Poly Capo :(

[JasonE]

Wow. How did I miss the invention of the Pitch Key. That’s really cool. It’s like a D-tuna, but can be added to any guitar! Genius.

I bought a couple of these. They are a little touchy and quirky. They are kind of a pain to get them on the string and working well with some guitars (Les Paul). I stopped using them pretty fast.

 

[Fireproof]

I bought a couple of these. They are a little touchy and quirky. They are kind of a pain to get them on the string and working well with some guitars (Les Paul). I stopped using them pretty fast.

Ahh - good to know!

 

[Baba]

Wow. How did I miss the invention of the Pitch Key. That’s really cool. It’s like a D-tuna, but can be added to any guitar! Genius.

I missed it too! Another member hip'd me to it, just a few months ago. They work BIGLY.

I don't find them to be quirky, if you keep them on the same guitar. If you take one from one guitar, and put it on another guitar, you'll have to adjust the fine tuner a touch, that's about it.

They are a little bit of a pain to install, the first few times, but I can do it very quickly these days, and I just leave them on my main 2 guitars all the time, even in their gig bag.

 

[Gasp100]

I'm sure it has been answered by now, but, my band is tuned to E flat, but we do songs in E, drop D from E flat, and drop D in D tuning, so, I use the poly capo for all of that, and a pitch key on my guitars. It's really quite simple.

1. Obviously, if it's a drop D only, in E flat, I drop the E string using the pitch key.
2. If it's drop D and also in D, I drop the E string using the pitch key then hit the poly capo that is set down a whole step
3. If the song is in E, I have a "cloned" preset of my main preset, where ALL of the snapshots have the poly capo engaged a half step up.

What makes you choose Eb vs. Standard? Does the Poly Capo actually work better pitching up a 1/2 step?
Or do you just play more songs in Eb?
Also I have to investigate this pitch key, seems like a really cool option!

 

[guitarlix]

I'm sure it has been answered by now, but, my band is tuned to E flat, but we do songs in E, drop D from E flat, and drop D in D tuning, so, I use the poly capo for all of that, and a pitch key on my guitars. It's really quite simple.

1. Obviously, if it's a drop D only, in E flat, I drop the E string using the pitch key.
2. If it's drop D and also in D, I drop the E string using the pitch key then hit the poly capo that is set down a whole step
3. If the song is in E, I have a "cloned" preset of my main preset, where ALL of the snapshots have the poly capo engaged a half step up.

Sorry, what is a pitch key? I'm not familiar with that term.

 

[Fireproof]

Sorry, what is a pitch key? I'm not familiar with that term.

Click the following link…

Drop D & alternate guitar tuning

The Pitch-Key attaches to any string in between the nut and the tuning post of your guitar. It allows you to preset two different pitches for that string.

www.pitch-key.com

 

[Toolmaster Of Brainerd]

5 guitars

 

[Baba]

What makes you choose Eb vs. Standard? Does the Poly Capo actually work better pitching up a 1/2 step?
Or do you just play more songs in Eb?
Also I have to investigate this pitch key, seems like a really cool option!

I joined a different band last July, and they tune to Eb. It’s probably easier on the singer, that’s all.

IMO, no matter what you use, there will be latency and something not “natural” in the tone, but, I’m only using the poly capo like, 20% of the time, so it’s worth it to me to just play open positions and without using a capo and thinking about sharps and flats, etc.

 

[squealie]

Is Variax even still a thing? I see that SW has some gross models still for sale, but has this thing been updated in 10 years? I still have a Variax 500 that sits near the drain in my basement next to my Vetta and stack of PODs from the 2000s.

I just figged it was more Line6 abandonedware.

 

[JasonE]

Click the following link…

Drop D & alternate guitar tuning

The Pitch-Key attaches to any string in between the nut and the tuning post of your guitar. It allows you to preset two different pitches for that string.

www.pitch-key.com

The price has gone up on those a fair amount since I bought the ones I have. I am not even sure where mine are anymore. I am sure they are in a drawer somewhere. I found it just as easy to just tune the string down when needed. I found that I still had to tweak the tuning a bit at times with these. Cool idea, not perfect.

 

[firehawkkwah]

Is Variax even still a thing? I see that SW has some gross models still for sale, but has this thing been updated in 10 years? I still have a Variax 500 that sits near the drain in my basement next to my Vetta and stack of PODs from the 2000s.

I just figged it was more Line6 abandonedware.

It hasn't been updated in years and they've said it's more a labor of love than a profitable product.
I have a Standard and like it, for the most part. I think with some firmware updates it could be better, and with a little updating in the vdi hardware could be even better.
But that seems to be a bridge too far.

 

[poppunk]

I'm not bagging on you Gasp. Seriously. This whole mentality people have where we have to have 12 virtual capos and 37 alt tuning for a GD cover band is just ridiculous. If you are making that much GOOD money; get some extra guitars and learn how to pick songs in tunings that make sense to whittle down the rest of the "needs". You've been at this for a long time. Tell these jugband-wtf-ever-bumpkins what time it is!

I'm on my second tribute band where we play kind of an even split between standard and 1/2 step down. For that type of environment, having it sound like the album is really helpful for making people enjoy it more. I've had some major scale songs I tried to play 1/2 step down that kinda sounded dark as hell, which was weird to me but it's a thing I guess. Honestly it's nice to have the backup guitar anyway.

But if I was doing general cover work I (am starting this other thing where we are) I think some concessions can be made because you're flopping around from sound to sound. But if someone was like "you need 7 tunings" I would just avoid that situation.

I tried to use the transpose functions in my Helix and Kemper gear and it's just too wacky, drives me nuts. Fine for distorted stuff where you just stick to root/3rd/5th but once stuff gets clean and weird intervals you get nutty artifacts.

I do play bass in a couple of things where I use the Helix simple pitch shift to play 1/2 step down and it works really well.

 

[firehawkkwah]

I was doing a song with my virtual band (just recording, separately), and a song was supposed to be played with capo at 2. Clean tone.
So I just figured I'd record DI normal tuning and then use poly capo to move it up.
I was pretty disappointed in the results.

Ended up re-recording the whole track.

 

[Gasp100]

For now I'm going to use two guitars, one in E and one in Eb. For rehearsal I'll suggest lining up songs like for like tuning, then we can see how things flow.
Manual Drop D / Drop C# for now.
Thanks all!

 

[JasonE]

I didn't want to single anyone out so I am not quoting anyone here. I would like to say that some of the things mentioned here have not been my experience.

Many of the bands in my area and most of the ones I have played in for the past decade all tune a half step down. It is really difficult to pick up on that when you walk in and hear a band playing. I non musician would never detect it. One of the most popular bands in the area actually tuned a whole step or a step and a half down, I can't remember which it was. If you attended one of their gigs you probably wouldn't even think about it when you were listening to them. Again, a non musician would never pick up on it.

If the band can get the crowd engaged it won't matter. The band can create the energy needed to engage the listener.

 

[Will Chen]

having it sound like the album is really helpful for making people enjoy it more.

That's highly unlikely. The average person does not have perfect pitch and most not even good relative pitch.

 

[TubeStack]

For me, it doesn't matter if the audience can tell or not. I can tell, and I enjoy it more in the key in which I'm used to hearing it/playing it (especially the 1/2 step down stuff).

 

[JiveTurkey]

I think 1/2 step is in golden ears territory. But from full step on down; it's a lot more noticeable, imo.

 

[fretworn]

That's highly unlikely. The average person does not have perfect pitch and most not even good relative pitch.

I’ve only met two people in my entire life who had perfect pitch.

One of them threw his music talent completely away, working third shift at 7-Eleven trippin balls every single day; and the other guy built nuclear weapons for a living.

 

[TubeStack]

I think 1/2 step is in golden ears territory. But from full step on down; it's a lot more noticeable, imo.

Play the intro to Simple Man in standard vs 1/2 step down, it's quite a difference, no?