Why do octave pedals use tracking?

[squiresuzuki]

I understand the basic concepts of tracking, and I can see why it's used in effects such as envelope filters. But why do octave pedals use it? Why can't they just apply octave effect to the input and shoot it right out the output, and avoid all tracking issues?

Oh yeah, and by the way, why do most octave pedals only go down? Sure, the pog can go up, but it costs almost twice the amount of thte boss octaver.

[DeltaPhoenix]

Filters don't track and octaves have to because they need to know what note to generate. It can get way more technical than that, but that is as easy as I can say it.

[dmusic148]

Analog octave pedals don't "track" anything, they simply generate tones based upon the fundamental of the tone they are presented with. They sometimes struggle a bit because they have to identify what the fundamental is, and this can be difficult when there are lots of overtones in the source tone. You will notice if you roll your tone off, the pedal works better.

[rhopper]

To add, the notes generated needs some time to be processed which is dependent on the quality of the processor used. Tracking is another way of describing latency. Generally, a more efficient (usually more expensive) processor will give you faster and more accurate tracking.

[Smurf-o-Deth]

Wait...what?

[rhopper]

Originally Posted by Smurf-o-Deth

Wait...what?

OK, I am going to flame myself... I should not drink and post. Just refer to the other previous posts!

[behndy]

lulz. THAT sir, is one of the cutest and most awesome mea culpa's EVER.

thanks!

[DannDubblewe]

I just turned into the fluffiest, tiniest, sleepiest kitten EVAR.

[behndy]

lulz. i WAS going to be a flippant smartass and answer the op with "so....... they'll...... work?", but rHOPPAH up there just made me all giggly and meow'ish.

[bongomania]

OK, serious answer is serious:

The word "tracking" refers to how quickly and accurately a signal processor of any kind can read, recognize, and process an incoming signal.

For an octaver, it "tracks" the pitch of the incoming signal, in order to figure out what note you are playing, and then generate an octave note that corresponds.

OP, it sounds like you are thinking tracking is what an envelope follower does, and that makes logical sense! It's tracking the amplitude. But it's not how the word is used, most of the time.

[warwick.hoy]

My bad; but What's a Mea Culpa?

[bongomania]

It's a type of feedback loop.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by rhopper

OK, I am going to flame myself... I should not drink and post. Just refer to the other previous posts!

The funniest thing is that your initial answer was 100% correct!

[behndy]

a conversational feedback loop.... kinda?

it's admitting that you were wrong... it translates into English as "my bad". well, my mistake i think... but My Bad is how i always remembered it.

cats were that spoke Latin were HOOD back in the day yo.