Maybe my favorite filter - a deep dive in the Serge VCFQ by Random*Source

More infos & affiliate links in the description // Support on Patreon to get samples from this session: / stazma
Let's go for a deep dive into one of the most fascinating filter ever made, the Serge VCFQ.
I've done this video as a "teaching session" token for one of my Patreon subscriber and as always I make it public at some point.
So much things to be done with this filter, I'd love to build a wall of them hahaha.
Have fun watching!
If you are interested in the 4U systems like this one, check out Random*Source website:
randomsource.net/
Affiliate links (I'll get a small cut if you buy stuff from here):
- Thomann: bit.ly/4bhs62E
- Perfect Circuit (USA): link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/...
-- Get your Euro VCFQ here: link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/...
- Clockface Modular (Japan): bit.ly/3W0d21w
-- Get your Euro VCFQ: bit.ly/3G1Isio
00:00 Intro
01:50 General walkthrough
05:48 Stepping filter
07:42 Envelope, filter type mixing & accents
11:45 PING IT
16:13 Bleep soup
17:21 The "High / Low" switch
21:12 VCFQ as signal inverter (+ ring mod trick)
22:37 Processing external sounds
25:29 Parralel Bandpass
27:08 Self oscillation and quadrature VCO / LFO
29:56 Talking Filter
33:21 End talk

[@Stazma]

Sample pack for available on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/vcfq-sample-pack-76103793

[@tonymitchell1461]

fantastic sounding and versatile timbres frm this filter.

[@TockTockTock]

Pretty sure Serge Tcherepnin himself went on the record saying he built a better filter than Don Buchla and I can see why. Definitely surpasses the 291 in my opinion. Not sure about the 291e though-it's easily the best filter I've ever come across. Either way, it's a wonderful conflict to have as an synthesist given that we have two amazing pieces of equipment to choose from an explore!

[@simoantere7283]

I just keep coming back to listen to this magnificent filter.

[@construct09]

Thankyou so much for all your wonderful Mantra videos

[@Stazma]

You're welcome! I'm having fun ;-)

[@zerobject]

I like how you came up with musical results all across the video

[@Stazma]

Many thanks!

[@xuiqen]

I concur

[@Stazma]

@@xuiqen More thanks 🙂

[@Space_pulse]

Nice work! those filter pings sound really lovely.

[@jamesds1979]

Love this. Thank you for the inspiring deep dive into the VCFQ.

[@mymodularjourney]

Fantastic demonstration ❤️

[@b_r_i_z_z_y]

Thank you for the inspirational video, this was one of the first modules I got, sounds so good 🙏

[@fonitronik]

Well executed!

[@jazzbeats8168]

super! love the sound of this filter !!! just got 2 of them !

[@Stazma]

I could live with anoher one! Probably more hahaha

[@waivestate3783]

Those FM plucks sound so great!

[@immimmimm1]

Inspiring thanks for sharing !

[@mymodularjourney]

So good ❤

[@geusensdriesmusic]

Excellent!

[@PandaPotPies]

this is insane

[@grattejoue3431]

Best vcfq demo ever !!! Very interesting !

[@Stazma]

Many thanks! That's some motivation to keep the Serge videos going ;-)

[@grattejoue3431]

@@Stazma j’attends avec impatience le tuto sur le variable slope 😉

[@Stazma]

@@grattejoue3431 Ca va être dur car je ne l'ai pas hahaha.

[@synthemodulaire]

Super vidéo (comme d'habitude) ! Je deviens très curieux des modulaires Serge depuis que j'ai rapidement mis les mains dessus chez un ami.

[@Stazma]

C’est tellement bien ;-)

[@Stazma]

D'ailleurs ça tombe bien j'ai deux vidéo sur mon Serge qui arrive bientôt ;-)

[@synthemodulaire]

@@Stazma Super nouvelle !

[@ELANGOVAN6676]

WONDERFull. Thanks a lot

[@Stazma]

Many thanks ;-)

[@blush_response]

VCFQ is the best!

[@Stazma]

Yes indeed and thanks for stopping by sir!

[@speed0]

My one complain with the filter when I was first learning it was that it wasn't self oscillating specifically because I wanted to use it as a quadrature LFO. I always forget about feedbacking into the input to get it to oscillate. Thank you for the patches!

[@Stazma]

You're welcome ;-)

[@JoseRomero-yr3wl]

🔥

[@thierrymalepart633]

Thanks for the deep dive ! Well explained and great patches. When is the video on the creature (ssg, noise and dual slopes) ? would love to see your tips and learn new patches with it ! Merci :)

[@Stazma]

Glad you enjoyed it! I have a big overview video of the Mantra + TKB coming next week, and a deep dive into the TKB planned as well not sure when tho). It's a good idea to make a video about the Creature part alone, I'll keep it in mind. If you want it done quickly consider joining for a month on Patreon teaching session tier, and i'll put it on top of the to do list.

[@thierrymalepart633]

@@Stazma thanks for the response :) I'll certainly check out your patreon ! looking forward to more serge content. cheers x

[@Setherian]

Definitely my favorite filter in the universe! So much can be done with it, my favorite thing is to literally drive the whole patch with the outputs Im not listening.. By the way, does one of the inputs in your RS xfader gets inverted internally too? Mine is STS and it does (input 1) and I always found it pretty convenient, specially when working with the filters..

[@LowGainElectronics]

The power supply rails of Eurorack and 4U Serge are the same. +/-12V.

[@Stazma]

Hey there mr Low Gain, love your stuff. I did not know it was the same type of power supplies, thanks for the clarification.

[@fer_fdi]

AGC means automatic gain control

[@888cromartie]

@17:43 this sequence is so awesome. I hope I am able to replicate something like it, but it's not clear what the other module(s) off screen are doing. Maybe I need to watch an earlier part?

[@Stazma]

I did not explained the rest of the patches in this video as it is a focus on the VCFQ. What is it exactly that you want to replicate ?

[@888cromartie]

@@Stazma The patch toward the end of "Bleep soup". It seems like there are 3 or 4 stepped CV sources for Q, 1V/O, the function generator, and the VCA for white noise. Is there an envelop on the VCA or is it just stepping the level of the output? The filter's ping has a gate pattern going in and the function generator is looping to FM the filter via the VC F input.

[@Stazma]

@@888cromartie No env on the VCA, just pinging the trig iniput of the VCFQ and sending stepped CV to the Q for volume + lenght control. You are all good for the rest ;-)

[@collapsibleentmt.]

I’m plugging my guitar into my 2600 then into the serge wave multiplier then into resonator EQ and then into the Variable Q filter.. is there a way to patch an automatic sweep? Or do I have to turn the knob every time in order to sweep

[@Stazma]

Mult your guitar to your 2600 envelope follower and use it to sweep the cutoff of the VCFQ, that should do it.

[@collapsibleentmt.]

@@Stazma ok thank you! Will try

[@DJ-Lazy-Lodger]

hidden things occurring;-)

[@onpatrolforthejuice]

how have I just found this channel. All these wasted years.

[@Stazma]

Hahahaha welcome then ;-) It's never too late!

[@baddriddimworkshop]

c vrai qu'ils sonnent ces filtres ils ont leur caractere, avec du 3900 j'imagine comme pour le 2600.

[@mamakuproject]

le roi du ping pong

[@LowGainElectronics]

AGC = Automatic Gain Compensation