Analogue Modelling Synthesizer
This versatile compact synth takes the essence of its close cousin, the Alesis Micron, and adds a twist...
In 2003, Alesis
unleashed the Ion, an eight0voice synthesizer that injected
artery-clogging fatness into the world of analogue modelling. Rather
than releasing a rack version, Alesis followed up with a petite and
curious spin-off called the Micron. Despite almost entirely lacking
controls, the Micron trumped its knobbier brother with desirable extras
that included delay and reverb effects, a sequencer and a drum
machine.
If you’re wondering how this is
relevant to the review of an Akai synth, it’s because both Akai and
Alesis are owned by Numark, a company that actively encourages
cross-pollination. Or, indeed, wholesale plundering, as is the case
here. For at its software heart, the Akai Miniak is an Alesis Micron,
with an updated design and a bundled microphone. It is testament to
Alesis’ programming skills that their work has received a new lease of
life in 2010, presumably on the back of the success of Korg’s Microkorg
XL. The Korg has a broadly similar spec, and Akai invite closer
comparisons with the addition of a gooseneck microphone. Thrusting
proudly from the panel, this mic is aided and abetted by a sticker
pointing out how to operate the vocoder. As to why it’s Akai rather than
Alesis on the box, it seems that with the passing of the mighty
Andromeda, Alesis aren’t currently associated with keyboards, so the
role falls to Akai.
Wheel Meet Again
With
such a close relationship between the Miniak and the Alesis Micron, it
makes more sense to revisit the latter synth’s review in the January
2005 issue of Sound On Sound. Here we’ll recap briefly, focusing on any
significant differences encountered.
At 5.4kg,
the Miniak is heavier and more substantial than the Micron, and its main
encoder inspires a little more confidence too. I’m not madly keen on
the blue backlit display, though; its background glow almost overwhelms
the text in spite of every contrast adjustment. It’s readable,
certainly, but not as clear from a distance as the Micron’s plain but
serviceable green display.
Having a larger
torso enables the Miniak to accommodate full-sized keys and three
wheels, placed above the keyboard. They consist of a traditional sprung
pitch-bender and two assignable modulation wheels. Backlit in a rather
fetching amber, these feel instantly more familiar than the sideways
sliders of the Micron, although I rather liked the Micron’s
pitch-bender. The light, three-octave keyboard is velocity sensitive
but, as expected, lacks aftertouch. It has a total transpose range of
eight octaves, with brief on-screen graphics popping up at each
transposition. In a further show of friendliness, the transpose buttons
increase in brightness for each octave shift.
There’s
a choice of four possible operating modes — Multi, Sequences, Rhythms
or Programs — selected from a row of buttons inexplicably labelled
‘Program Controls’. Single patches (Programs) are dialled up
alphabetically, or from a pool of stored favourites, or according to
category (known as Sound Bank on the panel). The categories include the
usual Bass, Lead, Pad, String and so on, accessed via a combination of
the Program button and a white key from the lower half of the keyboard.
A spin of the main encoder whizzes through the available patches. It’s
not a bad system, and has some quirky advantages, such as the ‘Recent’
category, which is automatically populated with the last 10 patches
played.
The six buttons known as ‘Performance
Controls’ include the Phrase arpeggiator — the gateway to prepared riffs
— and ‘Pattern Play’, a button whose job is to start and stop all
sequences, rhythms and arpeggios in a Multi. All rhythmic shenanigans
are subject to the tap-tempo button. Tapping in tempo is brilliant when
working with a live band, but it can be preferable to dial up a BPM in
absolute terms. This is simple, too: hold the button and twist the main
encoder. Finally, three encoders enigmatically labelled ‘X’, ‘Y’ and
‘Z’ are actually performance controls, their function assignable in each
patch.
There are no textual enigmas on the rear
panel; instead we find balanced 24-bit stereo outputs and inputs. There’s not a great deal to say, other than that connecting a jack to
the left input disables the included XLR microphone. Sadly, Akai’s
revamp hasn’t opened up a place for USB connectivity. In this respect
the Miniak shows its age as if sporting a wrinkly neck and liver spots.
At least MIDI sockets are in full attendance, though. Power is via a
line-lump adaptor, and completing the rear view are three additional
jacks: a headphone socket and inputs for a sustain pedal and an
assignable expression pedal.
You Spin Me Right Round
The
Miniak’s rear panel plays host to a stereo output pair, headphone
port, stereo inputs and two footswitch inputs — all on quarter-inch jack
sockets — as well as MIDI In, Out and Thru connections.
All edit functions fall under the jurisdiction of the
main encoder, which has push functionality, so it can double as an
Enter key. One push and you’re in edit territory. As a visual reminder,
the button for the mode you’re in changes from yellow to red.
Throughout the review period, the only real downer involved the amount
of time spent glued to this one encoder.
This is
a deep and intricate synthesizer brimming with potential. But at just
one option per page you sometimes struggle to see it. Thus, you turn the
encoder to select a page. Then push it to switch into data-entry mode.
You then adjust the parameter and push the encoder once again so you’re
ready to select a new page. If I tell you that the Miniak’s envelopes
require almost 40 separate menu pages, you can imagine how long it
takes to program an entire patch! Despite the keyboard being drafted in
to provide quick entry points to several important pages, I feel an
opportunity to massively improve on the Micron has been missed.
Virtual Vices
As
should now be obvious, the Miniak is a virtual analogue synthesizer.
It offers three oscillators per voice and eight notes of polyphony in
total, and in its creation, priority was given to the quality of
analogue modelling rather than the number of playable notes. In that
respect, I think Alesis (and now Akai) have got the balance about
right. With continuously variable waveshapes, FM, sizzling oscillator
sync and spooky ring modulation, the Miniak’s sonic building blocks ably
divert you from their digital origins. The filter implementation is
particularly impressive too. Each voice has two multi-mode filters, with
a choice of 20 different types. There are low-pass filters modelled on
Roland, ARP, Moog and Oberheim synths, plus vocal filters, phase warp
filters, comb filters and more. Throw in two LFOs, a separate sample
& hold and a modulation matrix to captivate the geekiest modular
enthusiast... Oh, and there are three of the most flexible envelopes
I’ve ever encountered. They have variable curves for each envelope
stage, are loopable and possess the ‘Freerun’ mode, which is so perfect
for pads and drones that I don’t know why it isn’t found on every
synth. To sum up: the Miniak kicks ass. And with on-board storage for
1000 patches, you could cram most flavours of analogue — poly or mono
synths — into this one machine.
As shipped,
there are nearly 700 single patches, over 100 multis, and more than 600
sequences and rhythms ready to go. The standard of programming is
generally high, especially if you’re into prog-type solos and Moogish
basses. I would have killed for sounds as fat as these when I was a
teenager only able to afford weedy Japanese monosynths. Other highlights
include thick analogue pads and strings, plus brass patches that
subconsciously urge you to play ‘Jump’. Sound effects and drums aren’t
neglected, either, and although the percussion programs in isolation
won’t blow you away, when heard in the context of the factory rhythms,
they aren’t half bad.
Rhythms are organised so
that you can trigger the looping pattern from the lower half of the
keyboard and play individual drum hits on the higher notes. If you like
your beats synthetic, you’re going to love this lot. Each kit can have
up to 10 drums, and programming the patterns in real or step time is
surprisingly easy — given the size of the display and lack of controls.
The phrase sequencer/arpeggiator is just as neatly implemented. It can
serve as a quick notepad for use whenever a tune pops into your head,
but becomes even more powerful when used multitimbrally.
Some
of the factory multis hint at how much one Miniak can do in terms of
interactive sequenced playback. I started to get all nostalgic for ’80s
disco, something that doesn’t happen very often. I was inspired to
start laying down overdubs on the top of existing rhythm patterns and,
using the arpeggiator and real-time phrases, I came perilously close to
creating a full song. For live work, your Multis could be organised by
placing related patterns on adjacent keys. If you use up all eight
parts that are available, Multi mode can easily consume those eight
notes of polyphony. But with careful programming and judicious use of
effects, it offers the kind of one-box flexibility that no small synth
in this price range can touch.
Effects
The Miniak’s main panel — including some helpful instructions for the built-in vocoder.
Each multitimbral part has access to two common
effects: FX1 (chorus, flanger, phaser, vocoder) and FX2 (delay, reverb).
Individual patches have additional drive effects, such as distortion,
tube amp, overdrive and fuzz pedal. Delays and reverbs will be very much
appreciated — especially by the gigging musician — but it’s the
emphasis on vocoding that really sets the Miniak apart from the Micron.
The
Micron does have a vocoder. I didn’t give it a great deal of space
in the previous review, because it didn’t make a huge impression. On
paper, it should have, since it has 40 bands, which would typically
indicate quality. But when I came to check out the Miniak’s 11 vocoder
patches (identifiable by their prefix of a ‘#’ character), the results
still didn’t quite convince. The supplied microphone is of good quality
and performed well in its role of processing vocals (and other external
signals). However, I found it strange that it had no dedicated gain
control. You set the input level when programming a patch, but a
physical knob — even a small one — would have been a big improvement.
An orange label under the microphone proclaims ‘Vocoder’, which set me
briefly wondering if the panel had been designed by another division of
Numark entirely. I did persevere, and produced several vocoder patches
I’d call ‘interesting’, if not quite ‘Kraftwerk’.
Conclusion
With
the Miniak, Akai have put the Mic into Micron. As the latter is still
available, you can choose easily whether the newcomer’s extras tip the
balance. It could be that traditional mod wheels and a free microphone
are exactly the temptations that will convert the wavering
Micron-curious into full-blown Maniaks — sorry, Miniak owners. The new
knobs suggest greater durability, especially the main encoder, which is
so extensively used. I’m probably just less tolerant of time-wasting
these days, but this single-encoder editing technique seems long overdue
for retirement. However, with no bundled editor software, you have to
live with it.
Although the vocoder takes centre
stage, it never quite won me over. There’s nothing especially bad (or
good) about it, but I doubt any of the factory vocoder patches would
win a music store head-to-head against the Microkorg XL. Fortunately,
the included mic can take another role — that of warping vocals using
the various filters and effects — and at this it fares better.
Leaving
the vocoder aside, the Miniak has a lot going for it —
multitimbrality, a sequencer, a drum machine and effects — but most of
all, it has a potent incarnation of analogue modelling. Even though
we’re contemplating a synth with just eight notes of polyphony,
produced by a technology we first met seven years ago, the Miniak holds
up surprisingly well against today’s competition. If Akai could rustle
up an editor, there might be nothing to hold it back.
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