Re: [Harp-L] vocal harmonizer?

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ludo Beckers wrote:
> I remember there was a vocal harmonizer review (by Chris Michalek 
> or Randy Singer or Richard Hunter or ??) here on the L, but 
> searching the archives I didn't find the exact info I'm looking 
> for.
>    
>  I don't recall if it was the Digitech vocal 300 (I found Randy 
> Singer's review) or another model/brand.
>    
>   The specific feature I'm after, is being able to set, for 
> instance, the key of F major in the unit, and then when playing a 
> melody line getting the correct diatonic 3- or 4-part harmonies, 
> sort of as in a horn section.

I have a Digitech Vocalist VR that I bought with the idea of doing 
this same thing, and have been a little disappointed in it for this 
purpose.  I do use it from time to time, and have a couple of short 
samples up on my website:

http://www.workingmansharps.com/Sounds/other/vocalizer_01.mp3
http://www.workingmansharps.com/Sounds/other/Somewhere.mp3

One thing that I do use the Vocalist for pretty often is an 
accordion sound:

http://www.workingmansharps.com/Sounds/other/sample%2001.mp3

To Chris' point about key changes, the Vocalist VR has an available 
footswitch with which you can switch each setting to 
an "alternate".  I generally keep these set up for the ii chord of a 
ii-V-I progression, e.g., C shifts to Dmin.  I also have the key 
settings organized in 5ths, so rather than switching through C, Db, 
D, Eb, E, etc., the adjacent settings are arranged C, G, D, A, E, 
etc.  

On another note (so to speak), I've not been entirely happy with the 
quality of the Digitech unit, it occasionally distorts a note pretty 
badly, and the processing only seems to work very well with an 
extremely clean signal, both in and out.  

-tim

Tim Moyer
Working Man's Harps
http://www.workingmansharps.com/