Filterbank 2 Desktop

A huge list of major producers already use the Sherman Filterbank. Why? Because no plug-in sounds like this!

These days, the market is overwhelmed with DSP gear. Secondhand analog stuff is hard to find and even harder to maintain. Sherman offers you the Filterbank, which is basically a small modular synth that includes two multimode filters with an external audio input instead of oscillators. The box is equipped with 23 rotating knobs, a rotary and 6 toggle switches, 7 indicators, and 11 jack connections plus 5 MIDI sockets on the rear side. No analog machine on the market contains so many features in just one handy box!

The main idea behind the Filterbank is that the sound of an analog synth is determined by the filter and the VCA; the reason for the absence of an oscillator is because nowadays there are plenty of sound sources. The architecture of this Sherman is based on filters and VCAs—they shape the sound. It's the missing link in your setup!

The Filterbank incorporates a lot more than just a low pass filter and a normal VCA. The wide-range knobs allow you to go 'over the top' like you've always wanted to but never could. The VCAs are specially designed to achieve tube overdrive behavior. Once familiar with a Sherman you will fully understand what it means to have no limitations in sound shaping. Beware: the Sherman user group is one that you can enter, but never leave!

The Sherman Filterbank feels at home in a variety of surroundings. If you're lucky enough to posess a modular system, the Sherman will be your favorite module. It is patchable at any point in your modular chain and will provide simply exquisite filtered and overdriven sound. Connections may also include trigger and voltage signals in both directions. Wipe the dust off your old FM synth, as the Sherman Filterbank generates nice results with this type of signal. Even a simple sawtooth will be enough to discover new, amazing sounds at the turn of a knob.

The Sherman Filterbank is an analog synthesizer with no competition in its price class. In any studio it's the most inspiring effect unit of all. From precise equalizing on critical tracks to brain-frying filter sweeps, you always have total control. The knobs have different colors to guide you quickly. Get a hands-on feel and just keep kicking the sonic energy in this pure analog machine, over and over again.

It's no wonder many engineers become real Sherman Filterbank addicts. Guitar and bass players will discover a whole new dimension in the creation of their personal sound; what's more, without giving up their familiar way of performing they will find an updated place in today's sound world.

Filterbank's input sensitivity is a perfect line level adjuster up to the middle position; there it becomes more sensitive, up to overdrive with microphone level. Plug in a mic and enjoy processing any acoustic sound source. Drums and percussion can trigger the ADSR and AR generators, or you can apply their dynamics via the envelope follower, e.g., to a string pad passing through the Filterbank. In the meantime, MIDI out will send out the acoustic triggering in a very accurately timed way for later re-use or for direct triggering of another Filterbank. Simple, but more useful in practice than you might think. Not happy with the internal filter sound of your sampler? Sherman Filterbank is the cure, providing the nice velvet feel of a rotating knob for each parameter included!

Sherman is small company founded in 1988 by musician and producer Herman Gillis. Although his passion for electronics dates back to his childhood, it wasn't until 1995 that he decided to market his gear. All the features of the Filterbank are basically the 'best of' many earlier experiments. Such a long development time is rather unusual these days!

Every unit is finished, adjusted and checked with care. The small overhead costs and the lack of a huge marketing budget make the Sherman a good value-for-money tool. The heavy duty steel case is of high quality and finish: as your music deserves quality sound shaping, your eyes and fingers have the right to pleasure, too. You get the power of a real modular system in a compact box, your inspiring friend in studio or on stage.

• A powerful analog filtering and distortion unit with a huge frequency range and killer tube-style overdrive behavior
• An affordable small modular filter, easy and fun to use both live and in the studio
• Application: processing every sound source, effect mixing, expanding modular systems, etc.
• Independent low pass, band pass and high pass filters with resonance, frequency and bipolar ADSR envelope controls
• The two filters are switchable between parallel or serial
• The second filter has a 6 octave switch, and is synchronizable with the first filter
• ADSR generator with an external output for use with more Filterbanks or modular systems, triggered by the incoming signal, by a second sound source or by a gate
• FM input for the filters, usable with internal or external audio, LFO or CV
• VCA overdrive with separate AR generator
• Ring modulator input, usable with internal or external audio, LFO or CV