Tune down 1/2 step

A

adrenachrone

New Member
Well, I'm sure I'm going to get fleeced for asking, but, can someone share some guidance for getting a usable 1/2 step down tuning?

I've tried it out myself and I feel like I get a bunch of digital aliasing that makes the tone almost unusable. Oddly enough, the more I play the better it gets so it's almost like it learns but that could just be ear fatigue as well. All I can say for sure is that my Morpheus pedal sounds much better but I was hoping to eliminate it from my rig by using the native features of the Axe-FX 2 XL. (latest firmware)

I've searched the forums and have come up with mostly more complicated discussions surrounding scales for harmonies specific to keys (songs). What I would really like is for anyone who is actually getting a very good lowered half step tuning to post their settings and block placement so i can replicate.

Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.
 
I play Eb most of the time and don't hear any aliasing. The only thing to be cognizant of as you pointed out is using the correct Key if using a harmonizer.
 
There are numerous threads on it. There is aliasing, and some latency, different ways to get better results. There is also a way to get around the latency with a trick, also an thread on that. Half step in a band setting is passable, if you can hear your guitar strings over the amp (volume not loud enough) it will be goofy.
 
I've used a number of devices to get down-tuned and alternate tunings. Variax guitars, Roland GP-10 & VG-99. Never used an Anteres ATG unit. They all have their issues. The technology to do any tunings without artifacts doesn't exist yet. It's a very difficult task to achieve.

The best way IMHO is to simply do it the old fashioned way and tune the strings. I have a friend who always keeps his guitars tuned down 1/2 step and just puts a capo on fret 1 to play with other people in normal tuning. Dead simple - no aliasing or latency. For something as simple as 1/2 down, that might be the best. If you're tuning down 3 full steps, that's another story.
 
Sorry brother, I just realized I misread your post. I have my guitars tuned 1/2 step down. If you simply can't/don't want to tune down your guitars, check out one of @Moke's patches. He has a few w/ a pitch block designed to take you to Eb tuning.
Sorry again for the confusion.
 
Our bass player and other guitarist (acoustic only) tune to Eb, but the acoustic guy uses a capo a lot to bring his guitar up to E. I don't like using a capo on an electric, so I solved the problem by bringing an Eb guitar to gigs. (It's one of five I bring, including the one dedicated to the Roland GR-55 synth.)
 
adrenachrone said:
Oddly enough, the more I play the better it gets so it's almost like it learns but that could just be ear fatigue as well.
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I have a preset that uses this feature and there's a thread that shares how I did it (find it in a bit) but here is the preset link: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/echosmith-cool-kids-intro-cover.100593/

Here's the track recorded:


I believe I used a pitch block at the beginning of the signal chain at mix 100% as a FIXED HARMONY set at like -6 for the notes, it surprisingly tracks very well.
 
I use the pitch block to drop my guitar down a full step for a few Sabbath songs like Children of the Grave and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Works just as good as my Morpheus. I've used it live and haven't had any latency issues. My settings are very similar to ibanezfreak4's above. Attached is the Pitch Block. It's set for a whole step down with Voice Shift 1 set to -2. Change it to -1 for a 1/2 step pitch drop.
 

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adrenachrone said:
Well, I'm sure I'm going to get fleeced for asking, but, can someone share some guidance for getting a usable 1/2 step down tuning?

I've tried it out myself and I feel like I get a bunch of digital aliasing that makes the tone almost unusable. Oddly enough, the more I play the better it gets so it's almost like it learns but that could just be ear fatigue as well. All I can say for sure is that my Morpheus pedal sounds much better but I was hoping to eliminate it from my rig by using the native features of the Axe-FX 2 XL. (latest firmware)

I've searched the forums and have come up with mostly more complicated discussions surrounding scales for harmonies specific to keys (songs). What I would really like is for anyone who is actually getting a very good lowered half step tuning to post their settings and block placement so i can replicate.

Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Post your preset. I'll bet any one of a number of gurus here can find some things you can do with it.
 
I find the drop tune in the axe unusable. I know Simeon has a cool adsr trick that will make it better. But I can just hear to much latency even at one half step. I finally broke down and just bought a drop pedal from Digitech. Now zero issues with drop tuning. I only go Down a full step live but I can tell you just messing around I have went down five semi tones before I started to really hear the latency. At some point hopefully Cliff will get a chance to take a look at the our pitch block and give it some love.
 
ChrisCG said:
I find the drop tune in the axe unusable. I know Simeon has a cool adsr trick that will make it better. But I can just hear to much latency even at one half step. I finally broke down and just bought a drop pedal from Digitech. Now zero issues with drop tuning. I only go Down a full step live but I can tell you just messing around I have went down five semi tones before I started to really hear the latency. At some point hopefully Cliff will get a chance to take a look at the our pitch block and give it some love.
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I haven't had any issues with latency using the Axe for a full step detune. I have the Digitech Droptune as well but it's still brand new in the box cause I've been happy with the results from the Axe. Maybe my ears are just old and I don't notice the latency. LOL!
 
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If you really can't deal, I highly recommend the DigiTech Drop (or Whammy DT, which uses the same algorithms) for simplicity and quality. Although I personally wouldn't bother bringing the cables and risk that comes along with it in a live setting, because in a band setting it doesn't make a difference.
 
I've got a Whammy DT, but I've never really liked how the drop tuning sounds on that thing. Which is why I prefer to bring an additional guitar with me. But I reckon it never hurts to have a good pitch shift block along in case of string breakage or because I have to travel light.
 
Muad'zin said:
I've got a Whammy DT, but I've never really liked how the drop tuning sounds on that thing. Which is why I prefer to bring an additional guitar with me. But I reckon it never hurts to have a good pitch shift block along in case of string breakage or because I have to travel light.
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Ya, I definitely prefer to bring another guitar but when I don't feel like it the Axe does the job well enough to get me through on a few songs.
 
bishop5150 said:
I haven't had any issues with latency using the Axe for a full step detune. I have the Digitech Droptune as well but it's still brand new in the box cause I've been happy with the results from the Axe. Maybe my ears are just old and I don't notice the latency. LOL!
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That's great that the Axe Fx pitch black works for you. I wish I was as lucky. Lol
 
Tune down then pitch up rather than tuning up and pitching down :)
Ever tried the octave distortion drive block?
I've used it and thought it sounded better than the whammy but I'm not sure how in depth the options are as I can't remember messing with it that much.
 
I once heard that the tracking on the pitch block is better if you switch it to local instead of it's normal input, I personally don't notice a difference when doing this but I'm also doing a harmony and not trying to down tune. Hope that helps someone.
 
Hey thanks for all the replies guys. Much appreciated. I have been out of town and away from my rig until now. Gigging this weekend but will have some time to run some tests on Sunday when the dust clears. I'll post back to let you all know what I ended up with.

Cheers!
 
I was in your shoes and had the same dilemma. I did not like the Axe FX drop tune so I tried the Digitech Drop pedal. It was better but still colored the sound.

I went this route and thrilled with the performance since I do a lot of alternate tuning live. No more dead silence between songs. I have this down no way where I can be in an alternate tuning for the next song in 10 seconds.

https://www.tronicaltune.com/
 
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