Behringer Swords: Dual Morphing Filters for Modular Adventurers

One of Swords’ headline features is its full CV control over all parameters. This means you can modulate cutoff, resonance, morphing, drive, and routing—all from external sources. For modular purists and patching enthusiasts, this opens up a playground of possibilities, from classic filter sweeps to complex, evolving modulations.

The video demonstrates how this flexibility translates into sound: you can achieve everything from smooth, liquid filtering to aggressive, distorted FM-style textures. The ability to push resonance to self-oscillation without losing low end is particularly notable, giving Swords a musical edge in both subtle and extreme applications.

Routing is where Swords gets especially interesting. The module allows you to link the two filters for precise stereo control—ideal for widening your soundstage or creating spatial effects. Alternatively, you can route the filters in series, sending the output of one directly into the other for layered processing and more complex timbres.

The video shows how this routing flexibility can be dialled in continuously, not just switched. This means you can morph between single, parallel, and serial configurations in real time, giving you hands-on control over the signal path and making Swords a powerful tool for experimental patching.

The demonstration section dives into a series of patches that showcase Swords’ musical range. First up, a drum loop is fed through the filters, with the drive cranked and the filters linked for stereo manipulation. The presenter tweaks the left-right channels, explores filter states, and flips the stereo image, all while crushing the signal with various drive settings.

Next, the filters are routed in series, with filter one pushed into self-oscillation and filter two acting as a wavefolder. The patch is modulated using envelopes and sequencer CVs, and the main output is even used to modulate filter two’s mode—a classic bit of modular cross-patching that results in gritty, animated textures.

Finally, the video explores pinging the filters just below self-oscillation using short trigger signals. By tuning each channel and linking the filters, the presenter demonstrates how Swords can generate precise musical intervals between pings. Throughout, the emphasis is on musicality, control, and the sheer range of sounds possible when CV and drive are brought into play.