Necessary features on an envelope filter?

[smllsnd/bigsnd]

just curious which controls everyone considers to be necessary on the actual envelope control section? obviously once you add all of these controls things plus the additional controls for the filter it can get overwhelming for some folks... so i'm trying to figure out what actually gets used.

sensitivity - how much your dynamics affect the envelope
attack - attack time
decay - decay time
intensity - how much the envelope affects the filter
up/down switch - selects between up or down sweep

[M Sterling]

I really like having some kind of control over the cutoff frequency and sweep range. I understand how this can get confusing for some, but it really opens a filter up and gives a lot of control.

Out of those listed, I'd say you have it covered. I've played good filters without attack and decay, but I always appreciate it when it's there.

This is awesome BTW...

[Unrepresented]

My Maxon AF-9 doesn't have controls for attack or decay times. That'd be nice, but it still sounds awesome.

Personally, I think the real dealbreakers for me are the up/down option -- One of the reason I don't own a Moog filter-- and the sensitivity since basses have a pretty large spread of output, not to mention the other pedals you might be running in front of it.

[smllsnd/bigsnd]

Originally Posted by M Sterling

I really like having some kind of control over the cutoff frequency and sweep range. I understand how this can get confusing for some, but it really opens a filter up and gives a lot of control.

intensity would essentially cover the sweep range.

[Spencer!]

If I were designing a filter that was just for me to use, it would have knobs for sensitivity, resonance and decay - that's all I really need.

[bongomania]

I like to have controls over both the input level and the range of the effect. Just having one "sensitivity" knob doing both jobs is hugely disappointing IMO/IME.

[MilkyMcMilkMilk]

blend is nice to keep low end. Low pass filter is the only one I use. Hi pass and band pass kinda suck.
Down sweep, i'm not really into that either.

[FilterFunk]

Originally Posted by smllsnd/bigsnd

sensitivity - how much your dynamics affect the envelope
attack - attack time
decay - decay time
intensity - how much the envelope affects the filter
up/down switch - selects between up or down sweep

All of the above (and I'm assuming "intensity" = resonance/Q), plus blend and volume. Oh, and HP, BP and LP (with blend they're all in play).

[Roscoe East]

sensitivity - how much your dynamics affect the envelope

yep


attack - attack time

A true envelope follower will generate this based on the attack time of the note you played; anything that alters that paradigm isn't a true "envelope-controlled filter", it's just a "filter". (A cool filter, but a semi-different animal nonetheless.)


decay - decay time

See above


intensity - how much the envelope affects the filter

That's kind of the same as Sensetivity, no?


up/down switch - selects between up or down sweep

Yep


Also, selectable Filter Type should be mandatory imho: LowPass, Bandpass, and HiPass. Extra credit for any envelope-controlled filter that also offers BandReject (i.e., Notch).

Also a Resonance or Peaking control is important...maybe that's what you meant by "Intensity"?

[Swift713]

I found the 50/50 BP blend on the Qtron worked great for me while LP never needed a blend. I liked the faster release on the Qtron+ but I never missed the release knob on the original Qtron. Sensitivity and resonance are definitely mandatory and up/down is very nice but honestly I only used a downward filter on one song with one band.

[smllsnd/bigsnd]

This question only applies to the actual envelope control - obviously there will be other features like volume, blend, resonance, etc...

Sensitivity and intensity are different. Intensity is more of a depth control for the envelope control, whereas sensitivity would let you control the input of the envelope so it would react more or less the same regardless of whether you use a passive or active bass or other effects pre-filter, etc.

Envelope followers can be modified - it does not have to be an exact representation of the input signal...

[HolmeBass]

Resonance, which controls the amount of boost right around the filter's frequency. For big LP down swoops less resonance can save speakers, for blended HP or BP resonance needs to be boosted or the effect is too subtle.

[smllsnd/bigsnd]

Originally Posted by HolmeBass

Resonance, which controls the amount of boost right around the filter's frequency. For big LP down swoops less resonance can save speakers, for blended HP or BP resonance needs to be boosted or the effect is too subtle.

yeah this will have a resonance control - the question is only about the envelope control, not the filter as a whole or even any of the filter's core controls.

let's just say that this filter has every other feature that you in particular want it to have - resonance, a clean blend, HP/BP/LP/notch, it's encased in a wah shell, it has a send/return, etc etc etc... whatever you think you want.

but then it is envelope controlled... that's the input i'm looking for. some good thoughts so far though!

[HolmeBass]

Ok, I see now what you're driving at. As far as just envelope controls, it seems like you've got them covered pretty well. Maybe some sort of selector to change the shape of the envelope, like Source audio does with single peak, peak and notch, triple peak, etc?