Question for PitchFactor Users

[6stringriffs]

I'm new with the PitchFactor. I'm trying to setup a guitar harmony
effect much like the 2 guitar harmony riffs made famous by Thin Lizzy
and Iron Maiden. You know minor/major 3rds and 6ths.

Which effect in the PitchFactor would be best for this? Should I setup
Pitch A for the harmonic 3rds and Pitch B for Unison?Or should I set
both Pitch A & B for the 3rds and set the 'Mix' knob to get the lead harmony right?

2nd Question:

I'm trying to simulate a completely different tuning on the guitar as if
it is tuned to (from Low E to High E): A-D-G-C-E-A, everything tuned
3.5 steps down. I've heard it referred to as 'Jerry Jones' guitar. This
is recorded on the Satriani song: "You're My World". The backing clean
rhythm section.

Which effect in the PitchFactor would be best for this?

I wish some of the factory presets had setup something this simple.

Thanks.

[Imerkat]

i use Diatonic mode for harmony leads in 3rds. Don't bother with a unison just turn the "Pitch mix" to "Pitch A" only and the Mix knob half way or however much wet signal you want. If you add a Tiny bit of delay, like a couple of micro seconds, it helps with the tracking IMO.

the second question is tough. There is a baritone preset somewhere from banks 18-22; Pitch flex. As much as i love the pedal it doesn't do detune well enough for me (i still see it as a monophonic effect). i've saved a preset to pretend i'm a bass player but in no way would use it to record or live settings. if you go to the pitchfactor support page you can download a pdf with all the presets levels graphed out.

[brock]

Diatonic is a good mode for straight-up 2nd guitar harmonies, as described in the reply above.  Whether or not you use both Pitch A & Pitch B (for any combination of 3rds and unison) depends on the textural 'thickness' that you want.  The micro-variations in the pitch shifters can give you a nice double-tracked sound against your dry input.  With an expression pedal controlling the dry/wet mix, it's possible to fade the harmony line in & out very smoothly .

For a phat, double / triple-tracked texture, I like to use the Quadravox mode.  There's a nice spread across space & time that shines through a stereo rig, with harmony & unison at left, right, and center.

Mix –  50%

Pitch Mix – centered

Pitch A  –  A: +3rd

Pitch B  –  B: Unison

Delay A  –   D:  4 ms.

Delay B  –  .  A . B . C . D   (approx. 1 o'clock)

Key/Depth –  tonic / root note

Scale/Speed –  Maj or min or …

Xnob –  C: Unison

Ynob –  D: +3rd

If you set an expression pedal to vary between 0-30 ms. on Delay A, it will vary the timing enough to enhance the ensemble feel, with some nice crossfading between short delay times.  Anything longer than that, and the 'ping-ponging' of voices across the stereo soundstage really pops out.

---

I was originally confused by the terminology in your second question.  If you had needed 3.5 semitones down (tuned down between 'B' and ''C'), that added quartertone would've locked you into using the H910/H949 mode.

Mix – 100%

Pitch Mix –  fully CCW (left)

Pitch A  –  A: 0.818 – A: 0.824

Pitch B –   n/a

Delay A –   n/a

Delay B –   n/a

Key/Depth –  Modern

Scale/Speed –  Normal

Xnob –  n/a

Ynob –  n/a

More likely, you need that  A-D-G-C-E-A mentioned.  You could use the H910/H949, Harmodulator, or even the PitchFlex mode for this  Concentrate on the same controls as the preset listing above, with 100% wet and a few key changes to the settings.  In the H910/H949 mode, you might change the Scale/Speed to Chromatic and Pitch A to  A: 0.667.

In the Harmodulator or PitchFlex modes …

Mix – 100%

Pitch Mix –  fully CCW (left)

Pitch A  –  A: – P5

… with all of the other knobs at neutral or zeroed settings.  Becoming a 'DropTune'-type device really isn't one of the Pitchfactor's strong points, but you can squeeze out some interesting and usable tones; even when you bypass those extensive modulation capabilities.

[6stringriffs]

Guess I need to reword that to 3 and a half steps down. So if you are plucking an A note (D string 7th fret) it's sounds like a D note.

Thanks for all the help. I will try these settings tonight

[TLTD]

Do you have a footswitch?  I find that using the pitchflex to do this works better than the other presets although you have to hold down the flex as you use it.  You also get the added bonus of using it to bend to the notes.  No need to select the key and all that stuff.  Haven't fully tested what you are doing but I am a little impatient with the results of using the diatonic mode and most of the others really.  It seems to be better with the Pitchflex on full mix, put one on unison and one on whatever you want for the harmony.  The sound is better to me than trying to mix the regular sound with the eventide sound, especially for flexing.  I reamped a track into four tracks this way too, it's just fast and painless once you get it dialed up right.

(switch is NOT as expression pedal, using Aux switch with FS3X)

Mix: Wet 100, Pitch Mix A+0 B+100, Ah OFF,  Bh Unison, Th 0.02s

FLT:0, Snap 0, AT: Unison, BT P5 (what I use but try d3 or something I would guess).

Hold down the flex or trip it on and off for some cool wammy effect you might like it.

[Author]

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