simulate 12 string with 6 string?

[Bluesrock]

Hi,
I wonder if there's a pedal that makes a 6 string sound like a 12 string, or at least 'kind of' ?? Basically some octave pedal I guess...

Best Regards,
Koen

[Bucksears]

An octave-up pedal would provide that kind of effect, but tracking would be a little off and you wouldn't be able to chord with it.
My advice: if you have an extra 6-string acoustic (any cheap one will do), string it up with the light (2nd set) strings from a 12-string pack. i.e. Nashville tuning.
12-string packs come with a regular gauge set and a much lighter gauge for the pairing. If you use the lighter gauge, you get this beautiful chimey acoustic sound that's like a cross between a mandolin and a guitar. As Joe Satch mentioned in an interview, if you record a regular 6-string with a Nashville-tuned 6-string, it will sound better than any 12 string you'll ever hear.
Hope this helps,
- Buck
www.bucksears.com

[Marek]

Hi!

Why don't you simply add some chorus? With the correct dosage of this effect, it should work. Or at leats - sort of...

Greetings,
Marek

[Torchy]

Try the 'Woody' pedal - its an acoustic simulator but stick a chorus on it and it may be the sound youre after.

PS Its a Mark Hammer pedal so - a) it works, and b) it works great

[SnooP_Wiggles]

Remember that with 12 strings they are only octave up on the bottom 3 strings. the top 3 are the same pitch (at least thats what it was on the two 12 strings i've played). I wouldn't really recommend trying to emulate the sound with pedals. Those expensive roland guitar synths could do it with the special pickup, but nothing else will get close. I listended to the boss ps5 12 string and it wasn't at all convicing (not that i was expecting it to be).

[jimmy]

if you REAAAAAALLY had to, id agree that the woody and a chorus, and maybe a VERY short delay would do it.

id much prefer a real 12 string. if you buy even a cheap one, it will sound better than a simulated one.

cheers
Jim

[MarkB]

the "nashville tuning" suggestion is great, actually... some people prefer this to a 12-string, since you not only get the doubling/octave effect - but you get the subtle differences when playing a second track (much like doubling a normal guitar or vocal track).

I was just thinking of stringing up one of my guitars like this for a track I"m working on.  
"-)

[Ben N]

Yeah, I used to try to do it with a Strat, a chorus, a short delay and a 6-band eq pedal.  In short, unsatisfactory results for a lot of mess on the floor.  Then one day GC discontinued the Dano 12-strings (the ones with three lipsticks and the "blow" switch), and I picked one up cheap.  In terms of sound, there is just no comparison (although tuning was a lot easier with the Strat).  So my advice is to look around for a cheap 12 (a Yamaha Pacifica or a Dano) and you wont be sorry.

[smoguzbenjamin]

The real deal is always better than a simulation, whatever you're talking about. But you can get pretty cool 12-string-esque sounds with a woody, chorus and slapback delay.

[Mark Hammer]

A lot of folks think primarily about the swirl to chords on a 12 string and the slight detuning as well, but there is more to it than that.   One needs to remember that the three lower strings have a co0mpanion string one octave up, while the three upper strings have a companion string that is in unison.  Simply tacking on an acoustic simulator and a chorus will not fake that very well.

As luck would have it, the newest Octave pedal from Boss (OC-3 I believe) is fully polyphonic and DSP-based (Digitech must have driven them to it!).  One of its modes provides polyphonic octave up for the notes in the range of the three lowest strings apparently.  How well it works, I don't know, but it attempts to do this 3+3 trick which mere chorusses cannot.

[Marek]

Heh, dunno... this trick with the chorus effect I learned while working in this recording studio, some years back. It's a cool quick-fix type of solution. I remember beeing happy as a puppy when I first tried that out... :-)

Apart from that, I've seen a funny type of plectrum in a music store, here in Berlin: it looks like an ordinary type of plectrum, but has 3 layers instead of the usual one. So you practically pick each string 3 times, thus getting an effect which immitates a 12-String guitar. Or maybe an '18-String' guitar?! Heh. ( Didn't impress me much, tho' :-) )

Greetings,

Marek

[Torchy]

Simply tacking on an acoustic simulator and a chorus will not fake that very well.

As luck would have it, the newest Octave pedal from Boss (OC-3 I believe) is fully polyphonic and DSP-based

To be fair, the guy is on a DIY FX forum and asked how he could get "kinda that sound".

[M0n0mania]

Get a Roland VG88!

[Rory]

Electro Harmonix is coming out with a cool new octave effect, you can do most of the usual stuff with it, 2 down, 1 down, 1 or 2 up, etc... BUT you can also chord with it!

[David]

I found something last night that might be helpful.  Was able to get a real jangly, full sound by tweaking a few knobs.  First off, I use a Strat clone with 3 single-coils and a Peavey Classic 30 tube amp.  Anyway,  I used a chorus with the speed fairly low and depth near max.  I turned the reverb up to about 10:00 on my amp.  The key was setting my compressor/sustainer for no sustain, little boost and quick release.

All I can say is WOW!  Huge, massive jangle!

[Bluesgeetar]

I have a Korg G2 acoustic processor which is reported to have the best 12 string emulation in it.  Pretty convincing.  Works well with electric guitar also.   Don't know how it does it.  I think I read somewhere that it uses a complex chorus type deal in it.  I suppose the only thing better is a Roland V8 or what ever that huge thing is called.  But those are pricey and you have to install that midi pickup thang on your axe.