The Moog Moogerfooger MF-105 MuRF, short for Multiple Resonance Array Filter, is an effects pedal in the filter category, built around a bank of eight resonant bandpass filters tuned to fixed frequencies. Those filters are switched on and off in patterns, producing the pulsing, animated filter movement the pedal is known for. Pedal of the Day reviewed it as part of its "Moog Week" series and confirmed the signal path is 100% analog1.
What the MuRF does
The MuRF sits in the broad filter family of effects, alongside wah pedals and envelope filters, though Pedal of the Day noted it resists easy classification. Its reviewer wrote1:
"A pedal like this is hard to categorize, like I said earlier, but it's even harder to explain what it sounds like1."
Mike B, Pedal of the Day1
The same reviewer described a big learning curve but a lot of fun overall1. The heart of the pedal is that bank of eight resonant bandpass filters, and the patterns that drive them are selected on the panel:
- Freq Switch: toggles between two banks of patterns, 12 bass patterns and 12 mid-range patterns1
- Tap Tempo input jack: for easy synching up with the rhythm of whatever song you happen to be playing1
Controls and connections
The back panel is extensive for a pedal. Expression pedal jacks control the Rate, Mix, Envelope and LFO/Speed functions, using a Moog EP-3 or a similar expression pedal1. Two output jacks allow stereo operation, which the reviewer called "awesome"1.
The MuRF sits in Moog's Filters category, a grouping one reviewer described as "super-generic and genre-jumping"1. It is a pedal that takes time to learn: the same review found it hard to categorize and even harder to explain what it sounds like, with a big learning curve but a lot of fun overall1.
The MF-105M MIDI MuRF
The MuRF is a pedal that resists easy summary. Pedal of the Day's reviewer put it plainly: "A pedal like this is hard to categorize, like I said earlier, but it's even harder to explain what it sounds like"1. Among the controls that help players get results quickly is a Tap Tempo input jack, for easy synching up with the rhythm of whatever song happens to be playing1.
After the Moogerfooger line
Whatever players make of the MuRF, it is a pedal that rewards patience. The reviewer's verdict was that it has a big learning curve but is a lot of fun overall1, and the Tap Tempo input jack makes it easier to synch up with the rhythm of a song as it plays1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
gearwire
edpoulsen9191
Questions
What does MuRF stand for?
MuRF stands for Multiple Resonance Array Filter. The name describes the pedal's core circuit: a bank of eight resonant bandpass filters tuned to fixed frequencies, whose levels are animated by patterns to create the pedal's characteristic moving, pulsing filter effects.
Is the Moog MuRF analog or digital?
The Moog MF-105 MuRF is 100% analog in its signal path, according to Pedal of the Day's review. The pattern engine that drives the filters is a separate matter, and the later MF-105M MIDI MuRF adds MIDI implementation and editable patterns on top of the same filter concept.
Does the Moog MuRF work in stereo?
Yes. The MF-105 MuRF has two output jacks, which Pedal of the Day notes let you run the pedal in stereo. That suits the MuRF's animated filter patterns particularly well, since the movement can be spread across two amplifiers or a stereo rig.
Can I control the MuRF with an expression pedal?
Yes. The back panel carries expression pedal jacks that control the Rate, Mix, Envelope and LFO/Speed functions. Moog specified its own EP-3 expression pedal, though a similar pedal can be used.
Does the Moog MuRF have MIDI?
The original MF-105 MuRF does not. The newer MF-105M MIDI MuRF, announced in 2009, combines the MuRF and Bass MuRF in one unit with 24 editable patterns and an extensive MIDI implementation, along with a pattern sequencer of up to 64-step patterns.
Is the Moog MuRF still made?
No. Moog discontinued the entire Moogerfooger line in 2018 after 20 years, with the last units built while parts and materials remained. Used units are the only route to an original, and Behringer has since released a budget version called the BM-15M Murf Box.
Sources (2)
- Moog Moogerfooger MF-105 MuRF, Pedal of the Day, 2015-12-17
- Moog Moogerfooger MF-105 MuRF (Multiple Resonance Array Filter), Pedal of the Day, 2015-12-07
