Re: [Harp-L] octave down

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Robert Hale wrote:
<I've enjoyed playing through processors for years, and currently using Korg
<Pandora PX4D. It does everything really well, but I'm not getting good
<tracking with one octave down.
<
<I've tried the usual adjustments of input level, and internal settings.
<Anyone have success with octave down for harp?

The Digitech RP devices track very well with every harp I've tried.  You can double a note at any interval up or down from a half step to two octaves, and you can mix the doubled note in at any level from barely audible to replacing the original pitch completely.  You can even use the rocker footpedal to change the interval of a double while you play--I have one patch that goes from a 5th up to a high octave under footpedal control, and several that go from an octave down to two octaves down. In one or two of my patches I use the footpedal to control the volume of the doubled note.  Anyway, there's a lot of flexibility there.  

The big advantage of the Electro Harmonix stuff is that they do multiple intervals at once, which you can't do with a single RP.  Of course, an RP will do a lot of other stuff too, but if you like the FX in the Pandora you may not need that stuff.  On the other hand, that other stuff can be very useful when you want the octave double with extra sauce.

You pay your money and take your chances.  You can hear samples of me playing through a Digitech RP355 with various low octave and double octave FX at the links below.  In some of these I use the doubled harp as a bass, in others I use it just to fatten things up.  It should be clear from these samples that the RP pitch shifter tracks very well:

http://www.hunterharp.com/pull-of-the-moon-july-20-2010/
http://www.hunterharp.com/from-the-alpine-wines-gig-you-wont-get-over-me/
http://www.hunterharp.com/electric-stuff-from-the-alpine/
http://www.hunterharp.com/two-more-pieces-from-the-alpine-wines-gig/

Regards, Richard Hunter

author, "Jazz Harp" 
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