The Glitch is Back

The original H910’s unique pitch change method introduced random ‘glitches’ into the audio and the word ‘glitch’ into the audio engineer’s vocabulary. Not surprisingly, artists found creative ways to use the glitch, and, in fact, years later when the H949 was introduced with advanced de-glitching circuitry, some users were disappointed that the glitch was gone. In addition to the glitch, all of the quirkiness of the original H910 has been emulated. The design predates the introduction of the CD and digital audio sample rate standards (e.g. 44.1 kHz) by nearly a decade. The system clocks at the heart of the design drifted and wobbled introducing a degree of randomness in the effect not found in later crystal-based, precise digital devices. This was evident in the way that the display would flicker between pitch ratio readings. The combination of glitch, randomness, and analog signal path, especially when the feedback control was turned up, added an ‘organic’ feel to the sound and that feeling comes through in the plug-in.