I know what you’re thinking… this isn’t really guitar gear… BUT it only works by analyzing guitar chords, so it falls squarely in the guitarist’s tool bag. So… what is it? Put simply, the Vocalist Live is a vocal harmonizer. It’s unique in that the processor doesn’t analyze only the notes you sing, it analyzes the chords you play. This makes for much more accurate harmonization. For instance, harmonizing to a Bb in F major, is going to be a lot different from Bb when sung with a G minor.
I do a lot of solo gigs with just me and my guitar. I sing a wide range of songs from all sorts of genres, and a lot of the songs (like songs from the Beatles) sound a lot better with harmony. Now, with a press of switch, I can insert harmonies – live – without backup singers!
The Vocalist Live comes in two versions: Vocalist Live 2 and Vocalist Live 4. I picked the Vocalist Live 4 because it can do 3- and 4-part harmonies, whereas the Vocalist Live 2 does two-part harmonies. In addition, the Vocalist Live 4 can act as a mixer, which eliminates a piece of equipment, which is also a good thing for a solo musician. Not that the 2 isn’t good; it is, and would be appropriate in a band situation. But I myself prefer the more full-featured Vocalist Live 4. Plus, you can interactively activate more or less harmony parts on the fly. Oh so cool..
The vocalist live also has built-in vocal and guitar effects, plus a tuner. The guitar effects will never replace dedicated boxes, but they’re adequate for what they do, and hey, you can always output the guitar dry and still hook up your pedal board (which is what I do).
So if you’re a gigging musician in search of good harmonies, and whether or not you’re solo, the Vocalist Live 4 could be a solution for you!
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