Triple Filter Synth Voice
In modular synthesis, starting with traditional basic patches and building on them is a great way to discover exciting new sounds and get the most out of a system.
In this patch we explored creating a synth voice using 3 resonant analog filters in series from our MCFx2 and Pip Filter modules. The combination of the filters produced a rich tonal voice with ample opportunity for modulation.
Building the Voice
Starting with an external sequence from Ableton, we connected the outputs of the mmMidi MIDI to CV converter to control the pitch of the TAZM-O VCO and trigger a pair of Pip Slope envelopes.
We connected the primary shape output of the TAZM-O (set to square wave) to the MCFx2 dual filter and engaged both it’s ‘Link’ and ‘Feed’ buttons. On the MCFx2, ‘Link’ causes the left Cut Off control to sweep both filter cores, tying the two peaks together and ‘Feed’ causes an output of the left filter (configured via jumper on the back of the module) to internally feed directly into the right filter, in this case we used the Band Pass output.
The Low Pass output of the MCFx2’s right filter was then connected to the input of the Pip Filter, creating a chain of 3 resonant analog filters in series (Band Pass to Low Pass to Low Pass).
Modulation
Next, the unipolar triangle wave output of the Pip LFO was connected to slowly sweep the 2 linked filters of the MCFx2, adding a smooth motion to the voice.
The pair of Pip Slopes were both configured as simple exponential decay envelopes, with the first and second patched to the Pip Filter’s Frequency and VCA CV inputs respectively. The Frequency was then lowered and attenuverter increased to add a plucking modulation to the Pip Filter, following the two smoothly sweeping MCFx2 filters.
Finally, the V/Oct CV from the mmMidi (controlling the TAZM-O pitch) was duplicated to the Pip LFO’s Frequency CV input, resulting in a fast fluttering modulation to the MCFx2 filters, increasing simultaneously with the notes in the sequence.
This unique expansion of the traditional single oscillator analog synth voice patch allows for 3x the amount of filter modulation, producing rich moving timbres using only a single oscillator. Similar techniques of can be used with multiple filters in parallel or panned in stereo to add unique modular richness character to a basic voice patches.
