This test report has been machine translated from the German version. Please excuse the shortcomings. It would be nice if you could report serious mistakes to the author.
This standalone app and AUV3 compatible plugin was the third of the initially released effects of Eventide for iOS. Meanwhile the MangledVerb came out, which combines a reverb with a distortion effect. MicroPitch is a Pitch Shifting Delay, so the Pitch Shifter only unfolds its full effect in combination with the Delay, otherwise it only detunes the two stereo channels statically. Even the pitch modulation effect only works together with the delay.
The delay itself is feedback-based, so not a tap delay like UltraTap and much simpler structured. The Pitch Shifter has three controls that determine the volume ratio of the stereo channels and an adjustable pitch value in cents for each channel, ranging from 0 to plus or minus 50 cents for the other. So the control range for a Pitch Shifter is not very wide. The Flex button doubles the range as long as it is held, but even +- a semitone is little. Maybe this is where the term „Micro“ comes from in the name, whereby the essential characteristics of a pitch shifting delay, to detune two delay lines against each other, are also covered. Other effects of this kind offer a wider detuning range and sound more extreme.
The delay has two controls for the left and right stereo channels for the time delay of the repetition of the signal, which either runs freely in milliseconds or synchronizes in note values to the DAW. The Feedback slider determines the strength of the fed back signal and the number of repetitions via the decay behavior.
The interplay of feedback, set repetition time and detuning determines the type of effect, which can range from a pure, simple delay to a pitch sweep over the delay line or a resonant metallic change of the timbre at very short delay times.
The modulation effect can also be dialed in and produces a vibrato up to droned out tone, but this is only audible in certain control combinations.
MicroPitch on a simple synthesizer voice. In the beginning everything is set to zero at 100% Wet, then the effects of the pitch modulation are demonstrated before the presets are played as with the other demos.
The Tone slider shifts the spectrum to the lower or higher range and acts like a filter.
As with the other effects, the prominent ribbon with its discharge arc acts as a slider like a macro control that can control several parameters simultaneously. In the factory presets – MicroPitch doesn’t offer anything else – there is no example of this.
The even very small pitch variations possible and short delays lead to chorus-like effects.
In the presets, the range between normal delay, long delays with subtle or stronger pitch sweeps, chorus and this metallic effect is reflected. It’s not as rich as the other effects, I think the sound designers who worked with Blackhole and UltraTap could have gotten also more out of MicroPitch.
Conclusion
Interesting is MicroPitch on all sound sources, especially on guitar and drums, but also piano can be trimmed to a Honky-Tonk bar piano or an extra-worldly horror effect. MicroPitch is certainly more than a one-trick pony and offers a wide range of delay or pitch shifting delay effects, from the exotic to the experimental side of the general effects park that is possible in a DAW.
Product page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/micropitch/id1463785645
Info to the PC-version bei Eventide: https://www.eventideaudio.com/products/effects/pitch-shifter-auv3/micropitch
A review by Stefan Federspiel