Moog resurrects Moogerfooger effects as a collection of digital plugins

Moogerfoogers are amongst among the most wanted results pedals on the market. They have been initially launched in 1998 and have been in some ways direct descendants of among the . They have been in 2018, however even throughout their lifespan they might be troublesome to come up with because of restricted manufacturing. Due to this they command fairly the premium on the used market, with the MF-104 Analog Delay generally fetching north of $1,500.
However simply 4 years after pulling the plug, Moog is bringing the household again to life, simply as a collection of plugins that digitally recreate the unique pedals. All seven – the MF-101S Lowpass Filter, MF-102S Ring Modulator, MF-103S 12-Stage Phaser, MF-104S Analog Delay, MF-105S MuRF, MF-107S FreqBox, and MF-108S Cluster Flux – can be found as a part of a single assortment for $249. Although, Moog is providing the bundle at an introductory worth of $149, which isn’t a nasty deal.
I’ve had a number of days to play with them at this level, and typically I’m fairly impressed. However I do wish to be clear that I’ve by no means had the pleasure of taking part in any of the unique pedals. I can’t inform you how convincingly the plugin model of Cluster Flux recreates the actual deal. I can solely inform you that, as plugins, they’re fairly strong.

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The MF-104S Delay is an apparent standout. It fairly convincingly recreates the sound of an analog BBD (bucket brigade delay). It, like all the remainder of the plugins has a UI that recreates the look of its bodily counterpart. There’s footswitches on the backside, plus an array of knobs and switches throughout the face for altering parameters. You can too click on the CV button to show digital inputs that may usually be used to hook up with different modular gear. Right here they expose methods in your DAW or different plugins to regulate the Moogerfooger for some really on the market sounds.
This potential to be managed by, or management different gear has all the time been a promoting level of the Moogerfoogers. As has their builtin LFOs. With the ability to modulate parameters simply allowed them to make sounds that different results pedals actually couldn’t. However on the earth of audio plugins, it’s fairly commonplace. Moog makes it simpler than some others, the place you may need to manually map the controls you wish to automate. However it’s not likely an enormous differentiator.
Like many of the plugins, the MF-104 can do refined, such because the preset named for Mort Garson’s traditional album, however actually excels on the weirder finish of the spectrum. Continuously shifting delay instances, cranking the drive, or utilizing the LFO to slowly increase the suggestions stage till you get a crescendo of noise after which sharply pulling it again down create the type of textures that different results would possibly battle to conjure with out some outdoors assist.
The MF-105S MuRF is one other spotlight. It’s onerous to explain precisely what it does, however it’s mainly a financial institution of resonant filters which you can management utilizing an onboard sample generator. This could create phasing or flanging sort results, or a type of complicated wah, or perhaps a tremolo. There’s few issues on the earth fairly prefer it. It could possibly even flip one thing easy and melodic into a pointy rhythm monitor.
The 107-FreqBox might be the lowlight of the gathering for me. It’s a group of synced oscillators with FM modulation. It does harsh, chilly and peculiar comparatively nicely. However I discovered many of the manufacturing unit presets to be nearly unusable. A lot of the impact depends on distorted and overdriven sounds, and that’s an space that I believe Moog might drastically enhance right here throughout the board.
Lastly, it’s price speaking about MF-101 Low Cross Filter and MF-108 Cluster Flux. (The phaser and ring modulator are wonderful, however roughly simply do what it says on the field.) The low move filter is a strong recreation of the that makes a Moog synth sound like a Moog synth. Besides right here it’s straightforward to use to guitar, bass and even vocals. The Cluster Flux is a flanger, a refrain and a vibrato multi function. It could possibly cowl all the things from lo-fi tape warbles, to thick 80s refrain for that goth child drowning in his personal tears vibe.
The can be found now and are available AUv2, VST3, and AAX codecs, so that they’ll work whether or not you’re utilizing GarageBand in your MacBook or ProTools in your Home windows PC.
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