Broken Mini by Full Bucket Music: Free Broken Plugin as a Crazy Minimoog Alternative

06 Nov by Marcus Schmahl |

5,0 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 3 Minutes

Broken Mini by Full Bucket Music: Free Broken Plugin as a Crazy Minimoog Alternative · Source: Full Bucket Music

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Full Bucket Music released with Broken Mini a free and somewhat wacky version of the legendary Moog Minimoog as a plugin for MacOS and Windows. In contrast to conventional emulations, Björn Arlt, the developer behind Full Bucket Music, takes a humorous approach: the plugin doesn’t just simulate the classic Minimoog synthesizer (197-), but is deliberately equipped with quirks and malfunctions. This results in unique sounds that take up the core elements of the original, but develop a very special sonic character of their own due to the intentional defects and unusual features. Exciting, cool – thanks!

All About Full Bucket Music Broken Mini

Freeware Broken Mini Brings the Sound of the Minimoog to “Destroyed”

Optically, the Broken Mini is based on the classic Minimoog interface. Three oscillators, a noise generator, the characteristic ladder filter and two envelope generators are arranged in the usual way, but this is where the surprises begin. Some elements of the GUI are simply missing or seem incomplete: For example, the “C3” on the keyboard is missing, and the sustain button on the ADSR envelope generator seems to be missing – what? These deliberate graphical gaps add to the “broken” look of the plugin and reinforce the atmosphere of a dilapidated, aging synthesizer.

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The real peculiarities of this emulation are in the details. The “broken” can be seen, for example, in the noise generator, which occasionally emulates radio signals instead of normal noise, as if a radio wave receiver were interfering or your smartphone were lying next to it. Another quirky element is the oversampling switch: instead of a typical increase, it can only be turned down to 0.25 times the sample rate, which gives the sound a deliberately “dirty” note. Interesting!

A Different Kind of a Minimoog Emulation

To play the Broken Mini, you first have to flip the power switch – a small thing, but a charming nod to the analog heritage of the original. You won’t find any presets here, though. Instead, it’s all about experimentation, and that’s where the strength of this extraordinary plugin lies: it challenges you and opens up a realm of possibilities that goes beyond the usual Minimoog emulations that try to be as authentic as possible.

In terms of sound, the Broken Mini is independent. It does not aim for a faithful reproduction, but relies on a deliberately distorted and imperfect sound design. It is a conscious break with the precision of many Minimoog plug-ins, which opens up new, creative sonic worlds. The sound quality is not “flawless”, but this is exactly what gives the emulation its appealing imperfection.

Full of bugs, yet full of charm

With this unusual emulation, Full Bucket Music brings a fresh perspective to the world of classic synthesizer plug-ins. Arlt delivers a product that not only celebrates the sound of the past, but also breaks new ground in the way we approach historical sound design. By trying out the Broken Mini, you have the opportunity to create new, unexpected sounds from familiar structures. This is a plugin for anyone who’s looking for a creative challenge and doesn’t always want to take vintage sound too seriously – and, of course, wants to thank the developer for it.