Octave Pedals

['59]

I really want to like em, but I can't. I have an OC-2 and an OC-5, but I can't make either work for me. Right now I only use them on the neck, finger picked, with the tone all the way down. The only way I can make them work is OC into a Bass Muff doing a monophonic lead line.

Do you guys have any advice for other ways to make them work?

 

[GuitarStv]

For the octave down stuff I always liked MXR's Blue Box better than the Boss offerings. They all tend to work best for monophonic stuff.

 

[Securb]

I have a bunch of octave/harmony stuff on the H90 but still go to the MXR Blue Box for stuff like 7 Nation Army.

 

[Chistopher]

Octave pedals tend to sound better really high up the fretboard. Don't use it to pretend to have a bass player. If the line you are playing normally starts at the 5th fret, try playing it at the 17th fret for example.

 

[beaubrummels]

I use a Zoom, but I use the version of the pitch pedal that sets the key also. By setting the key and set to octave, it already 'knows' what the notes are and it tracks faster and better. Without the key set, the pedal has to sample too much of the wave to figure out the pitch which results in poor tracking, latency and warbling issues.

 

[Chistopher]

How does that work with chromatic notes?

 

[jeremy]

i love my oc2 but its glitchy and synthy, thats part of the magic. sounds best higher on the neck as others have said. i also have a few octave up pedals, like the silver foxx, a foxxtone inspired pedal. again, its great at what it does. what none of the things i use do well, is accurate clean octaves or multiple notes at once

 

[marcello252]

I have a TC sub N Up , it is polyphonic, it's nice to throw some weird sound during a solo.
When you combine it with a fast chorus through a mild overdrive to the octave you also get a nice Organ like sound

 

['59]

Speaking of organ sound, is their utility to a synth simulator pedal for bass, and are there any good ones?

 

[Seashore]

Speaking of organ sound, is their utility to a synth simulator pedal for bass, and are there any good ones?

I've only played a little bit with EHX's 9 series. I liked the sounds but didn't really get to explore. The guitarist in one of my bands has a Mel9 and it's really cool but overbearing in the band mix. Big broad sound, hard to be heard past it. I use a HOG with my bass rig and I love it. Good sound, nice lower octave for filling out higher parts if I need it, nice to have all the sliders for different intervals, but the dry output fader, attack envelope control, and resonance control are what really make it special to me. It does chirp and warble but in a cool way.

 

[Aceman]

OP - what are you trying to do with one?

I generally find that
- Octave up works better than down
- Down work better if you play higher up (as mentioned)
- It doesn't sub for a bass player (as mentioned)

I rarely use them though. Just not in my music zone.

 

[beaubrummels]

How does that work with chromatic notes?

It can warble a bit because it will revert to sampling the wave to determine the frequency.

 

[NegativeEase]

BOSS OCs are not accurate by design and they also dont track well if not on the bridge PU, and they dont handle chords. They are great for certain things.

If you need chords and tracking, an EHX pitchfork or Boss Super Shifter is the great.

If you want it all -Eventide H9 or 90