Tonefiend Forum

Welcome Guest 

Show/Hide Header

Welcome Guest, posting in this forum requires registration.





Pages: [1] 2
Author Topic: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
joe
Administrator
Posts: 224
Permalink
Post Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: November 10, 2012, 11:18
Quote

I've had this one near the top of my experimental to-do list for a long time: devising a new distortion/filter stompbox that's part "fixed wah" pedal, and partly an update of older filter/fuzzes like the Systech Harmonic Generator from the ’70s. You know: the kind of thing that lets you dial in just the right resonant frequency to slice through a track.

I like the way the Systech is organized, but I'd like a more modern distortion/fuzz character — more virile lows, more range.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Digital-
Larry

Posts: 192
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: November 10, 2012, 12:36
Quote

I have this filter plugin for SONAR that gives you two or three filters, which can be 2, 4, or 6-pole low pass, notch, band pass, or high pass. You can arrange them in parallel or series, as well as apply LFO or envelope (+/-) to frequency and Q. Now if you put all that into a pedal, it would have dozens of pots and switches and it would be unusable.

I'm going to guess you might have some digital filter plugins available. So, get your fuzz/distortion going separately, then patch that into your DAW through the filter plug-in. Diddle around with settings and find a maximum of 4 which are "bitchen". Then see what it takes to translate that into a useful/usable pedal, if possible.

I personally like subtle envelope following on just about any modulation effect, and I actually think envelope (follower or ADSR) high pass filters can have a pretty cool sound, though not by themselves because you lose all the low end.

bear

Posts: 153
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: November 10, 2012, 18:07
Quote

Korg MS-20 filter is a different thing? I've seen a few projects based on it on drawing boards in the usual forums.

You mean, like the Tim Escobedo version they discuss here? Never tried it, but I want to.

thomas4th

Posts: 6
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: November 13, 2012, 15:22
Quote

I'd love to see a pedal that was a combination of a powerful, versatile distortion/fuzz unit and a synthesizer-derived filter circuit. A bandpass filter would probably be most useful, with adjustable resonance, band width, and expression/envelope/LFO control over the cutoff frequency. A dry/wet blend for the filter might be nice as well, so you could adjust how subtle or pronounced the filter's effect is.

You know what? Let's just skip to the inevitable conclusion and run our guitars through modular synthesizers. 😉

Well yeah, that is the ultimate extension of the idea. I guess I'm looking for a way to get 98% of the fun with 2% of the knobs. 😉

inductor

Posts: 3
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: December 27, 2012, 17:26
Quote

Quote from joe on November 10, 2012, 11:18
I've had this one near the top of my experimental to-do list for a long time:<snip>
I like the way the Systech is organized, but I'd like a more modern distortion/fuzz character — more virile lows, more range.

New reader digging up old post...

This has been on my to-do list for quite awhile now. I pictured a revved up version of the Systech. Originally I was thinking of an axis/pep box/buzzaround made out of silicon for the front end - since they have small part counts... Hrm a more modern sounding fuzz sounds like a better idea.

Oinkus

Posts: 236
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: December 28, 2012, 06:16
Quote

Maybe I should break down and build a plain old envelope filter since it is one of the few pedals i don't have ?

Digital-
Larry

Posts: 192
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: December 28, 2012, 11:40
Quote

Quote from joe on November 10, 2012, 11:18
I like the way the Systech is organized, but I'd like a more modern distortion/fuzz character — more virile lows, more range.

To keep lows in the signal it will be necessary to split the signal into two parallel paths. A resonant LPF or BPF is going to sacrifice lows by comparison to the resonant frequency. I'm thinking of expanding on the Spin FV-1 DSP concept, since it has 2 independent outputs, in conjunction with some analog stuff that DSP doesn't handle too well.

For example:
a)
Octave down pitch shift into fuzz 1.
Octave up pitch shift into fuzz 2.
Fuzz 1 and 2 mix together via a "blend" knob.

b)
Crossover low output into fuzz 1.
Crossover high output into analog resonant filter.
Either blend them together using a pot or just mix directly.

Oinkus I will recommend that you build an envelope follower filter. Play some jazzy stuff and be prepared for people to call you "Jerry Garcia".

Oinkus

Posts: 236
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: December 29, 2012, 04:24
Quote

Yeah wish I had an old Mutron III or the first one I ever saw made by MXR in the mid 70s. Gonna probly look for schematics of an Emma Discumbobulator since that is the best sounding newer model I have seen. Oh yeah first i have have to go do the basics and learn how to make pedals. Great info here on the site Joe thanks again! Sorry to be so off topic der?

inductor

Posts: 3
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: December 30, 2012, 12:07
Quote

Quote from Digital Larry on December 28, 2012, 11:40
To keep lows in the signal it will be necessary to split the signal into two parallel paths. A resonant LPF or BPF is going to sacrifice lows by comparison to the resonant frequency.

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't understand how a parametric eq is going to cut the low end. The Systech is a (fixed boost) parametric eq with an OD attached at the end.

Digital-
Larry

Posts: 192
Permalink
Post Re: Ideas for a cool filter pedal?
on: December 30, 2012, 13:48
Quote

Quote from inductor on December 30, 2012, 12:07

Quote from Digital Larry on December 28, 2012, 11:40
To keep lows in the signal it will be necessary to split the signal into two parallel paths. A resonant LPF or BPF is going to sacrifice lows by comparison to the resonant frequency.

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't understand how a parametric eq is going to cut the low end. The Systech is a (fixed boost) parametric eq with an OD attached at the end.

The circuit doesn't "cut" the low end, but if it boosts 1 kHz by 30 dB, what are you going to hear?

Here's the source of the schematic I looked at:

https://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/KarateShop/docs/KarateShop.pdf

Now, please take my drivel with a grain or three of salt - I don't own one of these nor have I built a clone. As usual I am pontificating in a theoretical fashion reflecting on Joe's comments regarding lack of low end. I welcome any clarifications or corrections.

As far as where the distortion comes from, I'd really need to put a scope on various points of the circuit to be sure, but I think if you make the Q high enough, the op-amps within the filter part of the circuit will start clipping.

Pages: [1] 2
Mingle Forum by cartpauj
Version: 1.0.34 ; Page loaded in: 0.119 seconds.

Comments are closed.