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Alt tunings - Sitar?


Nick_S
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I recently acquired a Variax 300 and one disappointment is that the Sitar model does not allow alternate tunings. As our singer prefers to sing "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" in F, it would have been good to able to do this, since the sympathetic strings don't resonate on F. Can anyone tell me; does the Standard range allow the Sitar model to use alternate tunings?

 

(Fallback is that I capo to F# and use a Digitech Drop to drop a semitone to F, or carry on using the Roland GK3/GR55 setup that doesn't sound as good).

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As you confirmed Standard/JTV guitars don’t require presets saved with alt tuning like the 300(gen1). In fact the tuning wheel can be customized manually. Check in Pilot’s Handbook for the specific knob press procedure.  I can’t remember top of my head but it came in handy one time without a computer. 
 

The 300 and all Gen 1 Variax Sitars can mute the sympathetic strings.  Factory presets by rolling off the tone control or edit via old Workbench if that still runs on your PC.  

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On 7/25/2024 at 3:16 AM, jerseyboy said:

As you confirmed Standard/JTV guitars don’t require presets saved with alt tuning like the 300(gen1). In fact the tuning wheel can be customized manually. Check in Pilot’s Handbook for the specific knob press procedure.  I can’t remember top of my head but it came in handy one time without a computer. 
 

The 300 and all Gen 1 Variax Sitars can mute the sympathetic strings.  Factory presets by rolling off the tone control or edit via old Workbench if that still runs on your PC.  

Good tips, thank you.

 

Yes, old Workbench works on my Windows 10 machine after some fiddling around (Java had to be installed manually).

 

I picked up a Variax Standard and have briefly checked out the "virtual capo" feature (press and hold the Model knob 2.5 seconds, select the Alt Tuning knob position, play strings one at a time relative to fret 12=standard, press and hold Model knob to store).

 

I'm not sure I've done the right thing as _some_ alt tunings sound rather artificial with a strange pulse noticeable on the lower strings that reminds me of some other pedal I've used, a hold or harmoniser or something. I've reloaded the firmware and loaded the standard bundle but it makes no difference.

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On 8/1/2024 at 5:06 AM, Nick_S said:

Good tips, thank you.

 

Yes, old Workbench works on my Windows 10 machine after some fiddling around (Java had to be installed manually).

 

I picked up a Variax Standard and have briefly checked out the "virtual capo" feature (press and hold the Model knob 2.5 seconds, select the Alt Tuning knob position, play strings one at a time relative to fret 12=standard, press and hold Model knob to store).

 

I'm not sure I've done the right thing as _some_ alt tunings sound rather artificial with a strange pulse noticeable on the lower strings that reminds me of some other pedal I've used, a hold or harmoniser or something. I've reloaded the firmware and loaded the standard bundle but it makes no difference.

 

As is the case with most pitch shifting algorithms, the farther away the altered pitch gets from the original source, the uglier things get. Small intervals are generally OK...half-step, whole step. But the more you stretch it, the more artifacts creep in. By the time you're in octave territory it's usually a mess...so the farther up the neck you're placing the "virtual capo", the more craptastic the results will tend to be. It is what it is...minus a substantial computing revolution, pitch shifting algorithms will never be perfect.

 

Also, if the guitar's intonation isn't spot-on, that'll throw things off too. And even then, "perfect" intonation doesn't really exist because string tension increases in both directions the farther you get from the 12th fret. This causes notes to be pulled progressively sharper the closer you get to either the nut or the bridge. Thus, creating a pitch shifting algorithm for any fretted instrument is difficult because we're never really 100% "in-tune" all over the neck in the first place. A properly intonated guitar is really just "close enough for jazz", as it were, lol. Unless you go the squiggly-fret "true temperament" route...but I get nauseous just looking at those things.

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I almost always use a manual capo with Sitar and 12 string models. As explained CPU is working OT for major pitch/tone shifting properties of those models. IMO 12 string models sound much better with a physical/manual capo compared to the same models with virtual capo. 
 

Simpler 6 string models the virtual capo is okay but 12 strings and Sitar  work much better manually capo’d. 
 

Although I do enjoy a baritone tuned 12 string electric from time to time. 

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