A Summary on the Basic Knowledge of Effects Pedals: Octaver and Pitch Shifter Edition

Hello! Kaoru the composer here!

Today, I would like to talk about the octaver and pitch shifter effects as part of my basic effects pedal series.

Octavers and pitch shifters are typically used during electric guitar solos or single-note playing. They’re very popular because they can easily add thickness to your sound. In particular, they seem to be a favorite among guitarist-vocalists in three-piece bands!

Now then, let’s take a dive into octavers and pitch shifters, and I’ll show you some other cool products!

■ What is an Octaver?

An octaver is an effects pedal that generates and adds a sound one or more octaves above or below the original note. As the name suggests, it only creates pitch shifts in octaves—either higher or lower.

It operates using a simple mechanism that generates the sound with electronic components such as diodes.

Some models use analog circuitry, which is popular for its warm, thick, and unique analog tone. Another advantage is that analog octavers tend to avoid tone loss, maintaining the richness of your sound.

While it may lack some of the advanced features found in pitch shifters, its simple and intuitive controls make it easy to use, even for beginners.

■ What is a Pitch Shifter?

A pitch shifter is an effects pedal that allows you to freely change the pitch of your sound.

Unlike an octaver, pitch shifters are exclusively digital. This is because the complex processing required to shift pitch accurately is difficult to achieve with analog circuits.

However, this digital design brings a high level of functionality, and pitch shifters can create various harmonies relative to the original tone as a basic feature.

You can specify the pitch shift in semitone steps, such as +1 / -1, making it easy to understand and use.

One interesting application is using only the pitch-shifted signal that allows you to play a song in a lower key (like half-step down) without having you to re-tune your instrument, or to change keys without a capo.

With a bit of creativity, pitch shifters can offer a wide range of innovative uses, so it’s definitely worth exploring them further!

Now, let’s move on to a recommended product:

TC ELECTRONIC / Sub'n'Up Mini Octaver

A super-compact octaver pedal.

Equipped with a next-generation octave processing engine that delivers perfect polyphonic tracking, this pedal applies effects accurately even when playing chords or intense riffs. Thanks to its natural-sounding effect, it gives the impression of playing in sync with another guitarist.

In addition, TonePrint technology allows you to customize settings by transferring data from the TonePrint app for smartphones, or from a PC/Mac/iPad via USB. This enables you to dial into your ideal tone with precision.

It’s compatible not only with guitar but also with bass!

TC ELECTRONIC / NanoPOG

This is the most compact model in the popular "POG" (Polyphonic Octave Generator) series.

With three intuitive controls —

SUB OCTAVE,
OCTAVE UP, and
DRY —

this pedal allows for quick and straightforward sound shaping.

Depending on how you layer the sounds, it can produce a rich, organ-like tone or a sparkling 12-string guitar sound, making it incredibly versatile. It’s ideal for solo performances that aim to pack a punch.

It fully supports a variety of playing styles, including chords, sweep picking, and single-note playing.

It also seems like it would be fun to combine this pedal with other effects to experiment and create a unique sound!

DIGITECH / Whammy Ricochet

A pedal-less version of the popular WHAMMY pedal series that’s beloved by many world-renowned musicians. It replicates the experience of the original Whammy by allowing momentary ON/OFF switching via a footswitch and enabling control over the pitch shift speed. While this reduces some flexibility compared to the original pedal with an expression pedal, it results in a much more compact form.

With the PITCH knob, you can choose from seven pitch intervals:
2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 1 Octave, 2 Octave, and 1 Octave + Dry,
which allows not only for adding thickness to your tone but also for creating harmonies.

Since the pitch change kicks in the moment you press the footswitch, it enables FX-like, expressive sound shifts.

Depending on your settings, you can create massive, dramatic tones that go beyond the typical electric guitar sound.

Note: The pitch bend effect is active only while pressing the footswitch. Once you release it, the effect turns off.

ELECTRO-HARMONIX / Pitch Fork

The Pitch Fork is a pitch shifter that can transpose your instrument's pitch up or down within a ±3-octave range. It offers three modes: pitch up, pitch down, and simultaneous up/down playback.

You can set the amount of pitch shift using the knob, but for real-time control, you can also connect an expression pedal. This makes it perfect for dynamic live performances.

The center button on the pedal allows you to switch to latch mode.

In latch mode, the pitch shift effect is active only while you are pressing the footswitch, giving you precise momentary control.

It’s a versatile pedal that works great with clean tones, distorted sounds, and everything in between.

Finally, this wraps up my explanation of Octavers and Pitch Shifters, along with recommended products.

These are truly innovative pedals that can help you do what would otherwise be impossible with just one player! By mastering these effects, you can dramatically expand your creative possibilities.

Be sure to check them out!

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