Moogerfooger type projects?

[ragtime8922]

Does anyone know of any projects that get the kind of tones that the moogerfooger line produces? I was just at their site listening to there sound samples and it is awesome.

[Mark Hammer]

One of the things to understand is that many of the differences between synth-type and rackmount-type effects, of the sort that Moogerfooger makes, and the sorts of things that have typically shown up in floor pedals, are often that of degree.  So, many swept filter pedals are at most 2-pole, where synth/Moog are generally 4-pole.  Many traditional phaser pedals are 2-6 stages where Moog's old stage phaser was 12 stages.

That's obviously an oversimplification, but it bears noting that guitar-pedal manufacturers (in the analog world) have had a tradition of shaving off this feature and that from what was techically possible in an effort to make something that would: a) fit in a small box, b) not need too many parts/pots/knobs/switches, c) not absolutely require either 2 batteries or a wallwart for use, d) be dead easy to use and NEVER get a bad sound at any control combination, and e) be dead easy to explain and market to the typical music store client.   I don't mean for that to be condescending.  It is simply an economic reality when you're a bigger manufacturer, whether one is talking about pedals, cars, digital cameras, or blenders.  Should one  decide to take on that corner of the market that is a little more curious about what *can* be done, is more tolerant of the unexpected, more tolerant of any learning requirements, has a bit more money to spend, and so on, the manufacturer has the choice to put back in "all that stuff" that could have been there in the first place.  

And that is more or less what Moogerfooger have done, as have a number of other makers.  You'd be surprised how radical a lot of "simple" effects can sound if the the basic elements are hiked up a little in complexity.