Hello,
I’m new to this forum and I’m also a proud owner of my first analog synth LP Stage 2 (without CV upgrade).
This little beast really sounds FANTASTIC and it’s worth every single penny!
Now i’m wondering which effects are most commonly used for LP? I borrowed an EHX Memory Toy from a local guitar shop and it seems to me that it does the job pretty well. At the moment I don’t have enough money for moogerfoogers (which is probably the best thing to go with LP), but what are the alternatives? Digital or analog?
I like the sounds of EHX pedals. I’m a proud owner of a Little Phatty Stage II, without CV out + EHX Deluxe Memory Boy, Stereo Electric Mistress and Cathedral. The delay pedal is the most used one, and it’s sound is great!
I’d buy the Memory Boy instead. You have some extras for a small amount of money.
Some topics dealing with Moog synths + FX exist here. You’ll find some by searching for EHX, for sure.
About delay specially, I think the Memory Toy is a good way to enter the analogue delay realm.
I’ve tried my LP with EHX POG2, which is quite cool: your monophonic transforms into a symphonic beast
Some fuzz and distorsion did not give me satisfaction, while overdrive did. Your ears will be the judge, experiment!
I have to say, I am also a guitar player, and have lot’s of little boxen, and there really isn’t anything that’s bad to use with the LP, if you find the right song.
Old School - run it into a guitar amp. Clean one or crunchy one, both have their uses. (Hint: Jan Hammer)
Distortion and fuzz. Generally not needed, as the LP can produce crunchy sounds all on it’s own, but can be fun. Guitar distortions tend to have rather limited frequency response, however.
Delay. Always heaven. The TimeFactor is great, many others.
Modulation fx. very useful for widening the mono sound. Modulation effects usually alter the timbre of the sound muchly, I usually wind up re-tweaking patches with some mod fx.
For example, making a sound very bright, then pulling a bit of the edge away via a chorus effect.
Etc, etc.
The whole ‘digital fx vs analog’ is really a question for your ears alone. The LP is like the honey badger, it don’t care.
For me it’s more fx-by-fx. The Eventide TimeFactor is a great digital delay, does lot’s of stuff. The Moog analog delay
is also great, each does something unique. I use them both, lots.
However, should note that most ‘analogish’ short-time echo/delay stomps tend to chop off highs for that ‘analogish’ thing, so best to read reviews for
specific pedals. I have a couple of echo pedals (< 300ms delay) which do that. EHX tends to go the other way, their stuff is occasionally a bit noisy.
I use the Memory Man with Hazari a lot, it occasionally objects to other pedals in a chain, but usually easy to sort.
I wouldn’t say that Foogers are necessarily the ‘best’ pedals for the LP. They are very nice pedals but afaik there is nothing LP-special about Foogers, they
play well with others. I would say the Delay and Phaser are most broadly useable, the Low-Pass Filter is somewhat duplicated inside the LP.
The Murf, FreqBox and RingMod each do their own very unique thing.
I agree that the ‘best’ pedals to go with the LP/SP are up to personal preference, but there are some LP/SP-special attributes of the Moogerfooger line compared to other pedals:
Control Voltage specifications which are designed to match the LP/SP (and any other Moog products).
Moog synthesizer “module” style interface (despite the pedal-shaped enclosure) with many tweak-able knobs and CV connectivity - to me MF’s feel more like a function-expansion piece of your Moog synthesizer, rather than a standard pedal at the end of your signal chain, even though they can be treated/used as in a more simple standard pedal manner (without utilizing CV’s etc.).
Distinctive ‘Moog’ analog sound, which nicely compliments Moog analog synthesizers (if that’s what you’re after anyway - I know different matches of different brands can make some magical tones).
I get most of my wacky sounds by interfacing my three MF’s with the CV ins on my LP. Not sure of too many other pedals that have the CV capabilities of the Foogers.
Hi,
I have been usin Phatty Stage 2 for quite a long time with Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy and they sound fantastic together. I have also used some EHX fuzz and overdrive pedals with LP Stage2 too.
If you’re interested how these pedals sound (especially Moog Phaser) with the LPS2 you can listen to our tune: http://www.exogenic.com/new-single-from-thin_i-james-reipas
I recently got a Little Phatty as well, which was my first analog synth. I’ve been playing guitar for a long while and have quite a few effects (pedals, rack, etc.) Some of my favorite effects are Electro-Harmonix, and I have acquired quite a few of them. I couldn’t suggest a better brand of effects to run you LP with because they’re really good quality and are affordable. I use a classic chassis (24v) Deluxe Memory Man, and an old classic chassis (24v) Stereo Polychorus, which I use soley for it’s chorus. I think it sounds fantasic. Electro Harmonix pedals in general really sound great with Moog stuff! I think you’re on the right track. I don’t think you’d really need much more than the Memory Toy for a good standard analog delay to use with your LP.
Also, once you’re ready I’d suggest you start researching the Moogerfooger lineup. They are on a totally different level than any other “effects pedals” I’ve ever used. They blow everything (including EHX) out of the water imo. Even the effects themselves are so much deeper and controllable than most other brands. Then you get the CV options…My ultimate suggestion to you would be to save your money and start getting your Moogerfooger collection going! Stick with analog as much as possible for you audio signal. Digital isn’t bad for controlling things, but with something as fat and juicy as a LP, I’d stick with effects that are just as fat and juicy…which you’re going to get from good analog. The thing about Moogerfoogers is that their price seems steep when first looking at them, but once you use one of them you’ll realize that it’s capable of going to the moon and back. Each Moogerfooger is! Electro Harmonix is great for standard good old analog effects, although I suggest if you’re going to purchase EHX stuff you get the older trapezoidal chassis/higher voltage designes as they have much higher headroom and a cleaner/fatter sound…strictly imo. Have fun and welcome to the world of Moog!
Just got myself a Memory Boy to go with my Phatty. It’s a nice combination but has anyone experienced problems with a background buzz when passing the Phatty through the EHX to a sound card? I’m wondering is this just standard with synths going through guitar pedals? It’s not that noticeable when playing but it is when turned up loud or through headphones.
You can also lower your volume… the line level can be too hot for some pedals. I have a Deluxe Memory Boy and I use my Phatty with a max. of 70% output volume.
The other thing is that the audio interface can also make this noise… try with other instruments too!
Thanks and yea like it’s not unbearable, adjusting the volume does help. Stiiive, do you mean not using an adapter as the power supply? It’s the only pedal I’m using but it does share an adapter with other things.
