Pitch Shift
Shifts the pitch of your signal up or down by up to 12 semitones — for harmonies, de-tuning, and creative pitch effects.
What it does
The Pitch Shift effect transposes your signal by a set number of semitones in real time. It can be used to add a harmonised line alongside the dry signal (parallel harmony), de-tune slightly for a thickening effect similar to a heavy chorus, or shift your signal up or down to a completely different pitch. The processing uses high-quality pitch stretching to maintain natural timing.
Step Mode locks the pitch shift to exact semitone increments so the shifted signal always sits on a musical note — useful for harmonies. With Step Mode off, fractional pitch values are possible for de-tuning and special effects.
Parameters
| Parameter | Range | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semitones | −12 to +12 st | 0 | How many semitones up (+) or down (−) the pitch is shifted. +12 = one octave up; −12 = one octave down |
| Mix | 0–100% | 50% | Blends the pitch-shifted (wet) signal with the dry. At 100% you only hear the shifted pitch; at 50% the original and shifted notes are equal in level — typical for parallel harmony |
| Step Mode | On / Off | Off | When on, the pitch value snaps to whole semitones. When off, fractional pitch values are used (useful for subtle de-tuning effects) |
Tips
- Harmony above the dry signal (+3 or +4 semitones at Mix ~50%) gives a parallel major or minor third harmony — an effective way to thicken lead lines or double parts.
- −5 semitones (fourth below) at Mix ~50% adds a low harmony voice — used in ambient and atmospheric playing.
- +7 semitones (fifth above) at reduced Mix (~30%) creates a power-chord-like thickness on a single-note lead line.
- De-tune effect: Step Mode off, Semitones set to a very small fractional value (just detune slightly), Mix ~50% — creates a thick, slightly out-of-tune doubling similar to a chorus.
- Place pitch shift after the amp and cabinet — avant the reverb or delay so harmonies also have space added to them.
- Pitch shifting before a high-gain amp can produce interesting results as the amp saturates the shifted content differently from the dry signal.