How to get 2 PITCH BLOCKs (mono) from FM9 / FM3...

[BobXX]

I am always looking to find the way to get from the FM9 beast 2 PITCH Blocks (see my wish1 wish2...), IMHO absolutely needed by mostly all modern guitarists:

• 1 Virtual Capo/Octaver before the distortion
• 1 Harmonizer after the distortion

[ Edited 22/09/2025 following suggestions from mr_fender ]

Here an idea of compromise to split the stereo FM9/FM3 Pitch Block in to two independent separate mono ones, placed in different points of the sound chain.

It hasn't the quality I need, however, maybe somebody will enjoy it...

I will appreciate contributions to eventually improve it.



PITCH block is set:
TYPE: Quad Chromatic mode (it seems the only one working)
Input Mode: Stereo
Detection Source: Block In (Input1 doesn't work properly)
Pitch Tracking: Chords
Mix: 100% (dry signal is routed outside)

• VOICE1 is the "Virtual Capo/Octaver..." -24/+24 semitones, before the AMP (obviously not of the same quality of Virtual Capo...)
• VOICE3 is forcibly unused because it follows Left channel (see mr_fender contribute later here )

• VOICE 2 is its first harmonized voice after the AMP
• VOICE 4 is its second harmonized voice after the AMP:

Dry signal after AMP is connected by the shunt external below the Pitch block (see preset grid picture)



The mixer block drives ROW1 (clean) into PITCH's left channel,
and ROW3 to the PITCH's right channel:



Instead of the mixer you can directly pan left (row1) and right (row2) the relative blocks connected to the PITCH input.

the upper VOLPAN after the PITCH routes the clean sound (Left Only setting) and centers it for the AMP
the lower VOLPAN after the PITCH routes distorted sound (Right Only setting) after the AMP, and centers it for the rest of the processing:







The two "half" PITCH block, cannot obviously turned on and off independently from the Block on/off.
But it's easy to use the 4 channels different settings to obtain all 4 ON-ON ON-OFF OFF-ON OFF-OFF combinations...
and eventually using controllers pointing Shift and Level and so on.

Please find enclosed this preset.
maybe somebody finds it useful, unfortunately not my case, please comment any improvement you may invent !

I also tryed the Diatonic Type getting crazy and unmanageable results probably because of feedbacks of harmonized sounds,
see the other enclosed preset that sounds like "Tangerine Dream" sounds...
If anyone can master this crazy horse...

 

[BROCKSTAR]

Can also use the synth block for an awesome monophonic octave / harmonizer block!

See my post here - https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...ocks-thread-multi-model-edition.177536/page-4

 

[mr_fender]

The mixer block is not needed if you pan the output of the PEQ blocks you have there. When in stereo input mode, voices 1 and 3 are fed by the left channel and voices 2 and 4 are fed by the right channel. Make sure those voices are hard panned to match (1 and 3 hard left, 2 and 4 hard right) to maintain full separation.



The blocks guide does not appear to specify for the Diatonic modes, so I'm not certain if it applies to those or not, but I would expect it to be the same. Keep in mind also that the Diatonic shifter is monophonic while the Chromatic modes are polyphonic. The detector would operate in the same mode for both channels.

Are you trying to use both routes simultaneously? If not, the panning would not even be necessary and you could use similar methods to dynamically change the routing before or after the amp block. @Moke's GOT holiday presets included a similar method for that. Search for Moke's magical moving pitch block to find his take on this as well.

 

[BobXX]

The mixer block is not needed if you pan the output of the PEQ blocks you have there. When in stereo input mode, voices 1 and 3 are fed by the left channel and voices 2 and 4 are fed by the right channel. Make sure those voices are hard panned to match (1 and 3 hard left, 2 and 4 hard right) to maintain full separation.

View attachment 159859 View attachment 159860

The blocks guide does not appear to specify for the Diatonic modes, so I'm not certain if it applies to those or not, but I would expect it to be the same. Keep in mind also that the Diatonic shifter is monophonic while the Chromatic modes are polyphonic. The detector would operate in the same mode for both channels.

Are you trying to use both routes simultaneously? If not, the panning would not even be necessary and you could use similar methods to dynamically change the routing before or after the amp block. @Moke's GOT holiday presets included a similar method for that. Search for Moke's magical moving pitch block to find his take on this as well.

Thank you very much for your contributions and your time, I now understand the "strange" behavour of VOICE 3 !!

I consequently edited my post:

• avoid using VOICE 3
• I stupidly got the AMP DRY signal using a unison voice of the harmonizer ==> better to drive it with an external shunt and avoid double processing for it
• I've removed the PEQs, I added them later but they aren't helpful to understand the trick

It's rather strange that if I set Input Detection to “Input1,” the chromatic tuning is incorrect:
for example, a +12 semitones is about 50 cents higher, the right one is +11 semitones and +50cents.
From an academic point of view, it might be interesting to know why.
I noticed that “Block In” detection works correctly instead.

This also demonstrates that, if the limitation is the single detection point, 2 actual PITCH BLOCK could be possible with FM9,
(but nobody know exactly what is the real limit).

I also tried the Diatonic Quad, but it seems to "explode" with crazy sounds. I don't know why, maybe because of feedbacks somewhere of harmonized sounds, hear the funny sounds it produces (I attached the preset in the main post).

About the very cool idea of "Moving Pitch" by Moke, since now FAS transformed this idea of mine into reality (I'm proud it if it's true) , I better use different presets, accepting a little noise switching them.

 

[Rumbletone]

It's rather strange that if I set Input Detection to “Input1,” the chromatic tuning is incorrect:
for example, a +12 semitones is about 50 cents higher, the right one is +11 semitones and +50cents.
From an academic point of view, it might be interesting to know why.
I noticed that “Block In” detection works correctly instead.

This also demonstrates that, if the limitation is the single detection point, 2 actual PITCH BLOCK could be possible with FM9,
(but nobody know exactly what is the real limit).

I also tried the Diatonic Quad, but it seems to "explode" with crazy sounds. I don't know why, maybe because of feedbacks somewhere of harmonized sounds, hear the funny sounds it produces (I attached the preset in the main post).

About the very cool idea of "Moving Pitch" by Moke, since now FAS transformed this idea of mine into reality (I'm proud it if it's true) , I better use different presets, accepting a little noise switching them.

When set to detect at block input, is it detecting the already-pitch-shifted signal (which would be different from the input block signal)?

 

[BobXX]

When set to detect at block input, is it detecting the already-pitch-shifted signal (which would be different from the input block signal)?

Yes, but why if the first half is -1 semitone pitched, to get a +12 pitch (1 octave) of that sound I must set +11semitones and +50 cent and not +11 only (12 - 1) ?

 

[Rumbletone]

Yes, but why if the first half is -1 semitone pitched, to get a +12 pitch (1 octave) of that sound I must set +11semitones and +50 cent and not +11 only (12 - 1) ?

Is it possible that it’s averaging between the detuned and not-detuned signals entering each side? Is the behaviour as expected if you turn off the detuning?

 

[Fischer96]

That’s a really useful tip actually!

I always wanted a POG and Whammy in one preset and with this method it worked. Super happy about that as i don’t need an external POG anymore

The Whammy doesn’t sound exactly like a real one but in a band mix it’s totally fine actually

 

[BobXX]

Is it possible that it’s averaging between the detuned and not-detuned signals entering each side? Is the behaviour as expected if you turn off the detuning?

For clarity, let's call the first half of the PITCH “P1” and the second half “P2.”

With "Input1" Source Detector and P1 off, it works correctly: on P2 -12/+12 means -12/+12 and consequently all the others

With a -1 semitone detune in P1, to get from P2 -12/+12 instead of the expected -13/+11 (we must add the -1),
the correct setting is -11 -50cents /+11 +50cents...

With a -2 semitone instead of the expected -14/+10 (we must add the -2),
the correct setting is -10 /+11 !! ??? It's a non sense

Anyway, setting Detection Source Block In, it seems to work perfectly, even without any need to compensate the P1 detune !

I'd expect that the Source Dectection will use the predominant sound, but changing the L and R input volumes, the behaviour remains perfect...

Can anyone more expert explain how PITCH Detector Source actually works in stereo mode when set from Block In ?
I suspect that it has a double independent Left and Right Detection, more intelligent than expected... !

 

[BobXX]

That’s a really useful tip actually!

I always wanted a POG and Whammy in one preset and with this method it worked. Super happy about that as i don’t need an external POG anymore

The Whammy doesn’t sound exactly like a real one but in a band mix it’s totally fine actually

I'm very happy you find it useful !! If you find some improvement to get better results post them here.