The Mr. Black Mini Octaves is a miniature polyphonic octave generator from Mr. Black, designed and hand-built in Portland, USA1. In a pedal the size of Mr. Black's other mini pedals, such as the Mini Reverb, it delivers one octave above and one octave below your original signal, with three knobs to blend the voices23. It was available at launch for $99 from Mr Black Pedals2.
What it does to your signal
Mr. Black describes the Mini Octaves as a super-small polyphonic pitch-transposer designed to deliver one octave above and one octave below the root3. Polyphonic means the pedal tracks each note in what you play separately, rather than following only a single note. The maker's copy states that precise engineering and thorough signal processing allow complex chords and even distorted signals to be handled with ease3.
On top of the octave voices, the pedal adds a subtle vibrato on the processed signal, which gives it a little movement1. Your dry signal on the Root knob is unaffected by that.
The three voice controls
Three simple controls let you dial in the original voice plus the two octave voices3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Root | Your original signal1 |
| Upper | Controls the higher octave1 |
| Sub | Controls the lower octave1 |
Each knob works the same way: at 12 o'clock the pedal is set up to give unity gain for that voice, turned fully clockwise it adds +3 dB, and turned fully counter-clockwise it cuts the signal completely, so you can mix and blend the octave effects to taste13.
The Mini Octaves runs on an external 9V DC negative tip supply and draws 60mA13. There is no battery option mentioned, so it needs a powered supply rather than running passive.
Where it came from
The Mini Octaves is Mr. Black's take on the octave effect in a small-format pedal: RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as a super-small polyphonic pitch-transposer designed to deliver one octave above and one octave below the root3. According to Mr. Black, precise engineering and thorough signal processing allow complex chords and even distorted signals to be handled with ease3. Each voice control is scaled so that high-noon delivers unity gain of the voice, while full counterclockwise rotation yields -∞dB and full clockwise rotation doles out +3dB independently3.
On the design side, Mr. Black's own copy for the Mini Octaves points to careful construction: RockBoard's PedalPedia states that "Precise engineering and thorough signal processing allow complex chords and even distorted signals to be handled with ease!"3. The same maker copy describes the pedal as a super-small polyphonic pitch-transposer, built to deliver one octave above and one octave below the root3.
What reviewers said
Coverage of the launch was brief but consistent. Guitar World reported the pedal as available for $992, and gearnews.com's Jef highlighted the polyphonic tracking and the unity-gain setup of the voice knobs1. RockBoard's PedalPedia page carries a demo video by Jay Leonard Jay for players who want to hear the voices blended3.
Videos
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Guitar Pedal Demos
Guitar Pedal Demos
News
Questions
Is the Mr. Black Mini Octaves analog?
RockBoard's PedalPedia listing for the Mini Octaves gives its circuit type as analog. That said, the pedal is described by its maker and by press coverage as a polyphonic pitch transposer, which is the kind of tracking job usually associated with digital processing, so players who care about the conversion path should weigh the listing against the pedal's described behavior.
Does the Mini Octaves handle chords?
Yes. Mr. Black describes the Mini Octaves as a polyphonic pitch transposer, and the maker's product copy states that precise engineering and thorough signal processing allow complex chords and even distorted signals to be handled with ease. Polyphonic tracking means each note in a chord is shifted individually rather than the pedal following only the lowest or loudest note.
What power does the Mini Octaves need?
The Mini Octaves runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 60mA according to RockBoard's PedalPedia listing. Press coverage at launch likewise described it as running from an external 9-volt negative tip power supply. There is no mention of battery operation, so plan on a pedalboard power supply with enough current headroom.
Where is Mr. Black gear made?
Mr. Black pedals are designed and hand-built in Portland, Oregon. The maker's product copy says they are handmade using premium parts, and press coverage has described the company as building its mini pedals by hand in the US without outsourcing.
Does the Mini Octaves add vibrato?
Yes, on the processed signal. gearnews.com's coverage of the launch notes that the Octaves applies a subtle vibrato to the shifted voices, which gives them a little movement. The Root knob carries your original signal, so the vibrato applies to the octave voices rather than your dry tone.
Sources (3)
- Mr Black Mini Octaves: A miniature polyphonic octave generator pedal, gearnews.com, 2019-08-13
- Mr Black shifts expectations with Mini Octaves pedal, Guitar World, 2019-08-12
- Mini Octaves by Mr. Black, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
