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Eventide PitchFactor!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter Max Roberts
- Start date
Crap..just watched the video of it again...and now i'm going to see how much i can get one for
I warned you to get the GAS-X ready.
Thanks for going into detail, Andy. You hit on something that is why I am not totally comfortable with just a rack setup; and that is that for certain sounds (overdrive, possibly compression, other very niche or 'one-off' effects), I know I'll want at least 2 or 3 pedals anyway, so why not make space for the Factors. Are you intrigued at all by the new TC Electronic Nova Drive pedal that permits midi control of the analog drive and distortion paths?
As for the price, the Timefactor hasn't dropped in price at any of the major outlets, and I wouldn't count on the Pitch dropping soon, if ever, either. (and I sometimes see that Eventide is on the 'exclusion' list in Guitar Center coupons, along with the likes of Apple, Monster, Mogami, etc)
Regarding the specific patch comparisons with the Eclipse, one of the Eventide staffers stated on the official Factor forum that the Pitch would best the Eclipse on some fronts, but I'm sure the reports in this thread are accurate, too, that the Eclipse could be updated via firmware to match any of the Factors, algo-wise.
That is very interesting about the Eclipse being limited to 2 functions at once.
As for the price, the Timefactor hasn't dropped in price at any of the major outlets, and I wouldn't count on the Pitch dropping soon, if ever, either. (and I sometimes see that Eventide is on the 'exclusion' list in Guitar Center coupons, along with the likes of Apple, Monster, Mogami, etc)
Regarding the specific patch comparisons with the Eclipse, one of the Eventide staffers stated on the official Factor forum that the Pitch would best the Eclipse on some fronts, but I'm sure the reports in this thread are accurate, too, that the Eclipse could be updated via firmware to match any of the Factors, algo-wise.
That is very interesting about the Eclipse being limited to 2 functions at once.
I had a look at the TC stuff, but to be honest, am not really into complicating things anymore after going through all the true bypass, loops etc. Was just getting complicated with too many wires and making the pedalboard too huge. So, Midi control is something I'd find unnescessary......unless I decided to have a rig like Steve Lukather! haha!
After a lot of experimentation (and cost!
), am going to have 'my' ultimate straight-forward pedalboard running as follows:Ernie Ball Volume => Demeter Compulator => MSD Earthquake Bass Wah => Vodka Mods Rat2 => Pitchfactor (with Ernie Ball Expression pedal) All fitting easily on a Pedaltrain 2
Really can't imagine needing anything more than this as I don't use much modulation and really don't need to duplicate a Synth (though the Synthoniser on the Pitchfactor intrigues me
). But though this is a simple set-up, there are soooooo many useable sounds available that I will actually use.
It's now arrived, so had a couple of hours to play around last night and all I can say is................Frickin' Awesome! All I was expecting for octave, Whammy etc. that I was wanting and lots more I wasn't quite expecting like the Synthonizer and Electronic Wah pre-sets which I think I could use for some cool purposes!
All sounded top quality but after reading the manual realised I haven't even changed the input Source to 'Bass Guitar' yet, so it will sound even better when that setting is changed this evening!
One point for everyone considering this pedal is to buy an Expression pedal immediately (which I did in advance) as some pre-sets, even though they sound cool, are really designed to make use of the Expression controller.
Tracking and sound are top-notch (for digital) down to a standard open 'A' for some settings and down to 'E' on others (will try low B later). Am curious to see how the Input Source will improve this for lower notes.
Also, really like how clear and fast the tuner is!
Anyway, this was only a quick overview so will need a good amount of time to really delve into all the sound possibilities in the Pitchfactor
All sounded top quality but after reading the manual realised I haven't even changed the input Source to 'Bass Guitar' yet, so it will sound even better when that setting is changed this evening!
One point for everyone considering this pedal is to buy an Expression pedal immediately (which I did in advance) as some pre-sets, even though they sound cool, are really designed to make use of the Expression controller.
Tracking and sound are top-notch (for digital) down to a standard open 'A' for some settings and down to 'E' on others (will try low B later). Am curious to see how the Input Source will improve this for lower notes.
Also, really like how clear and fast the tuner is!
Anyway, this was only a quick overview so will need a good amount of time to really delve into all the sound possibilities in the Pitchfactor
Yes with an Expression pedal pedal, as mentioned by Jimmy M, it can do all sorts of whammy pitchshifts to whichever predetermined pitch you require/program (within reason).
OK, first impressions of the 100 presets...
The Chorus isn't going to replace the Modfactor for me. The Synthonizer is not amazing, it's too 'soft' sounding for me and not as convincing as what I could get with an mpog into fuzz into envelope. The tone of the octave down is amazing... extremely round and natural and full-sounding. Octave up is like I've heard with other pedals and too synthetic with more than a 20% wet mix for my taste. Overall pitch tracking is awesome and similar to the mpog after adjusting the input sensitivity (thank you for including this!). The fuzz that's integrated with this and other sounds is very "fine grained" and mellow- for better or worse. The sound effect potential of this pedal is huge, and combined with the Undulator on the Modfactor (and possibly the band delay on the Timefactor) the soundscape / ambient palette is gigantic. What strikes me most about the patches is that the harmonies are extremely pretty. Strike a note softly and play without string noise and you think you're strumming a 12 string guitar.... (for better or worse?!) The Quadravox patch is amazing and I am going to need some time to think about what integrated delays with pitch shifting makes possible, musically. Eventide has upped their "consumer" chops by including 100 presets that are thematically grouped on a nice cheat sheet. And the manual is done very well also- much better than the Modfactor.
The Chorus isn't going to replace the Modfactor for me. The Synthonizer is not amazing, it's too 'soft' sounding for me and not as convincing as what I could get with an mpog into fuzz into envelope. The tone of the octave down is amazing... extremely round and natural and full-sounding. Octave up is like I've heard with other pedals and too synthetic with more than a 20% wet mix for my taste. Overall pitch tracking is awesome and similar to the mpog after adjusting the input sensitivity (thank you for including this!). The fuzz that's integrated with this and other sounds is very "fine grained" and mellow- for better or worse. The sound effect potential of this pedal is huge, and combined with the Undulator on the Modfactor (and possibly the band delay on the Timefactor) the soundscape / ambient palette is gigantic. What strikes me most about the patches is that the harmonies are extremely pretty. Strike a note softly and play without string noise and you think you're strumming a 12 string guitar.... (for better or worse?!) The Quadravox patch is amazing and I am going to need some time to think about what integrated delays with pitch shifting makes possible, musically. Eventide has upped their "consumer" chops by including 100 presets that are thematically grouped on a nice cheat sheet. And the manual is done very well also- much better than the Modfactor.
quoting myself here... Now I've been through all the presets with an expression pedal attached (by the, kudos again to Eventide for wiring their exp jack to use a mono cable in the out of an exp pedal [e.g. eb 25K jr])... big improvement. The biggest surprise for me is the HarPeggiator. The way you can blend two sequences (A / B) is extremely trippy. And this mode makes unique use of the billboard display.... Wow, I just hooked up the Modfactor on a pitch-based Undulator and midi clock sync'd them.... we're in a whole new world now...............
EDIT:
A little more about what I wrote already. When I first read the program listing for the PF, I saw 'Synthonizer' and based on nothing more than the name I assumed this would be the pinnacle of keyboard bass analog synth tone. Of course, after reading the manual and using it in person, it is obviously something completely different, and not something that I should have formed a first impression on because it is so different.
I also want to share more about the Octaver effect, and the 'extras' Eventide has included in this program: fuzz and filter. I am trying to build a smaller board and every space is precious. The fuzz I've been using (the BeeBaa clone from Barge) is wicked and wild and just nasty-great. The fuzz in the Pitchfactor is more predictable, even, and "fuzzy" (versus coarse). I don't really like it as much as the BeeBaa, but it IS a good fit with an octave down and the ability to map the fuzz to octave mix with an expression pedal or MIDI CC is REALLY powerful. The filtering available isn't as quacky or combed as others but the gigantic octave down and tracking makes up for the narrower range of funk (and for some I'm sure the sound will be in the center of their sweet spot). I have an SYB-3 pedal that can do a wider variety of sounds, but none half (being gracious) as well and consistently as the PF's Octaver. So to correct my first post, the "keyboard bass" program is the Octaver, not the Synthonizer.
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