Arturia Matrixbrute Aide-Mémoire D'utilisation page 74

7.2 MusicRadar
plastic-wheeled prototypes, the production model features two aluminium wheels on the left-hand
controller panel (and rejoice - a front mounted headphone socket!).
Finally, we have to sing the praises of 4-octave velocity and aftertouch enabled semi-weighted
keybed. It has a high-quality feel with a positive action that beds out softly, yet can be played fast - the
aftertouch response is also spot on.
Enter the Matrix
The Matrix features three modes. Preset lets you use the 256 buttons as patch select buttons for the
256 writable preset slots (and 256 writable sequencer slots/patterns which can be linked/unlinked
to/from patches) and Mod mode lets you set modulation routings - simply pick from the 16 sources on
the left and select a destination at the top (set up to 16 destinations per source!).
It's all very easy to use and you can work methodically thinking out your modulations carefully, or drag
your hand across the buttons/turn the dial and see what happens! There are also four user modulation
slots that can be set by holding any user mod-slot button and moving a front panel control to assign.
Seq mode turns the Matrix into a 64-step sequencer (add steps manually or record on the fly). You
can then add accents, glides and modulation per-step. It's an absolute ball using key trigger to start
and transpose sequences (and a great compositional tool too), plus the sequencer sends/receives
CV/Gate and MIDI. Sequencer modes include swing, variable gate, forwards, backwards, forwards/
backwards and random.
Hands on
Perhaps the most mysterious feature is the 'E-Ink' screen which remains 'on' even when the MB is
powered down. It resembles paper with typewriter lettering but it's used only as a reference for the four
user- assignable slots in the matrix. The caveat is, while it looks great under optimum lighting
conditions, it can't be viewed in the dark (there's no backlight).
A backlit LCD (with a utility menu) would have been viewable in the dark and likely negated the need
for any external MIDI configuring software, (though the included MIDI Control/librarian software is very
slick). Regardless, the basic screen choice fits with the zero menu-diving-ethos and works fine for
occasional reference. 'Hands-on' and 'zero menu diving' are essentials for creativity and inspiration -
two things the MB has in bucketloads!
Now onto the sound engine. This is not just a MiniBrute on steroids but rather an 'inspired by' re-
design from the ground up to facilitate digitising of the analogue control CVs so that the panel settings
can be saved into the 256 preset slots and be MIDI controlled.
The core sound production is achieved via three super-versatile (and stable) VCOs which echo the
MiniBrute's but with further additions and improvements - these take a short time to warm up from cold
and there's a very quick autotune routine if needed (Panel + Keytrack). VCO1 and 2 both feature a
variable shape sine sub oscillator plus sawtooth, square and triangle waves. VCO3 is a linear multi-
function oscillator with four waveshapes but can be used as a mod source too (LFO).
There's also a versatile noise oscillator featuring four types of noise (including white, pink, red and
blue). All waves on all VCOs sound very solid, organic and earthy, yet well-defined and edgy, and can
be added into the mix individually or simultaneously (with osc sync) for a very wide range of tones and
textures; these are then fed into the five-input mixer (alongside noise and external input levels) where
you can push the levels further for more grit and dirt - this is before we even add any onboard drive or
'Brute' factor. We love the fact you can add character/drive at so many points in the signal path!
The MB has also retained the other Brute's versatile waveshaping for each of the waves, so Ultrasaw
for the sawtooth, PWM for the square and Metalizer for the triangle, all of which can of course be
modulated via the matrix. There's a lot of power available when combining the waves/ waveshaping
together and then modulating things and it's an absolute pleasure to get lost in the possibilities.
Arturia Matrixbrute – Aide-mémoire d'utilisation 74/86
Juillet 2017