Moog MF-105M MIDI MuRF

The Moog MF-105M MIDI MuRF is a filter pedal from Moog's Moogerfooger line, released in 2009. It is a filter sequencer: a bank of eight resonant filters whose volumes are switched on and off in rhythm by an internal pattern generator, producing animated, stepped filter effects that Vintage Synth Explorer describes as everything from "morphing drones, stuttering lead lines, filtering drum patterns, or space age sequences"¹.

What sets the MF-105M apart from the earlier MuRF pedals is control. All audio processing is 100% analog, but its parameters can be driven from MIDI, expression pedals or CV-compatible instruments, and its pattern rate can sync to MIDI Clock¹. It was the third pedal in the MuRF series, shown at NAMM in July 2009¹.

An eight-band resonant filter sequencer

The core of the pedal is a bank of eight resonant band-pass filters tuned to fixed frequencies. On top of that sits the Animation section: an eight-channel sequencer with one channel for each filter. Patterns trigger an envelope generator that shapes the volume of each filter, so a pattern is really a rhythmic map of which bands speak and when³. The sequencer supports patterns up to 64 steps long¹.

Because the filters are tuned to fixed frequencies, the effect is less like a sweeping wah and more like a rhythmic equalizer that pulses in time. Vintage Synth Explorer classifies the unit as monophonic and one part multitimbral, with no oscillators of its own; it processes whatever audio you feed it¹.

Mids and Bass modes

The MF-105M's headline feature over its predecessors is a switch between two frequency band sets, so you can animate the range that suits your instrument¹.

Frequencies from Vintage Synth Explorer¹.

In Mids mode all eight bands act as resonant filters spanning 200 Hz to 3400 Hz, a range Premier Guitar found useful not only for guitar but for synthesizers and voice, since any instrument with a strong midrange benefits from the mode's rich harmonics³. In Bass mode the first filter becomes a low-pass with a cutoff at 110 Hz, letting bass players reach lower frequencies, while the other seven bands run from 160 Hz to 1800 Hz³.

Bass mode is not reserved for bass. Premier Guitar's reviewer noted that guitarists can use it as well, especially those who downtune, because it leaves higher notes less colored by the effect³.

The controls

The front panel keeps things compact. Premier Guitar's review walks through what each control does³:

The Envelope control repays a closer look. At 12 o'clock the attack is sharp with a smooth decay; turning counterclockwise shortens the decay and makes notes choppier, while turning clockwise past noon makes the filters crossfade into one another³. Premier Guitar noted this single-knob approach differs from the usual four-slider attack, decay, sustain, release layout, but found it made adjusting the envelope easier and more intuitive³.

Rate can be set three ways: by the knob, by an expression pedal, or with Tap Tempo⁴.

Patterns and the Pattern Editor

There are 12 patterns for each frequency mode. Premier Guitar reports that patterns 1 and 12 are fixed, with pattern 1 giving you just the filters with no animation, and that patterns can be overwritten using Moog's Pattern Editor software³. Vintage Synth Explorer lists the 12 patterns per mode as user editable³.

Moog shipped the Pattern Editor as a free Mac/PC download that lets you draw custom patterns and transfer them to the pedal¹. Premier Guitar's reviewer found a learning curve on first use, but after reading the PDF manual included with the download was able to quickly create and save sequences³.

Power and connections: MIDI, CV and stereo outputs

The back panel carries MIDI In, Audio In, and Audio Left/Mono and Right outputs for stereo operation, plus an array of CV inputs including Tap/Step (for tempo input), LFO/Sweep, Rate, Mix and Envelope³. Control sources listed by Vintage Synth Explorer are MIDI in, tap/step in, and CV for Rate, Mix, Envelope and LFO/Sweep¹.

The MIDI implementation is what puts the M in MF-105M: the pedal can sync to MIDI Clock, so its patterns lock to a sequencer or drum machine's tempo rather than being tapped in by hand⁵⁶. Like all Moogerfoogers, Moog described the enclosure as built like a tank for touring and studio use⁴.

History: the MuRF and Bass MuRF combined

The MF-105M is a combination of the MF-105 MuRF and the MF-105B Bass MuRF, both designed by Bob Moog, merged into one unit⁷¹. It combines the features of its two predecessors¹. It was produced in 2009¹, and it joined the Moogerfooger family as the latest addition to the line².

The earlier MF-105 MuRF was itself 100% analog with the same eight fixed band-pass filters at its heart and a 24-pattern Animation sequencer, plus two output jacks for stereo⁸.

What reviewers said

Premier Guitar's review found the pedal "can seem daunting at first, especially with all the MIDI features," but credited the manual as "well written and easy to follow," saying it helped a lot when learning the features³. On value, the reviewer's verdict was blunt: if sequencing is not your thing, "it's pricey for just straight-ahead filtering" at a $459 street price³.

Vintage Synth Explorer carries a February 2013 review by GuyaGuy¹. Writing about the earlier MF-105 MuRF during Moog Week, Pedal of the Day's Mike B praised "the very unique and extremely expressive sounds" the filter bank and Animation module produce together⁸.

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