what do you use your freqbox for - patch ideas?

vier-personen · Post by **vier-personen** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:18 am

all the samples on the net I found were guitars, synths and drum machines played through the freqbox. I downloaded the manual, and there aren´t as many patch suggestions as in the other moogerfooger manuals.
I read about using the freqbox as another oscillator for the voyager, but I would like to see your patch ideas with other moogerfoogers!
an obvious one would be to use the envelope follower to controll the ring mod freq...
but what about the other outputs on the freqbox?

also - is it only me or does it sound the same no matter what you feed the freqbox with?

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:42 am

I like using the Smooth sample and hold of the cp251 to better simulate an unseen hand controlling the Waveshape.

I also use the ELectro Harmonix BASS BALLS (Filter, Envelope Generator) to get a neat hybrid SYnth sound when used with the bass.

I also use it as a second Osc for the MicroMoog.

I like using the Env Out to the Freq in on the 102 to get some increased tremelo or crazy sounds in the HI position.

THe coolest patch that I made though using the Freq Box was with the CP251 and the Ring Mod...Use the Square wave LFO from the cp251, and send it to the Carrier IN on the 102 and turn the waveshape on the 102 to square also. I think you have to send those back to the mixer on the cp251 and then to the Freq IN on the 107. If you sync them up just right you can almost get an arpeggio or a simulated arpeggiator sound going. Im sure with atenuation you can actually have it jump in intervals that you want them to. Its a neat sound.

EricK

vier-personen · Post by **vier-personen** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:50 am

thanks EricK!

when using the S&H to modulate the waveform, have you experienced volume drops? I tried the freqb with a precision bass and depending on frequency setting volume changed a lot (to zero at one point!)...
is there a workaround?

I am thinking about getting the freqbox because of the envelope follower (plan to get also the frostwave resonator for more flexibility than with the mf-101) and kind of like the fuzz and distortion sounds I can get with the VCO, but I am looking for other ways to use the VCO in my bass context..

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:05 pm

I think that at some point between the sawtooth and the triangle wave or just to the right of the sawtooth I did experience some volume drops, but to my reccollection I think that had something to do with where the FM amount was or where the Freq was.

Sorry I coudn't get more accurate.
EricK

earsmack · Post by **earsmack** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:13 pm

vier-personen wrote:I am thinking about getting the freqbox because of the envelope follower (plan to get also the frostwave resonator for more flexibility than with the mf-101) and kind of like the fuzz and distortion sounds I can get with the VCO, but I am looking for other ways to use the VCO in my bass context..

I run my Fender Jazz bass through a tube preamp -> freqbox -> mf-101 or frostwave resonator. I've made use of the envelope following on both the mf-101 and into the resonator with good results although I usually use the mf-101 with my bass and the resonator with my voyager.

I think the key with the freqbox is being subtle and then filtering the output. It can definitely sound "samey" if you let it pitch-dive but if you set it right you can get some real nice fuzz distortions out of it with the bass especially. It adds some great harmonic structure above the warm bass tone of my Jazz bass.

Upload some samples of what you're doing with it if you can - would like to check it out.

vier-personen · Post by **vier-personen** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:43 pm

[quote="zbq"]
Upload some samples of what you're doing with it if you can - would like to check it out.[/quote]

would like to, but I don´t have the freqbox yet, I just tried it out in a shop and now I am trying to figure out if I really need it...

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 4:22 pm

EricK wrote:I like using the Smooth sample and hold of the cp251 to better simulate an unseen hand controlling the Waveshape.

I also use the ELectro Harmonix BASS BALLS (Filter, Envelope Generator) to get a neat hybrid SYnth sound when used with the bass.

I also use it as a second Osc for the MicroMoog.

I like using the Env Out to the Freq in on the 102 to get some increased tremelo or crazy sounds in the HI position.

THe coolest patch that I made though using the Freq Box was with the CP251 and the Ring Mod...Use the Square wave LFO from the cp251, and send it to the Carrier IN on the 102 and turn the waveshape on the 102 to square also. I think you have to send those back to the mixer on the cp251 and then to the Freq IN on the 107. If you sync them up just right you can almost get an arpeggio or a simulated arpeggiator sound going. Im sure with atenuation you can actually have it jump in intervals that you want them to. Its a neat sound.

EricK

Sorry. you know, I did this all with the 102 lololol. (Weve been snowed in for 2 days)

earsmack · Post by **earsmack** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:15 pm

vier-personen wrote:
zbq wrote: Upload some samples of what you're doing with it if you can - would like to check it out.
would like to, but I don´t have the freqbox yet, I just tried it out in a shop and now I am trying to figure out if I really need it...

Ah - my bad. I took a leap of faith when I bought mine. Many of the demos are the "pitch-diving" thing and I was thinking that that was not really my thing. I tend to run it with sync enabled and (as I've said before) use it for more subtle effects. It can sound crazy but that's not all it can do. I think that initially the FB can seem like a one-trick-pony but there is alot of functionality hidden away - especially with all the CV possibilities and if you have any other analog/cv gear.

So anyway...I'm really glad I got mine but I was a little nervous at first.

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:48 am

I agree with the "one trick pony" comment.
I also bought mine on impulse. I couldn't afford the osc module that i wanted so I bought a freqbox because it was cheaper AND to me, its selling factor was the envelope follower circuit.

Initially, when I got it I thought "Man i wish i had gotten the phaser instead."

But when I started messing with it, it totally blew me away. I got it just for the sole purpose of being an extra osc for my micro, but when I realized that I could filter it with my bassballs, or sample and hold the Osc Freq with the cp-251 and then fade in the MIX with the expression pedal; externalize the envelope follower, i knew that it was far far far from a 1 trick pony.

And Ill never part with it.

EricK

tore · Post by **tore** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:55 pm

EricK wrote:I agree with the "one trick pony" comment.
I also bought mine on impulse. I couldn't afford the osc module that i wanted so I bought a freqbox because it was cheaper AND to me, its selling factor was the envelope follower circuit.

Initially, when I got it I thought "Man i wish i had gotten the phaser instead."

But when I started messing with it, it totally blew me away. I got it just for the sole purpose of being an extra osc for my micro, but when I realized that I could filter it with my bassballs, or sample and hold the Osc Freq with the cp-251 and then fade in the MIX with the expression pedal; externalize the envelope follower, i knew that it was far far far from a 1 trick pony.

And Ill never part with it.

EricK

Hi Erik, I also have the FB-107 and the EH Bassballs, how do You patch it when using it with bassguitar?
I did use my Bassballs with my Little Phatty and it was very neat sounding

All the best

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:36 pm

Man I just hooked it up keeping everything in the audio signals as the OSC CV output would need an envelope generator to cut the signal off.

Its interesting because with these 2, you have an osc and a filter with an envelope follower and suprisingly they both respond to the amplitude of the input signal very similarly.

It will make for a great great sweeping type of synth effect, but in my opinion this works better when the BB is NOT in overdrive and the pot is more to the 7 or 8 oclock position rather than overdriven and totally boosted.

I think though that I get bored rather quickly with the Bass Balls pedal. I have the USA version and I think the Russian version sounds funkier though.

It is capable of some great sounds but I think it woudl be better if it had more options like a regular filter pedal would. (Resonance, env cntr., etc)

It is a unique sound when used with the Freq Box, but I think for me, in low doses only lol.

Its a good pedal for what it does though.

Hope that helps.

EricK

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:41 pm

Oh,
with the Bass guitar, the synth, theremin or anything else, I usually keep it towards the end of the audio chain because its limited.

If I use the Ring Mod, I find that the LFO will continuously fire the BB and I wonder if the Moog stuff would burn that circuit out lolol.

I like the idea of being able to add it to another effect that Im using instead of having it come before my more desired effect.

I find that with synths (Well the micro because it only has attack and release envelope), even in the bass register it doesn't ellicit that great of a responce from the env follower because I can't get as dynamic with the sound as I could with a stringed instrument. (With a controllable decay and sustain it would probably be normal)

THe theremin is the best though because you can manipulate the envelope follower at will with the left hand volume ant. without changing the pitch or the articulation of the note.

Eric

tore · Post by **tore** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:10 pm

Great info EricK, I have also the U.S Bassballs and also get bored with it quite quickly..but with other pedals this (it) is cool

EricK · Post by **EricK** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:22 pm

hehe no problem! I coudl talk about gear all day long. You almost got me on my soapbox lol.

EricK

Bryan B · Post by **Bryan B** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:32 pm

I use my freqbox as an Voltage Control Oscillator (analog sound generator). I run control voltage in to the Freq in (allowing me to program the note pitches that it plays), then I run a gate signal (or a tweakable drum sound) through an attenuator on my CP-251 and into the audio input. This allows me to control the length of the notes it plays. Everything else I do with it changes every time that I experiment with it. I tend to use a lot of triggers from drum machines and LFO signals to destruct everything I am working on.

The Freq is a crazy beast, it takes a while to really tame it. Have fun with it.