piano Digital Piano App

Noise filter synth

This noise filter synth allows you to create a sound that is similar to the one that features in Linkin Park's worldwide hit Numb. The song was released in 2003 and is one of the band's most well known tracks. Watch the music video below - the sound begins at 00:04.

How is the sound created?

There are 4 essential components and properties of the noise filter synth.

• White noise - this is the foundation on which the sound is built
• The white noise is fed into a low pass filter to remove high frequencies
• The low pass filter has a large Q-factor which boosts the amplitude of the signal at the cut-off frequency
• The value of the cut off frequency is determined by the note on the keyboard that is being played - this is known as key tracking

How to play the synth

You can play the noise filter synth by clicking the keyboard notes with your mouse, or tapping with your finger if you're using a touch device like a tablet or mobile phone.

You can also play by pressing the keys on your QWERTY keyboard, or you can even connect a USB MIDI device.

To play the intro to Numb, tap the following keys on your keyboard. (Note that O is the letter not the number zero.)

5 Y 5 8   O   9    5 Y 5   O   9    Y

Do you enjoy playing with this synth? Let us know in the comments below.