Anyone using Play Acoustic or similar effects?

[taylorgal]

I just read the threads on pedal boards and the body Rez pedal. I currently have no pedal board. My Taylor's either have the ES2, ES nylon pup, k & k, or nothing at all. I'm really pleased with how they all sound through my Fishman  loud box mini, but sometimes I wonder if I just don't know what I'm missing. Also, I'm wondering if my voice could benefit from the vocal effects of the Play Acoustic, but still sound natural. I have mixed feelings about the chorus and harmony effects-- in a way it sounds like it could be really cool for a solo performer, but I worry about it sounding cheesy or artificial. I know some acoustic performers are totally against these types of effects while others are ok with them.

On the one hand, this pedal does a lot in one compact pedal, which I like. On the other, if it has a bunch of effects I'm not going to use, I might as well save $$$ and get the mic mechanic, (for basic vocal adjustments) or Body Rez. But if both are worth having, I may as well buy the Play Acoustic even if I don't use all it has to offer. Also, does anyone use it with the 3 way switch pedal? Does that really add a lot of functionality?

Next month, I will be performing at an outdoor event--my first performance other than open mics. I'm really wondering if I should buy one of these pedals now. I want to sound my best, and I don't want to be boring. I certainly have a few songs where some harmony could sound good and add a little variety.  Sorry this is so long, but I would really appreciate any feedback. 

[guitarsrsoawesome]

I have a mic mechanic as well as a Fishman Loudbox Mini. 

I LOVE THE MIC MECHANIC.  I like the control it gives you when you're playing through a variety of systems.  Works amazingly well with the Loudbox Mini, and then if you play in a larger environment and are using a PA, it helps to have those features in a stomp box. 

I think you feel good about playing through your mini with those various pickups because the mini, I believe, acts like it's own little DI and does a bit of tone shaping itself.  I really like it what it does, enough that when I've played through a larger PA I had it on stage as both a monitor and a DI.  I think it's an amazing little amp.

As for the combo Play Acoustic, I haven't tried it, nor have I tried the body rez, so I can't speak to it, but I know if both pedals were something I needed and there was just one that did both, I'd probably go for the one and know that maybe one day I might end up using the additional features I may not use now.

As for the harmonies, I agree with you they can sound quite synthetic and almost creepy, lol, and I've wanted one in the past as well, but somehow the purist in me revolted.  Others have used them with great success though, so it may not be something to poo poo until you've given it a go.

Ok, now that I've confused everyone including myself, I shall digress! Let us know what you do

[Edward]

I am seriously thinking/considering getting the Harmony Singer ...simple plug-n-play like the Mic Mechanic, and far simpler and smaller than the voiceplay, etc.  And I don't need any guitar effects whatsoever since I have a pedalboard for that.  The Harmony pedal looks like just the right thing for vocal enhancement, and some good youtube demos online.  I've read of others, but the Harmony pedal seems to fit my "simple on the fly but still powerful enough to use" mantra.  Just gotta get the scratch together to pull the trigger ...maybe summer.

Edward

[nhbiker1961]

I just read the threads on pedal boards and the body Rez pedal. I currently have no pedal board. My Taylor's either have the ES2, ES nylon pup, k & k, or nothing at all. I'm really pleased with how they all sound through my Fishman  loud box mini, but sometimes I wonder if I just don't know what I'm missing. Also, I'm wondering if my voice could benefit from the vocal effects of the Play Acoustic, but still sound natural. I have mixed feelings about the chorus and harmony effects-- in a way it sounds like it could be really cool for a solo performer, but I worry about it sounding cheesy or artificial. I know some acoustic performers are totally against these types of effects while others are ok with them.

On the one hand, this pedal does a lot in one compact pedal, which I like. On the other, if it has a bunch of effects I'm not going to use, I might as well save $$$ and get the mic mechanic, (for basic vocal adjustments) or Body Rez. But if both are worth having, I may as well buy the Play Acoustic even if I don't use all it has to offer. Also, does anyone use it with the 3 way switch pedal? Does that really add a lot of functionality?


Next month, I will be performing at an outdoor event--my first performance other than open mics. I'm really wondering if I should buy one of these pedals now. I want to sound my best, and I don't want to be boring. I certainly have a few songs where some harmony could sound good and add a little variety.  Sorry this is so long, but I would really appreciate any feedback.

I love the Bodyrez pedal. It takes the edge off the  ES2. I am also playing through a Fishman mini and I think you will love it especially if you are not already using a compressor pedal because the Bodyrez provides a little bit of compression.

[Louis]

Well Gal, I was reading this post shaking my head and laughing saying man , she's exactly like me , always wondering what to buy, and looking for some thing to fatten the act,playing solo is very stress full  .But I always turn to Edward here to keep me in line when I'm x threaded . I never heard of mic mechanic till I read this post and u- tubed it . Your better off with the harmonizer, when you watch the demos on them most are not good singers and they hold the harmonizer way too long, and yes in the demos they do sound robotic . The key is don't over do it and I can't stress that enough .As an example I learnt "High cotton" by Alabama and the chorus goes high cotton , good times are not forgotten . Don't use it any where else in the song and when you get to High Cotton just push the button down for those 2 words and let it go and go normal for the rest - get it - try to accent only , don't over do it ,you might get  away with it for a couple numbers at a fund raiser or some thing but for a full 3 or so hour gig you'll fail if you over do it .One more thing when you set the different octaves and male or female , you can't really hear if it suits you r voice .  I do Tequila Sunrise  and Sounds of Silence and use a 12 string, my kid is a pro drummer and got me to reset  both songs
cause I thought they were set but not to him the harmony wasn't right ,so get ready for that happening .You would not believe how good those 2 numbers come through the with the harmonizer used properly .Yes they can sound robotic but doesn't have to be .If your going on your 1 st gig that tells me you most likely a good singer so kick your voice out there. They come with reverb and all that also. The pitch correct I don't
use and not too much reverb .Go knock emm dead kid .

[MrHarryReems]

I have a PlayAcoustic, and gigged with it for about a year before replacing it with a VoiceLive3.  The PlayAcoustic is a nice box, but the guitar output is XLR only.  Also, there is no bypass switch for the guitar effects with the PlayAcoustic.  The VL3 is much more expensive, but also infinitely more configurable.  My PlayAcoustic is sitting in a drawer until I get around to selling it on Ebay or dropping it off at my local store for consignment.

[Louis]

She decided to go for the Play Acoustic but I haven't heard from her how she likes it .

[taylorgal]

Yes, I did buy the Play Acoustic but life has been so crazy lately I haven't had time to do much with it. Maybe this weekend....

[Edward]

FWIW, I had the Harmony Singer and liked it a lot!  Easy, intuitive, and most importantly sounded good provided you played clean "root" chords to "set" the pedal's harmonies and that you only use it judiciously: less is definitely more when we're talking about digital singers here!  Set the harmony very lightly at around 9:00 and I had heads turn looking for another singer

BTW, I had this pedal for only a few weeks, and totally ...no issue with keeping it.  But had the opportunity to trade it for the Harmony G-XT: done and done!  Same harmony engine as the VL2 (which is to say their best engine), but with presets and an A/B switch for toggling between two settings.  Yesss!  No improvement in tone/harmony over the H-Singer that I can hear, but more versatile as it's very useful to have a foot switchable A/B to toggle between two settings (think verse, pre-chorus, chorus)!  This A/B switch would be enough to sway me on the Harmony G-XT.  But add in more control over adjusting the vocal fx and which harmonies, plus foot switchable presets, and this is the perfect pedal that blends ease of use live without the plethora of features I would never use anyway (since I'm more a guitarist than a singer).  Just thought I'd throw that in for anyone on the fence.  I'm already an avid user of TC Elec as they do a stellar great job with superb-sounding fx, but their Helicon group clearly deserves the kudos they enjoy on web reviews!

Edward