Eventide, Inc
Encyclopedia
Eventide is an audio & broadcast, communications, and avionics company in the United States
whose audio division manufactures digital audio processors and DSP software, and guitar effects
. Eventide was one of the first companies to manufacture digital audio processors, and its products are mainstays in Sound recording and reproduction
, post production
, and broadcast studios.
and owned by Greene. When Katz needed to rewind the analog tape back to a specific point on their Ampex MM1000 multitrack recorder, but limited space in the studio did not allow for a "tape op" device. Katz asked Factor to build a gadget that would do the job, and the resulting device turned into an Original equipment manufacturer
(OEM) success for Ampex
. Other early products included a two-second delay for telephone research and an electrostatic deflector
for dispensing nanoliter quantities of chemical reagents.
Eventide's original product line consisted of two products: the Instant Phaser
(the result of an AES Show appearance) and what would become the 1745 Digital Delay Line (the result of a significant order from Maryland Public Broadcasting).
Beginning with the 1745M, Eventide began widely using Random-access memory
(RAM) chips in many of their products. After purchasing a Hewlett-Packard computer for researching reverb
algorithms and needing to upgrade the memory in order for the computer to handle the necessary complex computations, Eventide designers realized that they could manufacture computer memory expansion far more affordably than the current market price. So Eventide began to manufacture and sell HP-compatible RAM expansion boards, and did so from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s.
to New Jersey, its President earned a private airplane pilot's license. Surprised that moving map displays were not available for small airplanes, he had Eventide develop Argus, the first moving map system and one of the first multi-function displays
designed for general aviation
use.
of the band Yes
was among those impressed, and he became a tester for the first prototype. The production H910 was released in 1975, offering pitch shifting (±1 octave), delay
(up to 112.5 ms), feedback
regeneration and other features in an easy-to-use box that sold for $1,600. The H910 was named after a Beatles tune (the model number refers to the "One After 909
").
The first H910 customer was New York City's Channel 5
, utilizing it to downward pitch shift I Love Lucy
reruns that were sped up to create room to run more commercials. Speeding up the reruns had increased the pitch of the audio, and the H910 was able to shift that pitch back to where it originally had been. Frank Zappa
added it to his guitar processing rig. Producer Tony Visconti
used the H910 to create the snare sound on David Bowie
's song "Young Americans
", as did Tony Platt
on AC/DC
's song "Back in Black
". Another popular application was to use two H910s, slightly detuned with a small delay. Notable users of this twin Harmonizer effect included Eddie Van Halen
, who used it for his trademark guitar sound, and Tom Lord-Alge
, who used it for the vocals on the hit Steve Winwood
song "Back in the High Life Again
". Recognizing the popularity of this application, Eventide later recreated it as the "Dual 910" program in the H3000 UltraHarmonizer released in the late 1980s.
The H910 Harmonizer was recognized by the AES with a TECnology Hall of Fame award in 2007, and on November 10, 1976, Eventide filed a trademark registration for "Harmonizer," and Eventide continues to maintain its rights to the Harmonizer trademark today.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
whose audio division manufactures digital audio processors and DSP software, and guitar effects
Effects unit
Effects units are electronic devices that alter how a musical instrument or other audio source sounds. Some effects subtly "color" a sound, while others transform it dramatically. Effects are used during live performances or in the studio, typically with electric guitar, keyboard and bass...
. Eventide was one of the first companies to manufacture digital audio processors, and its products are mainstays in Sound recording and reproduction
Recording
Recording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
, post production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
, and broadcast studios.
Beginnings
Eventide was founded by recording engineer Stephen Katz, inventor Richard Factor, and businessman/patent attorney Orville Greene. The business was founded in the basement of the Sound Exchange, a recording studio located at 265 West 54th Street in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and owned by Greene. When Katz needed to rewind the analog tape back to a specific point on their Ampex MM1000 multitrack recorder, but limited space in the studio did not allow for a "tape op" device. Katz asked Factor to build a gadget that would do the job, and the resulting device turned into an Original equipment manufacturer
Original Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
(OEM) success for Ampex
Ampex
Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
. Other early products included a two-second delay for telephone research and an electrostatic deflector
Electrostatic deflection
Electrostatic deflection refers to a technique for modifying the path of a stream of charged particles by the use of an electric field applied transverse to the path of the particles.The technique is called electrostatic because the strength and direction of the applied field changes slowly...
for dispensing nanoliter quantities of chemical reagents.
Eventide's original product line consisted of two products: the Instant Phaser
Phaser (effect)
A phaser is an audio signal processing technique used to filter a signal by creating a series of peaks and troughs in the frequency spectrum. The position of the peaks and troughs is typically modulated so that they vary over time, creating a sweeping effect...
(the result of an AES Show appearance) and what would become the 1745 Digital Delay Line (the result of a significant order from Maryland Public Broadcasting).
Beginning with the 1745M, Eventide began widely using Random-access memory
Random-access memory
Random access memory is a form of computer data storage. Today, it takes the form of integrated circuits that allow stored data to be accessed in any order with a worst case performance of constant time. Strictly speaking, modern types of DRAM are therefore not random access, as data is read in...
(RAM) chips in many of their products. After purchasing a Hewlett-Packard computer for researching reverb
Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed. A reverberation, or reverb, is created when a sound is produced in an enclosed space causing a large number of echoes to build up and then slowly decay as the sound is absorbed by the walls and air...
algorithms and needing to upgrade the memory in order for the computer to handle the necessary complex computations, Eventide designers realized that they could manufacture computer memory expansion far more affordably than the current market price. So Eventide began to manufacture and sell HP-compatible RAM expansion boards, and did so from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s.
Aviation
Shortly after Eventide moved its offices from ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
to New Jersey, its President earned a private airplane pilot's license. Surprised that moving map displays were not available for small airplanes, he had Eventide develop Argus, the first moving map system and one of the first multi-function displays
Multi-function display
A Multi-function display is a small screen in an aircraft surrounded by multiple buttons that can be used to display information to the pilot in numerous configurable ways. Often an MFD will be used in concert with a Primary Flight Display. MFDs are part of the digital era of modern planes or...
designed for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
use.
Digital Logging
In the early 1990s, Eventide developed digital logging machines that enabled broadcasters to begin archiving digitally with improved audio quality and far greater storage capabilities (via DAT and later DVD-RAM) than they previously had been working with.H910 Harmonizer
The Eventide H910 Harmonizer, was first demonstrated to universally positive reactions at the AES show in late 1974. It was designed by Eventide's first engineer, Tony Agnello (who went on to become the president of Eventide's audio division). The pre-production prototype was a hand-wired box topped with a music keyboard controller. Jon AndersonJon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
of the band Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
was among those impressed, and he became a tester for the first prototype. The production H910 was released in 1975, offering pitch shifting (±1 octave), delay
Delay (audio effect)
Delay is an audio effect which records an input signal to an audio storage medium, and then plays it back after a period of time. The delayed signal may either be played back multiple times, or played back into the recording again, to create the sound of a repeating, decaying echo.-Early delay...
(up to 112.5 ms), feedback
Feedback
Feedback describes the situation when output from an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same Feedback describes the situation when output from (or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or...
regeneration and other features in an easy-to-use box that sold for $1,600. The H910 was named after a Beatles tune (the model number refers to the "One After 909
One After 909
"One After 909" is a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon, with input from Paul McCartney , and originally released in 1970 on the album Let It Be. The album version is the live performance from the rooftop concert which took place on 30 January 1969...
").
The first H910 customer was New York City's Channel 5
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
, utilizing it to downward pitch shift I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
reruns that were sped up to create room to run more commercials. Speeding up the reruns had increased the pitch of the audio, and the H910 was able to shift that pitch back to where it originally had been. Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
added it to his guitar processing rig. Producer Tony Visconti
Tony Visconti
Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
used the H910 to create the snare sound on David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
's song "Young Americans
Young Americans (song)
"Young Americans" is a single by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 1975. It is included in the album with the same name.-History:...
", as did Tony Platt
Tony Platt
Tony Platt is a music producer/engineer best known for his work with a diverse mix of artists including AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Bob Marley, Iron Maiden, Shy, Buddy Guy, Foreigner, Sparks, Jazz Jamaica All Stars and Motörhead. He has recently completed an album with Jazz trio The Bad Plus and is...
on AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
's song "Back in Black
Back in Black (song)
"Back in Black" is a song by AC/DC, appearing as the first track on side two of their 1980 album, Back in Black. Known for its opening guitar riff, the song was AC/DC's tribute to their former singer Bon Scott...
". Another popular application was to use two H910s, slightly detuned with a small delay. Notable users of this twin Harmonizer effect included Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
, who used it for his trademark guitar sound, and Tom Lord-Alge
Tom Lord-Alge
Tom Lord-Alge is a four-time Grammy Award–winning record producer and mixer. He is the youngest of Vivian Lord's five children, Mark Lord-Alge, Lisa Lord-Alge, Chris Lord-Alge, Jeff Lord-Alge and Tom Lord-Alge...
, who used it for the vocals on the hit Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
song "Back in the High Life Again
Back in the High Life Again
"Back in the High Life Again" is a 1987 single written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings and performed by Winwood. The single was included in his album "Back in the High Life" and included backing vocals by James Taylor. "Back in the High Life Again" was Winwood's second number one on the Adult...
". Recognizing the popularity of this application, Eventide later recreated it as the "Dual 910" program in the H3000 UltraHarmonizer released in the late 1980s.
The H910 Harmonizer was recognized by the AES with a TECnology Hall of Fame award in 2007, and on November 10, 1976, Eventide filed a trademark registration for "Harmonizer," and Eventide continues to maintain its rights to the Harmonizer trademark today.
Timeline of noteworthy products
- 1745 Digital Delay Line - 2-channels of independent delay from a single input, with the delays ranging from 0 to 200 milliseconds.
- 1745A Digital Delay Line - Modification of 1745 DDL with easier, more user-friendly shift registers.
- 1745M - Another variant of the original 1745M, this version was one of the first uses of Random Access Memory (RAM) in an audio product, and also had an optional pitch change module, one of the first products of this kind with a frequency response suitable for music.
- H910 Harmonizer® (1975) - First commercially available pitch changer.
- H949 Harmonizer® - Harmonizer with finely controllable pitch change capability, used for "doubling" vocals, and "deglitch" option for greatly reducing objectionable artifacts in harmonized audio.
- BD955 (1975) - "Obscenity Delay" allowed broadcasters sufficient delay to delete any objectionable content (like from a live telephone caller on a radio show) with no apparent interruption to the program
- SP2016 - Early Digital Reverb processor utilizing DSP and first effects device to publish its SDK so that 3rd party developers could develop "plug-in" algorithms
- Instant Phaser™ - The first phaser
- Instant Flanger™ - One of the first flangers
- H3000 (1986) - First intelligent/diatonic pitch shifting.
- DSP4000 - more powerful version of H3000
- DSP4500 Ultra-Harmonizer (1998)
- DSP7000 / DSP7500 (2001) - Pitch shifter / effects processor with four times more processing power than the DSP4000
- Orville - Pitch shifter / effects processor with eight times more processing power than the DSP7000 / DSP7500 processors
- Eclipse (2002)
- Clockworks Legacy (2003) - Software plug-in versions of classic Eventide effects and DSP
- BD500 (2004) - 40-second version of Eventide's fourth-generation broadcast profanity delay
- Anthology TDM Bundle (2005)
- H8000FW (2005)
- Stompbox Line (2007)