The Korg Pitchblack Pro is a rackmount chromatic tuner from Korg, announced in January 2014 as the company's flagship tuner. It takes a single rack space, yet it is only 1.93 inches deep, and it is designed for both rack-mount and desktop use. Its headline feature is a newly developed "3D" style tuning meter with illuminated color LEDs that Korg says offers exceptional visibility, and it offers three tuning display modes: Meter, Strobe, and Half-Strobe12.
Meter, Strobe and Half-Strobe modes
The Pitchblack Pro offers three modes of tuning, and each reads differently on the large LED screen2.
| Mode | What you see |
|---|---|
| Meter | An LED indicator moves towards the center point as you tune closer to pitch, and the direction of the indicators shows whether you are sharp or flat2 |
| Strobe | A flow of LED arrows on the entire screen from either the left or right side that slows in speed as your tuning gets closer to pitch2 |
| Half-Strobe | The same flowing pattern from either the right or left side while also using the center LED2 |
Meter is the classic tuning mode, the one most players will recognize from pedal tuners. Strobe and Half-Strobe trade that familiar needle-style readout for motion: in Strobe mode the whole screen fills with arrows whose flow slows to a stop as you approach pitch, while Half-Strobe is a bit more involved, combining the flowing pattern with the center LED2.
Inputs, buffer and power
The Pitchblack Pro was designed with a buffered output to minimize any additional noise in the audio signal, according to Korg's press release1. That buffer matters for placement: because the unit is not true bypass, MusicPlayers.com's review noted that "Vintage players may lament the lack of true bypass"2.
On the input side, the front panel input jack automatically bypasses the secondary, rear-panel input, so you can keep permanent rear connections for a rack setup and still plug into the front when you need to2.
Power is supplied via a 9V DC, center positive, wall wart, which is included with the unit2. Center positive is the opposite polarity of most pedalboard power supplies, so a standard daisy-chain or brick output will not suit it without an adapter.
One quirk the review flagged concerns the power switch itself: the unit uses "a new soft toggle power button... which doesn't maintain its On/Off state when powered down!"2. In other words, after a power cut the tuner does not necessarily come back in the state you left it.
The review also described the build as very compact and shallow, housed in a plastic casing rather than the aluminum chassis of the original tuners, and noted that it weighs nearly nothing. Korg touts the Pitchblack Pro as weighing only 0.8 lbs (363 g)2.
What reviewers said
MusicPlayers.com's review, by Scott Kahn and Joey Hayek, gave the Pitchblack Pro an overall rating of 3.8 Stars, which earns it a WIHO Award2.
The Pitchblack family today
Korg has since expanded the Pitchblack line well beyond this rack unit. The Pitchblack Custom pedal tuner is described by Korg as offering "the same ultra-high precision offered in KORG's flagship tuner, the Pitchblack Pro"3. The current flagship rack model is the Korg Pitchblack X Pro, which adds a built-in ULTRA BUFFER, INPUT 1 and CABLE CHECK jacks for testing a cable, and output jacks on both the rear and front panel to make it easier to integrate the tuner into an effects setup. Korg says the Pitchblack X Pro tunes within a precision of ±0.1 cents in Strobe mode and offers four meter display types: Regular, Strobe, Half Strobe and Focus4. Pedal-format options in the family include the Korg Pitchblack Advance, the Korg Pitchblack Custom (Black) and the Korg Pitchblack Mini (Black). For a wider view of the category, see Tuner Pedals.
Videos
Guitar Interactive Magazine
Paul On Bass
ReviewTube99
Questions
Is the Korg Pitchblack Pro true bypass?
No. The Pitchblack Pro is designed with a buffered output, intended to minimize any additional noise in the audio signal. MusicPlayers.com's review noted that vintage-minded players may lament the lack of true bypass, so players who want their signal to pass through untouched when the tuner is not in use may want to consider that when placing it in a signal chain.
What power supply does the Korg Pitchblack Pro need?
The Pitchblack Pro is powered by 9V DC, center positive, and Korg includes a wall wart power supply with the unit. Because the polarity is center positive rather than the center negative standard used by most pedal power supplies, players should check how their supply handles polarity before plugging it into a shared power brick.
Does the Korg Pitchblack Pro remember if it was on or off after power-down?
No. The Pitchblack Pro uses a soft toggle power button, and MusicPlayers.com's review pointed out that it does not maintain its On/Off state when powered down. In practice that means the tuner may come back in a different state than you left it after a power cut or when unplugging the supply.
How many rack spaces does the Korg Pitchblack Pro take?
The Pitchblack Pro occupies only 1U of rack space, according to Korg's press release covered by Premier Guitar. It is also only 1.93 inches deep, and MusicPlayers.com noted it is designed for both rack-mount and desktop use, so it can sit on a table outside a rack as well.
What is the difference between Meter and Strobe mode on the Pitchblack Pro?
Meter is the classic tuning mode: an LED indicator moves toward the center point as you tune closer to pitch, and the direction of the indicators shows whether you are sharp or flat. Strobe mode instead shows a flow of LED arrows across the entire screen from either the left or right side that slows in speed as your tuning gets closer to pitch.
What is the list price of the Korg Pitchblack Pro?
MusicPlayers.com's 2015 review reported that the Korg Pitchblack Pro sells for approximately $100 USD. That figure dates from the review's publication in May 2015, so current street pricing may differ.
Sources (4)
- Korg Launches Pandora Stomp & Pitchblack Pro Tuner, Premier Guitar, 2014-01-25
- Korg Pitchblack Pro Rackmount Tuner, MusicPlayers.com, 2015-05-15
- Pitchblack Custom, Korg
- Pitchblack X Pro, Korg
