ANTARES Filter Owner’s Manual

Antares Filter
Quad Rhythmic Multimode Filters
Owner’s Manual
©2003 Antares Audio Technologies. All rights reserved. Certified Isinglass-free™
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Antares Audio Technologies 231 Technology Circle Scotts Valley, California 95066 USA
voice: (831) 461 7800 fax: (831) 461 7801 service: (831) 461 7800 (Option 3) web: www.antarestech.com
Printed in USA Rev 1.0 10/03 PN 40205-M01
The Obligatory Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
The Antares Filter software and this User’s Manual are protected by copyright law. Making copies, adaptations, or derivative works without the prior written authorization of Antares Audio Technologies, is prohibited by law and constitutes a punishable violation of the law.
Antares Audio Technologies retains all ownership rights to the Filter software and its documentation. Use of Filter is limited by the following license agreement.
Please carefully read all the terms and conditions of this license agreement. At the time of installation of the Filter software you will be presented with a copy of the agreement and asked whether or not you agree to it. Continuing with the installation process beyond that point constitutes such agreement.

Filter License Agreement

Antares Audio Technologies grants you a non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use Filter under the terms and conditions stated in this agreement. Use of Filter indicates your agreement to the following terms and conditions.
License
You may:
1. Use Filter on only one computer
You may not:
1. Make copies of Filter or of the user manual in whole or in part except as expressly provided for in this agreement. Your right to copy Filter and the user manual is limited by copyright law. Making copies, verbal or media translations, adaptations, derivative works, or telecommunication data transmission of Filter without prior written authorization of Antares, is prohibited by law and constitutes a punishable violation of the law.
2. Make alteration or modifications to Filter (or any copy) or disassemble or decompile Filter (or any copy), or attempt to discover the source code of Filter
3. Sub-license, lease, lend, rent, or grant other rights in all or any portion of Filter (or any copy) to others.
Term of the Agreement
This agreement is effective until terminated by you or Antares. You may terminate the agreement at any time by notifying Antares and destroying all copies of the manual, and erasing Filter from all machine-readable media, whether on-line or on archival copies.
In the event of breach of any of the terms of this agreement, you shall pay the attorney’s fees of Antares that are reasonably necessary to enforce the agreement plus resulting damages.
Limited Warranty and Disclaimer
FILTER AND ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Antares Audio Technologies does not warrant that the functions contained in the program will meet your requirements. The entire risk as to the use, quality, and performance of Filter is with you.
SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION.
Limitation of Liability
IN NO EVENT WILL ANTARES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA, LOST PROFITS OR OTHER SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OF FILTER OR ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS. THIS LIMITATION WILL APPLY EVEN IF ANTARES OR ITS AUTHORIZED AGENT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE LICENSE FEE REFLECTS THIS ALLOCATION OF RISK. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
Whew! Now that that’s over, let’s get on to the good stuff.
Contents
Getting Started Chapter 1 02
Introducing Filter Chapter 2 06
Filter Controls Chapter 3 10
About the Factory Chapter 4 45 Presets
Fun Facts About Chapter 5 47 Sturgeons
Index 48
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Welcome!

On behalf of everyone at Antares Audio Technologies, we’d like to offer both our thanks and congratulations on your decision to purchase Antares Filter, a powerful, great-sounding, easy-to-use tool for sonic sculpting and creating unique rhythmic harmonic effects for your tracks and mixes.
Before you proceed any farther, we’d like to strongly encourage you to register and authorize your copy of Filter. (You can skip ahead to the Authorization and Installation instructions on page 2. We’ll wait.) Also, if
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you’re planning on discarding that lovely Filter box, it’s probably a good idea to write down the serial number that appears on the bottom of the box for future reference. (The inside cover of this manual would be a good place.)
As a Filter owner, you are entitled to receive notification of any software upgrades, technical support, advance announcements of upcoming prod­ucts and even the occasional special promotion. But we can’t send you stuff unless we know who and where you are. So please, register.
At Antares, we are committed to excellence in quality, customer service, and technological innovation. With your purchase of Filter, you have created a relationship with Antares which we hope will be long and gratifying. Let us know what you think. You can count on us to listen.
Again, thanks.
Dr. Sturgeon and The Whole Antares Crew
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Chapter 1: Getting Started
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
Since we already made the “read the words and turn the pages” joke back in the kantos 1.0 manual, we’ll forego it this time around (although we certainly encourage you to buy a copy of kantos 1.0 and check it out there).
Instead, while we’d always like everyone to read every word in our manuals, it was our intent in the design of Filter that if you already had
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some experience programming an analog (or analog modeling) synth with traditional synth filters and modulation, about 90% of Filter would be totally self-evident.
If you count yourself among that group, you can probably get by with reading the installation and authorization instructions in this chapter and then scanning Chapter 3 for the various notes and tips along with the details of the MIDI implementation and the tempo syncing functions.
If, on the other hand, this is your first exposure to filters and modulation, we strongly encourage you to read the entire manual. In particular, Chapter 3 includes not only a guide to Filter’s interface, but also introductions to some key filter and modulation basics.
In either case, if you just can’t wait to get some sound going, feel free to check out Filter’s collection of factory presets (although you might want to read Chapter 4 first). They’ll give you a good idea of what Filter is capable of as well as providing inspiration for your own creations. Then come back and dig into the details.
THE CONTENTS OF THIS MANUAL
Chapter 1: Getting Started
The chapter you are reading. Includes instructions on installing, registering and authorizing your copy of Filter.
Chapter 2: Introducing Filter
This chapter provides a brief overview of what Filter is about, as well as descriptions of the functional modules that make up Filter.
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Chapter 3: Filter Controls
This chapter describes in detail the functions of all of the controls used in the Filter interface as well as providing a variety of tips for getting the most out of Filter.
Chapter 4: About the Factory Presets
Some basic information about making best use of the factory presets that ship with Filter.
Chapter 5: Fun Facts About Sturgeons
Fun facts to know and share about one of America’s most misunderstood fish.

INSTALLING FILTER

Any special instructions for installing Filter for your specific plug-in format will be located in the Filter Read Me file that accompanies the plug-in. That file may also contain any last-minute Filter information that didn’t make it into this manual.
Filter is designed to work as an insert effect with a wide variety of digital audio applications. Please refer to your host application’s user manual for more information on installing and using plug-ins.

AUTHORIZING FILTER

Authorization (the process by which this software is allowed to run on your computer) is accomplished by a technique called “Challenge/Response.” Basically, the first time you launch this software you will be presented with a string of words (the Challenge) and will be asked to enter another string of words (the Response).
NOTE: When initially installed, this software will run for ten days without authorization.
So even if you can’t authorize it right away you can still use your software in the meantime. (During this period, click the “Try It” button whenever you are presented with the Trial Period screen at launch.) But don’t procras­tinate too long. After those ten days are up, you will no longer be able to launch Filter until the correct Response is entered.

CHALLENGE/RESPONSE AUTHORIZATION

You can obtain a Response via the Antares web site, email, or fax. Web authorization, an automated process, is available 24 hours a day. Email and fax authorization involve the participation of actual live people and, depending on when you send your challenge, may take from one to three days to provide a response.
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For web authorization, follow these directions:
• Launch Filter. To access Challenge/Response authorization, press “Next” at the Trial Period screen to access the Challenge screen.
The Challenge screen displays the Challenge string. To receive the appropriate Response you will need to provide us with both the Challenge string and the registration code that was included on the yellow card in your software package (if you bought a retail package) or supplied with your download.
•To obtain your Response, have your registration code and Challenge string at hand. (If you will be accessing the web from the same com­puter that will be running your software, you can press “Copy Chal­lenge” at the Challenge screen and then simply paste the Challenge into the appropriate field on the web page below.)
• Point your web browser to:
https://transactions.antarestech.com/
and simply follow the directions. (Be extremely careful to enter the registration code and Challenge string accurately.)
If, for some reason, you do not have access to the web but do have email, copy and paste your Challenge string and registration code into an email along with your name and the product name (e.g., Filter for MAS), and send it to:
register@antarestech.com
You will receive your Response string by return email.
If you do not have access to the web or email, fax your Challenge string along with your registration code to us at (831) 461-7801. Be sure to include your fax number. We will fax the Response string back to you at that number.
NOTE: You may optimize (defragment) the hard disk containing the Challenge/Response authorization, or even reinstall your system, without losing the authorization. However, if you reformat the hard drive or if it fails, contact Antares for the re-authorization procedure (you are a registered user, right?).
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TECHNICAL SUPPORT

In the unlikely event that you experience a problem using Filter, try the following:
1 Make another quick scan through this manual. Who knows? You may
have stumbled onto some feature that you didn’t notice the first time through.
2 Check our web page for tips, techniques, or any late-breaking
information:
http://www.antarestech.com
3 Call your local Antares dealer.
4 Email our tech support department by pointing your web browser to:
http://www.antarestech.com/support/etech.shtml
and filling in the form there.
5 Call us at (831) 461-7800 (and select option number 3) Monday through
Friday between 9am and 5pm USA Pacific Standard Time.
For options 3, 4, or 5, please be prepared to provide the Registration Code of your copy of Filter.
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Chapter 2: Introducing Filter

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS FILTER?

Filter is a multiformat plug-in designed for anyone who wants to give their digital audio tracks (or complete mixes) new and distinctive sonic character — from subtle harmonic enhancements to dramatic rhythmic effects.
Offering four great-sounding stereo multimode filters, a prodigious complement of control sources, powerful modulation capabilities, and features optimized for the rhythmic loop-based applications so prevalent in today’s popular music, Filter is a flexible, fun, easy-to-use power tool for the experienced synth programmer and dedicated tweaker.
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But even if you’re new to filters, you can still get great results right out of the box since Filter comes ready-to-use with a boatload of professionally developed factory presets designed for a wide variety of applications.
SO WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH FILTERS, ANYWAY?
This is the section where we were originally planning to present a sort of “Filters for Dummies” introduction to what audio filters are all about. We were thinking that an analogy to some familiar everyday filter process might be effective.
Initially, we were going to base our analogy on the common drip coffee filter. It seemed to make sense. With the coffee filter, you put your raw materials (ground coffee beans and hot water) into the filter, which passed through what you wanted (rich, great tasting coffee), while filtering out what you didn’t (a mess of soggy coffee grounds). In a way, this was just like Antares Filter, where you put your raw materials (your original track) into the filter, which passed through what you wanted (stunning sound), while filtering out what you didn’t (any undesired harmonic content).
Unfortunately, while it appeared promising at first, the more we looked at it, the more the analogy started to break down. For instance, if you acci­dentally leave Filter running all night, you won’t come down in the morn­ing to find a disgusting pool of burnt, acrid audio. And no matter how much you use Filter, you’re never faced with the unappetizing prospect of having to empty a wet disintegrating mess of unwanted overtones. And thankfully, you’ll never have to pour a quart of dilute vinegar through your DAW’s channel inserts.
In the end, we decided that this probably wasn’t such a great approach after all.
So instead, let’s just take a closer look at what Filter includes:
• Four warm, analog-sounding stereo multimode filters
Modeled on the legendary analog filters of yore, Filter’s filters give you great sound and smooth control response (and did we mention that there’s four of them?).
• Lowpass, highpass, bandpass and notch modes with variable resonance
Create all the classic synth filter effects, plus a huge variety of new effects only possible by combining multiple filters
•Variable cutoff slope
To allow filtering from gentle to radical, each filter can be set for 2 pole (12 dB/oct), 4 pole (24 dB/oct), 6 pole (36 dB/oct), or 8 pole (48 dB/ oct) response characteristics
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• Four independent delay sections
Four full-featured Delay sections with feedback and mix for stunning rhythmic delay effects. Each filter’s Delay section can be patched pre­or post- filter and can be used alone with no filtering if desired.
• Multiple filter routing options
Use Filter as four independent parallel filters, one four-section series filter or in a variety of parallel/series combinations. Six choices in all.
• Four flexible Envelope Generators
As a modulation source, each Envelope Generator offers Delay, Attack, Decay, Sustain Level, Hold Time, and Release parameters and can be triggered by one of the Rhythm Generators or by MIDI. All of an Envelope’s time-based parameters can be set in absolute time or synced to your song’s master tempo
• Four multi-shape LFOs
Each Low Frequency Oscillator offers a choice of 10 different wave­forms, including three different types of random waves. Each LFO’s rate can be set in Hertz or BPM and, like all of the time-based parameters in Filter, can be synced to the master tempo.
• Envelope Follower
For classic effects like auto-wah (and lots more), the Envelope Follower lets you control filter parameters with the dynamic characteristics of your input audio.
•Two Rhythm Generators
The two drum machine-style Rhythm Generators let you easily program loop-based grooves or complex polyrhythms. And of course, their tempo can be set in BPM or synced to the master tempo.
• Powerful Modulation Matrix
Filter’s Modulation Matrix lets you bring your patches to life by routing the various internal control sources and external MIDI controllers to virtually any of Filter’s key parameters.
• Extensive MIDI control
Filter lets you lock all of its parameters to MIDI clock as well as provid­ing extensive MIDI control capabilities, either from prerecorded MIDI tracks or live in real time from a variety of MIDI controllers.
• Every time-based parameter syncable to internal master tempo or MIDI Clock
Each of Filter’s modules with time-based parameters can be set in absolute time or can be synced to Filter’s master clock, in which case all parameters will automatically scale properly and remain in sync as the tempo is changed.
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•A straight-forward, informative, easy-to-use interface
Filter has been designed to be fun and easy-to-use. Virtually every parameter is immediately accessible, with graphic representations of filter, envelope, LFO and Rhythm Generator settings.
•A comprehensive collection of great-sounding, ready-to-use presets
Even if you’ve never played with a filter before, Filter gives you a great out-of-the-box selection of useful, professionally developed presets designed to provide solutions for a wide range of sonic needs.
Check out the next chapter for all the aromatic details.
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Chapter 3: Filter Controls
This chapter is a reference for all of the controls used in the Filter interface.

General Control Behavior

KNOBS
• When the cursor passes over an active knob control, it changes to a double-ended horizontal arrow. Click, hold, and move the mouse to
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the right to increase the value of the associated parameter or move it to the left to decrease the parameter.
•To allow more precise setting of tempos, rates and filter frequencies, pressing Shift while adjusting those knobs will increase the control’s resolution.
• Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (PC) a knob to return it to its factory default value.
NOTE: If the cursor does not change to the horizontal arrow when over a knob, it indicates that that control is not currently active. (In that case, the knob’s associated data display will also be grayed out.)
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DATA DISPLAYS

The various alphanumeric data displays act as parameter value indicators for their associated controls as well as allowing direct data input.
• For fields with continuous numeric values, single-click the field to highlight the entire value. You may then:
>Type a new value (replacing the previous value)
> Use your keyboard’s up and down arrow keys to increment or
decrement the highlighted value
> Click in the highlighted value to place the cursor at the point you
click and edit the current value
When you have changed a field’s value by any of these techniques, type Enter or Return to accept the new value.
If you edit a field’s value but then change your mind before typing Enter or Return, click anywhere outside the data display to return to the original value.
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