Freak doesn´t like Theremins

[spacesoul]

Hi!
I recently bought a Microfreak which I really like.

But unfortunately I had problems with the internal keyboard:
Some of the keys didn´t trigger properly, sometimes they did, mostly not. I tried the Freak´s power supply, power via usb and even a battery pack via usb. It took me some time to figure out that there was a conflict between the Freak and my Moog Etherwave Theremin. As soon as I switched off the Theremin the Microfreak´s keyboard functioned correctly. The distance between the Freak and the Theremin is about two meters. A Theremin functions by the principle of a capacitive distance sensor, also the Microfreak´s keyboard works with capacivity. In the studio I could perhaps live with this interference but it really would be a problem for me to use both in a live context which of course I planned to do.

Is there any solution for this? I never had any similar problems with other gear in combination with my Theremin. I think there is no way to solve that via firmware update of the Freak, or am I wrong? Help would be highly appreciated!

[Sternklang]

WOW! Thank you for posting this. I can also confirm that The Theremine affects the Microfreak. I have been struggling with my MF for days now, I seriously thought there was a problem with the keyboard, or internal settings in my MIDI routings. Spent Hours on troubleshooting,Finally I searched the web, and I find this message! Posted yesterday. OK, so I turned off the Etherwave, restarted the MF, and all is back to normal.

[spacesoul]

Glad that my post helped you to get on the right track, Sternklang!
Unfortunately the problem persists and it would be essential that somebody from Arturia would comment on that problem. In the studio I can just switch off the Theremin but of course not in a concert!
What should we do?

[retrigger]

I have the same problem! I ve been facing that for years and I didnt know why. Today I've seen another theremin interfering with 2 different microfreaks...

[MajorFubar]

If the theremins are affecting the operation of another machine two meters away, then to me the issue lies at that end, not with the MicroFreak. If Arturia patch the MF's F/W to make the keyboard less susceptible to spurious interference from your theremins, the next bunch of complaints will be from MF users complaining the keyboard isn't working properly. See how Arturia are screwed either way? If there's nothing on the theramin to reduce its output, you may need to introduce a physical barrier that acts like a Farraday cage.

Not everything can be fixed to everyone's satisfaction by a F/W patch.

[C_Huelsbeck]

The MicroFreak keyboard (or shall we call it "exposed kontakt board" is notorious for being very sensitive to environmental influence... humidity, grounding, static electricity, electromagnetic fields, cosmic rays, who knows what else... as cool as it is "when" it works, I'm super happy that the MiniFreak has a real keyboard!

[Polish_Prince]

Try having a synth studio in the same room as a ham radio shack. It's a battle, but I have conquered RFI (radio frequency interference)... I won't go into details because everyone's situation will be different for different reasons.

But, I can tell you to research ferrite chokes, common mode chokes, and double check all your wiring when you've got a Theremin inside your studio.

I would advise you to keep the Theremin (power cable and audio cable as well) as far away and isolated as possible from ANY electronic equipment.

A Theremin is a miniature BROADCAST radio station inside your room. It can effect lights, your mouse, keyboard, computer, and possibly other synths.

My best advice to you would be to purchase ferrite chokes for your power cords, and keep your thermin as far away as possible from anything vital in your studio.

Choke out that RFI. The Theremin can effect USB cords, USB hubs, your monitor, etc etc etc...

Ferrite chokes, cable isolation, and physical distance (isolation) will be your best bet to rectify your unique situation.

Also look into grounding your Theremin and or MicroFreak. It can't hurt.

If you can't figure this out yourself, then find a competent electrician, and hopefully he can solve your problems.

Good luck 🤞

[retrigger]

I happen to be on a band with TWO theremins and two freaks. Our solution was midi keyboards, as the problem is only there in the inputs, which gets VERY glitchy. Both of the new keyboards are Arturia's, so the moderator can rest assured we are not hating the brand or anything. We get it, the microfreak keyboard was a mistake and it cant be fixed.

But if anyone plans to play a theremin and a microfreak together, be warned, they keyboard will not work anything like you expect.