Fricke / MFB Synthesizer
Das Moogulatorium... Fricke / <strong>MFB</strong> Synthesizer - small synthesizers + drummachines
MFB Synth Lite + Lite2! Fricke MFB Synth – MFB 502 drumcomputer MFB sequencer/filterbox (new)..
MFB Synth 2 test & audio
MFB polylite
the MFB / Fricke Synth Familiy
MFB Synth overview / überblick..
he mfb videojaying boxes for 8 sequences , midi controllable.. the other one is to control colour, contrast and more..
| the 8step Sequencer – MFB Filterbox with 2 filters that can be controlled by spacing paramter.. new upcoming MFB Fricke in the same case as the lite II: looks like a synth lite II but is a Filter box with 24 dB/oct LPF filter controlled by a nice 8 step sequencer, it’s green. same price. so it has AD env to follow audio, sequencer ..little performance play video with vlc mfb by aliens-project.MP4 |
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| the bigger mfb multifilter with 2 envs and multimode filter.. of course with midi..also lfos in here.. |  |
| the MFB Step64 sequencer works with CV and midi.. |  |
| MFB polylite
you can get a nice 4 voice polyphonic synth, it’s the same size and structure as the lite II and the same case.. but no knobs, it should be controlled by any CC box or computer or .. the lite II ’s midi out (controllers again).. it’s at 350€, so again very cheap for a 4 voice poly with 4 analogue filters..
PolyLite remote software for those who do not own a Controller Box or a sylite II that can also be used to control it.. so, well.. anyone here using prodigy on a rhodes? here you can place the whole fricke/mfb range on your rhodes and lots of sounds. imo it is very best for powerbook musicians, who do not want to trust on plugins if it comes to big sounds.. it’s smaller than a mousepad.. |
here’s the MFB poly lite board and.. (click to enlarge) click to enlarge..  |
| latest fricke update: the FRICKE MFB SYNTH LITE 2 improved saw waveform, sync, ringmod -same casing and layout as the „old“ LITE but blue. -save your patches now! (83 RAM). -Oscillators still digital (stable/stimmstabil) but with better and improved sawtooth sound. -Zusätzlicher Suboszillator (addition suboscillator), – detune/volume programmable -Lautstärke und Verstimmung programmierbar. -20 x Stepsequencer – 32 Steps (rec. via midi/über MIDI einspielbar). -Audio IN and OUT 6,3mm JAcks/Klinkenbuchsen. -Preis / price ca. 245 Euro of course the lite series uses analog filters, the oscs are digtial. it has 2 ringmodulators for oscs 1+2 and 2+3, synchable oscs and you can tune from 32′ to 2′, the LFO is very fast , about 100Hz and can mod either the VCF or VCOs.. if PWM on OSC2 is chosen the lfo will mod PWM on osc2, if it’s not it will mod all pitches of 3 OSCs (there is a subOSC in it which can be tuned within a „fine tune“ range plus volume via „shift“ functions..) the LFO will of course mod the synched oscs pitch only if you set it to sync, it will operate as a small envelope (falling saw, one shot) if you wish.. the envs are ADSR but the Release=Decay or R=fixed since there are only 3 knobs for the envs.. here’s a nice orange one, there are 2 protos made, this is one of them.. |
MFB SYNTHLITEII Proto – click on image to enlarge..    click image (above) to enlarge..  |
| MFB Synth II .. zum test gehts hier lang.. MFB Synth 2 test & audio demo!!.. MFBsynthII monophonic improved synth: MFB Synth2.. got/hat: noise generator, osc sync,2 lfos, 3 VCOs 50 ROM, 49 RAM speicher/memory (!!) pwm! one shot minihüllkurve of/des lfo 2 its sound is again improved, analogue filters!.. very good sounding, 2 lfos now much better accessible via the knobs (more knobs now). und mehr info.. hier midi implementation mfb synth II Die VCO Sektion besteht aus 3 VCO`s, die intern mit Volt/Oktave angesteuert werden. Als Wellenformen stehen Sägezahn, Rechteck (VCO2 Impuls und PWM) und Dreieck zur Verfügung. Mit dem Fußlagenschalter kann 4`, 8`und 16` bzw. 32’ gewählt werden, wobei sich VCO 2 und VCO 3 zusätzlich um +/- eine Oktave verstimmen lassen. Die VCO’s können entweder mit einem LFO oder mit VCO3 moduliert werden. VCO1 kann auf Oszillator Sync geschaltet werden, VCO1+2 und VCO2+3 haben jeweils Ringmodulatoren. another review by unease: go here.. ..Synth2.. |
 
    
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| play mode | mfb synth (all) follow last note priority (retriggering) |
| MFB502 Drumcomputer MFB-502 test this is a real TR-LED-sequencing Drumcomputer for 195Euro! 72 RAM places to store your 32steps (or 2×16) and 8 songs. the sound: somewhere between TR606,CR78,KPR77 and Rhythtm King (very old drum machines),Minipops |
 mfb502 test (deutsch / german) hier    |
| the classic MFB Fricke Drum Machines all in small white case |
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| MFB | Synth Lite |
| the MFB Synth Lite has the sound of a Moog Prodigy at 195Euro! Sync, Ringmod (Rectangular Waves),LFO up to 300Hz (slowest: 5secs per half wave) Velocity on VCF and VCA, Midi in compared it to the alesis andromeda: if you do NOT use the suboscs, the mfb can reach the sound and fatness. of course you should not use all of andromedas complex mod routings then. the envelopes are a snappier in the andromeda, especailly in „ultra percussive mode“. but the mfb has enough snappyness for „blip sounds“ and kraftwerk „zaps“, but not more – also it is very „moogish“ sounding! I do not see anything that speaks for buying old prodigies, these days.. ok, I do, the MFBs do not have as many hi harmonics..MFB SynthLite test german/deutsch: hier btw: the lite series is all digital oscillators, but the filters are analog. audio demos: dumm_aber_wumms1.mp3 dumfi_ring2.mp3 mfb_envs_und_reso.mp3 the Synth Lite has an audio in (small 3.5mm jacks), Midi in, a biiig power switch and a standard 9V DC in. Modwheel controls LFO amount on VCF or VCA (set via DIP switch). btw: its only as big as my hand! übrigens: die oszillatoren sind digital, dennoch hält sich die maschine klanglich in einem hohen feld auf.. dennoch hat ein minimoog sicher mehr obertöne direkt aus den oszillatoren kommen bei offenem filter, dennoch ist dies auch bei einigen analogen so und soll nur des vergleiches dienen.. bei DIESEM preis und diesem klang ist der fricke klasse.. ganz egal, auch wenn man weiss: die VCOs sind eigentlich digital.. es klingt!! |
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| FRICKE MFB501
the older series of fricke mfb, the drum expander mfb501 |
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| Fricke MFB Synth |
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| there is a version for export ,that has ext. filter in and a noise generator..the german verison is CHEAPER!! thats why fricke left out the input and noise generator that replaces the triangle waveform on VCO2.
very live-able, bacause it’s only the size of 1.5-2 hands! Audiophiles.. riesenfrickeBEATs.mp3 riesenfricke.mp3 mfbsy_fett_und_fm.mp3 |
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| MFB vs. Moog
der moogvergleich: -das ist in etwas das ergebnis unserer klangforschung. (klaus peter rausch und ich haben einen kleinen klangvergleich gemacht mfb synth – minimoog – david gegen goliath)in fact klingt er natürlich nicht gleich, aber man kann in in funktioon eines prodigy oder ähnlichem sehr gut nutzen,solang man keine schnellen hüllkurven braucht ,die hat er nämlich nicht.. |
MFB – Synth |
| The older MFB-Synth very close moog sounding filters (a bit more „industrial“) and 3 VCOs with 4-16′ oct.range. the tune knob ranges from 2-32′ (1 octave! up / down) so you can have 3 analogue vcos.this one is a „better prodigy“ or something.. it even competes an andromda, (well ok, if you do not use the suboscs.. or/and filter 1). only the andro’s env’s are faster than the MFB synth’s.. this is the prototype mfb Synth 1! maybe the only blue synth I.. |
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| you can set the VCO3 to be an LFO by switching on VCO or VCF modulation. once this switch is set to on the LFO (vco3) reduces it’s frequency (still audible, if you keep the volume knob up on vco3) and mods filter cutoff or/and VCO pitch.you can also mod vca,vcf or vco (mod intensity by ENV on vca and vcf, to be precise) can be moded by velocity.
the wheel has another LFO that can be set to rectangular or triangle waveform. it’s speed is set in 7 steps using the keyboard!!.. also the mod target. |
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| there is a newer MFB Synth .. the synth II, Poly and Lite II in the making.. maaaybe something will be shown in frankfurt at „Musikmesse“ (music fair) 2003 in march. (see above)the sequencer features 32 steps that can be just played on the keyboard (the display shows the step number) or you can set a pause by pressing play instead of a note on the 2 octave keyboard.
„volumen“ is german vor volume ;) btw. test in deutsch gibts auf amazona.de dieser „riesenzergo-moog“ ist wirklich fett.. und sehr kompakt zum mitnehmen auf livegigs!.. wer sucht da noch nach nem alten moog prodigy oder sowas..? aussdem sehr preisgünsitg!.. |
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| AUDIO from the older MFB Synth..
Audiophilesss.. |
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| MFB Fricke – older ones.. | MFB-301 (Wird nicht mehr hergestellt) Drummaschine mit 7 Instrumenten und 32 bzw.64 Rhythmen. MFB-401 (Wird nicht mehr hergestellt) MFB-501 (Wird nicht mehr hergestellt) MFB-512 (Wird nicht mehr hergestellt) MFB-601 (Wird nicht mehr hergestellt) MFB-612 (Wird nicht mehr hergestellt) MFB-712 (Wird nicht mehr hergestellt) |
| where to get.. wo gibts MFB fricke? |
deutsche/ britische.. ANALOGE synthesizer / german distribution german/british and other synths.. vertrieb jomox, vermona, macbeth, mfb / fricke etc.. www.schneidersbuero.dethere is a small mailing list for MFB |
