Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • EVH trance state
  • Antonoff on Please Please Please
  • “Mick looked peeved. The Beatles had upstaged him”
  • 95k+ free music samples

Recommended reading

ableton
Digital Audio Workstation Ableton Live 12.2 gives this "incredibly versatile" device a much-needed refresh
EQ
Tech Digging into the enhanced abilities of today's EQ plugins to enhance your productions
Reference tracks
Tech Reference tracks can be your secret weapon when mixing - but be mindful of replicating other artists' choices too much
Tokyo Dawn Records Nova
Plugins Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: TDR Nova
apple
Music Production Tutorials Here's how to compress your mix bus for sonic punch
Delay pedals
Software & Apps “When you want a boring sound to sound rhythmic and exciting - reach for the delay”: How to understand and use delay effectively in your productions
a-type
Tech Universal Audio's new plugin emulates a legendary '70s production trick heard on recordings from Queen, AC/DC and Fleetwood Mac
  1. Tutorials
  2. Music Production Tutorials

How to use a low-pass filter

Tuition
By Computer Music Specials published 27 April 2010

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Getting started

Getting started

Step 1: Since the low-pass filter is by far the most common sort of filter you’ll encounter, that’s what we’ll start with. Let’s turn to TAL-Elek7ro, a free simple virtual analogue with a fairly standard set of filter parameters. Fire it up in your host of choice and select the Default patch from your host’s patch browser.

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Cutoff

Cutoff

Step 2: Have a play with the patch. It’s not too exciting, consisting of a single sawtooth waveform. Still, that’s enough for our filter to sink its teeth into. Locate the Filter section. Now, play a series of notes from your MIDI controller or sequencer program. While doing so, sweep the Cutoff knob counter-clockwise. Note how the frequencies are filtered as the Cutoff is reduced.

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Keyboard scaling

Keyboard scaling

Step 3: Set your Cutoff knob to around the 10 o’clock position. Now, play a series of notes starting from the bottom of your keyboard and ascending to the top. Like a lot of instruments, TAL-Elek7ro’s filter has a keyboard scaling function. Turn the Key knob up to about 2 o’clock and repeat the above. Notice that the upper notes have less filtering. This is useful for recreating the behaviour of acoustic instruments.

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Resonance and envelope

Resonance and envelope

Step 4: Sweep the Resonance knob while playing. That’s very dramatic! Leave it cranked up to full. Let’s take a quick look at the filter’s envelope function. Leave the Key scaling knob where it is. Turn the Cutoff parameter all the way down. Next, turn the filter’s Contour knob all the way up. Contour was the old Moog name for an envelope function.

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Envelope tweaking

Envelope tweaking

Step 5: Play some notes from your keyboard. Hmm. That doesn’t sound quite right. What happened to our sound? Well, the envelope is still at its default setting. The envelope controls are in the bottom half of the Filter section. Let’s make a few changes. Set the Decay to about 10 o’clock, and turn the Sustain all the way down. Now play a note or two. Much better. That’s a very familiar sound!

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Slopes

Slopes

Step 6: Finally, let’s try experimenting with the filter response slopes. This particular synth has a switch that toggles between an Oberheim-style 12dB filter and a TB-303-style 18dB filter. Flip the switch while trying different cutoff, resonance and envelope settings to see if you can hear the difference. It’s subtle, but you’ll pick it out.

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Computer Music Specials
Read more
ableton
Ableton Live 12.2 gives this "incredibly versatile" device a much-needed refresh
EQ
Digging into the enhanced abilities of today's EQ plugins to enhance your productions
Reference tracks
Reference tracks can be your secret weapon when mixing - but be mindful of replicating other artists' choices too much
Tokyo Dawn Records Nova
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: TDR Nova
apple
Here's how to compress your mix bus for sonic punch
Delay pedals
“When you want a boring sound to sound rhythmic and exciting - reach for the delay”: How to understand and use delay effectively in your productions
Latest in Music Production Tutorials
Reference tracks
Reference tracks can be your secret weapon when mixing - but be mindful of replicating other artists' choices too much
Yune Pinku
10 more things producers can learn from our In The Studio With... series
50 producers
50 production secrets from the pros
Oasis
"The din was huge": Noel and Liam Gallagher perform behind closed doors for the first time in 16 years
Lexicon 480L
Why reverb is one of the most reliable effects in a producer's arsenal
Plugins Future owns
Our resident platinum award-winning mixer and producer shares 10 of his go-to plugins
Latest in Tuition
Piano basics: the black notes - what are they for and how do you use them?
Circle of fifths
The ultimate guide to the circle of fifths and how it can help you make better music
From Parlour to Jumbo: The beginner's guide to acoustic guitar body shapes (and which one is right for you)
Tokyo Dawn Records Nova
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: TDR Nova
Podcasting
The head of Audacity shares his top 5 tips for beginner podcasters
Pedalboard
The ultimate guide to pedal board essentials (and what order to put them in)

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...