Low pass filter??

[TBman]

Quite possibly one of the things needed for guitar recording Nirvana. I just played around with the plugin briefly and I was getting a better result.

[Gutch]

I use one consistently. Roll off everything below 60-75 Hz. Gets rid of the rumble...

[ChuckS]

My preamps have a selectable high pass filter. I've been setting it to about 50Hz for acoustic guitar recording at home. When I compare the noise floor with and without the filter there is roughly a 10dB improvement with the filter.

[RustyAxe]

You guys are confused. A low pass filter ALLOWS low frequencies (below their assigned freq threshold) to pass through, while attenuating higher frequencies. A high pass filter does the opposite, allowing freqs higher than the assigned freq threshold while attenuating lower freqs.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

You guys are confused. A low pass filter ALLOWS low frequencies (below their assigned freq threshold) to pass through, while attenuating higher frequencies. A high pass filter does the opposite, allowing freqs higher than the assigned freq threshold while attenuating lower freqs.

Saved me some typing.

[ChuckS]

Got caught in posting without thinking. You are obviously right and I corrected my post.

[Brent Hahn]

But an extreme lo-pass filter can be useful, too. This clip is a 70's Ibanez Dread recorded with a dynamic mic up close, with severe lo-pass filtering and quite a bit of compression. I don't think you'll find it as weird-sounding as my description might make it out to be. Then again, I could be totally full of it. :-)

[Mr. Jelly]

Originally Posted by Gutch

I use one consistently. Roll off everything below 60-75 Hz. Gets rid of the rumble...

Yup. Always. It's the first thing I do without a thought. You might even drop it off rather than roll it off. There is no good to be had down there in recording.

[jim1960]

FYI - High pass filters will sometimes be called low cut filters, and vice versa.

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

You guys are confused. A low pass filter ALLOWS low frequencies (below their assigned freq threshold) to pass through, while attenuating higher frequencies. A high pass filter does the opposite, allowing freqs higher than the assigned freq threshold while attenuating lower freqs.

Maybe some of the confusion around the terminology is a mix up between the words pass and cut i.e. low pass filter vs low cut filter. Just a thought.

[TBman]

The low pass is almost like a "deverb" in that it cuts out a little bit of the "bad room" effect from my recordings. Interesting stuff. I can see how you can get sucked into the "gotta get a better sound" whirlpool, lol.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by TBman

The low pass is almost like a "deverb" in that it cuts out a little bit of the "bad room" effect from my recordings.

It will reduce the level of the bass frequencies that can be a problem, especially in untreated rooms, but it won't do anything for the low-mids through the upper frequencies that can also create issues in untreated rooms. So it's not deverbing anything, it's simply lowering the level of some frequencies so that they're less noticeable.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by jim1960

It will reduce the level of the bass frequencies that can be a problem, especially in untreated rooms, but it won't do anything for the low-mids through the upper frequencies that can also create issues in untreated rooms. So it's not deverbing anything, it's simply lowering the level of some frequencies so that they're less noticeable.

That's a high pass. The "pass" in the name refers to the frequency that the filter allows to pass through.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by TBman

That's a high pass. The "pass" in the name refers to the frequency that the filter allows to pass through.

You're right. I read it too fast but similar problems can be created. What I said is still applicable if we flip it on its head.

A low pass filter will reduce the level of the high frequencies that can be a problem, especially in small untreated rooms, but it won't do anything for the bass through the upper-mid frequencies that can also create issues in small untreated rooms. So it's not deverbing anything, it's simply lowering the level of some frequencies so that they're less noticeable.

Whether it's a high pass filter or a loss pass filter, it's a shelf eq on one end or the other. They do the same thing; they just do it to different frequencies.

The problem I think you'll have in using a high cut is that you're going to have lifeless guitar tracks that lack upper sheen and brilliance. It's a solution to your problem but it's not a sonically good solution. It's like using a sledgehammer to get rid of a smudge on a wall when an eraser would have done the job.

That said, it could be useful in some mixes where the guitar is stepping on another instrument in the high frequencies and you want to make some room, but for solo guitar, I don't see it as a good solution. A much better solution would be to use a parametric eq (I use Acon Digital Equalize). Narrow your Q and pan the high frequencies for what sounds problematic. Then either cut it all the way or lower it 3-6 db to lessen its impact. This is a better solution because it will get rid of the offensive bits but leave the high frequencies that are benefiting the track.

This video explains...

[Nama Ensou]

Still too many pieces of pro gear missing the low cut filter. That's all I could think about when I saw this thread.