[Harp-L] Re: Octavers, signal processors and amplified

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Roger Boyce wrote:
"Boss OC-2, Boss OC-3, EBS Octabass, MXR Blue Box, Electro Harmonix 
Octave Multiplexor...........what are Harp L listers' experience
with any or all of these octave pedals. I have read that Richard Hunter
and Lee Oskar both use Boss OC-2's. What do users of octivisers see as
the advantages and draw-backs of these signal processor. If none of them
are perfect for harmonica what sort of Frankenstein-fantasy-octaviser 
would best serve a harmonica player's purposes?"

I do use the Boss OC-2, which has a distinctive tone and character. Its
main limitations are 1) it only does one note at a time, and 2) it
doesn't track very well in the mid-to-high range.  I understand that
Jason Ricci uses one with the octave effects set to zero as a kind of
compressor.  

My favorite octave doubler for harmonica, by a mile, is the pitch
shifter in the Digitech RP series pedals.  It tracks chords as well as
single notes, it sounds great on both clean and distorted sounds, and on
my RP200 it can be put under footpedal control, so it can be faded in
and out at will.  On clean sounds it makes the harp sound like an
accordian; on distorted sounds it just makes it sound huge.  This effect
is almost worth the price of the RP-200 by itself.  (Note that it's
actually a full-function pitch shifter, not just an octave doubler, so
it can also be made to double at different intervals, e.g. an octave up
instead of down, or a fifth up or down.)  When you add in the other
effects the pedal serves up -- in particular the delays, amp models,
phaser, flanger, and auto-wah -- it's a very good deal indeed.  If I had
to choose one octave doubler for harp, the RP would be it.

You can hear the RP octave doubler fading quickly in and out under
footpedal control, like a sub-octave echo, in two of my recent free
pieces for subscribers, "Short" and "Sharp".  These are brief pieces for
solo electrified harmonica, so you can hear very clearly what the pedal
is doing.  Information on how to subscribe can be found at
hunterharp.com/freemus.html.    

Regards,
Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com