Korg Pitchblack Advance

The Korg Pitchblack Advance is a chromatic pedal tuner from Korg, described by the maker as "the next-generation model, a further evolution that features an advanced cutting-edge form and many of the functions and technologies developed for previous models of the Pitchblack series"¹. Korg positions it as an evolution of the best-selling Pitchblack, carrying over functions and technologies developed for earlier models in the series².

For a player, what that means is a floor tuner with a large, bright display, four different meter styles to suit how you read pitch, tuning accuracy down to ±0.1 cent in strobe mode, and true bypass so the pedal disappears from your signal chain when it is off²³. It also doubles as a small power supply: with an AC adapter attached, its DC OUT jack can feed 9V at up to 200 mA to another pedal on your board².

The four meter display modes

The Pitchblack Advance gives you four ways to read the display, and which one you pick is mostly a matter of how your eye tracks pitch. Korg describes the display as using high-brightness color LEDs with a note name display nearly double the size of the previous design, readable on a dimly lit stage or outdoors in bright sunlight¹.

Regular mode is the familiar needle-style meter most players grew up with. Strobe and Half-strobe modes work differently: instead of a needle settling toward center, the meter motion itself tells you which way you are sharp or flat and by how much, which is the approach behind the ±0.1 cent accuracy claim. Korg states that when using strobe mode, the Pitchblack Advance allows ultra-high-precision tuning with ±0.1 cent accuracy². Mirror mode splits the difference visually, with two LEDs converging at dead center when the string is in tune¹.

Power, batteries and the DC output

The pedal runs on 9V DC, center negative, with a current draw of 20 mA⁵. It also runs on batteries, and this is where the Advance made its biggest practical jump over the original Pitchblack: Korg rates battery life at approximately 60 hours on alkaline batteries and approximately 30 hours on zinc-carbon batteries, which the company describes as ultra-long-life operation six times greater than the Pitchblack¹.

The DC OUT jack is the other power feature. Korg states that if a separately sold AC adapter is used, the DC OUT jack can supply power to another effect unit, providing what the maker calls stable and noiseless 9V 200 mA power². That is enough current for a typical analog overdrive or compressor, though not for a high-draw digital pedal. The color variants of the Advance carry the same feature, with Korg noting the DC out allows parallel connection for powering other pedals⁶.

Bypass and muting

The Pitchblack Advance is true bypass. Korg says the true bypass design allows the input sound to be output with absolutely no change when the tuner is off, and that true bypass has absolutely no effect on the sound²³. When the tuner is on, the opposite happens: the input sound is completely muted, which Korg says makes the unit ideal for use on stage, since you can tune silently between songs³.

History and versions

The Pitchblack series includes the original Pitchblack, the Pitchblack Custom, the Pitchblack mini and the Advance¹. Korg presents the Advance as an evolution of the best-selling Pitchblack tuner², "the next-generation model, a further evolution that features an advanced cutting-edge form and many of the functions and technologies developed for previous models of the Pitchblack series"¹.

Korg describes the Advance as the next-generation model, "a further evolution that features an advanced cutting-edge form and many of the functions and technologies developed for previous models of the Pitchblack series"¹. The enclosure follows that idea: a slanted design that Korg says is lighter in weight while retaining the toughness characteristic of the series².

The Advance also appeared in two finish programs beyond the standard model:

• Sparkle colors: a lineup of sparkle blue (BL), sparkle red (RD) and sparkle white (WH), the first Korg tuners to use a powder coating that Korg describes as extremely durable, with brilliance and depth. The sound name indicator LED color is varied to match each body color. Specifications other than body color and LED color are the same as the standard model⁶.
• Metallic gray: a limited-edition metallic gray color scheme, with all specifications other than the color identical to the standard model³.

Korg publishes an English manual for the pedal covering its setup and operation⁴.

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