Sound On Sound (2003): While Synthesizer Package 1 includes the Minimoog-like Miniscope and Miniscope MkII, one of the optional synths from Creamware you'll just have to buy is Minimax, a modelled emulation of the Minimoog. Hans Zimmer summed it up perfectly when he told us "you know, everybody's done models of Minimoogs, but this one — I put it up against my real, slightly ailing Minimoog and it's absolutely identical." It's impossible to argue — the response you'll get from playing from the very first note, and every one subsequently, will be one of inspirational amazement, because not only does it sound exactly like the real thing, its depth (I refuse to use the word 'fat') will make you realise just how bad some virtual synths really are.

When you take a look at the DSP load, though, you'll soon realise why Minimax sounds so good — it's greedier than Homer Simpson in a doughnut factory. Although a one-voice instance of Minimax took a fairly reasonable 12 percent of the available resources, it's important to bear in mind that this was running on a top-of-the-range 15-DSP chip system! On a six-chip Pulsar system, a one-voice Minimax would probably need over 25 percent of the resources, and with a three-chip Luna system it would probably use well over half. Getting back to the 15-chip board, two voices needed 16 percent, three 20 percent, four 24 percent, and eight voices used 44 percent of the available resources.

However, these figures are meant more as an observation than a criticism, because DSP models that sound as good as Minimax are always going to require a great deal of processing resources. While few would turn down a Minimoog Voyager, it really could be thought of as a monophonic luxury in many ways, compared to the fact a 15-DSP SCOPE system can run two six-

voice or seven monophonic instances of Minimax without sweating. Admittedly, though, I'm comparing different products for different markets here.  Minimax is one of the instruments included in Creamware's upcoming Noah, and I think it's safe to say there'll be many people who wouldn't buy a computer to run the SCOPE Fusion Platform, but will buy a Noah just to get their hands on Minimax — it's that good.
 

Bud Weiser:  Original Minimoog D has not many options modulating the (dual-) VCA, except by the internal VCA envelope or you're using an external modulation source and feed the rear panel VCA CV-input jack. In fact that's where one of my MOOG 1120 CV pedals is connected.  Now, Minimax originally doesn't exist in a modular design.  DJMicron made one http://forums.planetz.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=31095 but it also doesn't have additional CV inputs.  So the closest to VCA amplitude modulation is using OSC #3 "lo" (=LFO) on the filter (filter modulation rocker switch set to ON).  Minimax has more options than a original Minimoog D and now I cannot remember if there are ways using the MIDI CCs or not.

MiniMax does some other things a real Minimoog can't, as well as the effects and polyphony.  Much more important, there's scalable velocity sensitivity on filter and amp in Minimax similar to the Studio Electronics Midimini (rackmount).  On MiniMax I wish we had soft and hard sync and an additional LFO just only for the  wheel / vibrato and have OSC #3 free for more modulations.  If I remember correctly, there was also a PW-modulation modification available.  Regards the mod wheel on the Minimax there ARE controls for "MW-Intensity" and "MW offset".  Surprisingly, there are also "CV controls" related to the original pack panel inputs of a hardware Minimoog D for OSCs / VCF and VCA.  And when I clicked on these virtual pots, it opened the MIDI CC window, hurray !   So, in theory, it should be possible to create a MIDI signal to generate VCA amplitude modulation and feed it into Minimax.  Automation curves in a sequencer or 'MIDI LFO' comes in mind.

Now what's nuts in Minimax is it doesn't store the output volume in a preset, something urgently waiting for an update as also the OSC #1 octave range GUI bug should be fixed.

I also noodled around with Minimax and Celmo's 'Guitar Blues Amp Stereo' (there's also a mono version) until I found out how to store new presets permanently.  I get the slight amount of crunch out of that amp emulation which gives Minimax the vintage kick. In try to emulate my Jan Hammer type leads that way and with some sounds it works.   I also tried the amp with B2003 and Leslie stopped.  Not bad for the vintage Brian Auger type sound.
 

     

Sound On Sound June 2003