What would a world without EQ sound like?? It's such a powerful
tool and also one that can easily be misused. Here are three EQ tips
that will change your game and if put into practice will start your
journey on the road to mastering EQ.
1. Roll off the low end with a high pass filter
A high pass filter (HPF) or low cut filter, essentially allows all frequencies that are higher than the cut-off frequency through. If you've heard of the low pass filter, it's essentially the opposite. Anything below the cut-off frequency value will be attenuated. The amount it's attenuated is
dependent on two things - the distance (in Hz) from the cut-off frequency and also the roll off of the filter (usually measured in dB/octave).
You can take the cut-off frequency higher for instruments that only hangout in the higher frequency range including vocals but put a HPF on EVERYTHING- Even kick drums and bass instruments! Granted these hangout around the lower frequency range but the chances are they will still have something in there that a dog can hear - but you can't! So put a HPF in - just take the cut-off frequency to a lower value around the 20-30Hz area.
If you want the high pass filter to be more transparent, use a lower roll off. A higher roll off will cut frequencies that much more quicker whilst a lower roll off will cut the frequencies more gently - I generally aim for a roll off of -12 to -18 dB/octave. Using lower roll off values may mean you need to bring the cut off frequency up higher to cut out what you need. The best advice here is to use your ears - pull the filter up until the voice/instrument starts to sound too thin and then back it off slightly.
This tip will help you clear a lot of the mud in the bottom end.
2. Cut rather than boost when using EQ
If you've heard the term 'subtractive EQ' then that's a technical term for what this actually is. Cutting frequencies rather than boosting is one of the golden rules where EQ is concerned. Why? When you boost a number of frequencies, things tend to get out of control. Depending on the EQ you're using to boost the frequencies, it can sometimes lead to some not-so-nice 'colouring'.
Another good reason is for the preservation of headroom. By boosting frequencies rather cutting you're eating into your headroom. A classic example of this may be when you're mixing and you instantly want to boost the bottom end to make it sound bigger so you start boosting the bass and the kick drum - here's a tip relating to the use of EQ for the kick drum.
3. Boost wide - cut narrow
If you've done all the cutting of frequencies you can and you can't do anymore - fear not you CAN STILL boost! But do it sparingly!
The terminology of boosting wide and cutting narrow is all to do with the Q factor of the EQ. Cutting over a narrow band removes only a selective number of frequencies whilst gently boosting over a wider number of frequencies boosts more of them but more subtly.
Why would you want to do that?
It's all to do with the way our ears hear things and the way that our brain interprets sound. Too many frequencies taken out with an EQ cut, changes the sound too much and our brains may not even be able to make out what instrument it is. Generally EQ cuts are for problem frequencies and are in specific areas that you need to hone in on.
Wide boosting is preferred over narrow - boosting only a small amount of frequencies will make that boost stand out more. Having a gentler boost over a wider frequency range makes it less likely that our ears will pick it up as being fake.
Here's to your mixing and recording success!
1. Roll off the low end with a high pass filter
A high pass filter (HPF) or low cut filter, essentially allows all frequencies that are higher than the cut-off frequency through. If you've heard of the low pass filter, it's essentially the opposite. Anything below the cut-off frequency value will be attenuated. The amount it's attenuated is
dependent on two things - the distance (in Hz) from the cut-off frequency and also the roll off of the filter (usually measured in dB/octave).
You can take the cut-off frequency higher for instruments that only hangout in the higher frequency range including vocals but put a HPF on EVERYTHING- Even kick drums and bass instruments! Granted these hangout around the lower frequency range but the chances are they will still have something in there that a dog can hear - but you can't! So put a HPF in - just take the cut-off frequency to a lower value around the 20-30Hz area.
If you want the high pass filter to be more transparent, use a lower roll off. A higher roll off will cut frequencies that much more quicker whilst a lower roll off will cut the frequencies more gently - I generally aim for a roll off of -12 to -18 dB/octave. Using lower roll off values may mean you need to bring the cut off frequency up higher to cut out what you need. The best advice here is to use your ears - pull the filter up until the voice/instrument starts to sound too thin and then back it off slightly.
This tip will help you clear a lot of the mud in the bottom end.
2. Cut rather than boost when using EQ
If you've heard the term 'subtractive EQ' then that's a technical term for what this actually is. Cutting frequencies rather than boosting is one of the golden rules where EQ is concerned. Why? When you boost a number of frequencies, things tend to get out of control. Depending on the EQ you're using to boost the frequencies, it can sometimes lead to some not-so-nice 'colouring'.
Another good reason is for the preservation of headroom. By boosting frequencies rather cutting you're eating into your headroom. A classic example of this may be when you're mixing and you instantly want to boost the bottom end to make it sound bigger so you start boosting the bass and the kick drum - here's a tip relating to the use of EQ for the kick drum.
3. Boost wide - cut narrow
If you've done all the cutting of frequencies you can and you can't do anymore - fear not you CAN STILL boost! But do it sparingly!
The terminology of boosting wide and cutting narrow is all to do with the Q factor of the EQ. Cutting over a narrow band removes only a selective number of frequencies whilst gently boosting over a wider number of frequencies boosts more of them but more subtly.
Why would you want to do that?
It's all to do with the way our ears hear things and the way that our brain interprets sound. Too many frequencies taken out with an EQ cut, changes the sound too much and our brains may not even be able to make out what instrument it is. Generally EQ cuts are for problem frequencies and are in specific areas that you need to hone in on.
Wide boosting is preferred over narrow - boosting only a small amount of frequencies will make that boost stand out more. Having a gentler boost over a wider frequency range makes it less likely that our ears will pick it up as being fake.
Here's to your mixing and recording success!
I'm an online mixing/mastering engineer and freelance drummer.
I love what I do and I want to help you reach new heights with your music, whether it's adding drums to a track or enhancing your sounds through my production work. The internet enables me to offer my services globally, if there's anything you think I can help you with then please get in touch (mark@markmidwinter.com). I would love to hear from you.
Mark Midwinter
http://www.markmidwinter.com
I love what I do and I want to help you reach new heights with your music, whether it's adding drums to a track or enhancing your sounds through my production work. The internet enables me to offer my services globally, if there's anything you think I can help you with then please get in touch (mark@markmidwinter.com). I would love to hear from you.
Mark Midwinter
http://www.markmidwinter.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Midwinter
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