USB MIDI and CV Gate interfaces and the exciting new STEP SEQUENCER and you have a product that meets or exceeds any other synthesizer in this price range EVER MicroBrute is all about top shelf sound quality but with a musical interface that will not intimidate and a price that will not break the bank MicroBrute is truly a musical instrument We loved designing it building it and now playing it We hope you will share our enthusiasm and find inspiration in its sounds Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 8 2 Installation Usage Precautions The MicroBrute uses an external power adapter Do not use any power supply or adapter other than the one provided by Arturia and specified in this manual ARTURIA accepts no responsibility tor damage caused by use of an unauthorized power supply WARNING Do not place this product in a place or position where one might walk on trip over or roll anything over
46. the oscillator pitch The 12 o clock position corresponds to the default tuning i e A 440Hz Ss Manual 48 when you play the second rightmost A of the keyboard and the default Octave is selected The full range of the Fine Tuning knob Is from about 2 semitones to 2 semitones The Fine tune knob is recessed to prevent it from being bumped Just press the knob and it will pop out allowing for easy adjustment Audio Outputs Connect the Line Out jack to an audio mixer a computer s sound card or directly to an audio amplifier using a 4 mono cable You can connect a pair of ear buds or headphones to Phones output The Master Volume knob on the front panel controls the output level of both these jacks CV GATE I O poe CV GATE pos Pitch Out Gate Out Gate In Key Follow Pitch Bend The MicroBrute also connects with other analog devices analog synthesizer analog step sequencer etc through a CV GATE interface where CV means Control Voltage The Gate In 1 8 jack allows other analog devices to trigger the MicroBrute envelopes The main MicroBrute functions i e filter cutoff and oscillator pitch are controlled by the Cutoff and Pitch jacks in the Mod Matrix The MicroBrute can also control other analog devices The Pitch Out 1 8 jack provides the CV produced by the MicroBrute keyboard as well as by the Pitch wheel The keyboard s GATE signal is also available on the Gate Out 1 4 jack The Gate is a stan
47. ustain and the envelope s maximum value With a SUSTAIN value set to the maximum level you will not hear the DECAY stages effect because it will not have a level to decay too Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 31 Finally the release stage starts upon releasing the key and sets the amount of time for the level to decrease from the sustain level down to zero ADSR envelope signal percussive envelopes SUSTAIN level envelope level ATTACK DECAY RELEASE duration duration duration slow pad envelopes GATE signal Key is pressed down Figure 28 Human Interface To play a tune with your synthesizer as a player you need a player interface The MicroBrute provides you with a two octave piano type keyboard Besides offering a way to play notes this keyboard provides additional controls for adding expressiveness Velocity corresponds to the dynamics of your playing and can modulate multiple parameters The MicroBrute will send velocity as a USB controller It does not have internal velocity routing and does not respond to velocity however Transposition allows shifting the keyboard s note range over six octaves Pitch bender allows adding real time pitch changes like bending strings on a guitar Modulation wheel allows applying real time modulation changes to various parameters For example it could add vibrato or change the filter cutoff as you move it Sequencer automates the creation of repeating s
48. utoff frequency set with the CUTOFF knob remain unchanged while harmonics above the cutoff frequency are attenuated In other words it is called low pass mode because it passes the low frequencies below the cutoff and reduces the high frequencies above the cutoff The correlation of attenuation to frequency determines the filter s slope which is measured in dB octave The Low Pass filter on MicroBrute is called a 12dB per octave filter because every octave above the cutoff point is reduced by 12dB Spectral domain pitched signal Spectral domain Lowpass filter E filter slope amplitude amplitude f h2 h3 h4 h5 frequency f h2 h3 h4 h5 frequency Spectral domain Spectral domain white noise filtered noise 5 3 2 Lowpass filter 5 X i filter slope E E oO frequency frequency Figure 23 In band pass mode the cutoff frequency becomes a band s center frequency Sound within this band remains unchanged while harmonics below or above the band s range are attenuated Spectral domain pitched signal Spectral domain filtered pitched signal eee eee eee eee eee ee eee eee Bandpass filter amplitude amplitude f h2 h3 h4 h5 frequency f h2 h3 h4 h5 aerias domain Spectral domain white noise filtered noise frequency rn on osaon o o Bandpass filter amplitude amplitude frequency frequency Figure 24 Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 28 In high pass mode partials above the cut
49. ve the MODE switch to BP Band Pass If you move the CUTOFF knob you will hear the effects of the Band Pass Filter This filter allows a range of frequencies both above and below the cutoff point to be passed See Figure 6 pesonas Brute Factor oe Wy way de x le N off ENV Amt KBD Tracking Figure 6 Filter Resonance The RESONANCE control on the filter is one that emphasizes the frequencies that the CUTOFF is set to If you reset your filter controls to the BASIC PATCH settings we can do some sonic experiments to see how this affects the sound Play a sound and turn the RESONANCE control to the position shown in Figure 7 You will probably not hear too much of a change to the sound But with the resonance set as shown play a sound and turn the CUTOFF knob counter clockwise You will hear that famous analog filter sweep type of sound Experiment with different settings of the RESONANCE and CUTOFF controls to hear the sounds you can create Once you have a good feel for the range of sounds you can get with this setting change the MODE to HP and to BP and experiment with the CUTOFF and RESONANCE settings to see how varied the sounds become Arturia Microbrute User s Manual 17 Figure 7 FILTER as an OSCILLATOR As you may have found out in the last section turning the RESONANCE control up too high can produce some other pitches This is called FILTER OSCILLATION It is when the filter actually bec
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