Behringer Octave Divider

The Behringer Octave Divider is an analog octave-down pedal with a built-in ring modulator, an authentic recreation of the popular Octave Divider from the '70s made by Musitronics under the Mu-Tron name¹. It produces a sub-octave one octave below what you play, with its own MIX and TONE controls for blending the dry and sub-octave signal or shaping the tone while preserving dynamics and harmonics¹. On top of the sub-octave it carries a Ringer function, a ring modulator that adds harmonic emphasis on the upper tones and special multi-note effects¹.

Behringer released the pedal at the end of 2021²³, and Guitar World reported it as available now at launch, priced at $99³. Gearnews later listed it at $42.00 USD (£37.00 / 45.00€) as of February 2025⁴.

A sub-octave with a ring modulator

The pedal combines two circuits in one box. The first is the octave divider itself: a sub-octave effect with MIX and TONE controls, so you can blend your dry and sub-octave signal or shape the sub-octave's tone color¹⁷. The second is the Ringer, a ring modulator that Behringer says adds "just the right amount of harmonic emphasis on the upper tones" plus special multi-note effects¹.

The Ringer traces back to the Green Ringer, a ring modulator originally released by Dan Armstrong that was paired with the octave-down effect in the original Mu-Tron Octave Divider⁸⁹. Premier Guitar describes the Mu-FX reissue of that pedal as "an octave-down effect paired with the Green Ringer ring modulator originally released by Dan Armstrong"⁹, and the Behringer version carries the same pairing forward.

Behringer suggests the pedal for players who want to create jazzy riffs with a tight bassline underneath, add top-end sizzle for a guitar solo, or add funkiness to bass, keyboards and other instruments¹.

Controls

The BASS ONLY switch is the standout feature for creative use: it completely cuts out the dry signal, leaving only the sub-octave, so a guitar line can sit on top of a bassline you generate yourself¹⁶. Gearnews called it "a great feature, as it will completely cut out the dry signal leaving only the sub-octave"⁶.

The Stabilize switch helps improve note tracking, which is the practical concern with any analog octave divider: the circuit has to follow your notes cleanly, and stabilizing the tracking makes the sub-octave more reliable¹. The Mu-Tron and Mu-FX versions carry the same switch, where it improves tracking reliability for guitar and other plucked instruments¹⁰⁸.

Power and connections

The pedal runs on standard 9 to 12 volt DC power¹, drawing 300mA⁵. There is no battery option: the unit runs from an external power supply only⁶. That current draw is high for a single analog pedal, so it is worth planning for on a power supply with isolated outputs.

Connections are a jack instrument input plus Amp and Aux outputs³. The enclosure is metal, which Behringer describes as rugged and reliable, made to withstand the rigors of the road¹.

A clone of the Mu-Tron Octave Divider

Behringer presents the pedal as an authentic recreation of the popular Octave Divider from the '70s¹, and Guitar World found that "the control layout is in fact a like-for-like replica of the original Mu-Tron"³. The original was made by Musitronics, whose product pages describe it as a sophisticated accessory producing a sub-octave¹¹.

Mu-Tron itself has not welcomed the copy. Gearnews reported that Mu-Tron publicly stated the Behringer Octave Divider was a total copy of its Octavider design, and that Behringer had even used its copy to advertise the pedal². Mu-Tron's own current lineup includes the Mu-Tron Octave Divider, the Mu-Tron Octave Divider Vintage Silver, and the Mu-FX Octave Divider, a reissue by designer Mike Beigel's venture Mu-FX with modern updates¹⁰⁸⁹.

The original design has also echoed elsewhere in the pedal world: the Foxrox Electronics Octron Octave Divider includes an octave-down section based on classic Mu-Tron, OC-2 and Octaplus sounds of the past¹².

Gearnews' overall verdict on the Behringer version was positive for what it is⁶:

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