Imagine you’re tuning the sound for an exciting piece of music. You come across a background noise that’s too harsh for the quiet, spooky mood you want.
Using a high pass filter, you carefully remove the low, grumbling noise. What’s left is a clear sound that sets the perfect atmosphere.
As a sound designer, filters are crucial. They’re not only used for fixing issues, but also for creating unique sounds. They let you control the very nature of sound, from standing out in the mix to giving it more depth and richness.
Now, think about how you can use filters to their full capacity to make the sounds that will grab the attention of your listeners.
Essential Filter Types
Understanding different types of filters is important for sound design (learn more).
The band pass filter is great for focusing on a specific range of sound. This is helpful when you want to make a voice sound like it’s coming through a phone or radio. It’s like using a highlighter to point out the sounds you want to feature.
The notch filter is also very useful. It can remove a small range of sound, which is helpful to get rid of unwanted noises or feedback. This helps to clean up your sound without changing it too much. It’s like taking out a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit, making the overall picture smoother.
A high or low ‘pass’ filter allows a certain range of frequencies to ‘pass’ through while reducing the levels of frequencies outside this range. There are two main types: a high-pass filter, which allows frequencies above a certain point to pass through and reduces frequencies below this point; and a low-pass filter, which allows frequencies below a certain point to pass through and reduces frequencies above this point. These filters are essential tools in sound design to help clean up the sound you’re working on.
A shelf filter adjusts what frequencies you hear either above a certain point (high-shelf filter) or below a certain point (low-shelf filter). Instead of targeting a specific frequency, it affects all frequencies beyond the set point, either boosting or cutting them. This makes it useful for adjusting the overall ‘brightness’ or ‘warmth’ of a sound.
The comb filter is a creative tool. It can add a unique, metallic sound or mimic the sound of a musical instrument string. It’s like painting with sound, adding unique elements to make your sound more interesting.
The formant filter is used to make your sounds more human-like. It can shape the sound to mimic human voices, making your track sound like a group of synthetic voices. This can add emotion and expression to your music.
The tilt filter is a powerful tool. It can change the balance of your sound by boosting the high sounds while decreasing the low sounds, or the other way around. It’s like a seesaw, adding warmth or brightness to your sound in one move. This is an efficient way to shape the overall tone of your track.
Understanding Filter Parameters
Learning sound design requires understanding the key roles of cutoff and resonance in filter settings.
First, let’s talk about the cutoff. It’s the point where your filter starts to work. Whether you’re using a low pass, high pass, or any other filter, moving the cutoff point up or down changes the part of the sound range you’re changing. Think of it as shaping the sound, like cutting off the high end with a high pass, or making it warmer by cutting off the highs with a low pass.
Next, we have the resonance. Adjusting the resonance highlights sounds near the cutoff point, creating a noticeable peak that can make your sound stand out or vibrate. Be careful, though, as too much resonance can create a harsh effect, or even self-oscillation, where the filter makes its own sound.
Also, don’t forget about the filter slope, which shows how quickly sounds drop off past the cutoff point. Measured in decibels per octave, the slope shows how sharp the cutoff is – a steep slope means a faster sound adjustment, cutting out more sound quickly, while a gentler slope allows for a slower transition.
These settings are the heart of sound change. They’re your tools for shaping sounds, making space, and adding life to your tracks. Remember, every change to the cutoff, resonance, or slope can greatly change your sound, so take the time to play around and understand the full range of options you have.
Mastering the Most Common Filters
One of the most commonly used filter types are high-pass and low-pass filters.
They’re extremely versatile in helping to shape whatever sound you’re trying to create.
Let’s go over how you can use both…
Mastering Low Pass Filters
Let’s learn how to use low pass filters to make your sound tracks more exciting.
You can adjust the cutoff to let more or less high frequencies through. When you let fewer through, you get a cozy, full sound. Next, we have resonance. You can use resonance in low pass filters to highlight certain sound frequencies at the “top” end of your cutoff. It is great when you want to bring out special parts of your sound or give it depth.
Now let’s talk about how low pass filters can shape the sound of your instruments or samples. By choosing which high frequencies to let through, you can make sounds seem close or far away. So, if you want a sound to feel close, let more frequencies through. If you want it to feel far away, let fewer through.
Lastly, we have steepness effects. This is how suddenly or gradually the cutoff happens. A steeper slope, like 24 dB per octave, will make a stronger “cut” of the frequencies above your cutoff point. A gentler slope will give a smoother sound, where the upper frequencies more gradually fade out.
High Pass Filter Techniques
High pass filter techniques are great for cleaning the low-end of your mix, where a lot of frequency content can “bunch up.”
It helps make your sound clear and stops it from sounding muddy, especially if it’s a heavily layered sound. It also gets rid of unwanted low sounds and noise, which is important for separating frequencies.
High pass filters can also be used in fun ways. They’re not just for cleaning up sound. For example, if you use a high pass filter on a guitar or vocal sound, you can make it sound far away or like it’s coming through a phone.
But be careful… You don’t want to use high pass filters too much or your tracks might sound weak and thin. You need to find the perfect balance. You want to cut out just enough to shape the sound to your liking, but not so much that you lose the main “oomph” of the sound.
Exploring Additional Filter Varieties
Dig into different types of sound filters besides the usual low and high pass filters, and you’ll find new ways to boost your sound design skills.
Bandwidth control helps you adjust the range of frequencies your filter can touch. This is handy when using band pass filters. It lets you control how wide or narrow the frequency band is, letting you shape the sound texture in detail.
Resonance modulation is another cool feature. By tweaking the resonance, you boost frequencies around the cutoff point. This creates a noticeable peak in frequencies that gives your sound a unique touch. This works great in electronic music where bold filter sweeps are common.
Notch filters are not used as often, but they’re great for removing unwanted frequencies or making hollow, phaser-like effects. They’re perfect for tidying up your mix or for adding a slight movement without overpowering the original sound.
Next, consider comb filter synthesis, a key tool for making rhythmic, flanging effects. It works by cutting or boosting frequencies in a pattern like a comb’s teeth, hence the name. This filter can add a metallic, chorus-like feel to your sounds. It’s ideal for futuristic soundscapes or enhancing percussion elements.
Finally, formant filters come in handy when you want to copy the human voice or instruments with a strong vocal quality. By changing multiple band pass filters, you can mimic vowel sounds and other natural sounds, making your sounds feel more real or full of character.
Overall, filtering is a fundamental tool in the process of sound design. The best way to learn about what filters can do for you is to experiment with them. Don’t be afraid to “break” something while trying things.
What to Do Next
Thanks for reading this complete guide on Synth Filters for beginners. Next up, deep-dive into another area you’d like to learn about: