The Stomp Audio Octopus is a monophonic analog octave pedal from Stomp Audio Labs, unveiled in December 2016. It produces lower and higher octaves from a single note using an analog circuit, with one volume control for each octave and a mix control that blends the clean signal with the complete octaved signal1. Premier Guitar's reviewer later summed up its overall character as sounding "fatter and more natural than most digital octave pedals and more interesting than a lot of more pedestrian analog" octave effects2.
What it does to your sound
Because the circuit is analog, the two octave voices have distinct characters. Premier Guitar's press release described the octave-down as "a strong, full-bodied bass as the octave-up is a sharp treble"1. The pedal tracks one note at a time, which matters most on the lower octave: play single lines rather than chords for the tightest response1.
Controls and modes
The Octopus gives each octave its own level control, plus a mix of the clean signal with the full octaved signal1. On top of that, small buttons adjacent to each octave level knob engage dedicated fuzz circuits, one for each octave2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Octave-down volume | Sets the level of the lower octave1 |
| Octave-up volume | Sets the level of the upper octave1 |
| Mix | Blends the clean signal with the complete octaved signal1 |
| Octave-down button | Engages Synth mode1 |
| Octave-up button | Engages Fuzz mode1 |
The two buttons do very different things:
- Synth mode (octave-down): turns the octaved signal into a square wave that is super compressed and full of harmonics. Premier Guitar described the tone as "ranging from a crazy fuzz to an 8-bit video game from the '90s"1.
- Fuzz mode (octave-up): adds a lot of gain to the drive, turning that octave into an octafuzz-style sound1.
The reviewer at Premier Guitar found the sub-octave fuzz particularly characterful, writing that it "utilizes a square wave that evokes gooey analog synth output"2.
How it compares
The Octopus sits in a crowded field of octave and pitch pedals. A similarly named but unrelated pedal, the CNZ Audio SOC-10 Octopus, also offers upper and lower octave modes with their own volume controls and a BOTH mode that blends the high and low octave circuits together3. CNZ's version uses a toggle switch for low, high and both octaves, and its top and bottom switch positions each encompass two octaves, so the Both position gives four octaves when both level knobs are turned up4. For a wider look at the category, see Octave & Pitch Pedals.
Videos
Sean Gibson
Questions
Is the Stomp Audio Octopus analog?
Yes. Premier Guitar's press release described the Octopus as a monophonic octave pedal that uses an analog circuit to produce lower and higher octaves, and the publication's later review called it Stomp Audio Labs' all-analog Octopus. The reviewer found it sounded fatter and more natural than most digital octave pedals.
What does Synth mode do on the Stomp Audio Octopus?
Synth mode is engaged by a button on the octave-down side. When pressed, the octaved signal becomes a square wave, super compressed and full of harmonics. Premier Guitar described the resulting tone as ranging from a crazy fuzz to an 8-bit video game from the '90s.
Does the Octopus track chords?
No. The Octopus is monophonic, meaning it traces one note at a time, which Premier Guitar noted is especially true when using the lower octave. Play single lines for the cleanest tracking.
Who makes the Stomp Audio Octopus?
The Octopus is made by Stomp Audio Labs, a maker Premier Guitar covered when the pedal was unveiled in December 2016 and reviewed in 2023. The maker's website is stompaudio.com.br.
Can the Octopus add an octave up and an octave down together?
Yes. There is one volume control for each octave plus a mix of the clean signal with the complete octaved signal, so the octave-up and octave-down voices can sound together with the dry guitar.
Sources (4)
- Stomp Audio Unveils the Octopus Octaver, Premier Guitar, 2016-12-15
- Stomp Audio Labs Octopus Review, Premier Guitar, 2017-06-13
- CNZ Audio SOC-10 Octopus Octave, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2020-03-03
- SOC-10 | Octopus Octave Pedal | CNZ Audio, CNZ Audio
