Effects
Pitch Shifter
Shifts a sound up or down in pitch without changing its speed — harmonies from one voice, chipmunks, demons.
Learn about it in Sampling & live sound
How it works
It replays the sound through two short, overlapping delay windows that slide at just the right rate to raise or lower the pitch. Shift is in semitones (+12 = an octave up), Fine in cents. V/OCT adds to the shift, so a sequencer can play harmonies. Grain is the window length: short is clearer on drums, long is smoother on voices and pads. Mix blends in the original — at 50% you hear both, a harmony.
Inputs
| IN | Audio to shift. |
|---|---|
| V/OCT | Adds to Shift, 1.0 per octave. |
Outputs
| OUT | The shifted sound. |
|---|
Knobs and switches
| Shift | Semitones up or down. |
|---|---|
| Fine | Cents (hundredths of a semitone). |
| Grain | Window length. |
| Mix | Original vs shifted. |
Patches to try
- Mic in, Shift −12, Mix 100%: a demon.
- Shift +7, Mix 50% on a melody: an instant fifth harmony.
Lessons that use the Pitch Shifter
Each one opens as a working patch in the synth.