I’m preparing to slim down my rig just a little more.
I’m stuck the choice of parting with my Murf (analog) or my Freqbox.
I’ve already gotten rid of my MF-101 because I felt that having the Moog Guitar’s Ladder Filter at my disposal made it just a little redundant to have a low-pass filter. However, when I sold it, I quickly realized I was parting with a fantastically useful envelope follower as well.
I am aware that both the MURF and the Freqbox provide envelope generating or envelope following capabilities. The question is which of the two is more useful in this regard.
I already love what the MURF can do, but I can easily be accused of having indulged in it’s usage.
I enjoy the Freqbox, but I don’t always find that a VCO is a versatile sound. Admittedly, it does seems more useful than most VCO’s I’ve tried.
I have never been successful isolating the “envelope” of either pedal from the more typical qualities of the said effects.
If all you want is an envelope follower, I’m afraid that the MF-101 was the pedal to keep (despite already having a filter in your guitar). I’m not familiar with the Moog Guitar to know whether or not the filter can do 2-pole or not but there is that.
The FreqBox has a follower which is similar to the MF-101 but as you said, it’s at a bit of a cost if that’s all you want it for. For me the tracking of the FreqBox is rather poor or better described glitchy. But I do use the OSC and an extra from time to time.
FYI: The MurF’s Envelope (at least on the 105M) is not an output, it’s a CV input to control the phase of the step envelope (either slow rise or slow fall with 12 o’clock on the pot being equal). There is no traditional follower there.
Final comment is that I know that you said you were trying to lighten your load of gear but if you had other uses, you might consider picking up a synth.com ‘instrument interface’ Q118. It cost $92 assuming you have a way to mount it in a rudamentary wood box and can supply +/-15V and 5V.
If you are strictly a guitar player, you likely will not want to go this route so best to consider whether or not you’ll get more use out of the single function of the 107, or if you’ll leverage the weath of utility built into the 105. I play keyboard in addition to Bass and the 105M is really good for treating all sorts of audio, drums, etc.
I agree with the 101 being the best. I’ve argued that it isn’t really redundant to have two low pass filters. It would be more advantageous to having an Osc that you would get less function out of.
It really depends on what kind of music you make and whether or not you venture much from the guitar.
I hear you guys . . . the fact is I had not tried the Moog Guitar and the LPF together before I decided to put my MF101 up for auction.
Then I did my courtesy deoxit treatment and test with the E1. . . and I was like “What in the hell have I done . . .”
The Moog guitar, does have two main filter settings, but I am not clear if they are 2 pole or 4 pole. One engages the ladder filter, and the other sort of colors your guitars melodic lines with a resonant vocal sound.
The LPF pedal and guitar do sound very good together, but I’m rather commited to getting the most out of the E1 in case I get called upon for smaller impromptu gigs where all I might have room for is the guitar, foot pedal, a fooger or two and a Fishman Loudbox.
I’ve never tried using the “Env Out” as an audio out . . . I had some notion that it was just a CV thing for the mixer.
Does it actually just bypass all the rest of the pedal’s effects besides the Envelope effect?
If so . . . that’s awesome and useful. I’ll have to try that out.
What is your preferred alternative to the tracking on the Freqbox, EM?
I haven’t really had problems with it, and I much prefer the VCO to the one in my now-departed Assblaster. Still, I will only be using VCO on a limited bases, but if there is a smoother alternative I might look into it.
I also love the MURF, and have just basically recorded hours of MURF explorations. Even my analog one just seems full of endless possibilities. http://soundcloud.com/crowyote
Now I’m really hoping I win one of these drawings . . .
Okay . .. I just tried the “Env Out” and it just sounded like an . . . um, acquired taste.
Not exactly what I was looking for. Very glitchy indeed.
I will say that this thing makes huge envelopes, you can almost see their shape as you hear the pitches of the oscillator contoured by the follower with the Envelope at 10.
I’m finding that the most immediately musical waveform settings to use are 7 o’clock to 9 o’clock. It seems like it could be a more universal palatable sound.
I suppose I should state that I want to suppress the overall impact of the VCO’s sound when I use this pedal. For the most part I want to get just the smoothness of the envelope with very slight hint of color from the LFO.
I virtually NEVER use my freqbox audio input anymore. It serves as Osc duty with the CP 251 or the sequencer.
One thing that is cool though that I would do with the theremin (or bass) through the audio in would be to use an expression pedal in the Mix in, and while playing a passage, bring the freqbox signal about even with the theremin (a swell i guess) with the Freqbox modulated with S&H. If you don’t have any other synth modules, you can simulate a synth “voice” in this manner without sacrificing an extra channel on your mixer. Maybe it would be cool to do something like that to drone some deep ominous bass or something preset to the key you wanted to emphisize.
The freqbox is cool and underrated but really explodes when you add the cp. Then it does double duty with tracking pitch cv.
Something I like with the freqBox is routing the OSC out to any filter processor, and route the filtered signal to the audio input of the freq box.
Then, add a little envelope and tweak the FreqBox pitch, the filter settings etc… cool feedback stuffs
Back to topic, as far as envelope follower, I only know this one so I cannot compare.
I woould say that amongst the MoogerFooger that have it, you should keep the one whose main functionality is the most useful to you: external LPF or oscillator with pitch/frequency modulation.
Then you can consider the price criterion: if you need the difference in dollars, then the cheaper is the way to go.
It may go without saying but the Env CV out of FreqBox is most certainly not for audio applications, it’s pure voltage.
And it tracks amplitude very well and with the aid of the ENV knob, can produce an aggressive curve or a gentle/slight bump. A sharp attack on your string will cause a very sharp (near square) rise time. Likewise if you mute the string you will get a sharp drop off (as quick as the envelope circuitry will allow). I haven’t compared the MF-101 and it’s smooth/fast switch against the MF-107 but that would be interesting to see.
You’ll need to check the manual but I believe the signal path goes into audio in, through DRIVE circuitry/knob into ENV knob & envelope follower circuit which drives the resulting voltage out.
So depending on how hot or not your incoming signal is, you can boost or cut it along the way.
I found that the frequency tracking to be very glitchy but to reiterate, the amplitude tracking works well.
I have an MOTM-120 which suffers the same tracking ills as the 107 but there is a mod available that Tellun put some doc together on that involves adding some small capacitors to the circuit and fixes it. I wonder if the same help (anybody have an EE degree and care to figure it out?)
Not sure what your plans are for the CV out but one of the first things I did was to take the voltage INTO the 105’s RATE CV which progressively stepped the stages of the MuRF depending upon how hard I played. It was very cool.
I’m with EricK (we both play Bass), using the FreqBox as distortion is near useless; I’m currently using Mojo Mojo for this and would love to try a :assmaster.
Assmaster is my go to pedal!!! I get so many compliments when I use it. It works great on all my basses, active or not, and the Moogerfoogers absolutely love it! Highly recommend this pedal!!
I’m at a loss with my 107 - it started my appreciation for the gated fuzz, but has little use in my bass rig.
I really have to support EricK with the fact that two filters are not redundant. I’m currently running two, sometimes 3+ at a time and find of the best sounds withing a dynamic collage of filter overtones.
