Pitch shifting has come a long way. However, players still recognize the familiar compromises—lag, wobble, imprecision, unwanted digital artifacts, and the sense that their instrument somehow feels different. The new BOSS Poly Shifters step into that space with purpose. Rather than offering yet another utility effect, these next-generation pedals introduce a new level of musicality to pitch shifting. It’s what guitarists and bassists the world over have long been waiting for: pitch shifters that move with them rather than against them. The XS-1 and XS-100 open a fresh creative landscape—one where your instrument and imagination truly steer your performance.
A New Era in Pitch Shifting
For decades, guitarists and bassists have experimented with pitch shifters, yet many products have struggled to capture the feel and sound of their instruments with precision.
The BOSS XS series—the compact XS-1 and flagship XS-100 Poly Shifters—change that. These innovative pedals represent a new era in pitch shifting. Using an electric guitar, bass, or other instrument, BOSS Poly Shifters deliver natural feel, sonic clarity, and pinpoint-accurate pitch like no other.
This means your playing style, essential tone, and creative decisions all remain as intended. Every note, whether performing speedy solos or complex chords, is faithfully preserved, connecting you to your instrument as never before.
Conventional pitch shifters introduce unnatural latency, smear the attack, and distort transients, resulting in a processed or “glitchy” sound.
The XS series solves these issues through a combination of advanced algorithms and a high-speed SHARC processor. Working in tandem, they execute blisteringly quick polyphonic (multiple note) pitch shifts with minimal latency and razor-sharp accuracy.
Years of research, development, and testing at BOSS headquarters in Japan underpin the XS-1 and XS-100, making them powerful tools for musicians seeking expressive and reliable pitch control. Simply put: they are in a class of their own.
"We chose a SHARC processor because it’s the optimum balance of fast speed and efficient power consumption. But it’s BOSS’s new algorithms that have truly advanced the technology."
Pitch Pioneers
BOSS has led pitch-shifting innovation since the 1980s, from the analog OC-2 Octave of 1982 and PS-2 Digital Pitch Shifter/Delay of 1987 to the OC- and PS-series pedals of today.
Throughout the decades, BOSS engineers have consistently delivered pitch effects that have become the go-to for guitarists and bassists worldwide, setting world firsts and industry standards along the way.
The groundbreaking XS series elevates these standards.
Historically, even high-end pitch pedals have struggled with natural attack, tone preservation, and polyphonic accuracy. But the XS-1 and XS-100 set fresh benchmarks, heralding the start of a new era in pitch shifting.
The XS-1 is designed primarily for quick drop tunings and capo effects. Meanwhile, the XS-100 greatly expands creative possibilities with its eight-octave range, built-in expression pedal, customizable controls, 30 memories, MIDI integration, and more.
Both pedals share state-of-the-art algorithms, resulting in an organic and supremely comfortable playing experience.
They secure your instrument’s tone in high-fidelity and with rock-solid pitch integrity, even while performing elaborate chord work or fast runs and riffs.
"The attack response is very accurate, making the XS-1 and XS-100 feel faster and sound much clearer. Other products significantly distort the transient, resulting in poor response and a lack of definition."
The Three As of Pitch Shifting:
Attack, Authenticity, Accuracy
Pitch shifting involves more than just moving a note up or down. Three crucial elements determine quality:
ATTACK
The transient (initial part of a note) must remain intact and be delivered with low latency; otherwise, playing can sound undefined and feel disconnected.
AUTHENTICITY
Tone should sound natural and authentic, not artificial, allowing both instrument and technique to shine through with transparency.
ACCURACY
Every sweep, semitone, and octave must be precise and exactly what the player intended; even small errors are immediately audible.
The XS-1 and XS-100 excel simultaneously on all three fronts.
Class-leading algorithms, combined with a SHARC processor, calculate each note using FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) with lightning-fast precision.
This cutting-edge BOSS technology enables polyphonic pitch shifting with virtually undetectable latency while preserving the intricate nuances of your instrument and playing style.
Rapid-fire licks, delicate vibrato, and layered voices all stay defined, giving you the confidence to perform with complete creative freedom, in both live and studio settings.
"The Poly Shifters have excellent dynamic range, and the new algorithms cover the entire audio spectrum."
Designing the Future
Every instrument has its own sonic signature: the way a guitar resonates, the weight of a bass, or the timbral details of a synthesizer. Many pitch shifters erase this individuality, producing flat, sterile tones.
Our engineers made it their mission to address these challenges. At the core of the XS series are new BOSS algorithms designed to accurately process polyphonic signals while preserving note attack and the fundamental character of your instrument.
The SHARC processor was explicitly chosen for its speed and efficiency. It executes calculations significantly faster than everyday DSP chips, resulting in extremely low latency, accurate transients, and full-frequency fidelity. In practice, this means that chords, runs, and sustained notes all translate beautifully.
Years of research, development, and testing went into this combination, from evaluating multiple DSP options to refining algorithms in collaboration with professional musicians.
This painstaking R&D has culminated in a new breed of pitch shifters that are at once technically superior and musically intuitive.
"The XS-1 and XS-100 can reliably process sounds from many instruments aside from guitar and bass."
Perform Without Limits
Not only do the XS-1 and XS-100 retain your instrument’s voice with matchless definition—they also play well with other pedals. BOSS Poly Shifters allow units further down the path to show their true colors.
This is particularly important in genres such as metal, progressive rock, and funk, where rhythmic coherence and tonal detail are vital
For example, a metal guitarist could use the XS-1 to instantly drop into a lower tuning and perform grinding, heavily saturated low-end riffs without manually changing their tuning.
Or they might employ the XS-100 to sweep up an octave mid-solo to zero in on a note way beyond the reach of their fretboard—all without sacrificing their well-honed distortion tone.
Conventional pitch-shifting methods rely on pitch detection, and such pedals are often tied to the front of the signal chain. By contrast, the XS-1 and XS-100 can be placed anywhere while maintaining the same level of operation.
In other words, you can experiment with pedal order to your heart’s content, unlocking a much broader palette of sounds.
"The XS-1 and XS-100 are the best there is when it comes to retaining the natural character of instruments."
Shifting the Standard
Designed for guitar, bass, or other instruments, the XS-1 and XS-100 share similarities, but there are some key differences.
The XS-1 is perfect for rapid retuning with flawless sound, while the XS-100 offers unrivalled dynamic pitch expression.
Here are some at-a-glance specs to help you decide which Poly Shifter will best suit your musical needs:
- Advanced pitch-shifting workstation with deep control options
- Eight-octave range
- Total pitch control for guitar and bass
- Smooth onboard pedal with integrated toe switch provides linear pitch control across +/- four octaves
- Fixed pitch settings in semitone steps across eight octaves for drop tunings, capo effects, and otherworldly tones
- Detune function (+/- 50 cents)
- Adjustable pedal curve and response
- Fully customizable toe switch and footswitches for momentary pitch changes, instant retuning, and more
- Clear display for editing sounds and 30 memories for storing favorite setups
- Dedicated analog output that mirrors the input signal
- Connect up to two footswitches or an expression pedal for extended control
- TRS MIDI I/O for external control and sending MIDI commands with the pedal and footswitches
- USB connector for system updates
- Perfect for instant drop tunings, capo effects, and pitch leaps
- Six-octave range
- Shift selector knob (+/- seven semitones or +/- three octaves)
- Shift direction switch (up or down)
- Detune function (+/- 20 cents)
- Balance knob (mix between effect and direct sounds)
- Selectable Toggle (latch) or Moment (unlatch) pedal modes
- CTL/EXP jack (up to three tuning setups/linear pitch control)
"Conventional pitch shifters are often placed at the front of the chain because they use a pitch detection circuit. The XS-1 and XS-100 use a different technology and can be placed after other pedals."
Pushing Creative Boundaries
The BOSS XS Series Poly Shifters give you the ability to explore pitch in ways previously deemed impossible. By combining industry-leading algorithms with a high-speed SHARC processor, every note is faithfully rendered, safeguarding your unique touch and the natural characteristics of the instrument in your hands.
Whether you’re retuning, adding harmony, crafting detuned textures, or performing complex pitch sweeps, the XS-1 and XS-100 respond with supreme feel, sound, and accuracy.
The XS-1 and XS-100 are high-quality tools for sonic exploration and transforming ideas into sound. They empower you to push creative boundaries, shaping pitch in ways that expand the limits of your instrument and inspire next-level music-making.
