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→Quality Considerations
Even when using "nice" intervals like octaves, the shifting process leaves lots of artifacts in the tone. If you have two shifters available, try shifting up an octave then back down to the original note. It will likely sound nothing like the original note. Using less harmonic intervals will fare even worse. '''A good pitch shifter minimizes artifacts, or makes the artifacts somewhat musical, rather than crackly or overly alien-sounding.'''
Advanced pitch shifters use a variety of methods to avoid or hide artifacts. They use multiple overlapping segments, blending in adjusting phase from one to the next, avoiding creating "jumps" in the waveform, which would sound harsh and crackly. They also know how to intelligently extend a segment when pitch shifting upwards, again avoiding jumps in the waveform.
All this being said, some kinds of shifting artifacts might be desirable to some people or for some tones. Personally, I want to minimize them.