Loving H9 MAX but Overwhelmed! Where to start?

[rrahmer]

So new to the H9 and absolutely loving the endless tone possibilities, but I’m overwhelmed… probably like most everyone who starts with this amount of tone power/control in one place!

So looking for some practical help and guidance from those of you further up the maturity curve.

In a cover band, so naturally when it comes to tone, my mind still thinks in terms of the specific song I’m covering and how to recreate what I’m hearing. So is there an easy way to map a song/tone to the different algorithms and customizations of settings available in the H9? Anyone have a website for that sort of thing?

I mean, I get it right… at some point after recreating tones that I’m hearing with this sort of song to settings mapping I’ll eventually start to learn more and more about the available algorithms and be able to pick them out when I hear them without a map… but that seems further up that maturity curve than where I’m at as an H9 beginner.

So any web sites, threads or forums that do this sort of 101 mapping of song to H9 algorithm/settings sort of activity?

Thanks! I’ll get this… baby steps man, baby steps.

[joecozzi]

There currently isn’t an Eventide-based resource for preset sharing where you’ll find immediate results. The best recommendation I can make is to research the gear of the artist’s sound you’re trying to emulate. Find out what gear they used during that recording period using websites like equipboard.com and guitargearfinder.com. You can also use popular gear forums to ask if anybody knows a particular signal chain for the song you’re trying to match. Armed with that knowledge you can find algorithms on the H9 that will emulate that sound. There are some H9 User Facebooks groups you can join as well, where you can ask to see if anyone has already made a specific preset. I’ve found that Google searching a particular song can uncover articles where engineers, producers, and artists themselves talk about specific amp and effects settings. This also uncovers gear groups where such topics are discussed.

[joeydego]

You really want to scroll through many if not all of the presets and really learn how to use the H9 before trying to recreate classic sounds. Remember, the H9 is not an all in one processor as it only runs one algo at a time. You can get a lot of mileage out of it and there are sounds to it that are unique, but you cant run a chorus/delay/reverb/fuzz at once.

There aren’t any quick and easy shortcuts to this. There is great audio bending power in the box, you just have to put the learning into it.

[apalazzolo]

The H9 factory preset list includes quite a few Pink Floyd presets, one or two for U2, and a few others for popular songs.  If you look at the names you can guess which ones b/c they are word plays (presumably TM issues preclude the use of actual song names).   The first 20 presets in that list are intended to be simpler commonly used guitar effects.

Almost every algo is capable of 2, 3, or four effects at once.  Don’t be afraid to turn some knobs right off to make a simpler preset.  For example, Resonator makes a great basic delay and reverb if you simply turn all the “notes” (the bottom four knobs) to off.  You can also turn the “length” off and you have a great reverb with just the “mix” and “reverb” knobs operable.

Generally, the H9 algos (the gray ones) tend to offer more complex combinations of effects.  For example, SpaceTime has dual delay, reverb and chorus with the ability to digitally reconfigure the signal chain (for example, delay into reverb or delay parallel with reverb).  It can also do a leslie (with reverb).

Eventide made FABULOUS tutorial videos for the Dot9 series of pedals.  While some of that doesn’t apply to the H9 I think they are still the best resource for doing a deep dive into the corresponding H9 algos.

Look in the top right hand corner of the h9 control app screen when you select a preset.  There is an “info” tab where you will find a description of what each knob does.

Good luck!

 

[apalazzolo]

Correction: Most of the factory Pink Floyd and U2 presets are not in the Max preset list.  They are factory presets found within the Digital Delay and Vintage Delay Algos.  My apologies.

[gas hed]

I’m in a cover band too and am all about the simplicity of the H9.  Pic of my rig below (acoustic effects on top and electric on bottom).  Having a MIDI controller is a must, I use the Morning Star MC-6.  Easy and instantaneous program changes during songs.  It did take me a while to figure things out, but now that I’ve got a memory on how things work it is much easier.  It really comes down to spending time with the H9 and getting to know where certain effects will sound like the recorded song.  For instance, I’m covering the intro to Black Hole Sun and went back and forth between the Rotary effect and Tricerachorus.  I got both dialed in great and actually keep them both on the bank I have programed in the MC-6 for that song.  Depending on my mood I’ll use one or the other!

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