RECORDING July 2022 - 36

-Review by Paul Vnuk Jr.
FabFilter
Volcano 3
If Pro-Q 3 is Dr. Jekyll,
this explosive filter
is Mr. Hyde!
Because of the success of the
pristine, precise, dynamic Pro-Q
series of EQ plugins, it's easy to
forget that Amsterdam's FabFilter
started 18 years ago as a soft-synth
and FX plugin company specializing
in digitally modeled analog filters.
Volcano 3 is the current torchbearer
of this technology, building on the
foundation laid by previous iterations.
Now it has the look, feel and features
found in other current generation
FabFilter products, along with some
well-chosen new additions.
Filters Galore
At its heart, Volcano 3 is an emulation
of a classic set of analog filters. You can
create up to four filter points and where
Volcano 2 offered a choice of low, high
and bandpass, the latest version adds
bell, low/high shelf, notch and all-pass types
as well. So far, you might be thinking
this sounds more like an EQ plugin and
less sweepy/swoopy FX filter specific.
Luckily Volcano 3 can do both and more.
You now have the newly added option
of a -6dB/oct filter slope, and each
filter offers independent panning and its
own vintage analog-style drive section.
What's Your Type?
In addition to a pure, clean filter akin
to Pro-Q 3, Volcano 3 prides itself on
its non-linear characteristics. Users can
select between 11 filter types, each
one designed to highlight the differing
36 RECORDING July 2022
non-linearities of each type, which in
turn offers different, often unpredictable
saturated tonalities. The tonalities are
based on which type is selected and
how hard it is being pushed. The 11
types are Classic, Smooth, RAW, Hard,
Hollow, Extreme, Gentle, Tube, Metal,
Easy Going, and Clean.
The Look of 3
Volcano 3 has been updated with an
interface similar to Pro-Q 3, Saturn 2 and
Timeless 3 (reviewed September 2019).
Across the top is the preset menu with
A/B copy and compare, a help menu
and handy undo and redo options.
The center of the plugin contains a
live updating frequency spectrum display
showing each filter's affect on the
incoming signal. On top of this is a filter
overlay so you can visually see and adjust
each filter.
Below is a set of floating filter controls
for Drive, Frequency, Peak, Slope (adjusts
the slope of the filters between 6, 12, 24
or 48dB/octave), Delay (0 - 50ms) and
Level. Additionally, there are drop-down
menus for the filter shape and non-linear
filter type. The frequency and level dials
are dual-concentric, and the outer ring on
each is for panning. Next to this block
of controls is a routing matrix that allows
each filter to be routed in a series or parallel,
or up to six further variations of the
two. This allows for some unique tonal
and spatial effects. Also, note that Volcano
3 supports M/S processing.
Modulation
The fun with most any vintage filter
begins once you start to add modulation
and motion to sweep it across the song
source. To make this task to the extremes
it deserves, again similar to Saturn 2
and Timeless 3, FabFilter offers a collection
of sliders and X/Y controllers. These
can be controlled via automation or an
external MIDI controller, as well as with
a selection of synth-style modulators.
There are envelope generators (ADSR),
classic
envelope followers
(think auto-wah)
and the famous FabFilter XLFO
(with 16 user-adjustable steps).
Once selected, simply drag a connecting
line to the parameter you wish to
modulate and the fun begins. Changing
the speeds, functions and curves is a
simple hover, click and drag over each
modulation source box.
Like other current FabFilter products,
pulsating clouds of
pretty
colors are
unleashed on the screen that play and
dance with each modulator's intensity.
MIDI
You can also control each function and
parameter via MIDI either in your DAW,
through automation or with an external
controller. This includes options of a mod
wheel, pitch bend, physical knobs and
sliders,
velocity,
after-touch and even
keyboard following. This allows you to
play the filter as you would a synth on
top of a source, play it in tandem with
a synth (as long as you have a starting
RECORDING July 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of RECORDING July 2022
