Octave pedal vs DAW pitch shift

[Wretched Banana]

So I know Google returns some hits for the question, but I found nothing relevant, hear me out.

I've been tasked with replicating and recording a few super low electronic/synth songs clearly not made for a bass. You need to play reasonably fast 2 octave arpeggios over 1 or 2 strings cleanly sliding between every note to approximate the sound, etc., basically it's a hassle. Add the octave down and it's just impossible to get a clean sound. I've wasted my weekend playing through MXR octavers (both vintage and standard flavors) and the Aguilar octamizer, no dice, I'm close to throwing both out the window. Like, I've been playing these analog octavers for many years, I get their limitations, but I'd never hit an impossible offline recording situation like this before.

Then I just recorded raw into Reaper and hit it with the standard pitch shifter plugin. Flawless on first try.

So that problem is solved, but I will need to perform live at some point.

My question is, have you ever compared a modern digital octaver/pitchshifter like OC-5, Pog, C4 to DAW plugins? Are digital octave pedals equivalent to computer processing these days? I don't have any to play with right now, but I owned C4s in the past, and yes, while they tracked great in general with low effort, I never felt I had to ditch my analog octavers.

I'm simply blown away by how perfect the recording came out with zero effort. If the OC-5 can do this, I'm buying one tomorrow.

 

[odarellmc]

You may want a digital octaver like in the source audio spectrum. great results. If the OC 5 is digital that should track a little better as well but you'll still need pretty clean technique.

 

[sloppy_phil]

I don't see any pedal being capable of tracking a part that you are struggling to play cleanly, no matter if it's digital or analog.

Maybe it seems like a "hassle" but I'd simply practice until I could play the line properly. Problem solved, plus you've just improved as a player. Win win!

 

[superheavyfunk]

I’m usually the last one to say this but in your case, it might be that a small synth might be the better route. It’s either that, or practice hard until you get it.

If you’re down to keep trying pedals, the SA Spectrum or C4 might be good options. Also, don’t sleep on the Digitech Whammy - it tracks remarkably well. The OC5 tracks marginally better than the OC2, which is what it is modelled after.

 

[Wretched Banana]

Borrowed an OC-5 today and that got the job done in mono mode. My analog octavers don't like something about my signal on this bass combined with huge rapid slides it seems.

I don't see any pedal being capable of tracking a part that you are struggling to play cleanly, no matter if it's digital or analog.

If it wasn't clear, I play and record the part perfectly clean, never said anything about struggling with technique. It's still a hassle and a very unnatural way to play bass. For live play I'll probably invent something with sweep arpeggios on the 6-string and a filter.

My original question remains open: How do digital/poly pedals fare against DAW plugins?

 

[superheavyfunk]

Sounds like you’re the current expert in this field, as you’ve now tried at least four pedals against your particular plugin. I’d like to read your report on the differences in how these pedals compare to your plugin(s)

 

[Wretched Banana]

I wasn't next to a computer when working with the OC-5, but just ordered one today. Will test and report back next week. I suppose for a direct comparison the polyphonic mode is more appropriate and I hear OC-5 isn't great at that, but alas...

Not dropping $250 for a POG (or anything EHX) without trying it first.

 

[Wretched Banana]

Summary: OC-5 is by far the most reliable octave down I have today, as in, it deals way better than others with unusual acrobatics I need to pull off when imitating a synth. Coming from someone who normally has no issues playing analog octaves.

That said the poly mode is definitely not nearly as good as what I get from a Reaper plugin. Say, when chording OC-5 gives you a sound where it's not outright glitchy, but I have trouble recognizing the chord by ear. I'm curious if it'd still be functional in a band setting, need to experiment. There's of course the inevitable delay, which I find noticeable in some passages. I wouldn't record with it.

Anyway, OC-5 wasn't made for pitch shifting, so that's okay.

I remain fascinated by Reaper's pitch shifting, shame you can't do it without a huge latency and monitor while playing. Curious to try all the advanced machines like the H90 one day.