Moogerfooger is a generic name for a group of audio tools made by Moog Music. These are all real synth tools, with things like LFOs, filters, envelopes, and other synth stuff. Included in the lineup is the MF-101 Low-pass Filter, MF-102 Ring Modulator, MF-103 Phaser, MF-104z Analog Delay, and the MF-105 MuRF (Multiple Resonance Filter Array). Moogerfoogers can be used in a desktop environment, but they have been built into a (fairly large) high-quality stompbox enclosure so that they can be used on stage by guitarists and the like as well. All of the moogerfoogers are 100% analog for the analog purists in the crowd, and contain a startling array of controls for a guitar stombox. Moogerfoogers are available in either a 100v or 220v version.
MF-101 Low-Pass Filter
List Price: $279.00 US Dollars
Controls: The envelope section contains amount and mix knobs, and a smooth/fast switch. The filter section contains cutoff and resonance knobs, along with a two-pole/four-pole switch. The MF-101 has a single drive control.
Others: Line 6 Otto Filter.
My Highly Subjective Opinion: This is a very, very good low-pass filter. If you need a low-pass filter. Like any filter based effect though (at least for guitar) you need the expression pedal to really make it come alive.
Artists who use it: Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method.
MF-102 Ring Modulator
List Price: $289.00 US Dollars
Controls: The LFO section has amount and rate knobs, with a square wave/sine wave switch. The modulator portion contains mix and frequency knobs, and a lo/hi switch. There is a single drive control.
Others: DOD Gonkulator, Frostwave Blue Ringer.
My Highly Subjective Opinion: Ring modulation generally means squeally, harsh, and/or metallic sound. The DOD Gonkulator (popularized by Mike Einziger of Incubus) tends towards the harsh, squeally side. The Moog Ring Mod can do the harshest of harsh ring mods, but also get very smooth, even pleasant sounding metallic tones.
Artists who use it: Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method.
MF-103 Phaser
List Price: $339.00 US Dollars
Controls: The LFO section of the MF-103 has amount and rate knobs, and a lo/hi switch. The actual phaser section has sweep and resonance knobs, and a 6-stage/12-stage switch. There is a single drive control and one output level control.
Others:Boss PH-1, PH-2, PH-3, Digitech Hyper-Phase, Ibanez PH-7.
My Highly Subjective Opinion: It's an expensive, nice sounding phaser. *Shrug*
Artists who use it: ?
MF-104z Analog Delay
List Price: $729.00 US Dollars
Controls: The MF-104z control layout is a little different than other moogerfoogers. It has the same basic layout, but it's not divided up into the same sort of sections as the previous pedals. That said, there are knobs for delay time, mix, feedback, and loop gain. There is a short/long switch for the delay time, and an internal loop/external loop switch for the feedback control. There is then a single drive control and a single output level control.
Should be mentioned because it's a delay: The MF-104z has a delay range from slightly less than 50ms all the way up to slightly over 1000ms. Pretty impressive for an analog delay.
Others: Maxon AD-80, AD-999, Boss DM-2, DM-3, Ibanez DE-7 (Not really analog, but a very good simulation).
My Highly Subjective Opinion: Expensive. Amazing. On par with any other available analog delay, and even priced pretty reasonably, considering. Not too many other delays have jacks for expression pedals either, and that's the key to some of the most fun you can have with a guitar and a delay. Also very hard to find. Because neccesary chips are rare, only about 1000 were made.
Artists who use it: Stereolab, Air.
MF-105 MuRF Multiple Resonance Filter Array
List Price: $449.00 US Dollars
Controls: The MF-104z is sectioned differently, but the MF-105 has a radically different layout -- closer to a graphic EQ. It has 8 sliders to control each of the filters in the array. Above that is the animation section. The section has pattern, envelope, mix, and rate knobs. There is a single drive control and a single output control There is one "bank" switch that switches from (A)/(B/LFO).
Others: Alesis Philtre, Electro-harmonix Micro-synth.
My Highly Subjective Opinion: Sounds nice. I don't know very much about filters. It's got mojo just for being a Moog, I guess.
Artists who use it: ?
All of the moogerfoogers are some of the most versatile effects in their categories just because of the sheer number of controls and inputs each one offers.
Moogerfooger Accessories
There are couple very cool accessories available for all of the moogerfoogers. One is a rackmount kit, which lets you put up to three different moogerfoogers into a regular rack case. Available for $59.00 US Dollars.
Second is the FS-1 footswitch. It with a variety of functions on the Minimoog voyager, but for the purposes of the moogerfoogers, it opens up the ability to use tap tempo with the MuRF. Available for $39.00 US Dollars.
Then there is the expression pedal. All of the minimoogs have a variety of input and output jacks on the back. The expression pedal lets you control any of the knob-controlled parameters on any of the moogerfoogers with your foot. This is just like twisting the knob with your hand, but it's pretty hard to play a melody, bassline, and play with your moogerfooger all at once without it. Available for $40.00 US Dollars.
Finally, there is the Control Processor. Since all the moogerfoogers are basically tiny little synthesizers, the Control Processor is a patch bay that lets you hook them all up together and use them as one big modular synth. The Control Processor has its own LFO, noise-generator, sample and hold filter, and other synth essentials to make this possible. Very cool. Available for $369.00 US Dollars.
Moogerfooger is a very fun word, but it is a registered trademark of the Moog corporation. All prices are list price as of the time of this writing. Usually music gear sells for well below the list price, usually about 75% of it. More information, including user manuals, is available at http://www.moogmusic.com.
Editors' note: The Moogerfooger line was discontinued by Moog in 2018.