Difference between Elvelope Filter and an Envelope Follower? - Synth tone

[arbitrary]

I'm setting up a synth combo of pedals. I noticed that some people use an envelope filter and/or an envelope follower. How are these different from each other and what are some examples of each? Which would work best for a synth tone; an envelope filter or a follower?

Right now I'm looking at using an oc-2 > zoom ultra fuzz > pigtronix ep-1. Would I be better off w/ an envelope follower?

 

[lotsolowend]

i'm probably very wrong but i'm going to take a stab at this anyway...

envelope filter is a filter (normally low pass i think) that is controlled by an envelope follower

an envelope follower simply takes the dynamic of your playing and uses it to determine how much the envelope opens/closes

so envelope follower doesnt do anything on its on, and an envelope filter is an envelope follower + LP Filter

 

[kevteop]

i'm probably very wrong

You're 100% correct.

 

[JohnDavisNYC]

in common 'effect pedal' usage, the two are interchangeable. in modular synth world, an envelope followed would just generate control voltage according to the envelope of the incoming audio... you could then route that CV to a filter module, vco pitch, waveform, whatever... modular synthesis is amazing... such a great way to approach sound creation!

I don't think that there are any 'envelope follower' pedals that aren't also 'envelope filters'...

john

 

[lotsolowend]

ep-1 has envelope follower controlling the lfo of a phaser i think, maybe

 

[kevteop]

I don't think that there are any 'envelope follower' pedals that aren't also 'envelope filters'...

The Moog FreqBox can be set to use the envelope CV to control the pitch of the VCO.

Not something you'd want to do very often but y'know...

Edit: Ah, I think you're talking about pedals that are actually called "envelope follower". My bad.

 

[bongomania]

No, there's no bad there- EHX applies the term "envelope follower" to all their pedals that contain an envelope follower, regardless of whether the follower controls a filter.

 

[Joe Gress]

Example of a envelope follower without a filter: Toadworks Enveloope

 

[kesslari]

Cool, I just learned something! I had wondered about the difference between the 2 terms.

 

[markjazzbassist]

interesting stuff. thanks for the info. i have also wondered if there was a difference.

 

[The Lurker]

Example of a envelope follower without a filter: Toadworks Enveloope

which does pretty much for a pedal what a follower in a synth does for the next circuit along-- starves or boosts the signal to the next pedal based on the input it gets.