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variable HPF and LPF in a pedal?

#61
Quick question, when recording I use HPF and LPF at like 30Hz and 10kHz before the compressor so that the very low and very high (which will not be used afterwords) do not mess the compression. Then, in the end of the chain, usually I apply HPF and LPF again (lately 50Hz to leave room for the kick and 7kHz to 8kHz). Do you think this would be applicable in a live situation?
 
#62
kurotenshi said:
Quick question, when recording I use HPF and LPF at like 30Hz and 10kHz before the compressor so that the very low and very high (which will not be used afterwords) do not mess the compression. Then, in the end of the chain, usually I apply HPF and LPF again (lately 50Hz to leave room for the kick and 7kHz to 8kHz). Do you think this would be applicable in a live situation?
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I think it's gross overkill even in the studio. Why not just do 50 and 7k into the comp and you're done?
 
#63
JimmyM said:
I think it's gross overkill even in the studio. Why not just do 50 and 7k into the comp and you're done?
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Well, the thing is, I rarely play with pure bass sound and some effects tend to generate either high freq harmonics or low freq content that are best cut at the end of the chain.
Every time I do this I feel like I'm killing flys with nukes but...
 
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#68
Nothing like beating a dead fly...

Use it as needed. There's much to be said for minimising the tone mangling done to one's signal, but then if you need two of something, such as compressors at both ends of your signal chain, you need two.

@bassfootballguy
LPF – Low pass filter lets low signals through
HPF – High pass filter lets high signals through

Live or in the studio it could mean less feedback, less power consumed by your amp that otherwise would be ate up to reproduce freqs that are unnecessary/unwanted/unloved.
Tone shaping...
 
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#69
bassfootballguy said:
Can I be the idiot and ask what exactly an LPF or HPF does and .what the application is in a live bass rig, or for that matter a studio session?
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For live applications a high pass filter can keep sub-harmonics from damaging your speakers if you goose the bass/volume knob too much.
Also tends to "tighten" up the bottom, without removing the "meat" of your tone.

Likewise using distortion/overdrive/fuzz a good LPF can keep "bees in a trashcan" out of the PA system. Often the noise generated by dirt pedals is unnoticed by people only using bass/guitar rigs because our standard speakers don't extend that high. Great bedroom tone becomes a nightmare when re-amplified in hifi at high volume.
 
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#70
kurotenshi said:
Quick question, when recording I use HPF and LPF at like 30Hz and 10kHz before the compressor so that the very low and very high (which will not be used afterwords) do not mess the compression. Then, in the end of the chain, usually I apply HPF and LPF again (lately 50Hz to leave room for the kick and 7kHz to 8kHz). Do you think this would be applicable in a live situation?
Click to expand...

I've thought of getting separate HPF and LPF pedals. Put the HPF at the beginning of the chain for the compressor's sake, then put the LPF at the end of the chain to remove the fizz from dirt pedals.
 
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#73
Feral Feline said:
@bvdrummer Azure Skies makes separate (or together) HPF and LPF pedals. I think JimmyM has one of each.
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I have one of each separate pedal, don't have the combo pedal.

bassfootballguy said:
Can I be the idiot and ask what exactly an LPF or HPF does and what the application is in a live bass rig, or for that matter a studio session?
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It's not such an idiot question. Feral Feline told you what they do, and I'll tell you how I use them in my rig to give you an idea of what they can do.

Low Pass Filter: Cuts out highs past a certain point, lets lower frequencies pass. I like tweeterless cabs for electric bass, but my DI line doesn't cut those tweeter highs past 5 khz, and I use overdrive and distortion, which sounds bad and can blow tweeters, and PA guys are never happy when you blow their tweeters with distortion. I set my LPF to cut those highs and it sounds like a tweeterless cab in the PA.

High Pass Filter: Does the opposite, of course. I like the slightly rolled off low end of the Ampeg 810e because IMHO it makes my mixes less muddy, but again, my DI never does that by itself. So I set the HPF to do it.
 
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#75
I must be crazy because I find all the utility pedals that most people deem unsexy... well, I find them very sexy indeed!

The best pedal stuff, IMO, works like a good editor of publications such as book/newspaper/magazine. When the editing is good, you don't notice it, but when it's bad it sticks out like an orange-red Hawaiian shirt, shorts and sandals at a black-tie affair. Or...
Good compression, you won't notice it (unless it's purposely pushed to good effect), improperly used it sounds horrible. Or...
Great bass playing and the music is elevated, poor bass playing and it drags all the other musicians down — I know 'cause I've been dragging down other musicians for a few years now; messing compressor settings for nearly as long; and editing for a few decades.

Maybe that's why I find HPF/LPF pedals, switchers, blenders and problem-solvers-in-a-pedal so sexy ... it appeals to my little editor inside.

Merry Christmas people, Happy Hanukkah, Rockin' Ramadan and spirited salutations all round. Time to wrap one more present...
 
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#76
Been using mine (the newer red one) for about a month or so.

Very useful pedal! This is my very first (been playing full time 25+ years) "always on" pedal. The focus it gives the midrange (my frequencies were customized a bit) is fantastic. Exactly what I was looking for even though for years I was unaware that it was what I was wanting.
 
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#78
For those of you running HPFs in your chain, do you put the filter pre- or post-DI? I've been educating myself about the benefits of putting one before your cabinet, but decent PAs should have no problem reproducing those super-low frequencies and I'm wondering if there's any benefit from a live mix perspective to filtering them out.

Part of the reason I'm asking is because I'm also GASing for a DOD Meatbox, and I'm wondering how much of that big juicy sub-bass will get sucked out by the HPF. I don't want to blow up my cab, but I also don't want to defeat the purpose of running the Meatbox through FOH.
 
#80
Johnny Mac said:
[...] decent PAs should have no problem reproducing those super-low frequencies and I'm wondering if there's any benefit from a live mix perspective to filtering them out.
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Super-low frequencies muddy up the mix - there's a good reason that the "industry standard" 8x10 SVT drops off at 58 Hz. Your typical soundguy ain't educated enough to HPF the bass DI so we have to "help them out" ;) . Personally I carry a AKG P2 mic to mic a tweeterless cab (my preferred method) but micing doesn't work well on a multiway cab :( .
 

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