Filterscape

Whoo-hoo for U-He!
Urs Heckman (head yahoo from U-he) has deigned to give the world of VST and Audio Unit hosts the wonderful <a href=http://www.u-he.com/filterscape/">Filterscape Bundle. The bundle includes the plug-ins Filterscape, the Filterscape Virtual Analog (VA) synth and Filterscape Q6 (Q6 is a fully featured and highly modulatable EQ). You-know-who from U-he (ok, I'll stop that now... sorry!) provides them all in one download, for a bundled price of $129 (USD). I should say at the outset that I have a personal bias towards Filterscape, I guess that's because I find this plug so intriguing, so I don't really give VA and Q6 enough attention in this review, but you shouldn't take that as a slight on VA and Q6. All three of these plugs offer a great deal, and each deserve their own review, but I have limited time and space so I'll concentrate for now on Filterscape.

Filterscape is modelled after classic State Variable Filters (SVF) found on lots of analog hardware synths. SVF is a brilliant subtractive way of manipulating sounds. If you have ever played around with those patch cords on a modular or an early hardware-based synth, you'll know what I mean. In the olden days, if you had a buzzy oscillator that wanted for some smoothing, you'd look for a filter like this, grab a patch-cord and tweak a knob or two. Nowadays, with the wonder of digitalia and more than justa little clever programming, you don't need to use a 1/4" patch cord, just insert Filterscape in your audio chain and filter filter filter. Urs' gizmo offers a lot more than just being able to smooth out a buzz though. With Filterscape you can move (morph, actually) between different filter types using a cool dish-n-puck interface which I'll explain a little later, and he also gives you the ability to control up to 8 Snap-Shot EQ settings, and then of course there's the built-in Step Sequencer, Envelope Followers and LFO's. This is all wrapped up in a control-freak's controllable paradise that makes Filterscape much more sophisticated than just about any other filter-set available.

<a href="http://www.u-he.com/filterscape/" align=left>

Set-up
The installation is mostly manual, so you need to read the read-me (yes, read, that's why they call it the "read-me"). It tells you where to put your component (for Audio Units) or VST files, and you need to set-up paths/folders for the pre-sets too. Its not really hard, but still, c'mon Urs, get off that couch and give us a fully automatic installer in the next rev, OK? In terms of the paths/folders, you need to be careful and make sure you get them just right, or else Filterscape won't see them. For this, you will need to rub together at least 2 brain cells, but if I did it, so can you. There are some extra pres available for download, and these have their own auto-installer.

Gooey GUI? No! Groovy GUI!
Truth be told, its kind of a bluey-GUI. (All right, I said I'd stop the nonsense, that's the last one, I promise!) The GUI is clean, elegant, easy to understand and the controls all (except one in the EQ display, see later) work smoothly. Filterscape has knobs, lotsa knobs. You get what Urs calls 'positve' knobs and 'bi-polar' knobs. (Funny, a lot of my friends think I'm a bi-polar knob, but I have to admit that's where the similarity ends, there is no way I work as effectively as these knobs do...) The positive knobs are for parameters that have value ranges from 0+. Bi-polar knobs aren't just for manically depressed people, they indicate +/- values via color-coding (blue for negative and red for positive). A quick whip through the manual (there's that whole reading thing again) tells you what each button, knob and pop-up is for. In fact, that's essentially what the manual is, its set-out like an interface guide with annotated diagrams explaining the interface. The manual also gives you tips and hints as to how you can use Filterscape's functions on your audio.

I don't have the space to cover every aspect of the GUI, but here is a quick run-through. The filter section (see below) takes up the main part of the panel. There are identical controls for each of the two filters, all set out in an uncluttered manner. There is a neat and unique 'Snap-Shot' controller for the EQ in the middle. There are tabs across the top right to select pages of controls for the Step Sequencer, LFO's, Envelope Followers 1-4. Near the bottom of the well-balanced screen you have the same kinds of tabs for EQ, Mod and SVF settings pages. The bottom of the screen carries the Router-Mixer controls. On the right in the middle you get a relatively standard EQ interface, with just a few twists. The EQ display panel lets you control or right-click to bring up a contextual menu - in my system this was buggy, I couldn't select any of the options, the pop-up disappeared too quickly. There is an undocumented work around for this, you just need to use Command-Shift-Click to get that pop-up to work if you have the same problem that I did. The EQ screen not only shows you over-all gain and the settings for each EQ band, you also see your audio as it pulses through - via a cool, although sometimes distracting, blue wiggly line. I'm not sure how helpful that wiggly line is in musical terms, but sometimes I catch myself staring at it for ages - when I catch myself doing that, I know I need to get back to filtering.

Filter-shmilter, I don't need no stinkin' filter...
You may think your audio is just fine the way it is, but that's probably because you haven't taken the time to download the Filterscape demo. Take some plain audio, run it through a hybrid of four types of filters, all pulsing and modulated by LFO's, the Arpeggiator or Sequencer, all in sync with your host's tempo, and then come back to me and tell me you don't need no damn filter! I dare you!

In terms of the filter section of Filterscape, you get what you would expect of a filter set. There's the usual resonance, cut-off and drive parameters, and you can modulate all of them in various ways. For example, you can change the cut-off frequency, by driving it with the audio signal. In fact, you have quite a few possibilities in terms of modulation, and if there is one thing that sets Filterscape apart from its filterin' cousins made by other developers, its the ability to modulate your signal and settings in so many different ways. So, the word for today is 'Modulation', got that boys and girls? M-O-D-U-L-A-T-I-O-N. You get a number of pop-up menus that let you select modulation sources which include the LFO's, Step Sequencer, your ModWheel, as well as one of the four Envelope Followers, among others.

The filters available are lowpass, highpass, bandpass, and notch. Sounds simple, right? But you don't know Urs and what he can do with these little fellas. The SVF approach taken by Urs means that you can run your signal through these filters simultaneously, seamlessly morphing from one to the other. The mix or movement between filters is controlled by an output selector that is represented by a kind of circular dish. Each of four the poles of the dish represent a filter type and you have little puck that you can slide around, changing the relative mix of filter types over a continuously variable range. You can also control your filter output panning in five different ways, and of course, you can modulate panning settings in so many different ways you can easily loose track of the options.

Hey sister morphing...
Urs reckons he is a bit 'revolutionary' with his morphing EQ, and you know sumthin'? I think he's right, because this capability, coupled with the insane amount of modulation available, is the guts of this plug. In fact, Urs should have called this thing EQScape, no wait, FilterScape sounds better... maybe Uberscape... Anyway, its the deceptively simple 4 band EQ that makes the price of Filterscape admission worth every penny.

This EQ not only EQ's, it can also be used as a filter, and more importantly, it lets you set up to 8 different EQ 'Snap-Shots' (each complete with its own modulations). You can loop through these snap-shots in fairly complex ways, again, in fully controllable sync with your host's tempo. Its pretty hard to put into words just how this is all managed by the interface, but trust me its quite comprehensible once you play around with it. In fact, in a sort of German-English (or should that be Germlish?), the manual acknowledges this, saying, "As with everything, you have to see it in action, it can hardly be described." But not to worry, soon you will see how work this thing, for example, the relationship of the snap-shot looping to the host tempo is selectable in a range of beats from from 1/64 to 8/1 and that is easily set via a pop-up. You can set global as well as snap-shop modulation settings. Global EQ mods are just that, they affect the EQ parameters over-all, and snap-shot modulation settings allow you to set-up different modulations for each snap-shot. So get this, you not only get the standard sort of 4-band EQ, (which is pretty good sounding too) you can set up all of these different EQ's, drive the hell out of them with M-O-D-U-L-A-T-I-O-N, the likes of which would make your mama want to cry, and you can sync this all up to your host. Man, I get a headache just thinking about the possibilities!

What can you do with these snap-shots? Well, in the movie One Hour Photo, the character played by Robin Williams said that the phrase 'snap-shot' was originally a hunting term. It referred to a quickly taken, but fatal shot. Urs' snap-shots are a lot more benign, and they won't kill your sound, but they can seriously mangle, warp and change your sounds in pretty amazing ways. (BTW, the guy who wrote the score for that movie once assured me I would find my true love someday. Johnny, if you are out there somewhere, you were just so wrong I'd like to slap you... sorry, this isn't supposed to be about love, its about Filterscaping!)

Step sequencer, Envelope Followers, LFO's & MIDI
If you want or need pattern-based modulations (in addition to the more standard LFO modulation provided by the two LFO's) FilterScape comes with a simple Step Sequencer. Its simple and easy to use, but because there are some clever tricks this pony can do, you won't get bored with it too easily. For exampe, you can blend between steps in varying degrees. The interface is gives you the ability to 'draw' how the steps will work and interact, and this works quite intuitively. The documentation on this is a bit unclear, but once you hear what happens when you are sliding values up and down, you get the picture (well, the sound) pretty quickly.

You get four fully controllable envelope followers that can be used to modulate your signal There is also an Envelope mode that when selected, effectively makes the envelope a gate (of the AHR variety). I didn't really delve too much into how these can affect the sound, but in playing around with some of the pre-sets, I did get the idea that there is some serious semi-hidden power in this section.

MIDI controller assignment could not be easier. Right clicking your mouse (hey, if you are still using that silly mouse that shipped with your Mac, you oughta be ashamed of yourself!) sets up a parameter to be attached to a MIDI controller -just right-click, move your MIDI fader/button and the Filterscape makes the association for you. And if you are still insisting on Apple's primitive one-button mouse-ness, you can also control-click to do the same thing.

Router
There is a Routing section at the bottom of the interface. There is a lot of flexibility here, you can change routing configurations with a simple click or two on the icons representing each of the Filter, EQ, etc, modules in the routing diagram. Maybe I am missing something, but there seem to be just 5 different routing schemes even though the interface makes it seem as though there are more. You can click on any of the module icons to get a pop-up that allows you to choose which routing scheme you want, but given that there are only 5, I don't know why there isn't just one pop-up for to choose your routing scheme, because being able to select them by clicking on any of the module icons makes it seem as though there are actually more options than there really are. There are two mixers, and depending where you put them in the routing schema, you can control wet/dry signals, in many different ways. There is also a simple delay, but, like all of the other modules, because it can be put into the routing schema in a number of different places, it too can have some diverse effects on your sound.

Niggles
Its pretty hard to fault Filterscape, but I do see some room for improvment, so Urs shouldn't think about retiring just yet. It doesn't support 5.1 or any other variety of surround, and given that this is getting more and more important, having a plug that can only do stereo is a bit limiting. I'd love to see what he could do moving sounds around in 5 channels, it could get pretty frightening! The way in which you load pre-sets is also a bit unconventional. The load/store/next/previous buttons are on the top left hand side of the interface, (the text runs vertically and its kind of hard to find when you are just poking around the interface). To load, you click on the button and a mini-file browser pops up, you select your pre-set, but then you have to go back and click the load button. I'd rather just be able to double-click on the file I want to load. Filterscape also has a 'randomization' feature and although I know others who love this, I don't really know how musically useful this could be and besides, there is already too much randomization in my life, do I need my plugs to be adding to the chaos?

I don't want to overstate this, but I should point out that parts of the 50-ish page manual are written in Germlish, which does make it hard sometimes to understand, but Urs' English is probably better than my German, so I'll cut him some slack here and really, its no big deal, I found it pretty easy to work my way through the whole manual in just under two hours.

Filterscape Summary
What does all this FIlterscaping add up to? Well the most important thing is just the plain old sound this thing makes. Unlike the accepted GIGO axiom (garbage in, garbage out), you can actually put garbage into this plug and get roses out the other end. It can alter your sound severely (or gently too, if that's what you want) and hey, any plug that can makes my guitar playing sound interesting has got to get some points, right? Additionally, from a purely audiophile perspective FIlterscape has no warts whatever. It is a high resolution, good sounding piece of software. Add in the modulation and morphing madness it also offers and you have one serious sound toy.

Now, I am just about out of steam here, so I won't really do these other two plugs justice, but they do come as a set, so here goes... in twenty words or more...

Filterscape VA
<a href="http://www.u-he.com/filterscape/" align=right>

Filterscape VA isn't some sort of Veterans' Administration for former Filterscapers, its a Virtual Analog, synth, and the best way to describe is to say its the next best thing to being there. ('There' being real analog.). VA is really a fully-blown analog emulation synth that stands on its own as a powerful instrument. Urs could easily sell it on its own for the same price as the whole bundle (don't tell him I said that though, lets keep that secret between us, ok?). It can produce those juicy, full-strength analog bass sounds, its modulation options are rich enough to let you get great evolving pads out of it, and if you are after full-blooded screaming leads, well, I think you get the idea. VA gives you FM, PWM Hard Sync, Ring Modulation and lowpass resonant filter sound generation possibilities. Its not 100% accurate to say this, but Urs' VA is kind of like having an analog synth stuck in front of Filterscape because you also get a lot of the modulation and filtering possibilities that Filterscape offers. For sound generation, VA has 2 Oscillators, a noise generator and a sub-oscillator. I've never been quite sure what the difference between an LFO and sub-oscillator is, but I'll trust U-he on this one. You can select a number of waveforms as the basis for the oscs, including things called 'Glassy' 'Sine Stacks' and 'Odd Peak'. (Funny, I used to think 'Odd Peek' is what I like to have at all the bikinis when I am down at one on Australia's fine beaches... oops, this isn't supposed to be about love either, sorry, back to the topic.) One of the great features of this synth is that you can warp between these different wave forms, and though the visual feedback you get when doing this isn't all that great, you can squeeze quite a range of sounds out of this machine with this warping feature, and I'm glad its there. The warping is continuous, and because you have such fine control via the warp dial, it gives you a huge palette of waveforms to work with. You can blend/morph those waves until you get just the sound you are after. Envelopes are of the Attack Decay Sustain Fall (& Rise) Release type, or you can use them as HDSR, in which the Attack parameter determines how long the level is held before the delay kicks in. There is a velocity setting which determines how much key velocity affects the other parameter values.

VA also has a 16 step Arpeggiator, complete with octave range options (original pitch or one or two octaves) and the usual 'as played' choice. You can set the loop type (there are a number of loop types) as well as loop direction. Sync with your host options include note values of 16th, 8th, dotted 8th or 1/4 note, as well as legato. The arpeggiator on this synth is legendary among experienced Filterscapers, because its control sequence lets you create polyphonic, rhythmic and complex arpeggios. It is very easy to use, and you can quickly create quite complex patterns. All in all, if you are looking for a good, robust and flexible analog emulator, Filterscape VA has a lot to offer, I think its one of the most underrated soft-synths around.

Q6
Its much much more than this, but I guess I would sum up Q6 as a sort of 6-band version of the EQ part of Filterscape, complete with Filterscape's snap-shot features, plus it has four envelope followers and like everything else we have been talking about, its a control freak's paradise because you can modulate it to hell and back. If you want a straight forward (yet still flexible) dynamic EQ, you can just grab Q6 and you will be morphing between your EQ snap-shots in no time at all. If you want to get a bit more adventurous though, Q6 can take you places no other EQ plug can. As far as I know, some of Q6's dynamic EQ capabilities are unique. For example, you can set up each of four the envelope followers with different input filter settings, throw them onto the gain of the EQ bands, pump through some audio like a drum track and well... you'll just have to experience it for yourself. Its pretty impressive what one little plug can do to an audio signal. If you are into rhythmic madness of the first order, Q6 is the thing you want. Chances are some of those complex drum loop sounds created by others that have you green with envy come from an application of Q6. Of course, if you just want a first-class EQ that handles things like de-essing, Q6 is great for that too. Finally, Q6 is, like the rest of the bundle, a good sounding plug. By that I mean that it only changes your sound in the way you want it to - it doesn't introduce any extra cheese or unwanted sonic artefacts into your signal chain.
<a href="http://www.u-he.com/filterscape/" align=left>

Final Summary
Would I buy this bundle? Hell yes I would/will, because all of the plugs sound good, they work well and they offer almost unlimited sonic possibilities. There is also something else about this plug that you should know. URS is one of the little guys (actually, I have never seen him in person, so I probably shouldn't say that, no doubt he could kick my ass). He does what he does more or less on his own. Sure, he collaborates with others, but when you get stuck, or break something, it is he, the author of the program himself, who will respond to your questions. He does not have a help-desk in India taking your calls, (well, truth be told, he doesn't take calls at all!), he responds in person through his forum on KVR. Of all the developers out there, he has one of the best 'hands-on' track records going. Try getting directly in touch with a developer of one of your Logic or TDM plugs one day and you'll see just how special this sort of personal attention is.

I guess my reaction to this bundle could be summarised in the phrase: "Yipee for U-he!", or as John Kennedy would have said had he been into digital music-making: "Ich bin ein Filterscaper!"

The Verdict (5 star system)
GUI/Interface... 5/5 (A nice Bluey GUI.)
Stability... 4/5 (Only 1 glitch for me - the EQ display pop-up.)
Manual/Tutorial... 4/5 (No tutorials, but the manual is easy to follow.)
Sound... 5/5 (Isn’t what this is all about?)
Value For Money... 5/5 (129 bucks, c'mon how much do you spend on beer in a month, buy this thing!)
X Factor... 5/5 (Morphing Modulating Madness to the power of 100)

Review set-up:
OS X 10.3.9
Downloaded version
Host, Digital Performer 4.12 (as an Audio Unit plug)

By-line
BK is a guy who makes dangerous modern art.
Apart from access to a review copy of Filterscape, and quite a few belly lafs with his posts on various music-related forums, Urs has never given me a damn thing.