What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

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nanamour
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What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

Post by nanamour » Sun Jan 12, 2020 5:55 pm

In the process of paring down my pedal collection, I just sprung on a used Eventide H9 Core. I'm hoping the H9 will replace a surplus of pedals that I only use for a few songs now and again (EHX Pitchfork, ADA PBF Flanger, DD-5 reverse setting, and a rotary speaker sim), as well as general reverb duties (replacing an RV-2 and Strymon Flint).

I'm certainly planning on getting down and dirty with the Rotary, Flanger, Reverse Delay, and some of the reverb algorithms, but before I go for a costly an time-consuming dive into the world of Eventide algorithms, I was curious what some of the preferred Eventide algorithms of the OSG set are, or if there were any particularly great patches anyone cares to share.

For reference, I play sort of a mix of 60s psych, ethereal jazz (think ECM-era Terje Rypdal), and dreamy post-punk in the vein of And Also the Trees and any number of 4AD acts...flangy, modulated verb and delay suggestions especially welcomed.

Curious to hear Eventide aficionados' experiences/recommendations :)

Edit: oh, and how user friendly is the H9's onboard tuner? Has anyone ditched their standalone tuners in favor of the H9?

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cestlamort
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Re: What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

Post by cestlamort » Sun Jan 12, 2020 10:53 pm

I really like the H9. The Black Hole reverb is pretty great and has become my go-to reverb with only a couple of minor tweaks.

I’m still working my way through the other effects / algorithms (I got an h9 max used, so all the effects are included). I’ve found that I like individual effects more than the H9 (except for reverbs), but the h9 does a good job. For example, the modulated digital delay is fine, but the actual Korg delays are richer; the flanger is good but pales next to an old mxr, etc. that said, I’m picky and am not good at bending multiple parameters to my will, so I may just not be good at replicating classic effects.

I’m really happy with the tuner (even if it means clicking off modulation earlier in the chain). I still have trouble using the two switches to engage it, but that’s easily solved with an external switch. (Digitech fs3 can be found for cheap; the barn ox3 switch seemed like a good idea but is expensive and only has two switches, or just one if you use an expression pedal!)

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Re: What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

Post by SummerLeftMe » Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:52 am

I have the H9 max and my favorite sounds are the reverbs. I already have the Space pedal so I initially got the H9 so I could use the pitch algorithms.
The blackhole algorithm is beautiful and has lots of different sounds you can get from it. Hall is gorgeous but I also use Shimmer and the ModEchoVerb. Modechoverb is a huuuuge modulated reverb, which I love. Lots of the reverbs have freeze functions which are cool to play with. Pretty much all of the reverbs are great. I have the Eventide Eclipse with lots of reverbs and I still end up using the Space reverbs a lot.

I will say that I think the Modfactor algorithms are its weak spot. Instead of using the chorus I use the Pitchfactor's micro pitch for chorusing. There's just something off to my ears with the chorus, flange, and phaser. Which is weird because the modulation in the Eclipse are great! But out of those three, the flanger is the best to me.
I never use rotary effects so I can't say how accurate it is. I see lots of people commenting on how weak the mods are but often say the rotary is the exception to that.
The undulator is my favorite mod effect but can be a bit of a one trick pony.

The delays are okay. Again, they seem to be lacking something. Richness? The Multi Tap and Vintage delay are the best I think. But I alway use Eclipse delays.

The pitch sounds get weird fast. I like that. The tracking isn't as good as the EHX pitch fork though.

The H9 exclusive algorithms are hit and miss. Ultratap can tun into weird reverbs and glitches. Resonator is cool and weird. But I don't use most of the others like Scuplt, pitch fuzz, hot sawz. . .

There's a teaser just posted by Eventide of the next new H9 algorithm. Not sure what is it but its icon is a triceratops, so people are guessing a tri chorus maybe.
I love they are still releasing new effects. That's a huge plus.

Even though I'm not crazy about the mod and delays, I still think this is a great pedal. I mean the delays and mod are okay. They do what they should, but there are definitely pedals that have better delay/mod.

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Re: What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

Post by SummerLeftMe » Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:53 am

Oh and I like the tuner a lot, but I use this pedal in a studio setting only so I am always using the H9 app on my iPad to activate it.

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Re: What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

Post by nanamour » Mon Jan 13, 2020 5:01 am

Thanks to both of you for the detailed and comprehensive replies!

Yeah, from the samples I’ve heard (and very limited experience with a friend’s Modfactor), the classic modulation algorithms seem to be more than passable, if a little lackluster. I’m mainly interested in the reverbs, which by all accounts seem wonderful—‘ok’ should be fine for delays (I’m mostly using a DMM and old tape echo for everything but reverse delay), pitch, and mod stuff. Good to hear the tuner is workable too, even if I may have to get a remote switch or practice my tap dancing to accurately hit both buttons. I may end up keeping the ADA Flanger around for the knob tweaking craziness, but limited board real estate would mean kicking off my current tuner.

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Re: What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

Post by jorri » Mon Jan 13, 2020 11:36 am

Off the space:
-hall. Cant go wrong with that. Does everything. Can go to slowdive extremes.
-blackhole. Favourable to reverse reverb patch for that shoegaze thing.
-modechoverb. Just yes, synthy chorus fx.

The rest i use occasionally for more specific things. Like tremverb can sound like a sequencer. Or the plate/room/spring are more embelishing reverbs not that they have to be subtle. Shimmer is love/hate with most people but occasionally that. Never blown over by dynaverb but it can be a dry omnipressor, and its verb is nice-different to other patches with that off. Reverse verb is too odd for frequent use, i think better for 80s drums or 90s ambient new age or something as more usable swell need longer time delay from notes on guitar.

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Re: What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

Post by CorporateDisguise » Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:48 am

I have had an H9 max for a few years now. I also pretty much only use the reverb on the h9. The rotary and trem are ok, but the rest of the mods are pretty meh. I would definitely keep your analog flanger. The undulator can also be good fun.

The delays are ok, but seem pretty dated compared to the competition. Are they passable? Yes. Do other companies have significantly better delays out? Absolutely.

The pitchfactor algos can be a good time for sure. I’ve not found a good POG sound from it. it can do whammy sounds. The pitch delays are pretty fun. Crystals is definitely a great sounding algo. The Harpreggiator is a really intersting synthy sequencer thing. And the h910 and harmodulator are good pitch delays. I think I like the pitchfactors delays better than the timefactor.

From the space I use Blackhole, Modechoverb, plate, hall, shimmer and reverse the most. If you like shimmer, this is one of the best. Tremverb can be fun as well.

From the newer algos, I use the ultra tap, resonater, harmonic trem, and sometimes the eq.

The h9 app has a pretty good audition system that lets you try effects before you buy them. So I would suggest spending a few days doing that before committing to anything.

If you have any questions about specific algos, I’ll try my best to answer them below.

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Re: What are your favorite Eventide H9 algorithms/patches?

Post by CorporateDisguise » Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:52 am

Also, it is the only tuner on my board. I use a clip on before I play. And use the H9 during the set. It’s pretty darn accurate. And it’s pretty easy to press both switches at the same time to access it.

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