The ALABS Orbital Pitch Shifter is a digital pitch shifter pedal from ALABS Audio, covering pitch-shifting, harmonizer and octaver territory. It offers nine studio quality effects or modes, and it was listed at $109.9912.
What sets the Orbital apart from a basic harmonizer pedal is its movement: a Detune control that spreads the shifted pitch across the two outputs, a Rate control for modulating it, and a gesture-control system that lets you ramp parameters with your foot. Guitar Pedal X called it "a rather unique interval modulator with significantly enhanced movement and ambience"2.
What it does: nine interval modes
The Orbital shifts your note to a fixed interval, chosen from nine modes: +Oct, +5th, +4th, +3rd, Root, -3rd, -4th, -5th and -Oct2. That covers octave up and down plus the harmonizing intervals in between, so it works as an octaver, a harmonizer or a plain pitch shifter depending on the mode selected.
On top of the interval itself, the pedal adds microtonal pitch modulation: up to plus or minus 100 cents of detune, with frequency modulation up to 10Hz on the target pitch3. In practice that means the shifted note can shimmer and move like a chorus rather than sitting static, which is where the "movement and ambience" character comes from.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Modes | Selects the interval: +Oct / +5th / +4th / +3rd / Root / -3rd / -4th / -5th / -Oct2 |
| Rate | Sets modulation speed, max 10Hz2 |
| Detune | Microtonal pitch modulation, +100 cents on the left output, -100 cents on the right output12 |
| Dry>Wet Mix | Blends the dry and shifted signals12 |
| Glide / Tone knob | Glide sets the pitch-transition time; the knob doubles as a Tone control depending on the toggle position2 |
| Toggle switch | Selects Glide (Momentary) / Tone (Latching) / ∞ Explore Mode (5s Gesture Control)12 |
The Detune knob is the one that gives the Orbital its stereo character: the left output is detuned up to +100 cents and the right output down to -100 cents, so with both outputs running the shifted pitch widens around the dry note12.
Gesture Control and the multi-function footswitch
The Orbital's footswitch is multi-function and multi-mode, covering tap tempo, freeze and expression ramping among other things2. Holding it activates Gesture Control for the Rate, Detune, Mix and Tone parameters12.
The toggle switch chooses how the footswitch behaves: Glide (momentary operation, including instant pitch bending), Tone (latching), or ∞ Explore Mode, a 5-second gesture-control and expression-ramping mode for the pedal's four main parameters123. In Explore Mode you can ramp the parameters with your foot rather than bending down to turn knobs, which is what Guitar Pedal X highlighted when describing the pedal's "most amazing detailed / fluttery harmonising climb-up" to +1 octave after Explore Mode gesture control1.
Stereo, bypass and power
The Orbital is mono in, stereo out (MISO): one input, two outputs12. Pedal of the Day also lists a Differential True Stereo mode among its features3. The dry signal stays analog through the pedal (analog dry-through), with the pitch shifting done digitally on a 32-bit floating-point DSP23.
Bypass is selectable between two modes: a relay-based true bypass and a transparent analog buffered bypass23. That means it can sit on a true-bypass board or serve as a buffer where one is needed.
Power is 9V DC with a 250mA current draw2.
At 250mA, the Orbital draws far more than a typical analog pedal. A 9V battery is not an option at this draw, and it is worth checking that a shared or daisy-chain supply can deliver this much current before plugging it in alongside other digital pedals.
Where it came from
ALABS Audio released the Orbital as a pedal offering pitch-shifting, harmonizer and octaver effects, with nine studio quality effects or modes, and it was listed at $109.9912.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, reviewing the Orbital, found the pitch tracking held up across the modes21:
"all the intervals tune-in pretty fine - with excellent tracking throughout"
He also compared it directly against established pitch shifters, saying it "mostly competes really well with my Boss PS-6 and DigiTech Whammy Ricochet"1.
Pedal of the Day, reviewing the stereo pitch shifter in January 2024, concluded3:
"It's a great addition to a great modulation pedal"
and noted its Differential True Stereo mode, analog dry-through and two selectable bypass modes3.
Videos
ALABS AUDIO
Mike Hermans
Doug Hanson
Questions
Is the ALABS Orbital stereo?
Yes, in a mono-in, stereo-out (MISO) arrangement: you plug one input and get two outputs. It also has a Differential True Stereo mode, and the dry signal passes through in analog form while the shifted signal is digital.
How much current does the ALABS Orbital Pitch Shifter draw?
It draws 250mA from a 9V DC supply. That is well above what a typical analog pedal needs, so plan on an isolated power supply rather than sharing a small daisy chain with low-current pedals.
Does the Orbital Pitch Shifter have true bypass?
It has selectable bypass modes: a relay-based true bypass and a transparent analog buffered bypass. You choose between them, so it works either in a true-bypass board or as a buffer in the chain.
What does the Detune knob do on the Orbital?
It applies microtonal pitch modulation to the shifted pitch, up to plus or minus 100 cents, with the left output detuned up and the right output detuned down. Combined with the Rate knob (up to 10Hz), it produces chorus-like movement on the shifted intervals.
Sources (3)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-11-27
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-01
- ALABS Audio Orbital Stereo Pitch Shifter, Pedal of the Day, 2024-01-23
