The description for Metalizer in the Plug-in Reference manual reads, “This plug-in feeds the audio signal through a variable frequency filter, with tempo sync or time modulation and feedback control.” In my opinion that doesn’t really explain what the plug-in actually is.
Metalizer is a comb filter and band-pass filter routed in series. The comb filter is first in the chain with the Feedback and Tone controls determining the comb’s feedback and frequency respectively. In my opinion these controls should be first on the plug-in since Sharpness only adjusts the frequency of the BP filter. If you turn the feedback down to 0% the comb filter is effectively disengaged.
The band-pass filter cannot be disengaged and is always effective (unless of course you turn down the Mix slider). Again Tone adjusts the resting frequency of the BP but it’s position can also be modulated by the onboard LFO. The LFO has no effect on the comb filters parameters.
It’s easy to test all this out for yourself by simply adding an audio track and inserting a noise generator.
Hope this helps!
Metalizer!
Flashback to the past! Lots of fun using those legacies back in the days. I should dust some of them off!
After rereading this post from two years ago I’m embarrassed to say that there are some mistakes. First of all I’m not sure if the routing is bpf > comb or comb > bpf. It doesn’t really make a difference though since both are linear processes. Sure if the bpf is before the comb then the phase of frequencies around the slopes will be different while heading into the comb vs if they went through the comb and then the bpf… but I really don’t think it matters much. When using a different bpf and comb filter in series, I couldn’t hear any differences in sound if I rearranged the routing.
I mistakenly said, “Tone adjusts the resting frequency of the BP …” even though I correctly said “Sharpness only adjusts the frequency of the BP filter,” right in the previous paragraph.
I didn’t mention how you can adjust the LFO intensity on the bpf modulation. If the LFO is engaged, the Sharpness parameter controls the LFO modulation depth. The modulation is unipolar in that greater intensity only increases the upper limit of the bpf frequency modulation.
The LFO range can go from a range of 0Hz (effectively disengaged) if not tempo sync’d, all the way up to a rate of 60Hz if using 32nd note triplets at 300bpm.