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Low + High Pass Filter location
- Thread starter eottjake
- Start date
Something worth noting I discovered only last month. If you are regularly downtuning a HPF can do weird things to your fundamentals and perceived tone. In fact I need to disable my HPF entirely when playing in A standard or the bass goes invisible, the upper harmonics don't cut it. In such scenarios having the filters last in chain is the less disruptive option.
Interesting. Thankfully don't have to deal with that, but it's good info for people to have who may look back on this thread
a HPF is variable HZ and cut only - your amps bass control (unless parametric) is fixed and provides boost/cut at that fixed frequency. The 'push-pull' between the two can be the perfect detail in removing mud while retaining body. It's not for everyone and while I always use a HPF or low cut in the studio, my live bass rig is 100% amp and bass and fingers.
Well they do different things.
My amp is a Markbass LMII. It has low, low mid, high mid, and high EQ controls. These controls have a center frequency and you can boost or cut 15db. But it also has a built in Low Pass Filter. It starts cutting at a frequency much higher than the high knob will affect. So I can cut out high frequency content like digital noise, or even just make the overall signal sound "bassier". Markbass now calls this control "old school" because vintage cabs didn't have tweeters, and you can cut out the highs.
Now if my amp doesn't have a Low Pass Filter, I can buy a pedal that has one. A High Pass Filter would do the same thing just on the low frequencies.
as I said earlier my MB 102p combo has a low eq at 40 hz center freq. so rolling off that ( and it is fixed center freq. ) does basically the same thing , same as the HIGH , I get that having a parametric EQ gives you more control as far as center freq. goes but from what I have read hear 40 hz is basically where people are settings the low cut. , Maybe is more about having a bunch of pedals ?>??
The VLE knob is an adjustable LowPass filter. The combo has HighPass filtering built into it at 40hz (specs say freq response is 40hz -20khz, which means it's highpassed at 40hz; amps can go lower if designed that way but this one isn't). It also has a shelving eq knob at 40hz.
Yep , and I use the VLE to get my sound ! I like cut mids slap bass tone most of the time. I added a tweeter to my Revsound 2x8 cab the High eq works great at controlling it. I guess a well designed head covers the low/hi pass filter pedal for me at least.
Well sure, some players do like pedals, some do like large boards, some like experimenting etc... but some like greater control over their tone. 40hz +/- 10hz works well, several amps use it, but is not ideal for all situations which is why a bypass switch is a good option in a HPF in my opinion, you can turn it off when not needed. You might want to cut 25hz, 60hz etc. You might run a preamp that uses a James tone stack or any number of reasons to increase flexibility on your amp. For some they may like the push-pull of using both together, similar to the magic that happens using a Pultec. Less logical on paper, but it sure sounds great.
What do you prefer of putting HPF, before the compressor or after the compressor? What does each position make different to respective tone? Can anyone explain? And I agree with LPF is being put on the last chain order. I'm using active bass 5 strings.
For HPF I Set around 30-40Hz. This will remove unnecessary subsonic rumble while maintaining the fullness of your Low B string.
For LPF I Set around 3-4kHz. This will help reduce string squeak and clank, giving a smoother top end.
My effects chain:
- Tuner
- HPF
- Compressor
- Drive/Distortion (optional)
- LPF
- EQ (if using an external EQ)
- Modulation Effects (Chorus, Flanger, Phaser)
- Delay/Reverb
I prefer using HPF before Compressor because placing the HPF before the compressor is the best way to remove low-end rumble and subsonic frequencies before they reach the compressor. So, this allows the compressor to focus on the more relevant frequencies of your bass sound, resulting in a smoother and more predictable compression. The compressor eliminates unnecessary low frequencies, preventing overreaction to subsonic content and ensuring more consistent and musical dynamic control. By removing the low-end mud before compression, this technique will maintain clarity and definition in your tone, especially in the low-midrange frequencies.
But if you want to try HPF after Compressor, that's okay too. If you decided to placing HPF after the compressor, this is the best way to allow the compressor to act on the full frequency range, including the low end. This is the only way to get a more natural-sounding low-end response, as the compressor shapes the entire signal before the HPF removes unwanted lows. But since the compressor is behind HPF, you must set the compressor to manage the low frequencies' dynamics. If the compressor is set to manage the low frequencies' dynamics, the HPF will ensure that the compressor has already shaped the low end before the filter removes any excess. But this doesn't come with sacrifice and risk: The compressor may react to low-frequency content that you plan to filter out later, potentially causing more pumping or breathing effects if there is a lot of subsonic activity.
So,
My recommendation is to use HPF before Compression. Because it's cleaner and has more controlled dynamic response. It also enhances clarity by eliminating mud before compression.