I purchased an EH Frequency Analyzer, about March’09. I was lucky to get a big box version (one of latest) as I decided to get into heavy experimental sounds.

My first attempt was to get an early reissue (2002 catalog - with pointer knobs… etc, or earlier) but I didn’t find one so I got a brand new.

Before this, I spent some days watching both official EH demos and other videos to get a first approach to what this pedal could do.

Of course, you can get atonal or “theremin-like” sounds (these ones are incredible when used in conjunction with delay pedals - even more Sci-Fi!). Now, I’m trying to go beyond the freaky/atonal uses.

These latest months I’ve been trying to use it as a harmonizer. Lets go: You set an appropriate mix between dry & effect. OK, then, I play a note while tweaking with “Shift” knob to get the note I want to harmonize. And then, the “Fine” to achieve more precision.

As I’ve understood: If I play a G, I can set the harmony to a certain interval note (fourth relative:G ->C, fifth: G -> D, octave ... etc), also with the “Filter” switch I can choose If I want to keep or remove the bass harmonized note).

Taking an example: If I harmonize a G with a C (fourth interval), I’ll hear a higher pitched C and a lower pitched C (depending of the filter swithc). So, once I play a G, I’ll hear a C as I’ve harmonized… but if I change the note playing an A, I’ll still keepm hearing the prevoiously harmonized C note over the present note (an A instead a G), am I right?.

If this is correct, I’ll have to set the “Shift” if I wanted to set the new harmony over the dry note (A in this case) to a new interval. So this could be the reason why you get dissonances when you use the FA to play an scale or melodic line.

I usually combine the FA with old school digital delays (japanese 80’s) and/or with overdrive (Couble Muff) or classic fuzz sounds (Fulltone ‘70)... amazaing!.

It’s also ideal for droning guitar compositions.

If I’m mistaken, could anybody tell me how it performs?

The sound is killer, lots of headroom and could be very extreme if you wish.

By the way: Has anybody noticed differences among early and later big boxed reissue versions?

Thank you.

Regards from Spain.

Nacho

It’s not a harmonizer.  It creates a note that is mathematically related to the original note, but not musically.

It’s a ring modulator which works by combining your signal with an internally generated signal.  The output is the sum and difference of the 2 signals.  You put in 1000 Hz and the oscillator is at 2500 Hz, you get 1500 Hz and 3500 Hz out.  Once in a while the output will be musically related but won’t be all the time because the internal oscillator is not moving with your signal.

Shouldn’t be any difference in early and later big box versions.

The EH Man - 13 September 2009 08:54 PM

It’s not a harmonizer.  It creates a note that is mathematically related to the original note, but not musically.

It’s a ring modulator which works by combining your signal with an internally generated signal.  The output is the sum and difference of the 2 signals.  You put in 1000 Hz and the oscillator is at 2500 Hz, you get 1500 Hz and 3500 Hz out.  Once in a while the output will be musically related but won’t be all the time because the internal oscillator is not moving with your signal.

Shouldn’t be any difference in early and later big box versions.

As I commented before, my first approach to it was the “theremin-like” sounds and now I’m currently working on it to serve to more melodic purposes. That’s why I was a bit misleaded. As I’ve found sounds at some settings that could match/be similar with harmony intervals (especially octaves and fifths - I notice it when I play, and look how they sound together). Of course, I tried first to play a note as reference and then, adjusting the shift and fine knob to obtain a “mirrored” (same note: E -> various “E” notes) new note/s.

Maybe, because I’ve started this “harmonic” use with not too much presence of the effect signal, is what have make me think that I was making harmonies. But I know is not a conventional harmonist pedal.

as you’ve commented about the internal oscillator,  2500 Hz is a “factory/stock” value for the oscillator?, or it was just an example?.

Thank you very much for the explanation.

I’ve still to work a lot with the FA, it’s a great pedal (one of EH’s most difficult pedal to control), and certainly unique as many EH’s…

Regards

Nacho

2500 Hz is just an example.

If you want something to do harmonies you should look into the POG, POG2, or HOG.

The EH Man - 14 September 2009 04:39 AM

2500 Hz is just an example.

If you want something to do harmonies you should look into the POG, POG2, or HOG.

Thanks. I already have a big box EH POG, which I use extensively for add different voicings to the guitar sounds, sometimes to bass octave, others to upper octaves (+1 and or +2 octave with or without modulation), etc… that’s clear to me. The basic octave voicing is easy to use for different arrangements. As you’ve said, any of these modes suit well.

I comment my first impressions with the FA. My purpose is to go beyond making “sci-fi” and noise sounds. I noticed it when I started to re-write some lead/solo guitar parts of the band… very interesting. The FA gives the touch of weirdness to a “standard” guitar solo.

Another wild thing I discovered is when I set it to get chimy/bell sounds… you can freak out just by pushing the blend all the way up (or almost) and strumming chords (works well with open-stringed chords) or natural harmonics (frets 5th, 7th, 12th…). I also spent some time playing other non natural harmonics (pressing a note in a certain fret while pushing the string with the finger at upper octave position: for example 1 -> 13).

The bass note helps to get a boomy sound. I remember a practice session where I used B flat note with my guitar (Standard C tuning - which has the B flat at open 4th string). First I “tuned” to B flat, and then I recorded it at my EH 16 SDD.

To continue, I looked for a lower B flat note, and “re-tuned” it with the FA. Once I got it, I overdubbed into the first loop. Once I got a low and a mid B flat, I prepared another B flat one octave above the first (two above the second), retuned it and overdubbing one more time again.

When I obtained that droning B flat with multiple octave voices, I pushed the preamp volume of my Sovtek MiG 100 to max while I left the guitar with the 4th string natural harmonic at 12th fret (B flat again) with the Fulltone ‘70 and the MXR Blue Box (with random octave almos all the way up) on.

I went out of my rehearsal room and the heavy drone rumbled like a behemoth (LOL!). After I went back with a coffee, the drone was at full-throttle. I took the headphones and sat on the drum kit and began to make a steady beat at first. After a few moments, I started to improvise with the lower floor toms (16” x 16” and 18” x 16”).

Once I finished with drums, I took a bass, added an overdrive and started to improvise some grooves and scales (mainly pentatonic with variations)... amazing!, and for finish, I got the guitar again and I went to the final freak out.

Maybe I spent about half an hour only but was quite an experience… the bad thing was I didn’t recorded it, but I’ll do it the next time.

My next-to-door mates were rehearsing Coldplay-like songs… we met after I made a break and told me: “What the hell was that…?”

... I only smiled thinking on that pretty B flat drone.

Regards again.

Nacho