

I love octave pedals. Aside from my tuner, the octave is the only pedal I’ll bring to every gig. For bass players, octave pedals can dramatically change the energy and sound of a band with the click of a button. I have come to learn that each octave pedal has its own character and strengths. The Aguilar Octamizer is built like a tank and has unique filter and tone options. The MXR Octave Deluxe has punchy tone controls to shape the analog octave sound. For glitchy, synthy sub bass, the legendary Boss OC2 is my go-to.

This post is about the best and most versatile octave pedal you can buy, the Electro Harmonix POG2.

What is the POG2?

POG stands for Polyphonic Octave Generator. Polyphonic means this pedal can track and process more than one note at a time. It won’t glitch out when you play a chord. The POG has 5 octave sliders. Dry signal, -2 octaves, -1 octave, +1 octave and +2 octaves. From one note on your bass, the POG2 can produce a spectrum of sound 5 octaves wide.

On the right side of the pedal are the effects sliders. In addition to the octave effects, the POG2 gives you tonal options to shape the sound. The attack slider delays the attack of your higher octaves allowing you to sustain a note while swelling in shimmering high octaves. Next is a low pass filter control. This rolls off high end. I find this useful for reducing sharp tinniness from the high octaves. Last is a detune slider which produces a chorus-like effect.

The two buttons in the center of the pedal give you further control of your sound. The first is called Dry FX. This controls which of the effect sliders are applied to the dry signal from your instrument. The second button, Q, affects the response of the low pass filter, giving you even more variations on your octave sounds.

The white knob and numbered LEDs on the right side of the pedal are your saved presets, a valuable feature for a pedal this complex.

The bottom left button cycles through presets, and the right button turns the pedal on and off.



My History with the POG

In 2014 I tried the POG2 at a local music store. I sat with it for 30 minutes and I was blown away by the types of sounds I was getting from a bass. Rich organ tones, swelling choral drones, rumbling raw sub growl, and so much more. I loved the musicality of the POG2 but the price tag deterred me. After some internal debate, I opted for the simpler Micro POG instead.

The Micro POG is a stripped down version of the POG2. This pedal has controls for dry signal, -1 octave and +1 octave. I got a lot of use out of the MicroPOG and I discovered a great tone that I would later use on the POG2. By turning off the dry signal and boosting the -1 octave and the +1 octave I was able to produce a synthy high octave tone that kept the bass from dropping off during a solo.

After a few months with the MicroPOG, I decided to sell it and buy the POG2. I felt that I had exhausted the options on the Micro and I was ready to experiment with the full thing.





The POG2

My primary use for the POG2 is the lower octaves. Sub octaves are great for thick funk tone, growly sub bass sound, and to add a lot of energy and depth to the overall sound of the band. I use the higher octaves for solos (sparingly), and occasionally for sections of tunes that call for strange sounds.

As a low octave pedal, the POG2 shines. The touch is incredibly responsive and latency is a non issue. The sub bass tones are crispy and tight. Unlike the OC2, the POG2 tracks as far down as a low G before glitching out. This means that when playing through subwoofers, the POG2 can rumble the entire club.

Here’s my demo of the low octave sounds from the POG2:



The higher octaves on the POG2 create a dramatic solo tone on the bass. My most used setting for this sound is dry and +1 octave set at about 70% with the low pass filter halfway down. Simple, but the added +1 octave gives my bass a ton of sustain and character. Even adding a small amount of +1 octave lets the bass cut through the mix in a big way. For this reason, I use the POG2 to play solos when I do not want the band to drop in volume. The drums can keep the energy up, the guitars and keys do not need to stop comping. Like bass solos, the high octaves of the POG2 are nice in small doses. This pedal can produce so much sound that to use it without discretion can quickly get overwhelming for an audience. For tips on how to create good bass solo tone, check out my post on it here: 5 Tips for Improving Bass Solo Tone

Here’s a demo of the high octave solo tone using the settings described above.



The POG2 is the best octave pedal I’ve ever used and I recommend it to anyone interested in experimenting with octave sounds on the bass. The programmable presets, the tone shaping, and its precise tracking make it one of the most musical pedals I’ve ever used. If you’re a bass player who likes to solo, this pedal adds an entirely new dimension to your palette of sounds. If you ever wanted to sustain and cut through the mix during a bass solo, the POG2 is for you. Even if you never touch the high octaves, the number of tonal options to shape your sub bass sound in combination with the savable presets puts the POG2 well above the competition.

ElectroHarmonix POG2 – 10/10





About me: I’m a professional bass player, composer, and teacher from Brooklyn, New York. For fun I like to write, read, and take pictures. Check out what I’m up to here:

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