Famous Filter Sweeps for Circuits Students

The Lounge
#1

I need to demonstrate different oscillator wave types on an analog synthesizer and how they sound, as well as to demonstrate a filter sweep while having the synth hooked up to an oscilloscope.

In addition to a simple low-pass sweep across different raw wave types, I was hoping to demonstrate a synth line and filter sweep that most 18-30 year old American college students might be familiar with. I’ll be using a novation summit so I should be able to get into the ballpark of any analog synth sound.

The only famous recorded examples I can think of would be Van Halen: 1984 and Rush: Tom Sawyer, but these are more SFX sweeps in intros. Surely there are more melodic examples I’m just missing? What do you guys think?

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#2

Quite a few good ones all over many tracks on Moon Safari by Air which are probably famous enough just by being played in so many coffee shops over the decades?

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#3

How about Da Funk by Daft Punk? Might be fairly known because of the 2007 tour etc.

#4

Josh Wink - Higher State of Consciousness

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#5

Sasha - Xpander

#6

This probably won’t satisfy the ‘well known by the target audience’ criteria but sprang to mind anyway (first lot on 40 seconds):

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#7

Fatboy Slim: The Rockefeller Skank at 4:09 (album version). Iconic and taught young me what a filter sweep was in the first place :sunglasses:

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#8

Other tracks on this album have a lot more subtle use of filter changes, so you could probably find all sorts of different examples.

#9

I think you should stick with Rush Tom Sawyer, it’s going to be tough finding something as iconic and equally deliberate. It seems like you’re looking for a way that they can draw a line between recognition and intent, in this case it may actually better that it’s not used melodically as it’s easier for the casual listener to isolate. Once there’s a foundation for what is specifically being heard/listened for, you can then apply that to any audio example that you want.

#10

Playing melodies whilst a filter sweep occurs means following two parallel tone lines - almost like melody and counterpoint in one sound. Might be better to introduce sweeps using a less melodic one to begin with.

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#11

I’m not sure if it was a big pop song in America but Calvin Harris - Summer has an obvious downwards filter sweep on the synth line at the end of every chorus. Not my thing but it has been on in the office every day this week so I noticed the filter bit :joy:

#12

Thanks for all the suggestions! I’m going try a few of these out and see if I can make a convincing attempt at any of them. I was also thinking the “stranger things” theme might be a good one to try. It has that killer filtered arp that I think people would recognize.