Guitar World Verdict
If you want to bring harmonies into your playing, the Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine will do the job without breaking the bank or eating up too much of your pedalboard real estate.
Pros
- +
Compact.
- +
Solid build quality.
- +
Tight tracking. Solid collection of harmonies in all the keys.
Cons
- -
Selecting the correct key and interval can be a bit fiddly.
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What is it?
New from Electro-Harmonix is the Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine, a pedal that puts some of the functionality of its larger namesake into a diminutive Pico chassis, which could easily slip into any vacant pedalboard gap.
The pedal’s function is to create two- or three-part harmony in any key over a range of different intervals.
Specs
- PRICE: $149 | £119 | €131
- ORIGIN: USA
- TYPE: Pitch-shifting pedal
- FEATURES: Buffered bypass, 12 selectable keys, 10 single intervals, 10 dual intervals
- CONTROLS: Volume, Mix, Key, Interval, Natural/Sharp or Dual button, bypass footswitch
- CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output
- POWER: 9V DC adaptor (supplied) 100mA
- DIMENSIONS: 50 (w) x 91 (d) x 47mm (h)
- CONTACT: Electro-Harmonix
Usability and sounds
Volume and wet/dry Mix knobs complement two more rotary knobs that set the Key and Interval. These two are not detented, but each different pitch or interval resides in a particular segment of their arc of travel and the LED will flash briefly as you move from one segment to the next.
The Key knob has the keys clearly marked, but there is no legending around the interval knob for the eight single intervals between the octave-down and octave-up at the two extremes of its travel.
A button determines whether a natural or sharp key is selected, and it has a secondary function that brings in Dual mode where the Interval knob selects two different intervals simultaneously.
First impressions are that the tracking seems really good – instantaneous and solid with no lag to the pitch-shifted notes.
The pedal is designed to work with single notes only but will go polyphonic if you choose an octave interval, which means you can dial in an approximation of 12-string jangle with the upper octave and the Mix knob set appropriately low. Choose the octave down, turn the Mix knob up full and you’ll be able to play basslines if needed.
The main attraction, though, is the harmonies. For the single harmonies you can choose 6th, 4th and 3rd down, plus 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th up.
There is a metallic tonality to the pitch-shifted voices in isolation, but the pitching is close enough and, in the proper context, mixed proportionally with your dry sound, they are very effective in the blend.
Verdict
Verdict: ★★★★
We particularly liked the musicality and extra thickness of the Dual harmonies, most notably the ones that combined pitched-down with pitched-up intervals.
Pick your key, stick to the notes in it, and you’ll be rewarded with tight harmonies that can sound like two (or three!) guitars playing together.
Guitar World verdict: If you want to bring harmonies into your playing, the Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine will do the job without breaking the bank or eating up too much of your pedalboard real estate.
Hands-on videos
EHX
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