Horn Section Gizmo

[PDXSaxman]

Hi all, newbie here looking for a device that I can play my saxophone through and get a horn section from the output. I've already looked at several "Harmonizers" by DigiTek (VoiceLive 2 & 4) and others that don't quite cut it. The problem with those boxes is that they use inputs from an instrument for the base key and then harmonize off of a mic input that you sing through. What I'm looking for is a box that will harmonize off of my sax input and give me ocatves, 3rds and 5ths, etc. plus delay and reverb. Is there any such animal out there?: confused:

[Brad1]

TC Electronics. (Expensive).
Eventide (Expensive ++)

Check all the manufacturers for guitar and rack-mount effects. Boss (Roland);
Digitech; Zoom; etc.

Are you certain that the Vocalists won't work without a separate pitch-detection signal? I know they CAN use that, but does it necessarily HAVE to use it? Those are descendants of the earlier stuff, like my IPS33B Harmonizer, which doesn't need that, though it can respond to MIDI key changes.

May be able to find a used one of those, though I doubt it would offer enough control.

I do have to ask about the purpose of running one sax through digital processing to get a "horn section". Delay and reverb, I get. An octave is really pushing it for digital processing, 5ths are at the edge, 3rds....maybe.
I can imagine "YIKES!!! THAT'S BRITTLE!" A few cents up and down to fatten things up, which a tiny, different delay for each, and maybe even a tiny bit of modulation...maybe reasonable.

A horn section is something that several people are not playing exactly the same notes on the same instruments all the time. It'll be extremely easy to tell that one sax is playing, because all your nuances will still be there at any pitch. That beginning "fartiness" and subsequent variations in pitch that we all find so wonderful in a saxaphone will duplicate, but may cause phase problems, depending on the delay times, mod times, etc.

I'm just wondering how pleasing that can all be? Maybe as an effect during a tune, but I'm not sure I'd want a steady diet of it. There is nothing more soulful than the sound of an expressively-played lone sax with a touch of delay/reverb in a mix. There are few things more pleasing than a few different horns laying down a killer backing, and each taking turns playing a few lines.
I can almost imagine few things more annoying than a sax "squack" digitally pitched an octave higher in near-unison time.

Anyway, just some things to consider. And please, don't be offended. It's not a bonehead idea...I'm just trying to point out what you may be up against. I've tried doing stuff like that in my computer, and also running through my harmonizer...and never kept it. (Digital processor...computer...same basic thing). Granted, the processing power of today's outboard stuff is higher than my old Digitech, and probably smoother...still. At the very least, if you find something that will do that the way you want, make sure you can return it if you find it more trouble than it's worth. Perhaps a higher quality delay/reverb, instead of paying more for harmonizer functions. Of course, these days, a lot of things come with all of that, so you may decide to keep it and use it for more subtle things.

Have fun, at any rate.

Brad1

[PDXSaxman]

Hey Brad1, thanks for the response. Yeah I'm not looking for a "steady diet" of playing my horn through this thing, just occassional horn lines as a backup in an R&B band. I've been told there are other horn players doing this with good results, but have not witnessed it myself to be able to find out what they are using... will check into some of your suggestions though.

Thanks again, Mark

[Don Moose]

With something like this wind-MIDI deal, you could get closer to the effect your asking for. No idea if the user interface will feel right, though.

Hope this helps!

[PDXSaxman]

Hey Don... Yeah I witnessed Michael Brecker playing one of these a few years back when he was on tour with Paul Simon. It was awesome to say the least, but I don't have the $s to invest into such a monster... looking for an effects pedal (perhaps) in the $300-$400 range. Thanks for the idea though.

-MWS