Analog filters, was Re: Fernandes guy at NAMM

[improv@peak.org (Dave Trenkel)]

>In a message dated 98-02-04 16:56:05 EST, Paolo Valladolid wrote:
>
><< This reminds me to ask... Has anyone here tried feeding their 
>guitar/Stick/
> bass/whatever into the analog input of a Waldorf Pulse Plus or one of the
> other analog synths that have analog inputs?  I recall Robert (oh no!)
> Fripp used to feed his Les Paul signal into a Synthi for his 
>Frippertronics
> sound.  Pete Cosey did that too with Miles Davis.  I think side one of
> Pangaea has an extended guitar solo processed through a Synthi. >>
>
>I consistently run my guitar through an analog filterbank.  I started out 
>with
>autowahs, attempting to confuse them via a volume pedal placed beforehand 
>in
>the signal chain; I've since moved on to an MAM Resonator filterbank, and
>currently use a Lovetone Meatball filterbank/envelope follower, which is 
>the
>best I've found for severely altering the guitar envelope while allowing
>"guitaristic" control (by picking pressure) of the resultant sound.  The 
>MAM
>performs better (or at least it becomes more entertaining) placed after my
>Echoplex, for coloring loops.  Basically, filters (and synths that allow
>external audio input to their VCF sections) can really get the guitar into
>some seriously appealing--or unpleasant, depending on your personal
>taste--analog-synthetic territory.
>
>-michael berk

Analog filters are one of my true loves, and I've currently got an
abundance. Here's what I'm currently using:

Peavey SPAF: This is a 1 rack-space unit that gets consistantly sneered
upon by the Analog Heaven purists, but I like mine quite a bit. It's a 24
db/octave filter modeled on the minimoog, with very snappy envelope
response, programmable ADSR's for both filter and amplitude envelopes,
extensive MIDI capabilities, and they generally show up used for around
$200-$250. I use mine constantly, it's one of the few pieces I don't think
I'd ever part with.

ARP Odyssey and Axxe: I have these 2 units patched together into a
psuedo-modular, they have virtually identical filters, kind of thin
sounding (12 db/octave), but I often patch stereo signals through them,
with subtly different modulation on each channel, great for adding subtle
motion to a sound without being obviously filtered.

Doepfer A-100 series mini-modular: I only have their A-120 24db/octave low
pass filter (they make several others), again modelled on the minimoog, but
sounds completely different from the Peavey, much harder and glassier, with
a fairly harsh resonance. I have their envelope follower module on order,
which will make this a bit easier to use tp process external sounds. I'm
very impressed with the capabilities of Doepfer stuff in general, and the
fact that you can buy the modules seperately and build up your system
slowly is quite nice. Their ring modulator is also excellent.

Oberheim SEM: This is a single voice channel from Oberheims famous 2,4,6 &
8 voice synths. Mine was in pretty bad shape when I bought it, and I just
fixed the external filter in, and added patch points for simultaneous high,
low, and band pass outputs. The Oberheim filters have a very distinctive
sound, the SEM filter will not go into self-oscillation, unlike the Moog
and ARP styles. To be honest, I only finished the mods and repairs on this
unit recently, and haven't really used this much, but it has some
interesting possibilities.

there's other things on the market as well, some very nice new stuff has
come around lately like the MAM and Lovetone units Michael mentions, the
Sherman Filterbank, which has gotten some good reviews and the Waldorf
4-pole, which is the filter section of the Pulse. And don't forget the
cheap stomp box envelope filters, Bill Lasswell gets some awesome sounds
out of the DOD unit.

________________________________________________________
Dave Trenkel : improv@peak.org  : www.peak.org/~improv/

"...there will come a day when you won't have to use
gasoline. You'd simply take a cassette and put it in
your car, let it run. You'd have to have the proper
type of music. Like you take two sticks, put 'em
together, make fire. You take some notes and rub 'em
together - dum, dum, dum, dum - fire, cosmic fire."
                                            -Sun Ra
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