Ableton Forum

Hi All,

I'm seeking a good software filter that's not too heavy on CPU cycles, automates well, appears properly on Push and has a nice vibey sound (including being overdriven and resonance).

Background:

After some time with the Octatrack I'm back in Live and working up a new live set. I found I really liked the OT's filter even though it was digital, and while I appreciate the features of Live's auto filter, I miss the OT filter a lot for how it dealt with resonance, its multiple response curves, and its overdrive.

I'm performing on a Macbook Air and Push so my favourite SoundToys filters are right out (a bunch of the parameters don't even appear on Push), even though I use them at home all the time. The plugin does not have to be an analog clone but I want it to sound thick and good and respond well to automation. What would you recommend? I haven't been paying attention to software filters for the last couple years.

Thanks.

--JES

I don't know if this is very helpful but, Auto Filter specializes primarily in two things, filtering and automation. However, for basic filtering, if LFOs or envelope following aren't necessary, the Live EQ8 has many capabilities. And maybe the Saturator or another effect haha

i like fabfilter volcano and sugarbytes wow2. the latter is fairly heavy on cpu but try 'em out.

^ Volcano 2 is pretty powerful, tons of modulation options and filter characteristics, anything from super-smooth to crunchy and overdriven (though only standard low, high, and bandpass on offer, though you can include up to 4 filters in a single instance, allowing for more options i.e. bandreject, etc...) and you can overdrive the input.
http://www.fabfilter.com/products/volca ... er-plug-in
The main advantage WOW2 would have is the formant option, multiple pre-distortion types, more filter types, (and about $50 cheaper) but as was posted above, it is a more significant cpu hit (3% jump in my cpu to instantiate vs. Volcano's 1% jump)

cheaper fabfilter options:
http://www.fabfilter.com/products/simpl ... er-plug-in
http://www.fabfilter.com/products/micro ... er-plug-in

Thanks for the replies! I downloaded Volcano and was immediately impressed, especially in terms of the sound vs CPU hit tradeoff. And no dongle copy protection. And side chaining! What's not to love? I don't see a reason to buy their smaller filters if I'm getting this one, though.

Also considering Timeless, but FreqEcho and Filter Delay (with added M4L LFOs) get me pretty far in the direction I want to go.

Glad to be of some help, Volcano2 really is a ridiculously good tool, once you get into the modulators, you're sure to be like

Already there. I think it will be my new go-to-filter. I was like then I was like then I was like

EDIT: Also special props to yur2die4. I hadn't thought of the EQ8 but in like 10 sections I was getting a lot of resonance and doing a lot with it, and it responds well to the Max4Live LFO. Obviously not Volcano but a good alternative.