I know there’s been a lot of those threads around the forum, but I post it anyway, cause I have difficulty choosing my next fooger. I’ll try to go through a process of elimination to show you what I already have and what I might need and the way I’m thinking. Any advice welcome.
All the stuff is for use with the Little Phatty and maybe some track processing. I rarely do live stuff, so it’s mostly for production.
MF-101 - I have the LP I guess I can do all the filtering there (101 does have an envelope follower which might be useful, but freqbox has that as well, but we’ll get to that) - so 101 is a waste of money in my case
MF-102 - already got one
MF-103 - got that too
MF-104Z - I don’t do life stuff and I can do all my delays in my DAW along with external effects on the delay loop so and if I would like an expensive delay I would look at the tape one - so no 104 either
MURFs - I’m considering a MIDIMurf which is obviously a great piece of gear with MIDI control, individual filter playing via MIDI and stuff, but I have one question for guys who own MURFs. Isn’t the MURF animation sound sort of a one-trick-pony? I know you can get various speeds, depths, patterns and finally you can make your own patterns via midi, but the resonant “bleeps” at fixed frequencies may be a little like “ye olde sample&hold talking computers filter modulation”. For example I used the “s&h” trick on one of my tracks at an album I’m working on and I hesitate to use it again on another track, cause it may seem “a cheap analog synthesis trick”. Isn’t the murf that type of effect? A nice sounding thing but get’s really boring, really fast? Hope I’m mistaken cause I love the sound, but I’m thinking about at least some versatility.
106 -
107 - my second choice after the MURF, but I’m thinking if I need a freqbox if I have the ring mod? I guess I can get similar stuff with both of them? Is freqbox of any use except guitar? Is it usefull with the LP? The only thing here is the envelope follower which might be useful in processing bass and drums and other stuff.
So the choice is basiclly MIDIMurf vs FreqBox, I guess.
The Freqbox generates 2 CVs to fiddle with, but there arent so many CV options with the LP, while the Murf M is right up the alley of studio production and arpeggiator sequencing and would probably suit your needs more. (Also I’ll point out that I’m trying to think in yr shoes, not my own)
I personally think the freqbox is a hundred times more interesting than the midi murf which is ten times more interesting than the non-midi one, but i have multiple VC delays and all other sorts of hardware and no practical production setup. Also, an FM VCO will be substantially different than applying AM to an audio signal, so yes the Ring Mod and Freqbox are p different.
I read your analysis and in most of what you say, I think you reasoning is pretty good.
I would have to disagree that the delay fooger is not useful if you have a lot of analogue delays. When I bought it I had analogue delays as well. First, the foogers delay is more colored that the digital ones. Second, its voltage controlled That opens up a whole universe of possiblities that are not possible on the digital variety that are just rrunning programs.
As for the Ring Modulator and the Freq Box. Two entirely different animals. The output of the Freq Box is an oscillator that can be synced to audio which is not that same as a pttch follower. As such, its a quirky little box. It can do some really intersting things but don’t expect to give up a lot of secrets out of the box. You really have to work with this one to get some interesting stuff.
As for using it with guitar, yes, you can do this. However, it’s best if you filter the signal and compress it before sending it to the Freq box. Again, its not going to give you something great right out of the box.
Don’t let me discourage you from getting a Freq Box because it is the most interesting of all the foogers but be ready to do some work with it if you get one.
Ring modulation is very different that what the Freq Box does because its’s output is not an oscillator. It does have an internal carrier oscillator but the effect of ring modulation is a combination of the signtal coming in and the carrier signal (a simplified explanation a difference and sum of the frequencies). It can be used as a tremolo effect but also can yield a lot of bell like sounds and some more radical other worldly sounds.
It does not sound like an oscillator unlike the Freq Box so its a very very different animal as I said. I can be used out of the box and give you some interesting sounds. If you have a CV out ona synth like a Voyager (w expander) or say a Prophet 08 or some of the older CV controlled synths, or a modular, you can tune it. This makes it more musical. I do this a lot with my Voyager when using it.
I hope that nuances things just a bit for you. Not to complicate matters but as I said, the delay is a bit more useful that the digital variety and the ring mod and freq box are very different animals. Thats about as simply as I can say it. Hope you make the right choice for you.
I wanted to add one thing to my last post and that is the in reference to the comment that the MuRF is a one trick pony and pretty much just capable of syncopated filter “beeps”.
I recently got a MIDI MuRF. My concerns were similar to yours and even after having purchased it and started to work with it, I have to say that at some level those concerns were somewhat justified but like any fooger or indeed any effect, I also realize that the true art is in the making of the music.
One you think about it, effects are not traditionally very active. You set the knobs to what you want and then play be it guitar, synth or something else. Foogers on the other hand are dynamic with CV control which makes them very different animals from the run of the mill effect pedal.
What is unique about the MURF is that its MIDI controlled and therefore can be synced to a MIDI clock signal. That pretty useful with a sequencer and takes what might be an unchanging sequence and transforms it. Using a MP 201 pedal or some other means of CV control creates a lot of movement in a sequence. so in many ways I see the MIDI MuRF as something very dynamic when working with a sequencer.
At the 12 O’Clock position on the envelope dial, the MURF also becomes a drone maching espeially with some flange and reverb after it.
So I guess I don’t agree that the MURF is a one trick pony but it takes a little CV magic to bring it to life.
I guess I’ll buy a low pass filter next, to complete my Moogerfooger rack mount, it’ll look good Besides I can use it to filter the ringmod output (which can be loaded with higher harmonics).
I’m planning to fill a second rackmount by the end of 2010. Maybe I’ll buy the freqbox, it can give me a lot of weird harmonic effects combined with the ringmod and then into the filter (sonic mayhem
And then MIDI Murf and if Moog doesn’t release the 106 or 108 which will be something cool I guess I’ll settle for the Analog Delay.
Then the Multipedal and then LP Output CV Mod and a Q119 or Q960 synthesizers.com sequencer on top of all that and my rig will be complete (for a short moment BUAHAHAHAHA (devilish laughter in the darkness
If you’ve already got a CP-251 the Filter will be great. Its not the most interesting unit when used alone, but when you have a few CVs to apply, it gets progressively more awesome
