Boss OC-5 Octave Settings Guide
The Boss OC-5 is a polyphonic octave pedal — unlike earlier Boss OC-2 and OC-3 pedals that track monophonically (one note at a time), the OC-5's Poly mode tracks chords and complex voicings with minimal latency. A dedicated Vintage mode reproduces the classic OC-2 analogue octave-below character favoured by Jack White and Tom Morello. Guitar Range mode optimises tracking for guitar frequencies as opposed to bass.
Used by: Jack White
The best Boss OC-5 Octave settings start with: Direct Level at 5/10, Oct 1 Level at 7/10, Oct 2 Level at 0/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Funk / Bass Sub: Direct Level 5/10, Oct 1 Level 8/10, Oct 2 Level 0/10.
⚡ Start Here — Recommended Settings
| Control | Starting Position | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Level | 5/10 | Silent → Loud |
| Oct 1 Level | 7/10 | Silent → Loud |
| Oct 2 Level | 0/10 | Silent → Loud |
These are universal starting points. Adjust based on your amp, guitar, and room. Scroll down for genre-specific settings and artist-documented positions.
What Each Control Does
Recommended Starting Settings
Safe starting positions for any style. Adjust from here based on your amp and room.
All values on a 0–10 scale. These are starting points — fine-tune by ear.
Settings by Genre
High Oct 1, moderate Direct — the classic bass-sub octave tone for funk and soul. One octave below played on the low strings produces a bass-like sub-frequency that fills out a guitar-only arrangement. Poly mode enables chord-strumming with the octave active.
Two octaves in Poly mode — the OC-5's thickest setting, adding depth and harmonic complexity. Direct Level 7 keeps the original note front of the mix; the octaves provide the harmonic bed.
Vintage mode, Oct 1 only, Direct off — the classic OC-2 analogue octave tone used by Jack White on Seven Nation Army and Tom Morello for synth-like bass lines. The Vintage mode produces the characteristic squelchy, slightly imprecise analogue tracking character that defines this sound.
A balanced Direct and Oct 1 level adds low-end weight to palm-muted riffing without fully replacing the fundamental note, useful as a subtle thickening effect rather than an obvious octave-below texture.
Balancing all three levels in Poly mode builds a dense, organ-like harmonic stack from sustained chords, useful as an ambient texture distinct from the bass-substitution use case.
Artist Settings
Documented settings used by professional guitarists on this unit.
White famously played the Seven Nation Army riff on guitar through an analogue octave pedal (the OC-5 Vintage mode reproduces the earlier OC-2 circuit he used) with Direct Level off and Oct 1 full, creating the instantly recognisable bass-like tone without an actual bass guitar.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- For the best OC-5 tracking in Poly mode, use the Guitar Range switch and attack the strings cleanly with a clear pick stroke. Sloppy fretting or string noise confuses the tracking algorithm and produces glitching. Single notes track better than chords for the deepest register.
- Vintage mode intentionally reproduces the squelchy, slightly imprecise tracking of the original OC-2 rather than the cleaner Poly mode tracking — a deliberate character choice, not a limitation, for players chasing that specific vintage octave tone.
- Direct Level at 0 sends only the octave-shifted signal, which is what creates a convincing standalone bass line rather than an obvious guitar-plus-octave layered effect — keep it there specifically when trying to imitate a bass part.
- Oct 2 Level (two octaves down, Poly mode only) is usable but tracks less cleanly than a single octave shift — reserve it for slower, simpler parts rather than fast riffing where tracking artifacts become more audible.
- This pedal works best placed early in the signal chain, before overdrive or distortion — running it after gain stages significantly degrades the tracking accuracy the polyphonic algorithm depends on.
FAQ
Boss OC-5 Octave — Common Questions
Best starting settings for Boss OC-5 Octave: Direct Level at 5/10, Oct 1 Level at 7/10, Oct 2 Level at 0/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.
For Funk / Bass Sub: Direct Level 5/10, Oct 1 Level 8/10, Oct 2 Level 0/10. High Oct 1, moderate Direct — the classic bass-sub octave tone for funk and soul. One octave below played on the low strings produces a bass-like sub-frequency that fills out a guitar-only arrangement. Poly mode enables chord-strumming with the octave active.
For Psychedelic Rock: Direct Level 7/10, Oct 1 Level 5/10, Oct 2 Level 3/10. Two octaves in Poly mode — the OC-5's thickest setting, adding depth and harmonic complexity. Direct Level 7 keeps the original note front of the mix; the octaves provide the harmonic bed.
Direct Level: Dry guitar signal level in the output mix. (Silent to Loud). Oct 1 Level: One octave below the input signal level. (Silent to Loud). Oct 2 Level: Two octaves below the input signal level (Poly mode only). (Silent to Loud). Range: In Vintage mode: controls which strings are tracked (low strings vs all strings). (Low to High)
For the best OC-5 tracking in Poly mode, use the Guitar Range switch and attack the strings cleanly with a clear pick stroke. Sloppy fretting or string noise confuses the tracking algorithm and produces glitching. Single notes track better than chords for the deepest register. Vintage mode intentionally reproduces the squelchy, slightly imprecise tracking of the original OC-2 rather than the cleaner Poly mode tracking — a deliberate character choice, not a limitation, for players chasing that specific vintage octave tone. Direct Level at 0 sends only the octave-shifted signal, which is what creates a convincing standalone bass line rather than an obvious guitar-plus-octave layered effect — keep it there specifically when trying to imitate a bass part. Oct 2 Level (two octaves down, Poly mode only) is usable but tracks less cleanly than a single octave shift — reserve it for slower, simpler parts rather than fast riffing where tracking artifacts become more audible. This pedal works best placed early in the signal chain, before overdrive or distortion — running it after gain stages significantly degrades the tracking accuracy the polyphonic algorithm depends on.
Jack White settings: Direct Level 0/10, Oct 1 Level 8/10, Oct 2 Level 0/10. White famously played the Seven Nation Army riff on guitar through an analogue octave pedal (the OC-5 Vintage mode reproduces the earlier OC-2 circuit he used) with Direct Level off and Oct 1 full, creating the instantly recognisable bass-like tone without an actual bass guitar.
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