Intellifex Pitch Shift Help!!!

[Rupe]

I've had this unit for many years but never really had a use for the pitch shifter until now. My band is doing Ratt's "Round and Round" and I'm trying to set it to get a reasable approximation of the harmony piece that makes up the second half of the solo. So far, no dice...I just don't care for anything that I'm coming up with. Any guidance from the "pitch shifters" here would be greatly appreciated...thanks!

[roodyrocker]

I've had this unit for many years but never really had a use for the pitch shifter until now. My band is doing Ratt's "Round and Round" and I'm trying to set it to get a reasable approximation of the harmony piece that makes up the second half of the solo. So far, no dice...I just don't care for anything that I'm coming up with. Any guidance from the "pitch shifters" here would be greatly appreciated...thanks!

Hey Rupe, I know nothing about the Intellifex but my band does that song as well. I have the settings from my Pitch Shifter written down at home and will look them up for you later.

[Cleveland Metal]

I'll be interested in checking those settings.

I've never been a huge fan of my Intellifex's pitch shifter. Maybe I'm just not appreciating what it can do. I'm probably expecting more of a smart harmonizer and intellifex pitch shifting has it's own thing going to dig.

I should likely be using it with less blatent offsets just to thicken up solo stuff.

I pretty much only use it do intros to a couple Slayer tunes, South of Heaven and Dead Skin Mask until the other guitar starts playing and a Metallica intro. Which it seems to do well.

Would love something to do the Queensryche and Maiden harmonies, but too lazy to get a smart shifter and program it, haha...

[Rupe]

The Intellifex is not a diatonic shifter so it's not going to do the Ratt harmonies perfectly, but I'm sure there is an interval that will give a close approximation. When I played this song out last week I didn't care for the sound I got live, even though it sounded ok to me in rehearsal (the crowd dug it though so it wasn't too bad). I know it can sound better because I've heard others do it. I believe I had the interval set at a major third up but I'd have to double check.

[AlexL]

I would try an interval of thirds or minor third.

An intelligent shifter is better; doesn't really matter if the interval is set to 5ths (only if you're playing the 7th note of the scale) but for a harmony lead in strict thirds, you'll want the intelligent shifting to alter the interval between major third (for 1st, 4th, and 5th notes of the scale) and minor thirds (for 2nd, 3rd, and 6th notes of the scale).

You will of course need to know what key you're in for an intelligent shifter to do it's job correctly.


- E.

[Rupe]

Bingo...I'm thinking 5ths might be what I need to "fake" it. It won't be correct but should still sound cool to the unknowing masses.

[joshulator]

While I agree that an intelligent shifter set to 3rds would've been the best way to go, keep in mind that you can also try 4ths if you don't like the way the 5ths sound. 4ths and 5ths are both "Perfect" meaning there is no minor or major like there is for 2nds, 3rds, 6ths, and 7ths.

[AlexL]

While I agree that an intelligent shifter set to 3rds would've been the best way to go, keep in mind that you can also try 4ths if you don't like the way the 5ths sound. 4ths and 5ths are both "Perfect" meaning there is no minor or major like there is for 2nds, 3rds, 6ths, and 7ths.

True, fourths might be worth a try. But even with fourths, you will still get caught out on one note of the scale; when playing the fourth note of the scale, it's relative 4th should be augmented.

And with fifths, the seventh note of the scale should have its relative 5th diminished.

But agreed, they are better choices for a non-intelligent shifter, and fourths would definitely be worth trying.


- E.

[roodyrocker]

When I was using my Boss Harmonist pedal for this song I set the key to A and the interval up a 1/3. The quality of this harmonizer live was a bit garbled so I set the level on the harmonized pitch lower than the original signal to sort of hide it a bit. Anyway, it worked for live purposes. That pedal has since been removed from my board and I'm awaiting the release of the new Eventide Pitchfactor to replace it which sounds much better

[Rupe]

Cool, thanks!

[roodyrocker]

Sorry Rupe, I forgot to put in min, the key is A minor not A. So make that Up 1/3 in A minor