Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter PRO (pics and clips)

[gastric]

The info on this pedal is already out there, but buried in the "Source Audio Club" thread.

I thought I'd start a new one just for this specific pedal to focus the discussion.

DISCLOSURE: I was chosen as a BETA tester for the product.

You can see my compiled my review and sound clips on my page here: Chris Graham - MUSIC - cgraham.com

Feel free to ask additional question in this thread, I'll do my best to answer them.

[CopperheadLXXIX]

That looks...awesome. Is it capable of static LPF sounds?

[behndy]

hey Gastie! SmallEQ JUST started this thread.......

The New Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter Pro

... today where he links to your clips too. great minds, eh?

[FilterFunk]

On your page, you mention it has a resonance/Q control, but I don't see it in the pictures. Am I just missing it?

[gastric]

Originally Posted by FilterFunk

On your page, you mention it has a resonance/Q control, but I don't see it in the pictures. Am I just missing it?

It's in the Backpage controls as Q. That's also where the Volume (VA) control is, and all of the expression and LFO controls. You can see the tiny labels at the top of the EQ LED array.

[gastric]

Originally Posted by behndy

hey Gastie! SmallEQ JUST started this thread.......

The New Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter Pro

... today where he links to your clips too. great minds, eh?

Bah, didn't notice. I'm sure a MOD will take care of some business for us.

[behndy]

lulz. oh SURE. make the MOOODDDDDS do it!

it's actually cute. y'all have almost the same opening sentence or two.

this thing.... does speak to my interests tho. i didna like the MultiWave at all, gonna try to find a place near me that stocks it to get some hands on time on it.

murrrr!

[Smallequestrian]

Well, we'll just run with this thread...here is what I posted in the one I started:
Gastric did some really cool clips

Here is a quick ad-hoc clip I threw together leveraging the single peak filters set with very low resonance, range (sweep) set to 12:00 for a static filter, and expression pedal controlling the frequency.

Depending on the settings this can make a good sounding bass wah effect. Note that even at low resonance the sub-bass frequencies can rumble as you will hear. Simply adjust the Frequency knob to the lower range of the sweep you want, then the expression can sweep upward from there. You have full control as to the maximum upward sweep of the expression pedal via the Backpage settings. Signal chain is a simple GT-10B Bass Distortion into the BEF Pro then into a GT-10B Ampeg SVT sim, clean tone is at the end.

Note that I never use bass wah. So I'm sure someone else could provide a much more clever demo. But this should give you some ideas.
__________________

Oh the suspense for the green light has been KILLING ME!

CLICK HERE to wet your pants with this sound clip!

I recorded this clip on June 14th using a really basic and slow 4 or 5 note melody, some really basic GT-10B octave>fuzz (you can hear the non-filtered tone at the end), then into the BEF Pro using a customized 16 step sequencer LFO with the expression sweeping Range (depth) which you can hear towards the end of the clip, and I hear some chorus and delay/verb after the filter. The sequencer is doing all of the fun work in this clip.

Wait... WHAT? I'm sorry, did he just say SIXTEEN STEP SEQUENCER?

The BEF Pro is syncing to MIDI Clock from my DAW for beat-synced LFO. While my playing is a little off in spots you'll note the filter holds to the clock the entire clip.

Here's a clip with a fretless/double-bass like simulation.

With the newly added control over resonance (Q) you can seriously tame the filter voices to the point where they no longer sound at all like they do in the non-Pro version. In this example I use Filter #0 to create a reasonable fretless or double-bass mwahhhh type sound. Played with the fingers close to the neck, tone rolled off heavily, and the BEF PRO with the following settings: Range=9:30, Freq=10:00, Speed=Max, Mix=Max, Q=Min, Mod=Envelope, EQ cutting 500/5K heavily and 2k/4k slightly. At the end of the clip I turn the resonance to default which should emulate a similar sound to the non-Pro version, then I bypass the BEF Pro entirely so you can hear the clean tone for comparison. Note the GT-10B has no effects other than some mild hall reverb applied - but no amp sim, EQ, noise gate, etc. the tone is all the bass and the BEF Pro. I would think further tone shaping may potentially make the sound more convincing.

Another sound clip for you demonstrating all of the available LFO waveforms.

Bass into BOSS OC-2, GT-10B bass fuzz, then a low gain Ampeg SVT sim, then into the BEF Pro and into the DAW to illustrate the typical octave + fuzz + filter sound to achieve bass synth tones. I think you'll agree that the LFO gives a lot of SERIOUS electronica possibilities.

BEF Pro is set to Filter #3, 100% wet, a fairly low frequency, and resonance / Q reduced 50% or so. I then start with a Range about 9:00, start the first waveform, slowly raise range to nearly max, then return range to 9:00 for the next waveform. When I get to S&H and the 16 step sequencer I reduce the tempo rate as they are very complex waveforms and sound more articulate and definted when the waveform period has a longer time to bop through it's steps. I also play with frequency and range further for the sequencer waveform. Also note that I believe the 16 step sequencer used is a different sequence than heard in the first clip above. You have the ability to load any sequence you want from 1 to 16 steps and anything in between. I end with the BEF Pro bypassed.

And a couple crappy clips in comparison of my own:

've been beta testing as well, my clips aren't nearly as cool or well done as Gastric's, but here are a couple of things I did for demonstration purposes.

First clip is using the step filter with the clean/wet at 50%. Added some distortion from the Multiwave in there at some point as well. This sounds muddy due to the recording setup I was using. The clean blend can allow you to do some really neat things. I also have my expression pedal set to control tempo on this one. At the end you can hear me slow down the stepping.

Fun with Step Filters

This clip, I recorded to demonstrate something for Jesse. Starts off clean, then adds and Agular Octamizer with no clean, then adds the W&C PPB Fuzz, then setting 9 on the BEF Pro, then maybe added a Octave distortion from Multiwave. I am using an expression pedal to sweep the range control on the BEF.

Synthy sweeping the range

This has a lot of things going on with it. And I think a lot of people are going to be able to some really cool things with it.

[gastric]

Originally Posted by gastric

It's in the Backpage controls as Q. That's also where the Volume (VA) control is, and all of the expression and LFO controls. You can see the tiny labels at the top of the EQ LED array.

Check my webpage, I added a quick clip showing how the resonance / Q control can change the filter sound drastically, and often for the better IMO.

[FilterFunk]

Originally Posted by gastric

It's in the Backpage controls as Q. That's also where the Volume (VA) control is, and all of the expression and LFO controls. You can see the tiny labels at the top of the EQ LED array.

Got it. Thanks!

[NewLaw83]

Gastric great clips thanks! That pedal sounds so versatile and what I'm looking for!

[gastric]

Originally Posted by NewLaw83

Gastric great clips thanks! That pedal sounds so versatile and what I'm looking for!

Thanks.

Keep in mind I'm showcasing more of the electronica possibilities, which are what my personal interests are. But it can still do all the funky envelope stuff that the non-Pro can already do.

Theoretically you can use it as an auto-wah by leveraging the sine wave LFO against most of the filter voices, and also as a real phaser also by leveraging the sine wave LFO against the phaser voices. Though I haven't personally been able to get the included phaser voices to sound really deep and thick like a typical phaser.

[NewLaw83]

Originally Posted by gastric

Thanks.

Keep in mind I'm showcasing more of the electronica possibilities, which are what my personal interests are. But it can still do all the funky envelope stuff that the non-Pro can already do.

Theoretically you can use it as an auto-wah by leveraging the sine wave LFO against most of the filter voices, and also as a real phaser also by leveraging the sine wave LFO against the phaser voices. Though I haven't personally been able to get the included phaser voices to sound really deep and thick like a typical phaser.

Yeah I'm starting a project doing electronic/dubstep/dance type stuff. So it sounds exactly what I need.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I have a question- any idea how I can fit it on my board?

Are the MIDI functions the same as the other Pro models (preset 1-6 changes and all the exp. pedal options)?

[gastric]

I'm not sure what the final MIDI functionality will be. But currently PC#1-6 selects the presets, and #7 selects bypass. Plus there's some MIDI CC to control various parameters. But not ALL parameters have MIDI CC exposed, and there's not currently a MIDI CC that can works specifically like the expression pedal (I've requested that as a feature request already). Having MIDI CC as a direct expression pedal would be a huge benefit as I could personally MIDI OUT of my BOSS GT-10B into the BEF Pro and save myself from needing yet another expression pedal on my board, and the GT-10B will likely already be sending MIDI PC anyway to change patches.

I've been told there's a software app that will supposedly be available to build a PC map so any incoming PC can map to any of the internal BEF PRO presets. So you can send it MIDI PC #54 and have the BEF Pro change to patch #2 if you want. Without it I'm not sure how valuable MIDI PC will be for some of us.

There's also supposed a software editor you'll be able to use to create, save, and send patches to the BEF Pro. Assuming that comes to fruition we'll be able to use it to share patches which will be a HUGE benefit.

Both of those tools, and the firmware update tool and sequencer programming tool I've already tested require a MIDI connection from your computer to the BEF Pro. I'm assuming any inexpensive USB-to-MIDI adapter would work just fine.

[Smallequestrian]

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

I have a question- any idea how I can fit it on my board?

Are the MIDI functions the same as the other Pro models (preset 1-6 changes and all the exp. pedal options)?

From the Manual:

...All of the knob parameters as well as several other backpage parameters are controllable via MIDI Continuous Controller messages. Individiual presetsa can be selected by the MIDI Program Change messages. The BEF Pro can also be put into bypass in this way.

And then shows a chart of the different values and parameters.

[CopperheadLXXIX]

Originally Posted by CopperheadLXXIX

That looks...awesome. Is it capable of static LPF sounds?

[Smallequestrian]

Originally Posted by CopperheadLXXIX

That looks...awesome. Is it capable of static LPF sounds?

Yes, it does everything the standard version does and more.

[gastric]

Originally Posted by CopperheadLXXIX

That looks...awesome. Is it capable of static LPF sounds?

Yes, simply set Range (the sweep) to 12:00 which is in between the down/up sweep motion, thus it's static.

That's how I created the manual wah sounds. Static single peak filter, then manually sweep Frequency with the expression pedal.

You can also use the static filter for all sorts of other things like cutting all the highs for dub.

There's also the EQ you can use to cut highs from normal filtering sounds, or to further cut highs from static sounds. Honestly, I haven't actually used the EQ a whole lot but I'm sure there's a lot of possibilities available by pairing heavy EQ with the filtering.

[jwr]

Sounds great! How much?