Anybody Use the Pitch Block to Detune Live?

badmagick

Inspired
We play a few different tunings and I was considering trying the pitch block to help with changing guitars. I think it sounds pretty good. A little lag if you drop a full step, but still sounds pretty good. At this point I think it would be more of getting used to how it feels rather than how it sounds. Just curious of others experience with this.
 
I am trying it in rehearsal for one song - U2 Vertigo; because our vocalist can’t get there - and it works ok. You have to have mix at 100 so no ‘dry’ non de-tuned tone gets through. If you are playing loud enough and don’t hear your actual strings (usually the case), it’s ok. Some people complain about lag, but for me on that song, it’s ok. Haven’t GIGed it yet ;-)
 
Yeah. Exactly...
I was trying the advanced whammy so I could just adjust the semitones for 1/2 or full step down. Set to 100%. I don’t believe there’s much that can be done about the lag especially at the lower notes. I may try it at practice as well and see what the guys think. Still, may take some getting used to on the feel...
 
Yeah. Exactly...
I was trying the advanced whammy so I could just adjust the semitones for 1/2 or full step down. Set to 100%. I don’t believe there’s much that can be done about the lag especially at the lower notes. I may try it at practice as well and see what the guys think. Still, may take some getting used to on the feel...
I used a control switch (CS1) to change between half step and one step down.
 
I used it sometimes for one song - Coldplay Yellow. Since there's an open B string as part of the main driven guitar riff, the easiest way was to detune everything but since it's only for one song I didn't want to bring an extra guitar. Works perfectly ok.
 
Use it all of the time... I have a love/hate relationship with it though..:confused:

Love.... Not having to bring yet another guitar.

Hate.... There is a 'warbling', especially when using vibrato (single notes and chords). I have work-arounds for the latency, But my biggest issue is the loss of 'coupling' between the guitar/pickups and the speakers.
 
Use it all of the time... I have a love/hate relationship with it though..:confused:

Love.... Not having to bring yet another guitar.

Hate.... There is a 'warbling', especially when using vibrato (single notes and chords). I have work-arounds for the latency, But my biggest issue is the loss of 'coupling' between the guitar/pickups and the speakers.

Same here. I use it for an occasional C- or A-tuning. I've tried to tune down a 2nd git but that's even worst if you don't change the string gauge to something like .013 at the same time. So I have to live with the bad tracking, the lag, and the unavailability of natural feedback.
 
I find it changes the whole “feel” of playing. Works great for the detune, almost as good as the Digitech Drop pedal, but it’s hard to get around how it changes the “feel”....if that makes sense. But it’s one less pedal I have to bring, And i don’t have to change a guitar. So for two songs a night, I can deal.
 
I use it for one tune. Just 1/2 step drop.
A little bit of latency, kinda metallic, but beats dropping my tuning below standard for one tune.
Had to work with the tracking to make it do what I wanted.
 
Use it live for 1/2 step down for kenny wayne sheppard or hendrix songs. Seems to work pretty well
but I do hear the occasional warble. Saves bringing another guitar.
 
I find it changes the whole “feel” of playing. .
There’s no way to avoid a change in feel when you use a pitch shifter. When you’re playing a low E and you’re not shifting the pitch, your monitor also plays a low E, and that gives you some nice sustain. But if you play that same low E through a pitch shifter, your monitor plays an Eb, and that doesn’t resonate with the E that you’re playing.
 
Hey there! I've been using it live for a couple of years and it's absolutely fine. Yes, there's the slightest difference in feel, but it's totally workable and saves having to lug an extra guitar along!
 
Use it for 3 songs live, tuned down 1/2 or 1 step. Increased the default tracking by 0.5 (don't remember the value, just the change :D) and it works. Compared to the Digitech Drop it takes longer to response to the first tone, than it is on par with the tracking speed and does not sound better or worse.
I am adding a small high boost as suggested by @Moke to comb with the loss of treble.
 
Thanks for all the insight! Cool to hear so many people using or have used it. Def worth a shot. I just set up a 1/2 and full step down preset to give a whirl. Hoping the artifacts will just be hidden in the mix.
 
Back
Top Bottom