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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: njkmonty on September 26, 2011, 06:36:19 AM

Title: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: njkmonty on September 26, 2011, 06:36:19 AM
sorry for more question!!
done a bit of reading and apparently some rack mount" korg 3" something is good for this?

any way, ive downloaded the neutron filter (mutron III clone) by R>G>keen
and i also know there are other subtle effects that can be added to get this sound, ie delay /flange,dirt etc, but
im sure someone here has gone down this path and would have a good idea where to head?
i dont want to make 5 different auto wahs to find the right one?!!!
anyone been here before?!! 
and point me in best direction?!
Title: Re: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: Mark Hammer on September 26, 2011, 08:34:32 AM
There are a great many of themand they often have different tone and feel which can complement one kind of playing or style of music, but not another.

So what do you want it to do for you?  That will help narrow down the field.
Title: Re: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: njkmonty on September 26, 2011, 08:40:35 AM
to be honest realy just for that song in cover band, before searching that out, i had never realy looked into an envelope filter before!
and thanks for your reply ,,,.. again!!! :)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxcDTUMLQJI
Title: Re: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: jdub on September 26, 2011, 09:27:51 AM
I recently had to cop that sound for a cover band, too, and read about the specific Korg patch that edge uses.  Apparently it's a combo of reverse-sweep envelope filter, some flanging, overdrive and, of course, delay.  I ended up getting an approximation using discrete effects (overdrive into filter into flanger into amp, delay in effects loop), with a Q-tron on reverse for the envelope filter.  I'd imagine that a Mu-tron/Q-tron/Neutron or even an MXR with the reverse sweep mod would work best, short of finding an old Korg A3... ;)
Title: Re: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: Mark Hammer on September 26, 2011, 10:00:12 AM
You'll want a downward sweep in highpass mode.  A number of easily available pedals can do that, but there will be some tweaking of the start point required.  As I've noted in many posts over the years, identifying the "right" start-point for downward sweeps is tricky.  What works as a good downward start point for a bandpass filter is different than might be optimal for a lowpass or a highpass.  If you can figure out how to tailor it yourself, great.  If not, you may simply have to opt for the same physical device that Mr. Edge uses.

I might recommend a state-variable filter built into a wha footpedal chassis.  I had installed the old Anderton/EPFM Super Tone Control into one, using a dual-ganged tuning pot, and the highpass provided some nice sounds.  I could nail the swept sound from that old tune by The Fixx "One thing leads to another".  And it's not far off from "Mysterious ways".
Title: Re: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: thedefog on September 26, 2011, 01:14:46 PM
How about the Lovetone Meatball? That'll give you plenty of flexibility and parameter controls to pretty much nail that sound I bet. I built one with the PCBs that Taylor is selling on musicpcb.com and it is my favorite effect now.
Title: Re: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: Keeb on September 26, 2011, 03:17:30 PM
I can get that kind of sound from my Digitech SynthWah
(http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/750/SynthWah-large.jpg)

...and I guess it could be done with my Maestro-FSH1 (haven't tried).

When I say I can get that sound from the synthwah I mean it sounds good enough for people to recognize it.
Tone is subjective, YMMV.  ;)
Title: Re: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: Mark Hammer on September 26, 2011, 04:06:05 PM
You will notice there appears to be no means to achieve different sweep rates on that pedal.  I'm not saying it's a bad pedal, but it illustrates what I said earlier about different auto-wahs having different "feels"....unless there is some means to adjust attack/decay rates, which the Meatball has but few others do.
Title: Re: envelope filter /auto wah, best for the intro mysterious ways u2?
Post by: Keeb on September 26, 2011, 06:00:21 PM
Quote from: Mark Hammer on September 26, 2011, 04:06:05 PM
You will notice there appears to be no means to achieve different sweep rates on that pedal.  I'm not saying it's a bad pedal, but it illustrates what I said earlier about different auto-wahs having different "feels"....unless there is some means to adjust attack/decay rates, which the Meatball has but few others do.

You are absolutely right.
However, if you use it for Mysterious Ways live, people are going to recognize it. Kind of a "good enough" scenario.
If you really want a versatile filter/wah pedal I'm sure you could find better.

Furthermore, it's not even DIY.