Get hands-on with filters

Although it’s easy to use a synth or filter’s modulators to automatically alter cutoff, resonance and other parameters, there’s something to be said for reaching out and twiddling knobs by hand. Andrew Simper of Cytomic agrees: “LFOs and envelopes are definitely a mainstay of modulation in synthesisers, but it’s important to not overlook the humble hand or foot as well. Manually wobbling a knob, or pushing your foot on an expression pedal can bring life into any filter. These wobbles can either be recorded in or drawn, and then possibly looped, which makes them into more of a step/motion sequencer.”