Eventide HotSawz is not a pedal of its own: it is a synth algorithm that runs on Eventide's H9 Multi Effects Pedal, released on November 13, 2018 as the 50th algorithm for the H9 platform1. It transforms a guitar or bass into a synth voice using a pitch-tracking, monophonic synth engine, so it follows one note at a time and rebuilds your playing as a synthesizer tone2.
The engine uses classic subtractive synthesis with sawtooth waves, driven by six stackable sawtooth oscillators that follow a mono pitch tracker1. Premier Guitar's coverage of the release said the sounds "run the gamut from classic synthwave to a pulsing panorama of bouncing blips, brassy swells, and sub-bass swagger"2. Gearnews, quoting Eventide's marketing, described the range of tones as covering everything "from Blade Runner to Stranger Things"3.
Modulation sources and destinations
HotSawz has three modulation sources and four assignable destinations, and the routing between them is where the algorithm opens up. The sources are an LFO, an Envelope Follower and an ADS Gate1. The destinations are Filter Cutoff, Volume, Pitch and Oscillator Depth1.
- LFO, Envelope Follower and ADS Gate: the three modulation sources1
- Filter Cutoff, Volume, Pitch and Oscillator Depth: the four assignable destinations1
- 64 combinations of source-to-destination assignments1
- Each modulation source can be assigned to any destination at a given time, so multiple sources can manipulate the same destination at once1
For a player, that means one source can sweep the filter while another shapes volume or pitch on the same voice, across 64 possible source-to-destination routing combinations1. HotSawz comes with 30+ presets, some of them designed by Eventide artists1.
Price and how to get it
At release, Eventide priced HotSawz at $19.99 for H9 and H9 Core owners, and made it free for H9 Max owners1. Gearnews listed it at USD 19.95 RRP, or free for existing H9 Max owners3. The two press figures for the price differ slightly, $19.99 and $19.95.
The algorithm is available through the H9 Control app, which runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC and Android devices1. Eventide said customers can demo HotSawz by downloading the latest version of that app before buying1.
HotSawz only runs on the H9 platform. It is an add-on algorithm, not a hardware pedal, so an H9 or H9 Core is required to use it2.
Videos
Eventide Audio
Jordi Martinez Guals
Leon Todd
Questions
Is Eventide HotSawz a pedal or an algorithm?
HotSawz is not a standalone pedal. It is a software algorithm that runs on Eventide's H9 Multi Effects Pedal, and it was the 50th algorithm released for the H9 platform. H9 owners add it to their pedal through the H9 Control app, which is available for iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC and Android devices.
How much does HotSawz cost?
At its November 2018 release, HotSawz was priced at $19.99 for H9 and H9 Core owners, according to Eventide's press release. Gearnews listed it at USD 19.95 RRP. It was free for existing H9 Max owners, since the H9 Max includes the full algorithm library.
Can I try HotSawz before buying it?
Yes. Eventide said customers can demo HotSawz by downloading the latest version of the H9 Control app, which runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC and Android devices. The algorithm itself is also available through that same app.
Is HotSawz monophonic or polyphonic?
HotSawz is monophonic. It is based on a pitch-tracking, monophonic synth engine, meaning it follows one note at a time and converts the pitch of your playing into a synth voice. Playing single-note lines works best with this kind of engine.
Sources (3)
- Eventide Releases Spicy HotSawz Synth for H9 Effects Pedals, MusicPlayers.com, 2018-11-14
- Eventide Releases the HotSawz Algorithm for the H9, Premier Guitar, 2018-11-19
- Eventide HotSawz Synth: The 50th algorithm for the H9 pedal!, gearnews.com, 2018-11-21
