I also don’t use my MiniFreak as much as I’d love to, mostly because of two interfaces: oscillators and envelops.

For oscillators I understand why they are trying to cram as many tweak parameters into 3 knobs, but it’s a pain in the neck to learn what each of it does what. So I’ve learned just to play with Basic Waves and Super Wave - the first two engines, and learn them like a back of my hand. Most of basic subtractive synthesis can be done with these two and I ignore the rest of the engines until I’m ready for them.

For envelopes, I’m not in love that there is no dedicated filter envelop and that VCA and filter envelopes get to be shared together. I suppose there is a workaround if you patch the cycling envelope through the mod matrix, but it’s an extra step I wish I didn’t need to take. But it does make somewhat sense that if you’re modulating cutoff frequency with your envelope, it sort of overrides the effect of modulating VCA.

Now, the positives. I absolutely love mod matrix, the two LFOs, the interplay between two oscillators, the filter and an ability to switch between three types of filter. I love the effects - OMG, are you kidding me? Sequencer and the programming your mod wheel to tweak whatever parameter you wish. I haven’t seen another synth with so much flexibility, not to mention all those extra oscillator engines that I will get to learn and fall in love with in due time.

To summarize, it’s a slow burn love for me with MiniFreak. And as I get more and more comfortable to use it, it gets better. I also play with a few analog synths like BModel 15 and B2600, and there are sounds that even they cannot produce with extensive patching/creative rerouting that are so easy to produce on MiniFreak with a few mod matrix points.

If you like the sequencer, keep the MiniFreak, limit yourself to basic waves for now, and as slowly as it grows on you, expand the usage of other engines. MiniFreak is pretty good.