Filter+ - Bitwig Audio FX Guide (Patreon)

The Filter+ device in Bitwig Studio is my go-to audio effect because of its impressive versatility and modular nature.

It combines a powerful distortion section with a flexible filter, allowing me to shape and enhance sounds in countless ways, from adding harmonic richness to crafting resonant synth textures.

I love how easily I can swap out modules, modulate parameters, and dive deep into creative signal processing, even turning the device polyphonic for more advanced setups. With options for both pre- and post-effects, plus intuitive modulation routing, Filter+ fits seamlessly into any workflow, making it an essential tool in my production process.

Filter+ is a highly versatile, modular, and compact audio effect in Bitwig Studio, combining distortion and filtering in a single device.

Audio routing goes into the distortion module first, then is processed by the filter, enabling subtractive shaping by adding harmonics and then filtering unwanted frequencies.

The distortion module is fully interchangeable, featuring options like transfer curve, hard clipping, soft clipping, rectifier, saturator, push, and quantizer.

The transfer curve distortion is highlighted for its customization, allowing users to draw their own distortion shapes.

The distortion module can be bypassed or tailored with anti-aliasing options and bipolar settings for shaping positive and negative signals differently.

The filter section includes a variety of filter types: low pass, band pass, high pass, notch, and more, with selectable filter slopes and additional filter models like ladder and SVF.

LFO and audio-rate (sidechain) modulation are built into the filter for dynamic movement; pre-filtering is available for smoother modulation.

Modulator outputs enable flexible routing to parameters such as resonance and allow external LFO/audio modulation.

The device supports a semi-modular configuration, but advanced users can convert it to an FX Grid for deeper customization, at the cost of losing the streamlined UI.

Comprehensive inspector parameters match those of the FX Grid, including mono/polyphonic voicing, voice stacking, and control settings.

Polyphonic processing is possible, allowing one instance of Filter+ to act on multiple voices concurrently, making it unique among audio effects.

Pre-FX and Post-FX slots enable simple routing for shaping audio before or after the Filter+ processing, with a mix knob to blend wet and dry signals.

With self-resonance and voice stacking, Filter+ can even act as a resonator or be turned into a simple synthesizer.

Built-in help and contextual information are provided for each module and filter type directly in the device’s interface.

The device is foundationally based on Bitwig’s modular FX Grid system, merging semi-modular sound design with immediate hands-on control.