Arturia MicroBrute UFO

• Oscillator with Ultrasaw, Pulse Width & Metalizer
• Sub/Fifth Oscillator
• Steiner Parker Multimode Filter
  
• Brute Factor
• Glide & ModWheel Control
  
• LFO with 3 waveforms & BPM sync
• ADSR envelope
• Step sequencer with 8 patterns
  
• Mini patch matrix
• 25 mini keys with velocity
• MIDI In
• USB MIDI
• Audio input with level control
• Audio output
• Headphone output
• CV / Gate control voltage outputs
• Gate In
• Cool UFO design & all-black keyboard

Sounds ranging from retro to cyberpunk

The MicroBrute’s analogue sound generation is a speciality in its own right: the signal path, consisting of an oscillator with a sub-oscillator, filter and VCA, is modelled on the classic Roland SH-101, but carves out its own unique sonic path.

The oscillator simultaneously generates sawtooth, square and triangle waveforms, which are implemented here as Ultrasaw (superimposed, multiple sawtooth), Pulse Width (classic PWM) and Metalizer (downstream wavefolder). A sub-oscillator with a square waveform provides extra punch in the bass range; it operates an octave below the main oscillator but can also be tuned up to the ‘fifth’ to create two-note pseudo-chords.

As the mixer is integrated into the oscillator block, this is followed by a wonderfully vintage-sounding Steiner-Parker multimode filter with low-pass, band-pass and high-pass characteristics. The filter circuit is derived from the 1975 Steiner-Parker Synthacon synthesiser and is characterised by particularly punchy resonance and musical overdrive behaviour. The filter has been enhanced by the BRUTE control, which acts as an adjustable feedback loop between the filter output and input, delivering those intense sounds.

The final element in the signal path is the VCA, which operates in either envelope or gate mode.

Modulations for dynamic sounds

When it comes to modulation, the MicroBrute is more flexible than you might think at first glance. The ADSR envelope is hard-wired to the filter and VCA. The LFO features three waveforms and can run freely or be synchronised to MIDI clock. Both modulation sources also appear in the Mod Matrix in the top right-hand corner. The six control voltage inputs are assigned to the Ultrasaw, Pulse Width, Metalizer, Sub, Pitch and Filter parameters. Simply connect the supplied patch cables from Out to In and turn up the AMOUNT on the LFO and envelope until it sounds right. The modulation wheel can be set to control either the LFO intensity or the cutoff. The internal step sequencer has eight memory slots with a pattern length of up to 64 steps; this is best suited to jam sessions and for creating sound sequences freehand.