What qualities can make a filter sound good?

[chk071]

Bad filters explode; good filters do not explode.

Waldorf Largo's filter explodes, but, I still like it.

[Niowiad]

Practical example of a synth with bad filters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFIF3hWJSa8

[Urs]

You forget wooden end cheeks. Which characteristics are popular also depends on the existence and quality of wooden end cheeks.

We're adding leopard print and brushed metal options.

[Unaspected]

Bad filters explode; good filters do not explode.

Waldorf Largo's filter explodes, but, I still like it.

You mean it breaks up or steps when modulated? I would hope it doesn't achieve a state whereby it starts feeding back infinitely. Otherwise I absolutely would avoid using that.

That's another point of course: If you want to modulate the filter and it breaks up or can't handle the rate of modulation that you require, that might be a bad filter to choose.

Otherwise I would suggest that a good filter will change the tone of the sound you are processing in a desirable manner - which is not only subjective but entirely dependant on program material and expected or desired results.

Practical example of a synth with bad filters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFIF3hWJSa8

Also reminds me of early reverb experiments.

[chk071]

Bad filters explode; good filters do not explode.

Waldorf Largo's filter explodes, but, I still like it.

You mean it breaks up or steps when modulated? I would hope it doesn't achieve a state whereby it starts feeding back infinitely. Otherwise I absolutely would avoid using that.

The volume "explodes" at some point when you crank up the resonance (meaning, it gets really high). I thought you meant this. And, I think that's what is generally considered as "the filter explodes".

Also happens in Cakewalk Z3TA.

I know what you mean though. The things you described also suck.

[ghettosynth]

You forget wooden end cheeks. Which characteristics are popular also depends on the existence and quality of wooden end cheeks.

We're adding leopard print and brushed metal options.

Those will definitely sound cooler and more modern. And by that I mean in a statistically significant way.

[pdxindy]

If a filter is used in subtractive synthesis to remove frequencies that are generated by an oscillator, then how is it good or bad?

It removes frequencies using high pass, low pass, comb, etc. algorithms. I would guess that bad might mean the signal was processed with errors, or done improperly. But good? That implies that it is working as it should.

Maybe the real focus should be on the quality of the source signal?

Filters don't just subtract. They also add in some different ways. They can saturate when driven. Resonance on the verge of self oscillation can impart wonderful characteristics to the original sound. Modulate the cutoff with a quick drop and some filters thump in pleasing sounding ways. Audio rate modulation of the cutoff (filter FM) also can add timbre that wasn't in the original source.

I like to push filters cause I like sounds that live at the edge of instability. In this regard, analog filters are my favorites. So when it comes to digital filters, the best sounding ones for me are the ones that come closer to the qualities I like in analog filters. This of course is all subjective based on my own aesthetic interests.

[ghettosynth]

I like to push filters cause I like sounds that live at the edge of instability. In this regard, analog filters are my favorites. So when it comes to digital filters, the best sounding ones for me are the ones that come closer to the qualities I like in analog filters. This of course is all subjective based on my own aesthetic interests.

I was going to post something like this, you saved me from writing too many words. Exactly so!

[chk071]

Yes. Another +1 here. Even though I also enjoy some typical "digital" sounding filters (think Waldorf, Virus, or Roland).

[BlitBit]

Thanks for all the input and feedback so far! (See what I did there? )

The qualities that make a filter good are oompf, smudge, velvetosity, phattness and screamo. You must have at least two of those qualities.

I know that this is in part tongue in cheek but I translate this to:

• Oompf: Should sound nice when the filter comes back flying into the low frequencies.
• Phattness: Should have nice distortion characteristics.
• Screamo: High resonance should not just pierce your ears but still be usable in some way, e.g. self oscillation.
• Smudge: ?
• Velvetosity: ?

I guess it also helps if resonant peaks have harmonic spacings because inharmonic spacings will sound metallic.

[ghettosynth]

Perhaps red end-cheeks are the way to go, since red trains are louder than green ones.

However, in each experiment about one third of the subjects did show shifts in their loudness judgements which depended on the presented colours. The relative shifts were in the order of 2 to 9%, with c1 (“bright red”) and c7 (“bright pink”) often causing an increased loudness rating, and c17 (“grey”) and c19 (“light green”) associated mainly with lower loudness ratings. For the experiments involving coloured trains, subjects could be identified who consistently either did or did not show colour related effects

https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference ... s/p175.pdf

[Kinh]

why daa-you need ta know dat for?

[Chrisk-K]

The Korg M1 and 01/W have a terrible filter.

[zzz00m]

Those Korg models are digital synths. The filter is supposed to be bad.

[cryophonik]

Having big knobs always helps.

I think it's just fashionable for people to complain about filters these days without even understanding what it is they're complaining about.

Also, let's step back and consider a basic principle: the filter itself (yes, with some exceptions) is not making sound, it's only altering the sound passing through it, so the primary "quality" that makes a filter sound "good" or "bad" is the source sound that's being filtered.