Vocoder mic not working

Freak MicroFreak
,
#1

I just received my vocoder mic and I cannot get it to work. I looked over the manual regarding the vocoder and watched a video on you tube. Any ideas? Am I missing something? Anyone else have any problems? Thanks in advance.

#2

Hello, “cannot get it to work” you mean no signal is coming out at all?

  1. Make sure your MicroFreak is running the latest firmware .
    Use Arturia MIDI Control Center to check and update.
    Vocoder support was introduced in Firmware v3.0, so anything below that won’t support it at all.

  2. Enable the Vocoder Engine
    • Turn the “Type” knob to select the Vocoder engine (should be listed after the “Voice” engine if you’re updated).
    • The display should say “Vocoder” — if not, it’s not enabled.

  3. Plug in the Microphone Correctly
    • The gooseneck mic must be firmly plugged into the TRRS headset jack on the back of the unit, not just audio in.
    • If you’re using a third-party mic, it must be TRRS and compatible, otherwise it won’t work.
    • Try reseating the mic; sometimes the jack isn’t snug enough the first time.

  4. Check the Input Settings
    • Make sure nothing else is plugged into the Audio In jack, as that may override the mic.
    • The MicroFreak only uses the built-in mic (or headset mic) when nothing is in the regular Audio In.

⸻

  1. Check Volume & Mod Matrix
    • Play a note while speaking into the mic — you won’t hear your voice dry; the voice is modulating the synth.
    • Try adjusting:
    • Formant (Cutoff knob)
    • Timbre (formant shift or noise balance)
    • Matrix routing to ensure ENV, LFO, etc., aren’t interfering with the sound

⸻

  1. Try a Factory Vocoder Preset

To make sure everything is working:
• Load a factory vocoder preset like Vocoder 1 or Robot Vox
• These are pre-configured and will help test if the mic and engine are functioning.

⸻

  1. Test the Mic Itself
    • If you’re using the official Arturia mic, it’s usually reliable, but try:
    • Gently tapping it while holding a key — do you hear anything?
    • Blowing into it to hear if noise passes through

If not: possible hardware issue.

⸻
Still not working? Here’s what might be wrong:
• Outdated firmware
• Mic not seated properly
• Using wrong input jack
• No vocoder engine selected
• Mic itself is defective (rare, but it happens)

If all else fails:
• Try using a TRRS headset mic (like from a phone) to test the mic input itself.
• Reach out to Arturia Support by making a Zendesk ticket at Demandez de l’aide | Arturia - The Sound Explorers

#3

its working. It was not plugged in securely. Thank you!

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