Microfreak/UG/16 Paraphonic Chord Mode

• 16. Paraphonic Chord Mode

  • Paraphonic Chord Mode lets you transpose a chord through the current scale.

  • Initiate Paraphonic Chord Mode

    • Press the Paraphonic button. It blinks while the mode is active.
    • Hold the Paraphonic button and play a chord.
    • Lift your fingers from the keyboard, then release the Paraphonic button. The button stays on and blinks slowly.
    • Play a key to hear the chord with the same interval structure, transposed to that key and fitted to the current scale.
  • A chord's intervals come from scale steps. The root is its first note. A third three semitones above the root makes a minor chord; a third four semitones above makes a major chord. Adding notes shapes the chord further. Paraphonic Chord Mode analyzes the intervals in the chord you play, then rebuilds those intervals from each key you play. For example, a minor seventh chord becomes a minor seventh chord rooted at the played key.
  • Paraphonic Chord Mode can turn scale-quantized chords into fast, intricate arpeggios.
  • Press the Paraphonic button again to end Paraphonic Chord Mode.
  • Microfreak/UG/16 Paraphonic Chord Mode/01 Unison

    • 16.1. Unison

      • The MicroFreak has four oscillators. In standard Paraphonic mode, play them as chords on the keyboard.
      • Hold Shift and press the Paraphonic button to enter Unison mode. The button blinks. Keep the Paraphonic button held, release Shift, and turn the Preset encoder to set oscillator detune (unison spread).
      • All four oscillators play together at slightly different pitches, creating a thicker sound.

      • Note/Info Press Hold to free both hands.
        

      • The display shows spread from 0.001 to 12.000, with 12.000 equal to an octave.
      • Press the Paraphonic button to turn off Unison mode.
  • Microfreak/UG/16 Paraphonic Chord Mode/02 Unison Defaults

    • 16.2. Adjusting the default Unison settings

      • By default, Unison uses all four voices. In Utility > Preset > Unison Count, choose how many voices Unison uses. Assigning three voices leaves one voice available for duophonic keyboard playing.
      • Set the default Unison spread in Utility > Preset > Unison > Spread.
  • Microfreak/UG/16 Paraphonic Chord Mode/03 Spread Modulation

    • 16.3. Unison Spread as a modulation target

      • Assign modulation to Unison spread in the Matrix by holding an Assign button and pressing the Paraphonic button.
      • To modulate oscillator spread with the Cycling Envelope:
        • Hold Shift and press Paraphonic to enter Unison mode.
        • Select the Cycling Env/Assign 2 Matrix crossing and press the Matrix encoder to set its modulation amount to 90.
        • Set the Cycling Envelope to Env mode, with Rise at 2.5 seconds, Fall at 150 milliseconds, and Hold/Sus at 0 milliseconds.
        • Turn the amount knob to explore the modulation intensity.
      • The Cycling Envelope changes Unison spread when you press a key or when the arpeggiator or sequencer triggers its next step.

      • Note/Info Modulating Unison spread can work especially well with Vocoder presets.
        

      • Unison is available with every oscillator model.