How It Works
Technical view
The modulation source here is not a free-running smooth LFO: a sine oscillator is quantized into six discrete positions and used to step the center frequency of a resonant low-pass filter. `rate` sets how fast those stepped positions advance, while `motion` increases both the step span and resonance before a post-filter high shelf brightens the output.
- Filter, Wah & Envelope
- resonant low-pass
- waveshaping / saturation
- delay processing
- oscillator / LFO modulation
- DC blocking
Signal Path
Compiled preview chain
Preview source: An internally generated picked-string phrase is widened to stereo with a 19-sample right-channel delay and slight left/right shelf-EQ offsets before it hits the filter core.
- 1internal picked-string demo phrase
- 2stereo spread with a short right-channel delay
- 3quantized stepped modulation source
- 4resonant low-pass sweep
- 5post-filter high-shelf tone shaping
- 6dry / wet mix
- 7DC blocker
- 8output gain trim
- 9final tanh limiter
Preview source
An internally generated picked-string phrase is widened to stereo with a 19-sample right-channel delay and slight left/right shelf-EQ offsets before it hits the filter core.
Effect core
Quantized stepped modulation source driving a resonant low-pass filter with post-filter high-shelf tone shaping.
Signal path
The static waveform and the live player both reflect this compiled signal chain.
- internal picked-string demo phrase
- stereo spread with a short right-channel delay
- quantized stepped modulation source
- resonant low-pass sweep
- post-filter high-shelf tone shaping
- dry / wet mix
- DC blocker
- output gain trim
- final tanh limiter
Controls that matter
These are the currently active controls detected in the FAUST source for this effect.
- mix: Blends the untouched stereo preview source with the filtered path after the effect core.
- output_gain_db: Applies final post-effect level trim after DC blocking and before the output limiter.
- focus: Sets the base center of the resonant low-pass filter and the post-filter high shelf.
- motion: Increases the size of each filter step and the resonance amount.
- rate: Sets the speed of the quantized internal sine-based step generator.
Code-backed analysis
The generated description is tied to the active helper blocks and routing found in the current DSP.
- demo
- fx
- outputStage
- leftDemo
- rightDemo
- filterCore
- phraseMono
- previewShiftSamples
Controls
Audible controls in this DSP
Blends the untouched stereo preview source with the filtered path after the effect core.
Lower settings preserve more dry attack and full-band tone; higher settings emphasize the filter treatment.
Applies final post-effect level trim after DC blocking and before the output limiter.
Matches loudness without changing the filter behavior itself.
Sets the base center of the resonant low-pass filter and the post-filter high shelf.
Moves the stepped sweep lower or higher and changes the final brightness.
Increases the size of each filter step and the resonance amount.
Makes the stepped motion wider and more pronounced.
Sets the speed of the quantized internal sine-based step generator.
Changes how quickly the filter hops between its stepped positions.
Analysis
Code-derived notes
Current implementation shares the same quantized stepped resonant low-pass core across Step Filter, Sequenced Filter, Sample-and-Hold Filter, and Random Filter; the motion is deterministic rather than truly random or sequence-programmed.
Active blocks
- demo
- fx
- outputStage
- leftDemo
- rightDemo
- filterCore
- phraseMono
- previewShiftSamples
- stepPos
- pickedVoice
- fund
- pickEnv
- ampEnv
- triggerAt
- maxDelaySamples
Inactive helpers
- synthVoice
- organVoice
- bellVoice
- softsat
- quantize
- combLP
- echoOnly
- diffuser
Warnings
No current warnings are attached to this effect.
Source
- library/filter-wah-envelope/step-filter.dsp
- Output stage: DC blocker -> output gain trim -> final tanh limiter
- Library position: 75