Behringer BM-17 Frequency Box

A "Frequency Box": Moog DNA revisited in pedal format

The concept of a Frequency Box is to go beyond a traditional "effect" and add an analog oscillator to your instrument. The pedal follows in the lineage of cult units from the 1990s, where the incoming signal is used to control (and sometimes abuse) a VCO to generate harmonics, beats, and behaviors close to a semi-modular synth. The result: a feel more like an "instrument" than a "simple distortion," ideal for those who love pedals that react like a synth under the fingers.

Who the BM-17 is for, and contexts where it shines

This pedal targets guitarists, bassists, and keyboardists who want to break away from classic overdrive/distortion patterns: synth leads, drones, acid basses, "sci-fi" effects, rhythmic sound effects, or industrial textures. In the studio, it excels at doubling a take (a "normal" line + a lightly dosed BM-17 line) to create an immediately recognizable sonic signature. Live, it becomes a true performance tool: you can evolve frequency and intensity with your foot, transforming a simple riff into an unstable rise, controlled glitch, or intentional harmonic feedback.

It suits both curious players (intermediate level) and seasoned musicians: the learning curve is simple, but the best results come when you embrace its "instrument to tame" side (right-hand attack, guitar volume, placement in the chain, interaction with compressor/fuzz/filter).

Controls, modulation, and connectivity: a pedal designed to be "played"

The heart of the circuit is the internal VCO, modulated by your signal via an envelope follower: the harder you play, the more the behavior changes, giving a very organic feel. The Blend control adjusts the mix between your original signal and the oscillator output: at low levels, you get a strange, harmonic thickening; at high levels, it shifts to a distinctly synth-like tone. The Range selector shifts the oscillator's frequency range, handy for moving from a deep rumble to sharp harmonics. The Drive sets the input gain: it affects bite, saturation, and how the envelope "locks onto" your playing.

Going further, the Frequency Box philosophy opens the door to sync behaviors (locking the VCO to the signal), FM (spectral complexity), and frequency and waveform settings that truly shift the pedal from guitar territory into synth territory. On the control side, the expression pedal/CV input allows foot-controlled sweeps and transitions, perfect for expressive phrases, "modular-like" rises, and real-time pitch/texture effects.

The sound

Expect a highly coloring pedal: it doesn't aim to preserve the "purity" of your sound, it aims to transform it. The tone is analog, edgy, sometimes abrasive, with dynamics strongly linked to touch: playing softly yields an almost subtle harmonic shimmer; playing hard (or increasing Drive) triggers dirtier saturation, behavior jumps, and textures like an oscillator "struggling" to lock in. It's precisely this unstable and musical character that makes it addictive for experimental ambient, alternative rock, industrial, electro, noise, but also for accents in more classical contexts.

The concept has attracted artists known for their sound design approach and hybrid rigs, including Deadmau5, Jordan Rudess, Mick Gordon, and Mark Bowen (IDLES) on reference pedals of this type.

Technical specifications

Effects	Distortion / Overdrive / Fuzz, Effects	Type	sector
Technology	Analog	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Black

Wide palette	from fuzz and aggressive textures to modular synth-like timbres	Audio outputs	Audio Out (6.35mm Jack), Mix (6.35mm Jack)
Blend	mix between input signal and oscillator output	Control outputs	Env Out (6.35mm Jack), Osc Out (6.35mm Jack)
Range	oscillator frequency range selection	Control inputs (expression/CV)	Freq, Wave, Env Amt, FM Amt (6.35mm Jack)
Drive	input gain adjustment	Dimensions	14.8 cm (width) x 19.7 cm (depth) x 8.6 cm (height)
Envelope	frequency modulation controlled by playing attack	Weight	1.1 kg
Additional controls	Output Level, Env Amount, FM Amount, Mix, Frequency, Waveform	Required power	9V DC, center negative
Switch	VCO Sync	Consumption	400 mA
Audio inputs	Audio In (6.35mm Jack)	Battery operation	no