Conference napalm::guitar

    The older units were all based on Analog technology. 
    Digital pitch shifter/delays basically do the same thing, 
    with much better sound quality. I tried a Boss Pitch shifter/
    delay stomp box a few weeks ago, but decided not to get one
    like it. The reason I didn't like it was because the shift
    is controled by a pot and the slightest touch sends the
    unit out of tune with the instrument. Rack mount units
    with programmable shift are much more stable. No pots to
    turn, and less chance of knocking them out of synch.
    
    Pitch shifters are basically the same as "harmonizers". The
    ultamate harmonizors are made by Eventide and cost thousands.
    The Digitech smart shifter (IPS33) is an inexpensive alternative 
    to an Eventide. Some of the multi-effects units from A.R.T. etc.
    are including pitch shift (limited, but useable). I tried an
    A.R.T. multiverb and was quite impressed with the pitch shift.
    It is easy to get the interval you want, and it tracks well
    with your instrument. 
    
    There are quite a few notes in this conf. already about pitch
    shifters, harmonizers, etc.  I will post the note numbers if
    I have time to look for them later. In the mean time, you might
    try dir/title="living in perfect harmony", or dir/title="Digitech
    IPS33"
    
    Later,
    Mark
    

    One way to tidy up the output from an octave box is to stick a
    compressor (eg.BOSS CS3 Compressor Sustainer)in series with it.
    Compression is pretty essential when using octave boxes with
    any sort of distortion,and they also add class to the distortion
    effect on its own

I have a BOSS Octive box & I can tell you that if your waveform is too
complex, the signal becomes a total mess. It does work (in a manner) for
vocals, it does work (as the design intent) for single notes played at
a time on a six string guitar (not very well on a Bass, but then, why do
you want an octave or 2 lower on a Bass), and very poorly on most patches
from my synth gear. 

It doesn't work on complex waveforms, so more than 1 voice, 1 guitar 
string or anything too complicated is out of the question. 

I use mine to simulate an 8 string Bass guitar, using my 6 string as
input, and for an occasional guitar solo, just to make things sound a
bit different.

I'd love to have a pitch transposer, I think that's what you might be 
interested in also.

								Jens

    I built the "roctave divider" circuit designed by Craig Anderton
    and published in "Guitar Player" magazine.  It's strictly an analog
    approach, but it has a built in compressor that seems to make it
    track *reasonably* well.  The trick seems to be adjusting your playing
    style to its requirements.  WIth guitar, I find that I get decent
    results by turning the tone controls all the way down, and picking
    with my thumb (to avoid the abrupt attack that a pick produces).
    
    					joe

re: .4


	Joe,

	What issue of guitar player was this in?  How much of your time
and money was involved in the construction?


						Brad

my 2 cents-buy the boss pitch shift delay-in january mine cost $98.00
    and tracks well enough even on bass and you can set any interval
    between -1 octave to +1 octave and hook up a tuner to a special
    input
    it works best w/the bridge p/u on the bass.
    talk to ya later!
    -bill
    

	Thanks all for the advice.  I ended up picking up one of the octave 
pedals for a decent price.  While it seems to have trouble on a couple of notes 
on my guitar, overall it does what I want it to.  It seems to work better when 
you adjust your playing style accordingly.  For instance, you can't let notes
ring out while another plays - this confuses the tracking detection circuitry 
and just produces garbage.  It definately does well when doing quicker runs 
(though I don't know how fast it could track - I don't play at lightening 
speeds).  I used it last weekend in a blue-grass trio I used to perform bass 
with and it held the bottom together just fine.  I'm going to keep my eyes open 
for a used pitch-shifter, though.  I could use it for both the bass shifting and
for its delay (which I don't currently have).  BTW, how many 'ms' does the delay
function on it support?

	Dan

    re [.5] 
    	I'll take a look & see if I can locate it - it was quite old
    though, maybe '86 or so.  I'd have to guess that it cose me about
    fifteen bucks or so, but I had a lot of resisters, capacitors, etc
    laying around in my parts box.  It uses an NE370 (I think) compander,
    which was the only part that was a bit difficult to find - I tracked
    one down in Somerville for under $4.00.  I built the unit on a PC
    board, and I'd estimate that it took maybe 3 - 4 hours all told.
    
    						joe