Moog Music Forum

Edoardo_P wrote:Yes, the EHX MicroSynthhas a lot of features, I think I'll look for a one in demo at the store...

Why should I need the MF101 after the Pigtronix Mothership? Does it do the stuff of the "filter" section of the Microsynth?

Yes and no. The MF-101 will filter, and will respond to DYNAMICs directly - like an auto wah / qtron - the filter follows your volume envelope (how hard you pick for example). You do have much more control of the filter via CV, but you would need to add a CP-251 . MP-201 to achieve something similar to the EHX.

The difference is that the EHX MicroSynth is a TRIGGERED filter sweep with fixed start and stop frequencies, and a duration for the sweep to take place. You can set it to filter upwards or downwards, or remain fixed. Your volume level simply triggers the sweep to start, and it will not follow your volume level, but it will be re-triggered based on your volume peak.

The EHX can remove the attack of the guitar with a volume envelope slider, producing a fade in effect. Along with a compressor you can really make it sound synth like.

As far as others have stated about it's sterile sound - I can appreciate that statement, it can be sterile at times. However, once you really spend time with it and really work with it's very subtle adjustments you can get really good at dialing in unique sounds that are anything but sterile. When I think of a sterile pedals, companies like BOSS and DOD come to mind, but that's a preference / opinion thing. The EHX interacts very will with other pedals, and doesn't care about buffers / true bypass etc. My Guitar player and me on bass together using the same pedal sound completely different, and both sit in a mix really well.

As with the mothership, adding a filter or EQ pedal (strongly recommend a parametric) after the MicroSynth, you take the pedal so much further.

Again... I use the MicroSynth, and my own other methods to reproduce very synthetic aggressive / hard sounding bass lines. You can achieve *similar* sounds to synths, but only to a point of course. Dead Weather, for example, sounds... Controllable Fuzz, Filter sweeps, and EQ / Compression / level control are the keys to make it happen. That's all I'm saying.

I'm a guitarist with a Pigtronix Mothership. I like it a lot, but I would recommend trying it yourself before buying. It doesn't really handle dynamic playing well. When you play a note that is loud enough to trigger an output, the Mothership generates a note at the level set by a front panel control. Playing harder won't make the output note louder.

I think you mentioned that you weren't interested in the Mothership's ring mod. I'm not either, but it's not a normal ring mod and I use it to generate an octave up, which I think was something else you wanted.

I don't use the whammy but I do sometimes use the glide feature. It slides the generated note up to the target by an adjustable amount.

Hope that helps...

Greetings! first post
I've been following this thread with interest as I bought my FreqBox for guitar and found it to be not what I expected and quite challenging to use. It still is... which is a good thing imo.

One trick I've discovered is that patching the ENV OUT to MIX IN makes it more "usable" for guitar.
Sample setting to get started
Freq: noon
Sync: On
Wave: noon
Drive: 3 o'clock
Output: 9 o'clock
Env. Amount: noon
FM Amount: 3 o'clock
Mix: 10 o'clock

When you pick lightly or roll off your guitar volume you get more of your clean guitar signal and when you play hard and dig into the strings you get more of that bite from the VCO signal. I like having that increased dynamic response, chords sound a little clearer, and the decay is less harsh. This works well for me for band/live situations. It's a relatively tame setting for this unit but sometimes less is more. That being said, you're missing out if you buy one of these and don't at least explore the more extreme sounds.

I don't have experience with the EHX MicroSynth or Mothership but I would love to own those too based the demos I've heard.

Good luck with your decision!

Sorry, typo, FM Amount should be around 9 o'clock for the setting in my previous post

If you're wanting a full-blown Moog analog synthesizer sound for your guitar, there's nothing better than the Electro Harmonix Micro Synth imo. That's pretty much going to have everything you want. Throw a Moog MF-101 Lowpass Filter after it (I do this) and there's truely nothing closer to getting that Moog sound with a straight up guitar/guitar signal. That being said, I personally would HIGHLY, HIGHLY suggest you seek out the older style trapezoidal-chassis 24-volt model, NOT the current purple smaller-chassis 9-volt model. I've owned both and can tell you that there is a huge difference in "mojo" between the newer and older/reissue models, due to voltage and components I suspect.....they can be found on ebay quite often. The original models from the '70s go for quite a bit more money, obviously. Mine is a '90s "reissue" model, which were built to the exact same specs as the '70s models (per Mike Matthews in a published interview.) Point is, the '90s reissue models go for quite a bit less than the '70s models, yet they're both equally as good, so keep that in mind when searching and spending money. They can easily be modded for an expression pedal input to it's filter sweep as well.

The original/reissue EHX Microsynth was designed by David Cockerell, the designer of the EMS Synthi. It's a wonderful box that responds extremely well, once you learn how to use it. It's not hard to use at all, but you kind of have to change your playing style because it's more of a tigger style instument. It's not an effect, it's a monophonic analog synthesizer so you'll be getting the real deal. It's basically a great moog-sounding guitar synthesizer, and has always been marketed that way as well. Adding the MF-101 after it puts the icing on the cake.

Here's a couple quotes from Bill Ruppert (the guy that does Electro Harmonix's Effectology series videos:)

"The Microsynth is a pure analog effect. Its funky and contains David Cockerell analog filters you can not duplicate in the VG-99. The distortion and flip-flop octave circuits are monophonic but VERY unique."

"The MicroSynth has an amazing amount of bottom end in the sound if you crank it up. It is SO PHAT! Who needs Moog Taurus bass pedals when you have a guitar and a MicroSynth?"

"Bill Ruppert"

He also says it's one of his favorite effects/boxes ever. It's one of mine as well. Like I said, if you want the Moog sound, look no further than the Microsynth. All you need is a guitar, amp, and the Microsynth.

Thank you Synthaxe. This is complete

stiiiiiiive wrote:Thank you Synthaxe. This is complete

Hey Stiiiiiiive,

The EHX Microsynth is the entire reason I got into Moog to begin with. I remember the description on EHX's site stating something about how it's got the Moog sound. I didn't know much about synthesis before that. When I first got the pedal I didn't understand half of what was written on it (trig, freq, res, etc.) Heck, at the time I don't think I really even understood or grasped what monophonic meant in terms of instruments, although I figured that out quite quickly once I plugged into the Microsynth ahhaha.. However, once I did learn how to use it and what I was doing, I knew that I had to have some real Moogs! Now, here I am with a Little Phatty, Minitaur, and a bunch of Foogers. Moog is an addicting and highly pleasing sound.

Also Stiiiiiiive, you're recommendation of the Bass Microsynth earler is spot on. I know of quite a few guitar players that actally prefer the Bass Microsynth to the regular/guitar Microsynth, as they say it's a bit girthier.

synthaxe wrote:Also Stiiiiiiive, you're recommendation of the Bass Microsynth earler is spot on. I know of quite a few guitar players that actally prefer the Bass Microsynth to the regular/guitar Microsynth, as they say it's a bit girthier.

Said with a very New York accent: "What am I, chop livah ova heeya!" I like credit when credit is due

The 24V does have a little more mojo, the 9V isn't far off if you don't have the money. For recording 24V, for live 9V will work great!

Yes, that was Alien haha

Guys,


Thank you all soooo much!

You've given me huge amounts of extremely valuable information. This forum is definitely top-notch.


I am going to save some more money and go for the Mothership. it looks worth it, it seems to work exactly the way I was thinking about, and its not instrument-oriented

Especially after having read this

gutbag wrote:I'm a guitarist with a Pigtronix Mothership. I like it a lot, but I would recommend trying it yourself before buying. It doesn't really handle dynamic playing well. When you play a note that is loud enough to trigger an output, the Mothership generates a note at the level set by a front panel control. Playing harder won't make the output note louder.

I think you mentioned that you weren't interested in the Mothership's ring mod. I'm not either, but it's not a normal ring mod and I use it to generate an octave up, which I think was something else you wanted.

I don't use the whammy but I do sometimes use the glide feature. It slides the generated note up to the target by an adjustable amount.

And have done some more "targeted" search for demos.

For example even that "pre-set-volume" thing is a big pro for me. It'll sound and work more like a synth to my ears and fingers (to me, dynamics belong to the unplugged domain by the way.).

Yes, the MycroSynth costs a half and has a lot of features, but still looks "incomplete" to me...
I wouldn't know where to test the differences between bass/guitar EHX microsynths and 9V / 24V by the way.
Buying any of these four would just make me live with the doubts of having missed something.

While the MoogerFooger... Is definitely not what I was looking for.


Thank you all a lot, huge help.