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It'd be nice to have some sort of eq plugin that takes midi data and tracks key input so the curve always stays the same relative to the fundamental note being played. Sort of like an additive synth except it would use eq to shape the harmonics of the audio passing through it instead of generating the harmonics themselves. I know there's filters with keytracking built in but nothing with eq functionality that maintains the relationship between the bands and the positions of harmonics at different notes.

Anyone understand what I mean or know if this already exists

Know what you mean mate, that would be fucking awesome, i'll have a look around for something or if i can get an existing synth to do that !

I was thinking it could probably be done with Max/MSP but I'm a nub at that shit. If it wasn't near the start of school I'd learn some stuff and see if I could make it, but I'm already going to have enough programming as it is.
It'd be nice if some little developer somewhere has already made something similar though.

that would great if it's possible, would it be similar to waveshapping in that it tracks the input and let's you modify the output? maybe a waveshapper that tracks/modifies frequency as opposed to amplitude.

dude.. you could just record one note/sound... do whatever EQ you want...

export it...

then load it up in a sampler and play up and down the keyboard. the shaping of harmonic content will move along with the fundamental.

narcissus wrote:dude.. you could just record one note/sound... do whatever EQ you want...

export it...

then load it up in a sampler and play up and down the keyboard. the shaping of harmonic content will move along with the fundamental.

I've tried this and it doesn't keep the same EQ curve (it doesn't sound like it at least) If I've recorded a C then that note sounds fine but any other notes still come with a load of nasty resonant frequencies so I end up having to put notch filters all other the place

Orion has autotracking EQs with 2 and 4 harmonic bands.

narcissus wrote:dude.. you could just record one note/sound... do whatever EQ you want...

export it...

then load it up in a sampler and play up and down the keyboard. the shaping of harmonic content will move along with the fundamental.

Yes but that would require using a one shot sample. With keytracking you'd be able to use dynamic sound sources and put the Eq at the end of an effects chain. Say for instance I like the sound of a bass sound distorted but I don't want the fundamental to be heard. I could run the bass through and then use the keytracking eq afterwards to filter out the fundamental while still retaining its harmonics generated by the distortion. This would maintain the non-linear characteristics of the distortion as well.

It could also be used like an advanced tweakable comb filter. You could carve tones out of noise and play them with the key input (similar to vocoding except the modulator is being tuned, not the carrier) It'd be useful for giving clarity to recorded parts too, just emphasize whatever harmonics you like and play along with midi.

I don't thunk it even works doing just a one-shot (well single cycles don't at least) unless I'm doing something very wrong

back2onett wrote:I'm doing something very wrong

yup

There is a freeware waveshaper "ChebyshevWaveshaper" that lets you boost individual harmonics of a sounds base frequencies. Dunno if that might do what you are looking for?

apastrat wrote:

back2onett wrote:I'm doing something very wrong

yup

Care to elaborate?

I like this idea too. It seems like such an easy thing to implement, i'm surprised we don't see it more often. I've also been interested in an EQ where you could move one band's frequency and have the others follow automatically, maintaining the same distance/ratio. The same thing, I think, except I wasn't thinking of using MIDI notes for control.

Maybe someone could modify an open-source EQ to add MIDI support? (I will look into this myself, although it would be my first genuine plugin creation project, so I'm not certainly not the best person for the job.)