Is the EXH String9 Actually Any Good?

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00:00 - Intro
01:22 - Examples
07:53 - Hold Modes
10:16 - Routing
11:42 - How Would I Use It Live?
13:33 - Pretty Good, But Not Perfect
17:30 - All the FX

[@arno-luyendijk4798]

I was already convinced by this awesome musical toy and I ordered it yesterday, but I fly through the roof now that I discovered the bombast of the AARP setting. This is what I have searched for for years for my own ambient and semi prog compositions.

[@Fsng837]

lmao skipped to AARP after seeing this comment and... Yep, sold.

[@TheJleerocker]

Great pedal for certain parts in a song arrangement. Thanks Leon T. I think I might get one.

[@stratodan2745]

My String 9 arrived from Sweet Water a few days ago. You're right Leon, it is kinda Magic! Love it. Running it in parallel is the key like you said. I'll be trying it with the band this weekend...super stoked! I've been using it at home over the last few days playing stuff by Journey, Rush, Billy Idol, Foreigner, etc. that my band does to see how useful this pedal might be for me. Out of the 50 or so rock songs we play, I'd say there might be at least 10 where this pedal might sit in nicely. I think the Juno and PCM modes work best for me. They both sound and work great for the songs I'd use the pedal in and using a volume pedal to mesh my guitar tones in with the String 9 helps a ton. I'm using either the Juno or PCM mode for the descending 3 chord/note synth part in the middle of Rush's "Distant Early Warning" and it sounds killer! The String 9 has a dedicated channel on the PA mixer. My main guitar signal coming out of the Dry output on the String 9 (internal dip switch set to mute) runs thru my pedal board then into my Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 amp. Glad I took a chance on the String 9. I've already mounted it on my board after less than a week...that's incredibly quick for me. Thanks again for the great demo video! Yours and a few other KZbin vids helped me a lot. This pedal is Fun City!

[@LeonTodd]

Awesome to hear. Distant early warning rips!

[@shredthatcheese]

I feel like someone could cover Van Halen’s 1984 intro and Jump with that. Sounds beautiful man!

[@oldnikix]

Top content, Leon. Sounding marvelous. I love this demo. I have the Mel9 and the strength of its Male Choir sound is why it lives on my pedalboard. I think the sound of it blended is quite good, but you're making me want to tap into another channel on the mixer... Caveat would be I would have to buy another Eventide Blackhole! I've been giving the String9 the hairy eyeball. It is presently on my long list...

[@pclindholm]

Wow man - you've got great control with both hands to make that pedal work - likes like a lo fi, VHS sounding synth

[@bananabourbonaenima]

5:13 the 'Jean Michel Jarre'-mode

[@philh0954]

Great video! Kudos to your wife for the fantastic Christmas gift.

[@chapmanfx8104]

Such amazing skills Leon! Have you tried the Mel9 I'm hoping it'll be a bit more versatile and the added choir effects should be fun

[@stratodan2745]

I could see this working out nicely to fill out my rock band (I don't have a rhythm guitarist or keyboard player with me...). I'd run it "effect only" into the PA with delay and reverb on it...and run the dry out thru the rest of my pedal board then into my Marshall amp. I can hear our 80s set (Rush, Loverboy, etc.) sounding much fuller. Still trying to decide. Been researching this pedal for months... Great video Leon! Much appreciated.

[@bradfordwolpert6394]

Great demo as always! Can’t believe you brought up Valley of the Kings!! Great band Blue Murder!

[@LeonTodd]

Such a great band and album(s).

[@robb4340]

Awesome Demo as Always.

[@adam872]

Some nice Freeman and Mellotron sounds in there. With all of these kinds of pedals, I think a subtle blend with the guitar tone is the way to go and use it to provide some nice colours or textures. Kind of like how Adrian Smith, Robert Fripp or Andy Summers did it with guitar synths.

[@Margilio5150]

Great sounds, you really made it work… I want to try that mini mooer synth pedal and throw it into my hx stomp loop in front of their version of the freeze pedal…

[@mygtr2021]

Thanks for taking the time to create this review. Consider this: Guitar output to a EHX Switchblade+ (splitter) with one channel to your usual guitar effects and amp and the 2nd Channel into a EHX Freeze pedal going into the EHX S9 then a second amp. Basically you can use the switchblade as an ON/OFF/Mix switch and the freeze pedal to control or hold a note or chord for the EHX S9. I think this way keeps the mix from being too muddy if your strumming along with the S9 effect in the background.

[@bbbro34]

Yes, all those 9 series pedals are really dynamic and respond to attack sometimes in ways that can be a bit unruly, they are seriously helped with a compressor in front of them. Great for recording uses especially. Not a cheap pedal, but a lot cheaper than a synth, or organ.

[@michaeltaylors2456]

I tried C9 B9 in GC but not with a comp in front. Wanted to like them, tones were fine but they couldn’t keep up with attack for lead lines. I was hoping for emulating Keith Emerson..

[@bbbro34]

Try with a comp in front. Also I've found they work well with solid state amps and/or digital modeling set ups, can get a bit muddy on a tube amp if you want to do organ shredding/quick lines. Prog setting does an Emerson-like sound. Just tame it with a compressor, also approach it like an organ rather than as a guitar...I hope that makes sense.

[@AudioAtmos]

This was an excellent video. It tracks just fine considering the polyphonic aspect. I don’t know why some have problems with it. I was messing with the FM3 Synth block last night and although it’s a different beast I find it’s just a matter of clean playing and muting control and all these super cool sound sculpting gadgets are very useable live. Thanks!!👍

[@LeonTodd]

Yeah it's not trad guitar anymore!

[@Simeon_Harris]

slap some modulation, tape delay and reverb on it and it'll probably sound pretty nice. any kind of filter sweeps always sound better with some medium length delay. amazing really, for what it does. polyphonic pitch tracking without a divided pickup was just a dream a few years ago.

[@LeonTodd]

Yeah a little sauce on top definitely helps!

[@AnkothOfficial]

It's not tracking. It's guitar effectology and some modulation and whatnot. It's very much an organic sound, unlike divided pickup triggering. The best way to describe it is with drums. Divided Pickups and MIDI guitar are essentially like drum triggers on acoustic drums. They respond to the acoustic sound of your axe, like a regular pickup, and then send the sound somewhere like a module or a floorboard or rackmount unit to be converted into MIDI which controls other synths and samples you want. Sort of like how a bass drum trigger works where it takes the sound of a bass drum and replaces it with a sample, except its polyphonic. Shitty drummers often neglect dynamics and often set the velocity sensitivity to full on their triggers and trigger the same sample at full velocity without having to put much strength into the acoustic sound of the drum. The same goes with MIDI guitar, you're essentially replacing the acoustic sound with a sample or synth by turning it into MIDI and if you don't set the velocity correctly, you'll also end up with forte sounds regardless of how piano or forte you play. This is different. The best way to think of this is like an effect chain that takes the acoustic sound of a drum (or any instrument) and applies a series of audio effects (be that compression, some EQ and different pitch modulations and reverbs) and turns the sound of your guitar into essentially the same sound that an organ, hammond, rhodes, wurly, chamberlin, mellotron, synth, bass, or even string section would have. It's basically a multi effects unit in one pedal. Making sound design for guitar much cheaper and cost/space/time effective than having to buy like 10 or 20 something different pedals to achieve that sound. In the past, guitarists from many genres used rackmount and floorboard effects and pedals to achieve some crazy sounds, ranging from some cacophonus squeals and shrieks and sfx, to ambient and melodic sounds. It's just about how you use and abuse the tools at hand. Basically, look up Effectology, and there's some EHX videos and whatnot if Bill Ruppert doing different sounds with just guitar + effects. Another similar channel that does this is a channel called Davidlap, where the guy takes this concept to extremes and imitates sound with his guitar, effects pedals, techniques, slides, and even objects like violin bows or air condenser blown at the strings.

[@BobGuido]

I agree Simeon! This pedal does a trick that Boss, Fractal, Strymon, Eventide things don't do and is perfect for space music. I think Michael Stearns used the Arp string synth on his tracks from Baraka and Encounter.

[@peterharvin2775]

Some nice Pink Floyd moments in there with the holds, but I wasn't convinced of its utility until the segment from Shine. That worked really well.

[@paulmcneill4907]

The hold feature at 9:04 reminds me of that most excellent scene in Bill and Ted's excellent adventure👍

[@axepharaoh]

I spent my whole time watching that video virtually trying to squash that fly!!! 💥

[@michaelchadwick6424]

Some great sounds Leon. We are getting there. Boss or EHX or Source Audio etc etc are gonna crack some code and we'll get less cheese and more ham when using magnetic pups only. Meanwhile, me for instance, sold all of that stuff and bought an FM9 while I wait for more ham. And love to Elspeth BTW.

[@user-vp8jt1ri9u]

Like some kool 'Clockwork Orange ' sounds

[@wake911]

I've got the Mel9 and it's super killer. I don't use it much, but dang it's fun to play.

[@gwugluud]

Even back in the 70s, everybody but me hated EHX pedals, lol. They already had that “synth” pedal then with the sliders, and the phase shift boxes could be dialed in with extreme sounds.

[@BobGuido]

One day "Heaven Above" will be played by an orchestra. EH String 9 is one pedal I've been sitting on the fence about getting just for the Arp mode, since it came out. It would be amazing to be able to play Arp Solina sounds on guitar for a trip into outer space when combined with the Eventide and Strymon things. Even your cat loves the AARP mode! Shine sounds wicked with through it in parallel and what an awesome Christmas gift from Elspeth!

[@JeffHendricks]

Oh man, at 6:10 YES, love that!!

[@matthewrobinson5511]

Can play the Mr Crowley intro now. Before launching into the riffage..

[@megablasterboc7474]

I have to have THIS!! ❣💯😃

[@davidsummerville351]

I've got the Bass9 and love it, but all the 9 series take a bit of work to really get an authentic believable sound. I get really frustrated with the Key9, only one KZbin video where it actually sounds like a Rhoads. You did a great job on this review. Thanks

[@LeonTodd]

Yeah they definitely need some downstream massaging IMO

[@kenbranca7215]

I’d do a sound on sound set up with a volume pedal feeding the input of the s9

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

They have a whole range of those.

[@giovannibonapace4250]

Awww man your expression are giving it away ... u are in the heavens !!! I think the s 9 is the best of them ehx ... I own the s9 .. the synth 9 not as good and yesterday i ordered the mel 9 ... the freeze is ace too

[@LeonTodd]

Good choice!

[@michaelromeo5689]

You never turned the "effect" knob 1 centimeter

[@Rockman-kj7pm]

Mr Crowley..the 666 setting 😃

[@daniels7624]

Wish they would include a compressor just before the sound leaves the pedal, it differs in volume quite a lot depending on what notes you play.

[@89ji76]

Hearing it like this makes this seem wayyyyyy more usable.

[@brentg3992]

Hey Leon. I have a request. Running this with a keys9 or organ9 in parallel for some combo tones. Thinking of doing this for my band where my other guitar player shifts off to play keyboards. Easer for him to just hit a pedal.

[@paulromsky9527]

I think this series of Elecro-Harmonix effect pedals are all pretty much the same inside. They must be using FM synthesis like the Yamaha DX keyboard series. Its amazing how just 6 sine wave operators can be combined in differnt ways to modulate each other. I have a DX7 and the only thing that I could never produce is a cymbal. If there were a few more operators with several feedback paths it would be possible. But the DX7 uses 6 operators with only one feedback path.

[@AJPMUSIC_OFFICIAL]

Sounds super cool. Easier than learning keyboards

[@TotinosOtherBoy]

Ive used multiple 9 pedals and my theory is they arent really meant for having the simulated/effect sound be upfront, its best when used for textures and adding a lowkey juicyness to the guitar tone. I have a synth9 and it sounds so good having a reverberating synth layer below the upfront guitar sound!

[@moogdome2562]

Although I appreciate this demo and it sounds good. I wonder what it would sound logical like through reverb, and delay, I imagine it would sound incredible. I awesome, you can alter the sound but just 9 presets?.

[@je7647]

Attack decay I recommend from ehx

[@MrCalenture]

HOLY SHIT... Love the riff of the Ragdoll song, What is the name of the song...I want to hear sir!!

[@LeonTodd]

Shine

[@iknikblackstone9082]

Hi Leon, what effect did you add @6:11 to get the big stereo image ?

[@LeonTodd]

+/-9c of pitch detune and some verb

[@heavybrett-al4082]

Now that's crazy! I've always seen these pedal in magazines, and thought "really? How good can they sound?" ....um ok! Well I'm utterly impressed! I could write some nice creepy king diamond type stuff with a pedal like that.

[@LeonTodd]

Right?!

[@elliotkcollins]

Does the “strings effect” respond to tremolo?

[@nicknickson3650]

the band Stars of the Lid uses these EHX 9 series pedals. I'm not sure if they're using the string one in this video, last I saw they were using the organ ones B9 and C9. They run them into tons of reverb, delay, and superego synth engines. They also have live strings players, but those huge washes of ambient waves are coming mainly from the EHX 9 series pedals. I love the 9 series pedals for this reason, they can sound HUGE. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2baiWycqat0has

[@blasmc5944]

Cómo cambiar de acorde con la función freeze?

[@SlowToe]

Shout out to the fly in this video 🦟

[@megasuperlexa2]

kinda like shimmer reverb pedal but with more knobs

[@loveaboveall2382]

You always have the best melodic chord progression. For instance @1:56 this is just heavenly stuff man.

[@LeonTodd]

Thanks! they're the ride out chords for Ragdoll's "Shine"

[@loveaboveall2382]

​@@LeonTodd perfect, tutorial on how to do them?

[@michaelpeacestewart]

run a stereo rig just have it on one side its amazing

[@ianfurqueron5850]

True love = the gift of guitar pedals. 😛

[@geraldolola3637]

Tenho vontade de comprar mas aonde

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

If it makes someone smile it’s good.

[@aguitarhero007]

Fractal needs to add this in a future update, they can call it Mr. Crowley lol

[@LeonTodd]

Pretty sure EHX have all this stuff patented so it might be a stretch. Polyphonic synths on the Axe would be so cool though

[@aguitarhero007]

@@LeonTodd One can dream, that would be amazing to have.

[@michaeltaylors2456]

Does it track any better than B9 C9 M9 ? only swells ?

[@gigaha]

I noticed this on Neil Halstead’s current (2023/24) Slowdive tour pedalboard. Anyone happen to know how he’s using them exactly?

[@LeonTodd]

I too would love to know this

[@gigaha]

@@LeonTodd I looked closer at the fan photos of Neil’s pedalboard on Reddit, and it looks to me like the #4 and #8 settings. In both instances he’s got the effect turned down very low (around 8-9 o’clock) and the dry signal high (like 1-2 o’clock). So it seems like he’s just adding a subtle ambient background sound to his guitar signal.

[@paulromsky9527]

These pedals give me an idea. I could design a circuit that performs an FFT on the guitar signal. This breaks down the signal into separate signals for each frequency contained in the signal. Guitars (like most instruments) are rich in harmonics, but the notes being played come through the loudest (highest magnitude). So if you are playling C Maj (C, E, G), those 3 notes come out the strongest, they are then converted to a MIDI value which then can be sent to any MIDI instrument. I will check if Electro-Harmonix makes such a device. Any one of their 9 series has the capability inherent in the design. If they could make such a pedal, you could play just about any synthesizer with a bass or guitar. The possibilities would be endless. The guitar basically becomes a keyboard with interesting ADSR charactristics (including bend and tremolo).

[@LeonTodd]

I wonder if that's what Jam Origin Midi Guitar does

[@paulromsky9527]

@@LeonTodd Thanks, I will look it up.

[@paulromsky9527]

@@LeonTodd Yup, Jam Origin MIDI Guitar 2 is just the thing I was thinking about. Thanks. But it appears to use a PC. The EHX 9 series must have an identical pre-process (front end) in all of their 9 series pedals (Analog Input Amp, ADC, FFT, Peak to MIDI ASDR converter) that sends MIDI signals to a (back end) Sythesizer chip/chip set, then through a LPF, and finally an Amp for the Effect output. The only difference in each of the EHX 9 series pedals is the back end: same chip set, just programmed (Operators connected) digitally (patched) in 9 different ways. I am guessing they call it '9' not because each has 9 voices/patches (why not something base 2 like 16?) but because it uses 9 FM Synthesis Operators. Since the 1980's a 16 note polyphonic x 9 Operator FM Synthesis x 16 patches synthesizer can fit on one chip by now. My vintage 1980's DX7 has a chipset for that has 16 note polyphonic x 6 Operators that can get patched in 32 combinations (Algorithms). All Electro-Harmonix would have to do is take their Front End from their EHX 9 series, remove the back end synthesizer, and just add a Parallel to Serial MIDI converter and a MIDI output driver chip with a MIDI connector. They can still send the Dry signal straight through the pedal as in any 9 series pedal. I wrote to them asking if they could consider doing that. They could come out with a EXH 9 box with 2 voice select knobs, that would give them 81 voices in 1 (their whole series on one box), it would have to be a bit bigger for the extra knob and more memory to store all 91 voice patches. $400 should be a good price, or whatever is competitive with the Jam Origin solution.

[@paulromsky9527]

I have to say the EHX 9 series has a pretty fat sound, not like my Yamaha DX7 Synthesizer that is notrious for having a thin timbre - which can be fattened with effects (the DX1 was effectively 2 DX7's in tandum to get a fat sound) - that thin sound was why FM Synthesis faded out of favor in the 1990's.

[@monk1551]

Hey Leon. Hello mate. I've got an idea for a gear video. You like Mesa stuff,right? You should do a review of the Mesa Road King 2. It is a 6 power tube beast, 2 El-34s and 4 6L6s plus 2 rectifier tubes. Check it out. I own one but your reviews are so good I would love to see you do one on this piece of gear. Cheers and peace,freind.

[@LeonTodd]

I tracked some guitars on the first Ragdoll EP with a RK and would love to revisit it

[@wallyg3]

If they would take all of the 9 series pedals, put them in one box with presets and midi PC control, I'd pay $500 to preorder it immediately.

[@LeonTodd]

big time

[@glaucosouza1971]

I have the "pre historic" version of the 9 series, a micro Pog . I can get some really cool organ type sounds of it. Im looking now for a C9, imo the best of the series.

[@LeonTodd]

Love the POG!

[@neverusingthisagain2]

I feel like I'm in 2001 a space odyssey

[@LeonTodd]

HAL!!!!!

[@bradchervel5202]

Nice they sampled the Eminent

[@WJRAGGS]

When I had any EHX pedals they all create hum. When I got rid of them the hum always goes away. I love them when I had them but I'm selling them all. Don't get me wrong, if your pedal board is rig with a lot of hum eliminator's they should work. I still have one, but it's so tone down It is hardly noticed. I don't fall for the demos anymore. Go to the store and test, if not, buy used and if you can't do that buy from a store who have a great returned policy.

[@fernandoblanc]

Impressive but it must be run in paralalel, it chokes the primal guitar tone and it kinda annoying after a while.

[@matthewdortona237]

Doesn’t sound that grossly different than the Mel9. Kudos on the demo.

[@gwvest]

cat!

[@TrumpetsInMy4x12]

1. I know you are going to get good results without even watching. Because it's you. 2. The 9 series stuff drives me NUTS. Footswitchable presets or GTFO. These tones in a modeler would be where I want them. With all the routing and switching capabilities in front of me vs. having to bend down to tweak pedal knobs. 3. Watched the video after typing out 1 and 2 and Pretty Good Not Perfect section is spot on. Because it's you haha :)

[@TrumpetsInMy4x12]

Also; Bill Ruppert is a wizard.

[@LeonTodd]

Yeah being able to footswitch presets, some basic midi stuff and a built in stereo Reverb would make a big difference in making this truly plug and play.

[@dam7ri]

There is a part of me that loves this pedal, because it can to what the Roland guitar synths can do without the hassle or expense; but then there is a part of me that says, if you want these tones, fvcking learn to play keyboards!

[@LeonTodd]

Hahahaha yeah it's like those "vegetables that just like chicken, the easy 215 step recipe!"

[@jameswallace5967]

It all kind of sounds like a church pipe organ....

[@user-ux8yj7lf8n]

Sounds like an organ.

[@conanmcgrath7628]

Why would anyone bother with these when the Boss SY series exists

[@LeonTodd]

SY doesn't do a bunch of this stuff

[@loveaboveall2382]

@@LeonTodd Is the SY even polyphonic?

[@DaleRobertSzyms]

I had the SY1 and it tracked horribly so I returned it and bought a Mel9, works so much better. The boss has way more sounds but like most boss stuff a lot of them aren’t very musical and therefore useless to me.

[@robingladman7783]

Doesn't sound a piano.

[@spookybaba]

For the frustrated keyboard player. It's perverse for guitar. Good demo, however.

[@phenixreturns]

no it's just useless when you have the mel 9 synth 9 and c9

[@liu373]

sounds horrible

[@erikavery1105]

I plan to get this and MISuse it. BHOOOOOWWWAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!!!