A new contender seems to be on the streets, the TC Helicon Harmony M. It is very interesting and affordable. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with this unit? How does it compare to the Digitech Vocalist VR?
http://www.tc-helicon.com/Default.asp?Id=13202
http://www.digitech.com/productsout/vr.htm

Cass, wait till Donny tries it..Than you can get it cheaper..

Cass , seriously..it may be the perfect gear to go with your E-60..

It sounds great, not only tight harmonies but intelligent mixing effects, EQ, dynamics and levels.
A whole vocal channel in a box. you control your vocal sound no matter what you plug into.

Plus One less thing to depend on the keyboard for, which makes your choice a lot easier.
I'm talking about T.C.Helicon.
I don't know about the vr but earlier Digitech models had a reverb only on the harmony voices not on the main voice, which meant you still had to have an efx unit for vocals.



[This message has been edited by mikeathome1 (edited 02-06-2008).]

Well, I have the VR and was wondering if it was worth it to trade up. I certainly was waiting to hear from someone. By the time Donny buys one and sells it, I could be using my own if it's that much better or easier or...

Then again, if I'm ready to spend $300 I could be just few hundred away from going back to the g70... such a dilema .

just kidding.

Looks like it ships in May kiddies......

I'll have one on order for sure...
at only $299.99 ya gotta love it & ya gotta have it

I guess Beach Boy 4 part harmonies are out of the question; it only does 2 part harmony. :-(


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Al Giordano
http://www.arrangerworld.com


Tyros 2, Yamaha P-250, Korg Triton Extreme 76, Roland VK8-M, DW Collectors Series Drums, Roland SPD-S.

Al I read that too, but I also read 4 on another add...Maybe it still is in prototype..

http://www.tc-helicon.com/media/VoiceTone_HarmonyG_front(1).jpg


He says 2 part harmony plus your own voice.. in the video demo? look again....on the right side there are two voice choices from note to highest....you would set them according to your needs...2 voices above or below your....for a total of 3.


Features

Two voice 4th generation intelligent harmony
Separate Double effect using overdub algorithm
Tone switch engages adaptive Live Engineer Effects
6 factory reverb/delay combinations for rich vocals
10 presets each with A/B location
Harmony Arrangement algorithm listens to MIDI input and voice to follow your music
Flexible harmony voicing including unique bass setting
Includes classic ”Notes” and ”Chord” harmony control modes
¼” TRS mic level I/O in stereo or mono
Clean, studio quality mic preamp with phantom power
MIDI input
Input for optional footswitch allows Harmony-M placement on keyboard




[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 02-06-2008).]

First and foremost, the TC will not be available until May. Therefore, what you are listening to is what was produced from a prototypoe--not the final product.

As to the Digitech VR, it no longer is in production. I have a pair of them (can't have too many backups), and if you have the opportunity to listen to UD's beautiful song, A Nightgale Sang In Barkley Square, which was performed using the VR, you instantly know he has mastered this device and utilizes it to the greatest extent.

The new vocal processor from TC promisses to be a wonderful device, one that can really provide the user with yet another incredible tool. Of course, as Dave has demonistrated, you must first be able to sing, and secondly, you must explore the device and use it as it was intended--sparingly.

There is an excellent, new, post by big741 (Dan) who produced outstanding vocals using the PSR-3000's vocal processor. Dan revealed a number of interesting techniques that he used to create his harmony effects, which are incredible.

Good Luck,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

where is the link to this 3k recording from
big741



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 02-06-2008).]

Hey - thanx Gary !
(Dave blushes.....)

http://www.psrtutorial.com/forum/index.php?topic=6143.0

Several great ones by Big!
DonM

Donny, Fran,

Good Catch...I didn't see that. 3 part harmony is very acceptable for this little guy. I like it a lot.

I have another question;

Does it do VOICE CORRECTION?!!! I didn't see that feature in the specs??

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Al Giordano
http://www.arrangerworld.com


Tyros 2, Yamaha P-250, Korg Triton Extreme 76, Roland VK8-M, DW Collectors Series Drums, Roland SPD-S.

I went to the TC Helicon website again and looked at the specs. It does NOT have voice correction.

That's Ok, we all sing in pitch anyway, right!!

Dan does excellent work...I believe he's using the harmonizer in the 3k.

Ian

I'll have one as soon as it is released for sure....should prove to be a very useful unit for many uses......very cool

I see that Digitech has a new rack-style Vocalist Live Pro.

http://www.digitech.com/products/Vocalistlivepro/index.php

More choices.......


-mike

WOW! I gotta' have one of these.Whoops--I don't think so. Not at $849 plus tax. "The Vocalist Live Pro will be available March 2008 for an MSRP of $849.95."

Thanks Mike,

Gary

[This message has been edited by travlin'easy (edited 02-08-2008).]

Hey Gary,

Did you notice the display on the unit?

CSNY

Yep, they've got a preset that will make you sound exactly like Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. That's gotta be worth at least $500.



-mike

While we are on the topic of Vocal Harmonizers, let me ask this question of those that DO use 'Pitch Correction' in a live setting...

How do you monitor yourself? AFTER the pitch correction? Doesn't that make the problem worse (you can't actually hear what YOU are singing, only the corrected version)?

No VH product (at least in an arranger, and I haven't seen it on a VH rack, yet) allows you to monitor your actual voice, while the pitch corrected version goes to FOH (front of house). In studios, the Auto-Tune is ALWAYS applied after the performance is recorded. The talent NEVER hears it in their cans.

How do arranger users deal with this?

I'll definitely be purchasing the new Digitech rack unit when released because I can use it with guitar and keyboards. Street price will probably be in the 650.00 range but well worth it, considering various forum reviews of their most recent Vocalist products. It should prove to be extremely useful for recording and performing!

Michael

Diki,

I don't use Pitch Correction, mainly because I don't need it. I have, however, tried it out just to hear what happens. It actually works pretty good if you are a half-note or less off. Anything more than a half-note usually results in disaster.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

If Johnny Cash had used pitch correction his "unique" style of vocals would have gone right out the window, Dean Martin also.

Tom

http://www.tc-helicon.com/Default.asp?Id=10402

Here's the list of features:

* Auto-chromatic pitch correction improves your pitch
* Adjustable auto-smooth compression
* Multiband auto-shape EQ dynamically sweetens raw mic sound
* Sibilance-smoothing de-ess algorithm
* Add rich lows on deep voices with the Warmth button
* Accurate input pitch and correction display
* XLR mic level I/O: Correction can go to monitors, mains or both
* Clean, studio quality mic preamp with phantom power

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

I would bet that the pitch correction is just on the harmonies, so you can sig a bit off and still trigger the right chords. Just my guess.

Yep! I suspect you're right about that. I don't know of any pitch correction feature that can be triggered without using harmony.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

So you're singing to the pitch corrected track? I've always felt that, if you can't hear what you are ACTUALLY singing, it's a lot harder to know whether you are getting close to the dangerously flat or sharp.

The other problem is, to allow you to be free with what you sing, you have to set the pitch correction to correct to the nearest half-step (you never know when you want to do that passing note!), but this makes hitting the third and seventh degrees of the scale accurately VERY important, or the pitch correction will start to 'warble' around the 3rd and 4th, or 7th and octave.

It SOUNDS like a good idea, in principle, but without a way to monitor your pre-correction singing, difficult to use. I know they use Antares Auto-Tune hardware on a lot of major shows (you don't think Madonna can dance that hard and still hold a steady note, do you?!), but on all the systems I've seen, the Auto-Tune does not get returned to the artist's monitor mix, only goes to FOH.

Like I said--I don't use it. I use vocal harmonies very seldom and when I do it is quite limited to background sounds only-not a lead vocal. But, as you stated, Madonna probably cannot live without it. BTW, she uses the same headset mic I use, the Crown CM-311A. Maybe she's not using it. It would be interesting to find out.

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy