Octave effect
Octave effect boxes are a type of special effects unit which mix the input signal with a synthesized signal whose musical tone is an octave lower or higher than the original. The synthesised octave signal is derived from the original input signal by halving (octave-down) or doubling (octave-up) the frequency. This is possible due to the simple two-to-one relationship between the frequencies of musical notes which are separated by an octave. One of the first popular musicians to employ the octave effect was Jimi Hendrix, who also used a variety of other effects in his recordings and public performances. Hendrix used an octave-fuzz pedal known as the octavia.
Analog octave effects differ from harmonizers and pitch shifters which digitally sample the sound and process it to change its pitch.
Use of octave effects[edit]
Octave pedals can be used in conjunction with fuzz (see octafuzz) and/or distortion. It can be used on guitar to make it sound more aggressive (such as the lead-in solo by Prince on When Doves Cry) or sound like a bass. The song Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes features an octave pedal on electric guitar, simulating the sound of a bass.[1]