External filter with envelopes ? (for HexLayer)

[Peter]

As I learn more and more about sound synthesis, it is more and more apparent what I miss the most from my beloved HexLayer sounds: Filter Anvelopes. And yes, with clever selection of pcm waves and carefully detuning them, I can bring out some kind of "phantom filter sweep" (am I using the correct term?). But with real filter anvelopes, I could achieve much more. 

 

So my question is, are there any external filters with envelopes through which my P1 sounds can go?

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS: sorry I should posted this to XW-P1 Specific section

[AlenK]

Perhaps this: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/rocktron-heart-attack-dynamic-filter-effects-pedal

Or this, even better: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/electro-harmonix-xo-q-tron-envelope-filter-guitar-effects-pedal

 

Note the prices, however. I would try what I described here first to see if the sound of a swept low-Q bandpass is close enough. At least you won't be out any money to try, just some time.

[Peter]

Thanks for the links, I will look into these.

[Chas]

How about a Korg Monotron? It uses the infamous MS10/ 20 filter and accepts auxiliary inputs, so could well be up to the job. They are also very affordable (about 30 GBP), plus you get a little mono, analogue ribbon synth thrown in!

 

. http://www.korg.com/monotrons

[AlenK]

Hi Double P,

 

I have idea that won't give you a filter sweep on a Hex Layer tone but SHOULD give you a filter sweep on a combination of up to three PCM tones in a Performance (you could call that "Triple Layer") without hooking up anything external.  This will work on a G1 as well as a P1.  The XW's mixer allows each individual part, including the first four (the zones), to be routed through the solo synthesizer's filter and effects.  To configure this from either the Zone parameter edit menu or the mixer menu set the "DSP Line" parameter for each zone to "On" and ensure that the solo synth is selected for the first zone.  If the solo synth is not going to be part of the overall sound you should also turn all of its oscillators off (and then save that as a new solo synth tone).

 

That parts/zones with the "DSP Line" parameter "On" are routed through the solo synth's DSP effect AND through its resonant filter is not mentioned in the manual.  But it was confirmed in several reviews (for example Keyboard magazine, June 2012).

 

[CORRECTION: My original post said "off" in the paragraph above instead of "on." My bad.]

 

Note that, as would also be the case with the wah-wah effect or an externally connected filter, there is only one filter regardless of how many notes you play.  This could be called "paraphonic filtering."  But heck, the Polymoog works the same way and look how many albums it ended up on.  With the XW you have the choice of whether the filter's envelope is triggered for every key press (Env.Retrig On) or only for the first keypress in a legato sequence (Env.Retrig Off).

 

"Triple Layer" as I have called it shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.  As far as synthesis resources go it differs from Hex Layer in only a few ways.  Of course, there are half as many layers (or up to four if you don't need the paraphonic filter trick, in which case it now becomes "Quad Layer" ).  You also can't program your own velocity switches - each layer does its own velocity switching, depending on the tone.  You can control only attack and release for the envelopes, not the ADSR control available in a Hex Layer tone (which, as it turns out, doesn't actually work correctly for a number of waves).  And there is no amplitude LFO.  But each tone does have its own independent vibrato LFO whereas a Hex Layer tone has only a global one for all six of its layers.  Another difference is that there is no single, global detune control, although you can still detune the zones yourself.  And finally, the complete sound lives only in a Performance and will need to call up user PCM tones if you need to adjust anything about the layers other than key range, tuning, panning, effects sends and relative volume.  So it's not as handy as saving a single patch in a Hex Layer user location.

[Brad Saucier]

That parts/zones with the "DSP Line" parameter "On" are routed through the solo synth's DSP effect AND through its resonant filter is not mentioned in the manual.  But it was confirmed in several reviews (for example Keyboard magazine, June 2012).

 

 

Great tip Alen!  

[AlenK]

It would have been an even better tip if I had not had a brain fart and typed "off" when I meant "on". Since my posts seem to end up in the FAQ a lot I thought I better correct it for posterity.

[Brad Saucier]

There...Corrected your quote in my post for you as well.