ST2 multi filter (EQ) FX question.

[PaulG]

A hopefully quick question that I can't seem to tell from the manual...

I am using ST with a bass guitar sound, and was looking at buying a special hi-pass filter to cut everything, say, below 40-50hz or so. Then I noticed (gasp!) that this is one of the effects built into ST2.

What I can't seem to figure out is how well or how "steep" it cuts, since it only has two controls - frequency and gain. For the lo-cut (hi-pass) filter, if I wanted to cut everything below, say, 50 hz, obviously the freq control would be set to 50hz, but would the gain be set to minimum? Does this totally cut everything below 50hz? Or is it some kind of shelf/slope?

Sorry if I am not explaining this well or good enough - I am sill trying to learn as much as I can about production and I am on the "EQ" subject now...

Thank you, again,

- Paul

edit: got the "directions" wrong on the low-pass/hi-cut. Sorry.

[Bassballjg]

I wish I knew, and I wish there was better documentation of such things available. If there is, I'd love to see it too.

However, just in case it wasn't a typo, I should point out that it is a high pass filter that cuts lows, and a low pass that attenuates highs.

May I also suggest trying the parametric eq? It is somewhat more flexible for your purpose than the multifilter, which is more for effects than tone-shaping.

[PaulG]

Would the Para EQ work as well to use like this? I thought a para just "bell curves" according to your Q/bandwidth setting?

How would you set it up to do hi-passing?

Thank you.

[Bassballjg]

Would the Para EQ work as well to use like this? I thought a para just "bell curves" according to your Q/bandwidth setting?

How would you set it up to do hi-passing?

Thank you.

With the the parametric eq effect in ST, you would create the hi-pass you want by setting the frequency and varying Q and gain(in this case subtraction) to taste. Again, there's no documentation of the bandwidth parameter(Q), but just playing with it a few minutes ago to "research" my response to you, I was able to get a very dramatic cut below 50hz with the Q set to 0. It's important to know your frequency range, bandwidth and filter curve, but always use eq by ear, because that's what counts.

[PaulG]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it!

- Paul

[DarkStar]

Also, stick a Spectrum Analyser (e.g. Voxengo SPAN) on the audio output from ST2. Then you can hear and see the change in the sound spectrum as you change the controls.

[Kim Lajoie]

If you only want a basic high pass, you don't need the multi-filter. The regular filter will do just fine. It's got modes for 6db/oct, 12db/oct, and 24db/oct. The multi-filter is more of a special effect for when you want four filters in parallel all running into distortion.

You might even be able to use the filter in the synth parameters (that is, not in the effects slots). If you're not otherwise using it, the synth filter comes "free" - it effectively uses no additional CPU, and doesn't use up one of the effects slots.

-Kim.