settings for abusing filter standalone, no MIDI notes

This is for Andre’s stereo shruthi, firmware .97: I have to kick open the filter with a MIDI note even when the ‘not’ to ‘cut’ amount is set to -63 in the modulation matrix…is there a way to make it so all control (all the way open / closed) is via the knobs?
I am sending an audio signal into the shruthi and want to use it strictly as a filter and noise source.