Harmony is one of the foundations of music, with the ability to add new dimensions and texture to any melody or chord progression. For guitarists and vocalists alike, harmonizer pedals provide an innovative way to harness the power of harmony in a compact stompbox format. Dialing up rich vocal harmonies or adding shimmering guitar harmonies is now as simple as engaging a pedal. Harmonizer effects have come a long way from the early days of pitch shifting, with modern pedals utilizing intelligent technology to deliver studio-quality harmony effects in real time.
Whether you want to fatten up solo guitar lines, experiment with vocal layers, or even create entire chordscapes of sound, harmonizer pedals put these possibilities at your feet. In this article, we’ll explore what to look for when selecting a harmonizer pedal, spotlight key models on the market, and dive into how to unleash creative harmonic potential using these clever effects units. Ready to bring your music into harmony? Let’s take a deep dive into the colorful world of harmonizer pedals.
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TC Electronic Quintessence Harmonizer
- Exceptional dual-voiced intelligent harmony pedal with PolySense and...
- Groundbreaking MASH technology turns footswitch into a pressure responsive...
- MASH footswitch lets you easily pitch-bend harmonized notes up to the next...
The Quintessence Harmonizer is a intelligent pitch shifter and harmonizer pedal made by the Danish audio company TC Electronic. Released in 2018, this pedal aims to provide studio-quality vocal harmonization in a compact, stompbox effect unit.
At its core, the Quintessence utilizes TC Electronic’s sophisticated SynchroPitch technology to deliver smooth, natural-sounding harmonies and pitch shifted vocals in real-time. It offers 5 vocal harmony modes – Octave Up, Octave Down, 3rd Up, 3rd Down, and 5th Up. The pedal can intelligently detect chords to generate appropriate vocal harmonies as you play.
Beyond harmonizing, Quintessence also functions as a intelligent pitch shifter. You can set static offsets for the input signal from -12 semitones to +12 semitones with precision. Three distinct vocal characters emulate male, female, and robotic voices for further creativity. With a streamlined layout in a rugged metal chassis, Quintessence provides quick access to key parameters including Mix knob, 3-band EQ, and TonePrint slot. The pedal runs on 9V power supply or battery. Quintessence connects in stereo to retain a transparent dry signal along with the effected wet signal.
For guitarists and vocalists, the TC Electronic Quintessence Harmonizer delivers an unmatched package of harmony, pitch shifting, and vocal effects in a road-ready stompbox design. Reviewers praise its ease-of-use, sound quality, and musicality.
Eventide PitchFactor Harmonizer Pitch+Delay Pedal
- Up to 4 voices of diatonic pitch shifting and up to 1.5 seconds of stereo...
- Studio quality sound
- Guitar or bass compatible
PitchFactor is a “multi-voice intelligent harmonizer from the firm that invented it!” according to Eventide Harmonizer. This beast is packed with ten algorithms for the ultimate in pitch shifting and harmonizing, the majority of which were derived from their most prized pedals and effects, such as the H910, Quadravox, Crystals, and others.
It also has a “HarPeggiator” that generates arpeggios depending on your playing, as well as a Synthonizer that turns any instrument into a unique synthesizer with a variety of rhythm patterns and fuzz effects to pick from. To adjust all the parameters, there’s even an app for your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
It’ll be impossible to go through everything, so I’ll just hit the highlights. You receive 100 presets out of the box, and you may add an endless number more via MIDI, as well as store your own. A built-in tuner is included. By manipulating the knobs or using a MIDI or expression pedal, you may modify everything in real time.
A tap tempo button and a MIDI clock sync ensure that all of your effects are in sync. True bypass, metal footswitches, and a very tough metal chassis are all included. Instruments include line level inputs and outputs, which might be mono or stereo. From St. Vincent and Steve Vai to Deadmau5 and Katy Perry, this pedal is used by a slew of famous musicians. The reason for this is that Eventide were the first and are still the best.
You’ll not only receive a killer harmonizer, but you’ll also get access to an unbelievable quantity of other effects that you’ll undoubtedly utilize. You’ll have access to an octaver, pitch shifter, delays, reverbs, detune, whammy, and a slew of additional effects to layer on top of your harmonies.
The harmonies operate like this: you select a key and a scale (which you won’t find on other pedals! ), and then you choose your intervals from one or two additional voicings (or four with Quadrovox). All of this is controlled by the knobs and displayed on the LED screen. You can even pluck a chord while holding down the “Learn” knob to tell it the key to use, and it will tell you what it’s reading so you can double-check before you start. It’s really quick and precise.
This is the most effective harmonizer pedal available. This is what you need if you’re a professional who doesn’t want to make any concessions at an affordable price range. This is the Best Harmonizer Pedal in 2023.
BOSS VE-2 Vocal Harmonist Effects Processor Stompbox Guitar Pedal
- Battery-powered Ptable Vocal Process with 24 Harmonies
- Additional Studio-style Processing
- Reverb
The Boss VE-2 Vocal Harmonist is a full effects box that may easily and quickly improve your performances. It’s even possible to utilize it to record vocals to your computer. This one has Auto-Harmony which means the pedal can hook onto the chords being played by your guitar to always determine which key you’re in. Even if you make a last-minute alteration during a bridge, it’ll notice and update your harmonies right away. If you’re playing acapella, you can also manually set the key with the dedicated knob. There’s even a hybrid mode, so you’ll be fine if the rhythm guitar switches to lead or rips a solo.
There are a total of 24 different harmony options here, with 12 up and 12 down variations of single and double voice harmonies. These are selected using the Type knob, which lights up easy-to-see red LEDs to provide visual confirmation of what you’ve chosen.
You can use reverb, delay, or both, just like everyone else. You may control the volume of your lead vocal as well as the balance between it and the harmonies. The Enhance button can also be used to apply a slight pitch adjustment to your vocals if you like that support. Once you press it, you’ll get some compression, EQ, and noise gating. When you press it again, you’ll get auto-tune.
You can store any of the settings you create and love as one of three presets that can be recalled at any time. This is a fantastic, high-quality solution with a user-friendly UI. This is the Best Harmonizer Pedals in 2023.
TC Electronic Brainwaves
- State-of-the-art pitch shifter pedal with innovative pressure-sensitive...
- Completely independent dual voice pitch shifting from unison to 2 octaves...
- Offers wealth of studio-grade algorithms including polyphonic pitch...
You’ll adore the distinctive effects given by this pedal if you prefer to create unusual-sounding tones. It’s a wonderful alternative to a whammy pedal because it combines pitch-shifting with harmonizer-like features.
The capacity to handle chords is what distinguishes this TC Electronic harmonizer. When many notes are played, it tracks very cleanly compared to most other pitch-modulating pedals. I discovered that by blending octaves and other intervals with the two voice controllers, I was able to produce thick-sounding textures that were great for melodies and chord patterns.
The TC Electronic Brainwaves pedal is best suited for guitarists who enjoy experimenting with different sounds to create their own distinct tones. You have a lot of control over how sounds are shaped thanks to TonePrint programming and customized presets.
The TC Electronic Brainwaves is a multi-functional pedal that serves as a whammy, harmonizer, and pitch shifter all in one. It comes with two voices that may be blended or used separately, as well as the TonePrint editor, which lets you create and save your own settings. This is the Best Budget Harmonizer Pedal in 2023.
TC-Helicon Harmony Singer
- Tone Control
- Adaptive tone "sweetens" overall vocal quality
- Up to two harmony voices guided automatically by the guitar via the in/thru...
The TC Helicon Harmony Singer 2 is the easiest harmonizer to use for a band or one-man show vocalist. Forget about “clever harmonizers” and having to continually switch keys. The Harmony Singer simply records whatever instrument you put in, be it guitar, bass, or keyboard.
Guitar player can now stay in key at all times, adjust the mix levels of your voice in relation to the instrument, and even apply one of three types of studio-grade reverb. There are three types of rooms: room, club, and hall, each with a different length.
But let’s return to the harmonies. Take note of the Harmony knob and the eight kinds available. Because of the shifting keys, they don’t have names, but they’re basically “above, more above, below, and more below.” You can get all eight settings by mixing and matching those. They’re basically your standard 3rds and 5ths, but with a twist.
Let me tell you, because it’s not locked in and static, this thing sounds incredible. Because it follows the instrument, you’ll get some extremely fascinating harmonization possibilities that sound far more classy and musical than most of the boring options out there that spit out the same thing every time.
When you insert your mic into the sweet preamp, an automatic input gain setting gets you in the ballpark compared to the volume of the instrument (which is only passing through dry and being assessed for the proper key), and then you may modify the Level knob to taste. Then, using the foot switch, you can pop the harmonies in and out as needed to really supercharge your choruses or closing verses, bringing the song to a close in style.
The Tone button is probably my favorite feature on this pedal. When you press that button, a noise gate, de-esser, mild equalization, and compression are applied right away. It’s like if you had a mix engineer in your pocket. This is what you want if you’re a vocalist who doesn’t want a lot of complication and just wants the harmonization job done effectively and quickly.
Boss PS-6 Harmonist Effects Pedal
- Four effect modes in one stompbox: Harmony, Pitch Shifter, Detune, and...
- Easily create two- or three-voice harmonies with selectable key and voicing
- High-quality pitch shifting
Right away, it became clear to me that the PS-6, despite its simple form, has enough of pitch-shifting and harmonic capabilities for guitarists to use. The controls are laid out in such a way that selecting the appropriate key for the harmony you want to produce is a breeze. Furthermore, I discovered that the major/minor selector was really handy for swiftly changing the mood of the harmonies produced by the pedal.
The ‘S-Bend,’ possibly the most notable aspect of this pedal, shocked me with its numerous unusual features. I wasn’t sure what this feature was for at first, but after playing about with it for a while, I discovered that it allows you to manage the ascent or descent of the layered harmonies from the original note played on the guitar.
Who is this pedal best suited for: The harmonist PS-6, like other BOSS pedals, is a device that all guitarists will find handy. However, I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to use the harmonizer and pitch shifter effects in conjunction with other pedals in their signal chain, as it fits in well with a variety of other effects.
The BOSS Harmonist allows you to easily select your favorite key while also controlling the nature of the overtones it generates. You may create everything from subtle 3rd or 5th harmonies to dissonant drones by altering the four parameters on the pedal. On a dollar-for-dollar basis, I believe this is the best guitar harmonizer pedal available.
TC Helicon VoiceTone Harmony-G XT Vocal Effects Processor
- Natural play guitar-controlled harmony algorithm stacks up to 2 more voices...
- Listens to guitar and Voice to create the correct harmony parts
- 6 reverb/delay combinations for vocal and Guitar input
The TC Helicon VoiceTone Harmony G-XT is an intelligent harmonizer, which means it will automatically recognize the key you’re playing or singing in and won’t require you to move a control knob. When you’re gigging, that’s a great feature to have. This pedal is primarily designed to enhance voices, but it also has capabilities that may be used to enhance the entire band and other instruments.
This is a vocal effects processor that is mostly for the vocalist but can also be utilized by the instrumentalist (or you if you’re playing along). Most people won’t need to modify anything because they can rapidly cycle between the pre-loaded presets, each of which has an A and B impact, and you can also save your own custom ones.
The presets provide incredible adaptability and time savings, and you can even add and save your own designs for presets using the memory function – another fantastic feature for a presentation. However, you also get other effects like reverb and delay, as well as a tuner for your guitar with this particular TC Helicon model. There are a few smart and useful features here. The tone button incorporates a de-esser and compression into the mix, as well as EQ. Overall, the TC Helicon pedal will assist many singers and musicians in achieving a professional stage sound, and the pitch correction feature will be music to your audience’s ears as well.
It also contains an Auto-Chromatic Pitch Correction feature, which means that if you make a mistake on a note, it will gradually adjust itself back into key. You may then add a reverb or delay and you’re done, all without the need for the awful sound guy’s help. Consider it the bigger, more complicated brother of the TC Helicon Harmony Singer, with a lot more features.
DigiTech Whammy 5
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The DigiTech Whammy 5 is a new take on the classic Whammy pedal, which kicked off the pitch-shifting guitar effects trend. The Whammy 5 has the same legendary Whammy sound as its predecessors. It now includes a Chordal setting for better polyphonic tracking (it still has the Classic tracking setting as an option). If you’re into that, it now has real bypass!
The Whammy has been used on over 60 Grammys® and can be found on various pedalboards all around the world. This pedal stands out from the crowd because to its built-in expression pedal and vivid red paint job. At toe-down, the Whammy section will provide the most pitch-shift, then sweep back to an unshifted effect at heel-down. The Detune portion uses the same concept, but heel-down has no effect and detuning increases as the pedal is swept to the toe-down position.
The dry signal will be mixed with a harmonic interval above or below it in the Harmony section. Each Harmony section setting has two predetermined intervals (one at heel-down and one at toe-down) as well as sweeps in between. The pedal also includes MIDI functionality, which allows us to operate it with a MIDI controller from afar. For a reason, the DigiTech Whammy is a classic. It’s one of the most advanced pitch-shifting/harmonizer pedals ever made.
TC Helicon VoiceLive 3 Extreme
- Backing track import with fx automation for “tap-dance free”...
- Performance recorder for live streaming audio output to USB Flash drive
- A complete vocal sound with next generation harmony processing, effects and...
This exceptional effects processor delivers when you want to shape and enhance your vocals with great-sounding onboard effects, produce natural-sounding vocal harmonies, and process your guitar with effects and amp models based on TC Electronic’s acclaimed TonePrint family.
The VoiceLive 3 Extreme is TC-most Helicon’s powerful vocal harmonizer and processor to date, building on the history of its predecessors. It has a ton of great-sounding onboard effects and lets you make natural-sounding vocal harmonies. You can use the effects and amp models based on TC Electronic’s popular TonePrint collection if you play guitar. For the most discerning performers who deserve the finest and are ready to pay for it, The Voice Live 3 Extreme is our top pick.
The TC-Helicon VoiceLive 3 Extreme is a strong and versatile vocal harmonizer and processor that benefits from the company’s years of development. Previous generations of the VoiceLive series allowed singers to improve their onstage performance by creating auto-tracking harmonies and effects based on the chords being played.
There are now 500 presets on the VL3, including 250 factory sounds. 1 x Combo TRS (Mic), 1 x 1/4” (Guitar), 1 x XLR (Monitor), 1 x 1/8” TRS (Aux), 2 x XLR (Voice), 2 x 1/4” (Guitar), 1 x 1/4” (Guitar Thru), 1 x 1/4” (Footswitch), 1 x 1/4” (Exp), and 1 x 1/8” Headphone are among the I There’s also a guitar channel and a vocal channel.
The Voice Live 3 Extreme has a ton of different ways to route your backing tracks. For easier mixing, you can now send background tracks from the 1/4′′ outs and vocals/guitar from the XLR outs. Furthermore, its MIDI sync capabilities allow additional devices, like as drum machines, to add delay, looping, and rhythmic effects for seamless performances.
If looping is your thing, you’re in luck. The VoiceLive 3 Extreme has improved looping with 50 loop slots (up from 10) and external footswitch control, as well as improved synchronization. Its three-dimensional looping allows you to make and save complete songs on the fly. You can also capture audio in high quality with the Live 3 Extreme. You may now record your vocal/guitar performance in 24-bit audio and transfer it directly to a USB flash drive, replete with effects modifications.
Overall, the Voice Live 3 Extreme adds a slew of additional capabilities to an already amazing system, elevating it to a higher level of performance.
BOSS VE-20 Vocal Performer Effects Processor Twin Guitar Pedal Stompbox Guitar Pedal
- Vocal Processor Effects Pedal with 3-part Harmony
- 38-second Phrase Looper with Phantom Power
- Distortion
For every vocalist, the BOSS VE-20 is a must-have stompbox. The VE-20 can produce beautiful vocal tones with reverb, delay, and 3-part harmonies with just one-stop. Alternatively, you can go all out with special effects like distortion, radio, and strobe.
It concentrates entirely on the voice, the BOSS VE20 Vocal Performer is an excellent tool for vocalists. The VE-20 offers luxurious vocal tones with reverb, delay, and 3-part harmonies, as well as more experimental effects like distortion, radio, and strobe. A 38-second phrase looper is also included in this tough BOSS unit. It doesn’t have any guitar or other instrument input, so if you’re a vocalist, this might be just what you’re looking for.
The BOSS VE-20 features the same BOSS twin-pedal design as the RC-20XL Loop Station. The VE-20 has 30 presets and plug-and-play capabilities, making it ideal for vocalists who value simplicity and convenience. You can, however, spend your time discovering and molding your favorite sounds, which you can then save in the 50 user memory spaces. Each preset and user patch is made up of a chain of up to six effects (dynamics, pitch correct, tone/SFX, double/harmony, delay, and reverb), each with its own set of parameters to tweak.
The best harmonizer pedal guitar has a simple design with a central knob that allows you to scroll through and select patches. The only parameter with a specific front panel button is the reverb level, although there are four other buttons, including two cursors, for accessing the menus. Editing is simple, and all changes are saved automatically.
The VE-20 also includes a phrase looper with a recording time of 38 seconds (mono). It also has a pitch correction FX block with a ‘electric’ preset for that classic Auto-Tune sound, as well as chorus, flanger, strobe (a tremolo effect), radio, preamp (for EQ and the like), and distortion as accessible tone/SFX types.
Overall, the VE-20 is an excellent pick to consider if you are a vocalist who can sing in tune.
Hotone Skyline Harmony Digital Polyphonic Pitch Shift
- Polyphonic Pitch Shifter/Harmonizer of ±2 Octave Range with 11 Pitch...
- Easily Simulates Clean Organ/12-String Guitar Sound
- Separated WET/DRY adjusting for getting more Flexible Organic Sound
The Hotone Harmony pedal is one of the most affordable devices on this list, yet it is of excellent quality. The pedal is roadworthy and dependable, with full bypass switching and a sturdy zinc alloy construction. Hotone is a relatively new pedal company, and their meteoric journey to the top of the industry has been nothing short of remarkable. Although the Skyline Harmony is one of the tiniest pedals on our list, I discovered that its size does not indicate its capabilities.pr