MicroFreak How-To: Expressive Theremin Patch
Channel: Thoracius Appotite
Date: 2022-04-01

Here's a quick tutorial on how to create an expressive theremin patch on the Arturia MicroFreak.
Listen to my MicroFreak preset pack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz6t6-epXXw
Want to buy a MicroFreak? Please use my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2v6LPTC

While the theremin is a pretty simple sound, the techniques I show in this video form the basis of a lot of great expressive lead sounds -- particularly patching the aftertouch "pressure" to modulate the vibrato rate and depth. Such dynamic vibrato adds a ton of musicality and life to a patch. Don't get too hung up on specific values -- it's all about tuning it to taste. Hopefully the way I show and explain things in the video, you end up feel comfortable making this patch your own and are able to apply these techniques to your own new sounds.

0:00 Intro
0:09 Glide just north of 100ms
0:22 Vibrato
0:33 Slow attack between 500ms and 1s
0:55 Envelope drives vibrato intensity
1:20 Aftertouch / pressure increase vibrato depth and speed
3:18 Osc + filter: slightly nasal timbre with asymmetry, cutoff around 800Hz.
4:33 Final Result
4:48 Outro -- Like and Subscribe

Want to make this patch even better? Here are some ideas:
- Just like we patched Env into the vibrato intensity, we can patch it into the rate.
- Patch the KB to cutoff frequency. In general values between 0.25 and 0.35 sound natural and are a good starting point.
- Play with one hand on the master volume knob