I’ve been using a Vermona “Action Filter” lately (an analogue, stereo HP and LP filter box). I believe it was originally Designed for DJ-use, but it works surprisingly well as a mixing tool. I’ve been using it with Ableton as an external audio effect (in an external loop with a small mixer and other HW effects), bouncing stereo tracks through it and back into Ableton.
Working like that gradually made me realize, that it would be awesome to have several similar filterboxes for mixing individual stereo tracks together “outside the box”, - like for doing mash-ups, for example. But the hardware logistics of using multiple “Action Filters” in connection with an outboard mixer is hard to make work.
Having several identical filters (in a small rack), each connected to a stereo bus on a hardware mixer, is visually confusing (and takes a lot of cables as well).
So, I’ve been searching for small hardware mixers, with built in, similar type, analogue HP and LP filter (24dB pr. octave, resonant) on each channel. But so far without much luck.
I’d look at DJ mixers. My Xone23 has one shared multimode filter (LP/HP) for both channels, but other mixers will have one per channel. I’ve never seen a desk/project mixer with those finds of filters, just EQ type filters.
You could also set this up with several of the filter boxes and an audio interface with enough I/O but it honestly doesn’t seem worth the money.
I would just use the one and record tracks to audio as I went then freeze them in the project. If you want to go back to change something you could.
I’ve been looking at DJ-mixers already, but most of them seem to use multimode filters (so you chose either LP or HP, but you can’t use both filters at the same time on the same channel). The filters on the Action Filter are connected is series (both are active at the same time and controlled independantly of each other).
The Action Filter is all analogue btw (no automation or undo). Freezing a track in Ableton only works with automated VST effects.
Ah, I see, filters in series. I highly doubt you’ll find that on a mixer unless it is something boutique/ specialty. Might be worth checking out whatever DJ mixer Richie Hawtin is using these days. They are hella expensive tho. I think Carl Cox is rocking one as well.
What I meant by freezing tracks and all–I would set the filter to what I want, record the audio through the filter (set and forget or tweaking the filter live for the duration of the song and recording just the one track) and then move on to working on the next track I want to use the filter on.
It doesn’t seem to have resonance controls for the filters, but it’s the closest thing I’ve seen yet.
3k is a lot, though:-s
PS: The way you describe freezing/bouncing, is pretty much the way I’ve been using it so far. The major downside to that method is that I have to guess the right settings in advance, - instead of simply being able to hear the different elements that I’m mixing at the same time - and adjust the individual cut-offs accordingly.
In any case, it’s a method that only works in the studio, whereas in a live situation, bouncing segments on stage is pretty unwieldy.
You might be right. You could definitely use it in connection with a looper (in fact I think that’s worth trying out!). I was mostly thinking about full length track overdubbing, - which would be a bit strange to perform in front of an audience.