Creative filtering

> Step by step 3. How to use creative filtering with AudioThing The Orb CM

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In the first walkthrough, we saw the basic filter shapes that make up an EQ, but getting creative with more powerful filter shapes can be fun too. Here we’re going to show you the kind of things you can do with a creative filter, AudioThing’s The Orb CM. 2

To get started, load up an instance of Orb CM on an audio track. We’ll be using our tutorial audio in later steps, but first let’s look at the layout. Orb CM is a special type of filter called a formant filter, and this simulates the characteristics of the human voice. You’ll see the vowel labelling round the edge. 3

The interface is divided into five sections and each one represents a different voice sound — ah, e, ee, u and o. You select these effects using the dot, and the position of the dot within these sectors also influences the sound. For example, the distance from the centre sets the Filter Emphasis. 4

How the sound transitions from one filter to the next is set by the Smooth control, and at its minimum level, the filter sound suddenly switches from one vowel to the next as you pass over the sector divider. You can also blend the filter sound using the Mix control. Meanwhile in the menu you’ll find an output Limiter. 5

Orb CM will yield results that are very dependent on which sounds you use it on. For our first example we’ve loaded the Keys Blend audio. Try the different sectors. We particularly like the sound of the ‘e’ sector and using our DAW to automate the dot from the centre to the edge and back can create a great effect. 6

Orb CM works particularly well with this sound and we can create another more interesting effect by changing the vowel sound in a rhythmic pattern. Our change is for each bar and, once again, we’ve used our DAW automation to control this change. 7

Now load up the Bass Blend audio, turn the Mix up to 100% and adjust the dot around the ‘u’ and ‘ee’ vowels. The filter, by its nature, really thins out the sound, and with the Mix blend at 100% we can really hear this. Moving the dot around this point delivers a pretty good lead effect. 8

If we want to take some of this sound while retaining the low frequencies, we need to adjust the Mix control back down (about 30% for us). Then we can further finesse the effect by increasing the Smooth parameter (about 70% for us). 9

We’ve left the best until last. If you just want to create a quite ethereal effect then try simply spinning the cursor dot around the interface. Returning to our Keys Blend audio, here we’ve set Smooth high (100%), Mix low (24%) and then captured the moves using our

DAW automation.