Anyone Freq'ing their Phatty?

Jazzpunk · Post by **Jazzpunk** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:30 pm

Curious if anyone here is using the Freqbox with their Phatty? Really love to hear some audio examples if anyone would care to share.

Thanks!

Hal_McGee · Post by **Hal_McGee** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:08 am

Have you seen the video of Jordan Rudess using the MF-107 with the Little Phatty?:
http://www.moogmusic.com/detail.php?main_product_id=254

narrowcaster · Post by **narrowcaster** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:48 am

Absolutely! Although I enjoy processing audio with the FB, I find that it really excels as a second oscillator. Don't know if I'll have time for samples, but here are a few things that I'm doing with the FB and the LP:

>> With the LP into the audio in of the FB, you can get very nice sync and FM sounds: more controllable than with signals like guitar, because you can input simple waveforms and envelopes.

>> The oscillator out on the FB is incredibly useful with the LP. You can use it for audio-rate AM and FM if you patch it to the LP pitch and volume CV inputs, and you can also do audio-rate FM with the filter CV input (although that tends to duplicate what you can already do with Osc 2 internally). I haven't tried audio-rate envelope gating yet, but that might also be interesting.

>> The other thing is to take the oscillator out from the FB and use it as an audio source into the LP audio in. That lets you do classic Minimoog-style drones, and also you can crank the FB frequency really low to add some Lo-range oscillator clicks, also like the old Minimoog sounds.

>> One thing I haven't tried yet is to do a hybrid thing, where the LP output goes to the FB audio in, and the FB oscillator out also goes to one of the LP audio or CV inputs (and your main output for audio would be the FB audio out). To keep this under control you'd probably also need a gain adjustment on the FB oscillator out, but it might allow for some interesting feedback effects.

That's just a few off the top --- and of course each of these techniques allows for many many variations, depending on exactly how you set things up. The short version is that I've found that the LP along with some Moogerfoogers (especially a FB and a CP-251) really does behave like a little semi-modular setup.

Jazzpunk · Post by **Jazzpunk** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:51 pm

narrowcaster wrote:Absolutely! Although I enjoy processing audio with the FB, I find that it really excels as a second oscillator. The other thing is to take the oscillator out from the FB and use it as an audio source into the LP audio in. That lets you do classic Minimoog-style drones, and also you can crank the FB frequency really low to add some Lo-range oscillator clicks, also like the old Minimoog sounds.

Thanks for the feedback Narrowcaster. Very helpful as I'm less interested in the freqbox as a mangler and more interested in seeing if it can bring the Phatty closer into minimoog territory.

narrowcaster · Post by **narrowcaster** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:01 pm

No problem. Of course I meant *third* oscillator

I'm finding that with my Phatty, FreqBox, and CP-251 I can do just about everything I used to do with my old Model D (and lots more).

narrowcaster · Post by **narrowcaster** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:02 pm

Never mind on the feedback idea and the audio-rate gate idea. I tried both of those this afternoon and they didn't do much.

Jazzpunk · Post by **Jazzpunk** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:48 pm

narrowcaster wrote:I'm finding that with my Phatty, FreqBox, and CP-251 I can do just about everything I used to do with my old Model D (and lots more).

That's quite an endorsement!

I can no longer ignore the fact that I need to upgrade my AD/DA converters as well as my monitors so I just can't justify the cost of a mini right now. Sounds like the freqbox will give me just the kick I'm looking for!

Thanks again for the feedback.

narrowcaster · Post by **narrowcaster** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:58 am

I endorse because I'm happy

Just a few little qualifications though, to be sure I'm not misleading anyone:

>> Although I can get versions of almost all my old Model D sounds, they don't sound exactly the same. I wouldn't say better or worse, but they are definitely *versions* of the same sounds.

>> The CP-251 is key for a few of them, mainly for having the noise source, and for slowing the oscillators down to insect click frequencies.

>> There are times when I miss having all three oscillators tracking pitch, so a MIDI-CV converter is on the "must buy" list. I'd say that for getting the most out of a FreqBox-LP combination, one of those is a very good idea, although I haven't snagged one yet.

Jazzpunk · Post by **Jazzpunk** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:49 pm

narrowcaster wrote:I endorse because I'm happy
Just a few little qualifications though, to be sure I'm not misleading anyone:

Cool. Thanks for the additional info. Eventually I will get a mini but even then the Phatty's staying. Love this synth!

narrowcaster wrote:There are times when I miss having all three oscillators tracking pitch, so a MIDI-CV converter is on the "must buy" list. I'd say that for getting the most out of a FreqBox-LP combination, one of those is a very good idea, although I haven't snagged one yet.

How would you use the Midi-CV converter with the freq?

narrowcaster · Post by **narrowcaster** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 9:30 am

The main thing I'd like would be to have the FreqBox track the LP so I can have more flexible FM options. The other thing, assuming that the FreqBox will track in tune over a wide enough range, would be to have three-part tracking harmony. I'd also be interested to hear if it would work to have the FreqBox set to sync *and* tracking pitch through the CV input at the same time. I can imagine that might let you emphasize a particular overtone with the FB, and have it follow that overtone for different notes on the keyboard. Might not work, but it's another thing I'd like to try...

GregAE · Post by **GregAE** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:28 am

narrowcaster wrote:The main thing I'd like would be to have the FreqBox track the LP so I can have more flexible FM options. The other thing, assuming that the FreqBox will track in tune over a wide enough range, would be to have three-part tracking harmony.

If my experience is any indication, the FreqBox tracks very consistently over the 3 1/2 octave range of the Voyager Pitch CV. After getting it set up and tracking properly (I had to slightly attenuate the Voyager's Pitch CV), I was able to adjust the FB Freq knob over a very wide range and still have the oscillator track. I didn't do any 'limit' testing, so I can't say what happens when you get the extremes of the knob (fully CW/fully CCW), but I can say that it worked well as an extra oscillator. You should be able to get a similar result using a MIDI-CV converter with the LP.

lvehon · Post by **lvehon** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:04 pm

Here is one fun way I have been experimenting with my little phatty and freq box. I use Ableton Live 7 and Reason in this process but you should be able to get similar results with just about anything.

What I like to do is rewire a good patch from Reason into Live, I usually go for patches that sustain fairly well and are somewhat organic sounding. I'll send the audio from the rewired track to a physical output on my soundcard and then from there into the input of the freqbox. Next I'll run the output of the freq box into my Little Phatty's external in. Once I've got this all set up I simply use one of my midi controllers to trigger the Little Phatty and the Reason instrument at the same time. By doing this you can have the freq box actually track along with whatever keys are being played on the Phatty since it is following the Reason instrument (when sync is enabled), then I tweak to my hearts desire.

Its kind of a generic way of adding a third oscillator but I've been very satisfied with the results, for me it can spawn endless creativity.
I hope you guys can understand my writing, I'm not very good at putting my thoughts down in a readable way usually

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:49 pm

I use mine predominantly for a second OSC for my MicroMoog. (The Ring Mod serves as a makeshift third Osc and more) Its works absolutely great.

Its even better expanded upon with the CP251 or an expresion pedal. If you are going to get one, you'd be doing yourself a great favor by getting it with an expression pedal.

I really love running an instrument through it like the theremin or my bass and increasing the MIX amount with an expression pedal to make this sample and hold Osc fade in and back out (with the cp251)

I also like sweeping the frequency (sync on) when i run my bass through it.

Basically when I bought it, I thougt that Id regret it because I purchased it on an impulse but after spending some time with it, I realize how indespensible it is. Im starting to really reach some of the sonic limitations of my Micro, and the ability to have a second and third Osc due to these Foogers has definately given me another couple of years worth of exploration to do until I can upgrade to the Voyager.

Have fun and good luck. DOn't forget to get the expression pedal with it!

EricK