Microfreak/UG/07 Filter/01 Modifying Sound

• 07.01 Modifying sound

  • The MicroFreak has a Low Pass Filter (LPF), a Band Pass Filter (BPF), and a High Pass Filter (HPF). The Type button switches between them.
  • A low-pass filter attenuates frequencies above its cutoff; a high-pass filter attenuates frequencies below it; a band-pass filter attenuates frequencies on both sides of the cutoff.
  • With a low-pass filter open at maximum cutoff, all frequencies pass. Lowering the cutoff removes the highs first, then the midrange; closing it completely leaves silence. In high-pass mode, maximum cutoff removes all frequencies; lowering it lets frequencies above the cutoff pass. In band-pass mode, frequencies near the cutoff remain audible, and resonance sets the width of that range.
  • Microfreak/UG/07 Filter/01 Modifying Sound/01 Low Pass Filter

    • 07.01.01 Low Pass Filter

      • A Low Pass Filter removes frequencies above its cutoff. It is central to subtractive synthesis and selectively reduces a sound's high frequencies. Modulating the cutoff over time varies the sound's timbre.

      • Note/Info The MicroFreak filter has a 12 dB-per-octave roll-off. Its slope is gentler than a 24 dB filter, which suits oscillators with rich, complex harmonics such as grains, wavetables, shapers, and FM.
        

  • Microfreak/UG/07 Filter/01 Modifying Sound/02 Band Pass Filter

    • 07.01.02 Band Pass Filter

      • A Band Pass Filter lets only a narrow frequency range pass. At minimum resonance, all frequencies pass; turning Resonance clockwise narrows the range. At its maximum, the filter self-oscillates and can act as a sine-wave oscillator, while blocking the Digital Oscillator's sound.
  • Microfreak/UG/07 Filter/01 Modifying Sound/03 High Pass Filter

    • 07.01.03 High Pass Filter

      • A High Pass Filter removes frequencies below its cutoff. Raising the cutoff removes the lows first, then the midrange, leaving the highest harmonics.
      • Use it to accent beats in an arpeggio or bass loop, or to clear low frequencies from a solo sound that competes with a bass part in a mix.
      • Its main controls are Cutoff frequency and Resonance.
  • Microfreak/UG/07 Filter/01 Modifying Sound/04 Cutoff Frequency

    • 07.01.04 Cutoff frequency

      • The cutoff frequency is where filtering takes place. Feeding a filter's output back into itself creates a resonance peak around the cutoff. The Resonance knob controls this effect; the LFO or envelopes can also modulate resonance when assigned in the Matrix.
      • Filters attenuate frequencies gradually above or below the cutoff. This slope, or roll-off, depends on the number of poles: a four-pole filter has a steeper roll-off than a two-pole filter. The MicroFreak filter rolls off at 12 dB per octave.
      • The Cutoff knob moves the cutoff point from about 30 Hz at its fully counter-clockwise position to above 15 kHz at its fully clockwise position.
  • Microfreak/UG/07 Filter/01 Modifying Sound/05 Resonance

    • 07.01.05 Resonance or Q

      • Resonance, also called Emphasis or Q (for quality of filtering), amplifies frequencies close to the cutoff. Turning the Resonance knob clockwise makes the filter more selective and gives the sound a stronger ringing character. At its extreme setting, the filter self-oscillates.