If you could only choose one filter pedal

[ped]

My Mutron has taken over. I really thought it would be hyped up and (after a couple of previous experiences) just had to check one out for myself, making sure I could return it. I didn’t! I love everything about it, it properly lives up to the reputation. It just sounds so warm and greasy. I did a thread with a sound clip somewhere. What I like most about it is using it in high range, which leaves your bass sound quite neutral u til you dig in or accent notes which get seamlessly dripped in funk in a way that just feels so ‘musical’ which I know is one of those stupid words like heft but it just works!

[stewblack]

42 minutes ago, zapp said:

Ooooo  Might have to take a pic of the controls for that @stewblack.  It really is a great pedal.

I have one just struggle to get the best from it

[Al Krow]

Resurrecting this old thread...why?

 

...because I've recently replaced my Proton Mk4, which is a great piece of kit, with an EBS IQ filter for a fraction of the cost and finding I'm really liking this new pedal! I suspect it's rapidly in danger of becoming my all time favourite filter pedal. The Q (bandwidth) function adds a delicious swell in a live setting.

 

Really nice review of its capabilities: Pascal Mulot demo of EBS BassIQ Blue Label Envelope Filter

 

How it sounds in a live mix: Al Krow (@al_krow) • Instagram photos and videos

Edited April 27 by Al Krow

[Bagman]

10 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Resurrecting this old thread...why?

 

...because I've recently replaced my Proton Mk4, which is a great piece of kit, with an EBS IQ filter for a fraction of the cost and finding I'm really liking this new pedal! I suspect it's rapidly in danger of becoming my all time favourite filter pedal. The Q (bandwidth) function adds a delicious swell in a live setting.

 

Really nice review of its capabilities: Pascal Mulot demo of EBS BassIQ Blue Label Envelope Filter

 

How it sounds in a live mix: Al Krow (@al_krow) • Instagram photos and videos

Yes the EBS  is a nice filter 

[stewblack]

I've been through a few and I have to agree. I really like my EBS too 

[joel406]

On 27/04/2024 at 18:33, stewblack said:

I've been through a few and I have to agree. I really like my EBS too 

After watching the video I ordered one. Got their last one. Shipped confirmed. Landing Wednesday. 

[AJ567]

+1 for the EBS. Didn't seem to get many mentions until now! Spent years occupying my favourite filter spot... eventually got kicked off by the Spectrum though, hard to compete with SA's digital wizardry.

[HoorayForAnonyms]

I’ve a lot of love for the EBS. I have quite a few filters including a 3Leaf Proton and the C4 and EBS is the one I reach for most often. The dynamic high pass filter is what sets it apart from other filters I think. 

Edited April 30 by HoorayForAnonyms

[joel406]

My EBS has arrived. Now to make a spot for it.

[bassbora]

This is a very interesting thread.  I have seen it over the years but never read it and then never felt I had anything to contribute.  I finally read the whole thing last weekend lol.

 

I have been playing and gigging for 35 years or so and never felt the need to use effects.  I was always curious about envelope filters but did not know what to get.  My first pedal was supposed to be one, I went in a shop could not find one so came out with an OC2, this was in 1994.  Plugged it in, messed around did not know what to do with it and it went back in the box and I sold it 15-20 years later.

 

I was thinking more about effects around 4 years ago so I thought again envelope filters.  Did some research and 3Leaf seemed to come up often and I wanted something small and simple so I thought Proton but could not find any and @fretmeister has always recommended Spectrum so I just bought that.  Great pedal but yet again did not know what to do with it.  Did not fit the bands I was playing in so I just put it back in the box but thought I would get back to it later.  2 ½ years ago a GR2 came up for a really low price so I thought why not try again and scratch that 3Leaf itch. Great pedal and lots of fun. Still not sure what to do with it.  6 months ago a Wonderlove came up for a very decent price so I thought why not.
  
Finally two of my bands want to do 90s dance music and modern synth pop so now I can finally get them out and use them with my OC5 and Rattler and boy it is so much fun and the sound in a band is epic.  I have to say I have only been using the 3Leaf and the GR2 is funkier and bubblier but the Wonderlove is politer and fits a little bit better with the OC5 for that 90s synth sound (I could happily use both and I will rotate them).  I have put the Spectrum on my guitar board and finally found a great home for it.  I love it. I will try it with my bands with bass as well.

 

I am so much enjoying this filter search that I got a IE Xerograph Del ordered when they opened up the orders last.  And I am seriously thinking about Emma DiscBob.  

 

How does the Emma compare to the other 3 I have already?

[Al Krow]

16 hours ago, joel406 said:

My EBS has arrived. Now to make a spot for it.

 

Let us know if it's living up to (our) hype!

[Quatschmacher]

I never thought I’d do this but I sold my MuTron Microtron IV at the weekend as I got so close with another pedal; can you tell which is which?

 

Edited May 7 by Quatschmacher

[Skinner]

Nice, what's the other pedal?

[Quatschmacher]

12 minutes ago, Skinner said:

Nice, what's the other pedal?

It’s something I’m beta testing at the moment and is digital. Can’t spill the beans yet. Will reveal when permitted. 

Edited May 7 by Quatschmacher

[HoorayForAnonyms]

1 hour ago, Quatschmacher said:

It’s something I’m beta testing at the moment and is digital. Can’t spill the beans yet. Will reveal when permitted. 

Along with beta testing and general product development, I think company’s also need to offer you remuneration for your helping with their marketing strategy! Haha!
 

Whatever it is, it sounds identical to the Microtron….and I want one! 

Any hints as the company…..can’t be Source Audio surely. Does it rhyme with bleris? 😉

[Quatschmacher]

3 minutes ago, HoorayForAnonyms said:

Along with beta testing and general product development, I think company’s also need to offer you remuneration for your helping with their marketing strategy! Haha!
 

Whatever it is, it sounds identical to the Microtron….and I want one! 

Any hints as the company…..can’t be Source Audio surely. Does it rhyme with bleris? 😉

I’m pretty sure this one will sell itself. I can’t give any hints as to the company.

 

What I can say is that even though I was involved in the very early development discussions for this pedal and a couple of my ideas were included, I didn’t really think this pedal was going to be my thing at all. I was very wrong! It’s lots of fun.

 

I’ve always thought that digital filters can get close to analogue but never quite convinced me enough to replace them. This has changed my mind. Took me a bit of work to dial this sound exactly but was worth the effort. 

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, Quatschmacher said:

I’m pretty sure this one will sell itself. I can’t give any hints as to the company.

 

What I can say is that even though I was involved in the very early development discussions for this pedal and a couple of my ideas were included, I didn’t really think this pedal was going to be my thing at all. I was very wrong! It’s lots of fun.

 

I’ve always thought that digital filters can get close to analogue but never quite convinced me enough to replace them. This has changed my mind. Took me a bit of work to dial this sound exactly but was worth the effort. 

 

Sounds great! Guessing being digital it will come with the ability to store several presets, which would be ideal when playing with different basses and swapping between up and downsweep?

[Quatschmacher]

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

 

Sounds great! Guessing being digital it will come with the ability to store several presets, which would be ideal when playing with different basses and swapping between up and downsweep?

Yep, lots of presets on this and good amount of knobs and switches. 

[HoorayForAnonyms]

39 minutes ago, Quatschmacher said:

Yep, lots of presets on this and good amount of knobs and switches. 

Look forward to this release. Owning the C4 and having tried the Iron Ether extensively, the gap between analogue and digital has definitely closed in my mind but something that moves this even closer will be great. 

[Al Krow]

5 minutes ago, HoorayForAnonyms said:

Look forward to this release. Owning the C4 and having tried the Iron Ether extensively, the gap between analogue and digital has definitely closed in my mind but something that moves this even closer will be great. 

 

"will be great"...and won't be cheap!

 

But then if folk are prepared to pay 3Leaf prices then fair enough, there's demand for a quality filter  (although did anyone mention EBS recently? 😅)

 

That thought then just made me wonder how common filters are on pedal boards? We're probably going to agree that drive/fuzz will be be the most common effect, but would filters come in second? Or get pipped by chorus and octavers? Dunno!

(I'm not thinking of EQ and compression/limiters as being "effects" in this context).

[HoorayForAnonyms]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

 

"will be great"...and won't be cheap!

 

But then if folk are prepared to pay 3Leaf prices then fair enough, there's demand for a quality filter  (although did anyone mention EBS recently? 😅)

 

That thought then just made me wonder how common filters are on pedal boards? We're probably going to agree that drive/fuzz will be be the most common effect, but would filters come in second? Or get pipped by chorus and octavers? Dunno!

(I'm not thinking of EQ and compression/limiters as being "effects" in this context).

I think some of of us may have mentioned EBS recently 😝

 

And certainly not the most common effect on the vast majority of people’s boards even in genres that they might otherwise be associated with. I’d imagine that octavers would be second most common after dirt and then modulation (chorus, phaser etc.)……filters a distant fourth.
 

But it’s so genre specific and it takes only one intrepid player/band to bring it (back) into fashion. In the hip hop/electronica world, Thundercat comes to my mind as a player who has made the filter and phaser so en vogue within that genre that any player - myself included - will want to emulate that sound; as well as make it more acceptable to other musicians and general listenership alike. 
 

Also getting slightly back on topic for this thread, I love the EBS but have been revisiting the 3LEAF over the weekend and deconstructing some Thundercat; filters are just fun! Also, my revisiting the 3Leaf was due to my having made the decision to sell…..just to assure myself that I’m making the right decision! 
 

This is what I put together; three separate bass tracks with two featuring a filter and one dry track. 
 

 

https://m.soundcloud.com/jasonpower/thundercat-1

 

 

 

Edited May 7 by HoorayForAnonyms

[SumOne]

14 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

 

That thought then just made me wonder how common filters are on pedal boards? We're probably going to agree that drive/fuzz will be be the most common effect, but would filters come in second? Or get pipped by chorus and octavers? Dunno!

(I'm not thinking of EQ and compression/limiters as being "effects" in this context).

 

I think Envelope Filters are quite niche, even within Funk and Pop, and very rare for Bass Players within Rock, Metal, Punk, Reggae, Ska, Jazz, Blues, Folk, Country etc. They are good fun though so I expect they are used a lot at home, or sit there on boards just waiting for the day they can be used live for a small part of one song!

 

I was talking to someone the other day about pedals and he didn't know what an Envelope Filter is, and he's been playing Bass in pub bands for about 30 years. 

 

I'd guess pedal popularity goes something like: Tuner, Drive, EQ, Compressor, DI/Preamp, Chorus, Octaver, Phaser, Loopers, and Envelope Filter pretty low down - just above things like Synth, Delays and Reverb.

 

There was a video from somewhere like Scott's Bass Lessons years ago that stuck with me though: it said the first pedal anyone should get (after tuner) is an Envelope Filter - not because they are useful, but because they are fun, add a different dimension to your sound that keeps you interested in playing, and they can teach a lot about playing dynamics.

Edited Wednesday at 08:45 by SumOne

[LukeFRC]

On 07/05/2024 at 16:05, Quatschmacher said:

I never thought I’d do this but I sold my MuTron Microtron IV at the weekend as I got so close with another pedal; can you tell which is which?

 

 

Is the first one the secret digital pedal and the second the mutron? 

[bassist_lewis]

8 hours ago, SumOne said:

 

I think Envelope Filters are quite niche, even within Funk and Pop, and very rare for Bass Players within Rock, Metal, Punk, Reggae, Ska, Jazz, Blues, Folk, Country etc. They are good fun though so I expect they are used a lot at home, or sit there on boards just waiting for the day they can be used live for a small part of one song!

 

I was talking to someone the other day about pedals and he didn't know what an Envelope Filter is, and he's been playing Bass in pub bands for about 30 years. 

 

I'd guess pedal popularity goes something like: Tuner, Drive, EQ, Compressor, DI/Preamp, Chorus, Octaver, Phaser, Loopers, and Envelope Filter pretty low down - just above things like Synth, Delays and Reverb.

 

There was a video from somewhere like Scott's Bass Lessons years ago that stuck with me though: it said the first pedal anyone should get (after tuner) is an Envelope Filter - not because they are useful, but because they are fun, add a different dimension to your sound that keeps you interested in playing, and they can teach a lot about playing dynamics.

I kind of agree that envelope filters are very niche. I personally find very little use for them and I rarely hear many bass players use one tastefully, if at all. To me they are definitely associated with 19yo in college getting their first pedal.

 

Personally I think its drive, octave and compressors that are the most prevalent on bass players' boards.

[Quatschmacher]

34 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

Is the first one the secret digital pedal and the second the mutron? 

Nope, other way around: MuTron first, ******** second.

 

I think I made that recording early on. I got them even closer after playing with some more settings. 

Edited Wednesday at 17:52 by Quatschmacher