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I'm leaning towards one that doesn't require a MIDI connection because I don't have a MIDI interface and don't want to add to the expense. I've heard that the ones that analyze the guitar work the best. I don't play guitar!I play bass. Has anyone tried using one of these with a guitar track from RB providing the info to the harmonizer? How was it?
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There have been posts, in other forums, where a mic was placed in front of the guitar amp & it worked. I would think it would "read" backing tracks. (it was a Digitech)
From personal experience, I can tell you that removal of effects from the reference source helps.
Mick
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I have the TC Helicon Harmony G that I have used in the past. I just got the Voicelive 2 today. The Harmony G has been replaced with the Harmony G-XT. The major differences from what I understand are that the new pedal allows updating of firmware and has improved voice detection. I have been very pleased with the products from TC Helicon. If you are just wanting some simple back up vocals you can achieve pretty good results if you play around with the settings and make sure you are not getting alot of bleed into your mic from other instruments to throw the harmonizer off. In regard to the Bass, I was jamming with some friends and we decided to let the Bass player hook it up and do vocal harmonies with it behind my vocal. It worked great. It actually locks in a little better I think with bass since their is only one note to analyze. I would go to their Facebook page or their web page and post a question about bass if you want info from the professionals  . Digitech has a similiar device which is good but I do not think competes with TC Helicon. I have also been allowed to play with the Roland VE-20 which has good vocal effects but I am not impresses with their current voice harmonization on this box. Hope this helps. Terry
TerryB
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I have the Harmony G-XT. It's a great device. I believe you'll like it if you try it out. Many variables for a wide range of harmonizing options, including gender. Has a reverb built in. Pretty cool.
Fire, the wheel, and the I IV V -- foundations of civilization.
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I have used several from DigitTech in the past. My current one is the Vocalist live 4. It works great with proper guitar chords. It will recognize the slightest varaition in changes to color the harmony's using guitar or keyboard. Not so with bass guitar. Working from the root note , care must be taken where you press the pedal. Walking bass presents a problem. I play only bass. I use it with care. IMHO I will take it over not so good,too loud,off pitch real harmony any time. Leon
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I have the TC VoiceLive 2 and I really love that powerhouse. Mind you, you'll have a learning curve to negotiate if you really want to get everything out of that one. But as far as harmonisers go: the VL2 is da bomb!
I bought the unit when it first hit the market. Now after several (free!) firmware upgrades the unit has even more functions and effects then when I bought it. TC keeps on developing this unit and keeps on adding functionality long after the product hit the market!
Try searching VoiceLive 2 on YouTube, say the ten preset demo by Tom Lang, and listen to some demo's.
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In either the TC or Digitech I wonder if there's any difference in the quality of the harmonies from the low priced to the high priced or if it's just a matter of more bells & whistles. I just need the 3rd & 5th above or the 3rd above & 5th below. That's it. Don't need reverb or anything else.
Back to the original question though. Do you think that a guitar track from RB into one of these units will work good. It should.
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John, As far quality in harmonie voices I'd say TC wins hands down. That is however just MHO. The VoiceLive 2 can handle guitar input, MIDI-input and even MP3/wave to determin harmonies. That means you can run BiaB or RB or any backingtrack trough the unit and it will pick up the chords from that.You can also set the key manually. There is also the Harmony G (as mentioned by TerryB and Axegrinder) that can take guitar input for harmonies. That unit might be a good solution if you only want the harmonies and want to use your guitar to feed it. I think it is worth exploring the VoiceLive 2 because of the huge amount of tools you get. Yes, the unit is pricy, but you get loads of good, solid and above all usable effects (not only vocal effects, but also guitar effects.) Anyway, the best advice of all is to go to a store and audition the units yourself. BEWARE: Playing with harmonisers and/or vocal processors can and will be addictive! 
Last edited by Mike sings; 05/06/11 05:15 AM.
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Quote:
I'm leaning towards one that doesn't require a MIDI connection because I don't have a MIDI interface and don't want to add to the expense. I've heard that the ones that analyze the guitar work the best. I don't play guitar!I play bass. Has anyone tried using one of these with a guitar track from RB providing the info to the harmonizer? How was it?
With your setup, you could provide a Send Chords to Harmony Track on a separate track and then route that track's output only to the input of the harmonizer. A little fiddling with amplitude settings to get a clean match to the harmonizer's audio input and it should work fine.
--Mac
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Quote:
Quote:
I'm leaning towards one that doesn't require a MIDI connection because I don't have a MIDI interface and don't want to add to the expense. I've heard that the ones that analyze the guitar work the best. I don't play guitar!I play bass. Has anyone tried using one of these with a guitar track from RB providing the info to the harmonizer? How was it?
With your setup, you could provide a Send Chords to Harmony Track on a separate track and then route that track's output only to the input of the harmonizer. A little fiddling with amplitude settings to get a clean match to the harmonizer's audio input and it should work fine.
--Mac
That was my thought. I can provide an acoustic guitar track to a separate out of my sound card and into the harmonizer.
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I know you do not want midi, but it sure works great. I setup a separate track in RB, and route it thru channel 13 and have starts stops, and scale, or chord setting, pick the harmonies, i want between 1 to 4, and much more. I use a TC helicon voice works, and love it. Sometimes i actually sing the harmonies into it and record the tracks, and then i can really tailor them to the song, and not have a glitch live.
When you sing the melody and allow the unit to harmonize it sounds great, but i like sometimes to sing the harmony and use a 3rd off that or a fifth and i get some nice stuff. You can sing one, let the box do another, and then keep layering with this unit. It also has effects, thickening, and pitch correction.
Why i really like the rack unit is that i do not want to have to remember when to click the floor button, it just adds another chance to forget to either turn it on or off, and another layer of difficulty to the song. It is so sweet when it turns itself on and off, and i just play and sing. Much more work that the other way in the beginning, but far less work afterwards.
I set it all up in the event list for that track and it is nice.
Slowly i want to build recorded tracks
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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The more I read the more the midi unit starts to sound like a better choice. I had a Digitech Vocalist II a number of years back. Yes all the automation was very nice. I to worry that with one of the other units I'll look like Mr.Ed counting with my foot.
I can't go the more expensive units at this time. Some of the reviews of the TC helicon G & G-XT state that anything other then simp-le triads mess the thing up. At times even minor chords will cause confusion. My midi unit was never confused.
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Citaat:
. I to worry that with one of the other units I'll look like Mr.Ed counting with my foot.
If you don't want to use MIDI you'll have to trigger the harmoniser yourself in some way. Be it with your foot or with your hands. Playing guitar you'll probably use both hands...
If you work with a laptop running RB, you might even want to try a software harmoniser. I haven't used the TC harmoniser supplied by PG Music, but I'm sure you can do some testing with that one before you decide to go hard- or software with this.
I'm not sure if you can do automation in RB, but that would be ideal to manage the harmoniser.
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Don't use an Ac Guit track, use the "Send Chords to" routine and leave it at the default MIDI piano. Much easier for correct chord interpretation that way. Remember, nobody is going to hear that actual track.
--Mac
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Quote:
Don't use an Ac Guit track, use the "Send Chords to" routine and leave it at the default MIDI piano. Much easier for correct chord interpretation that way. Remember, nobody is going to hear that actual track.
--Mac
Mac that is the ideal way but were is that in Real Band?Can't seem to find it.
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Quote:
Quote:
. I to worry that with one of the other units I'll look like Mr.Ed counting with my foot.
If you don't want to use MIDI you'll have to trigger the harmoniser yourself in some way. Be it with your foot or with your hands. Playing guitar you'll probably use both hands...
If you work with a laptop running RB, you might even want to try a software harmoniser. I haven't used the TC harmoniser supplied by PG Music, but I'm sure you can do some testing with that one before you decide to go hard- or software with this.
I'm not sure if you can do automation in RB, but that would be ideal to manage the harmoniser.
I actually would prefer MIDI but I don't have a MIDI interface. To bad they don't have USB for midi input. I made a BIAB Style that is just piano with chords on 1/8 notes playing in root position. This is what I'd send from RB via MIDI to a MIDI based harmonizer. It's all about $$$$$$$$$$$ at this point.
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A generic Class Compliant USB-to-MIDI adaptor can be had on the cheap, John.
Not sure if RB has the Chords track function, will have to check it out, I thought it did, but...
Will let you know if I find anything out.
--Mac
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If you are thinking with going with midi to trigger vocals you may want to look at the Harmony M at TC-Helicon.It is made for keyboardists but it could care less if it is a live keyboardist or a sequencer. http://www.tc-helicon.com/products/voicetone-harmony-m/ It allows you to hook up midi. Like Mac has already said there are cheap solutions to the USB to Midi problems. While the VL2 gives you all of these options I definitely understand the $$$$. I guess the questions I would ask myself if I was in your boat (assuming you like the vocal results)are: 1. Will I always be running some type of track behind me when performing allowing be to send chord changes to the device? 2. Do I ever have the need to play just acoustic or electric guitar and want vocal harmonies. If the answer to number 2 is yes, then you need to look at the manual setting on the Harmony devices. I know the Harmony G has a manual set up that lets you set the key before you play. It will then create simple harmonies with notes only from that key. If you can find a store to play around with one of these that would be good but my experience is that they normally are not on display to provide that luxury. Terry
TerryB
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I watched the sales at MF and got my voice works for $249 I use midi in and out from my delta card, but i also have a USB to mid cable i bought at best buy for $15 it works pretty good with my laptop if I need.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Yea the voice works looks like the best one. I'll watch for a deal as well. That's a great price.
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