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Pros:
- Quiet operation
- Easy to use
- True bypass
Cons:
- Bottom part is plastic
- A bit hard to read in daylight
No matter how professional you consider yourself to be, there is no way you will not need a tuner in your career. These little devices are the starting point of any sounds since they make sure whatever you play is correct. There is nothing worse than inaccurate tones because they have the ability to ruin every freaking thing. All your sophisticated chords, layered effects and meticulous modifications will be in vain if the core of your sound is impure. And that’s why you need a tuner in your life.
You can choose almost any type out there but all the gigging musicians will concur that their pedal variation is the best creation for live performances. These are the units that don’t require complicated features in order to be wonderful. They can be simple as hell and still maintain their place in the upper league. The ease of usage can turn into an important advantage in most cases and the pedal we are going to talk about today wins the hearts of its customers with that very property. Korg Pitchblack Chromatic Tuner is definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a straightforward tool for correcting your pitch. It will provide you with a wonderful performance and turn into a first aid kit for all those emergency situations. Let’s begin this review and dive into all the tiny crevices!
Features
The most important qualities of any tuner out there are precision and accurate tracking. Without these two, nothing else makes any sense. Korg knew that well from their previous experience and created something that does both with excellence. Pitchblack recognizes your signal and corrects any mistakes that are caused by loosened or tightened strings. It mutes the pedal so that you can tune your sound silently.
This way your audience won’t drool from boredom while you are messing around with your instrument and you will be spared from embarrassment. Its body is designed to last through years of stomping – here we have a die-cast metal shell on three sides of the unit and a plastic bottom plate. It won’t break on you that easily, so get ready to be with this one for a long time. The display has four modes of operation so that you can tailor the pedal to your favorite way of tuning. We have Meter, Full Strobe, Half Strobe, and Mirror.
Each of these modes modifies how your out-of-tune notes are visualized in order to make your job easier. They all have LEDs that guide them through the whole process. Keep in mind that Pitchblack isn’t the easiest to read in direct sunlight which can be a bit unpleasant if you happen to perform outside frequently. This little puppy can be powered either with a battery or an adapter and can also act as a power source for other pedals in your chain (via DC 9V Out Jack). It has True Bypass circuit without any buffers to make sure your sound doesn’t get affected when it passes through this one. The pitch calibration ranges between 436-445Hz, while the tuning varies from E0 (20.60 Hz) to C8 (4,186 Hz). There is only one question left to ask – what’s not to love?!
Controls
When it comes to tuners, the only control you need is a switch that activates the circuitry. There is nothing else your heart will wish for during your performance since the prime reason of such pedals can be achieved via that switch. With its help you will be able to trigger all the internal components and tune your instrument with ease. In the case of Pitchblack, the main footswitch does also mutes the output and enables you to correct your pitch without your signal getting fed to the amp. But Korg decided to add two more buttons in order to give you slightly more precision. On the rear panel, you will find Display and Calib buttons. The former allows you to choose the desired display mode (either Meter, Full Strobe, Half Strobe or Mirror) and tune your signal accordingly, while the latter makes it possible to mess around with the calibration and choose between various settings available. These additional controls turn Pitchblack into a capable tool that is not only easy to use, but also leaves a lot of room for needed adjustments. Wonderful, isn’t it?
Korg Pitchblack Sound
Due to the fact that tuners don’t have any audible effect on your sound, it is always a bit tricky to judge their sonic abilities. However, there are some rules they should follow and Korg Pitchblack nails them all with ease. It offers transparent operation – there is no way it will color your tone or interfere with its qualities. It does so whether it is active or not, guarantee that your signal will remain in tune without sacrificing its precious properties. What is more, this pedal has smooth tracking in all four modes.
The only thing that changes is the design of the display – everything else remains amazing throughout the whole experience. Adjustable calibration makes it possible to tailor this unit to your instrument and preferences, and acts as a go-to tool no matter if you are playing with bass or guitar. This puppy knows how to do its job and won’t disappoint you. It offers consistent and reliable operation and, thus, secures its place on your pedalboard. We can’t really ask for more from tuners, so this one is easily one of the best in its price range.
Conclusion
On the whole, Korg Pitchblack is something you can’t go wrong with. It offers easy operation and makes sure you are in tune all the time. It doesn’t have any sophisticated features, yet its properties are more than enough to turn it into a decent rival in the competition. Unless you are looking for a polyphonic tuner or something that has studio quality, this one is definitely worth trying out. Pitchblack will be by your side for all those times when you need a quick fix for your sound. Good luck!
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