What is the difference between a Low-pass filter and a Cut-off filter
The TB-03 has a knob labelled 'CUT OFF FREQ'. I assume itīs a cut-off filter because Rolandīs manual describes this knob as 'Filter cutoff (brightness of the sound)':
The Allen&Heath Xone 4D mixer has a filter called 'Low-pass filter':
When I turn both knobs it seems to me that they do the same thing: they filter out the high frequencies and pass the low frequencies.
Therefore my question: What is the difference between a low-pass filter and a cut-off filter?
Note: I think there is no difference. I think the term 'cutoff' refers to the point where Low-pass and High-pass filters begin to cut off the frequency.
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In this case, both filters appear to do the same, according to the symbols and language. High and lowpass filters, however, can also be implemented as "shelving" filters which is pretty common for equalizing purposes. In that case, the frequency response becomes level ("a shelf") again when going significantly beyond the corner frequency of the filter.
The cutoff filter symbol for the Allen&Heath appears to suggest a resonant bump in the frequency response at the corner frequency before going down. That makes for a steeper filter curve at the cost of, well, a bump.
If you look at the devices these knobs are on - a bass synth/sequencer and a DJ mixer offering some weird 'effects' - not just zooming in on one knob, you'll see that they are both part of a resonant filter with both a Cut-off control and a Resonance one. It's more than a 'tone control' setup.
It's generally futile to analyse the labels on music-tech gear too pedantically. But in this case I think we can say they do just about exactly the same thing.
"Cut-off" is ambiguous, since it could be cutting off either low or high-frequency material. Since the manual you quote refers to 'brightness' of sound, my guess is that it's a low-pass, high-cut filter.
For completeness' sake, a "bandpass" filter is just that: cuts everything above and below a specified frequency range.
Every filter requires a cutoff frequency, which determines the point at which the filter begins to attenuate the frequencies in the appropriate direction (low pass filter attenuates high frequencies, hipass filter attenuates low frequencies).
This is almost certainly a low pass filter, and the knob controls the cutoff frequency, thus controls the brightness of the sound based upon setting the frequency beyond which we begin to attenuate.
Every filter has a cutoff frequency. Ive never seen the term cutoff filter used in a professional context.
Note: you will almost never find a hi pass filter on a synth or drum machine that does NOT have a low pass filter. Hi pass filters are considered somewhat of a luxury on hardware and are quite rare to find. I cannot think of a single synth or drum machine that has a hi pass filter which does NOT have a low pass filter. Although, they probably exist (very rare) and perhaps someone can share one in the comments if they know of one. The rule of thumb is to always assume a low pass filter. Also, band pass filters are even more rare.
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