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Maximum signal=the least eq as possible?
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djsabreblade
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 05:38:15
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So say for example, somebody has ''perfect samples''. Should the ideal be to use as little equalization on the samples or tracks as possible? And also going by that theory, the only eq used should be in the mastering stage right? I have noticed that any eq will degrade signal, and have since backed off on tons of useless and actually worse signal processing. Can anyone agree with this?
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 06:53
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The "perfect" samples in this sense could only really be perfect specifically for not using an EQ, in that they aren't all taking up the same space within the passband and compliment each other well tonally. You aren't taking into account "perfect" mixing either, both within the sampler and within the track as a whole. And when you get into EQing your synths (especially basslines) it becomes even more necessary..there isn't any way to tweak the synth to high-pass or low-pass it's sound without using a filter or EQ. You can tweak to change tone and presence to some extent, but you get a completely different result.
And I don't believe that decent EQs "degrade" signal if you're using them properly. Any EQ will sound horrible if you use extreme settings on a sound that doesn't need that much work, but in itself a good linear phase EQ will be transparent for all practical purposes.
Usually what I do to check EQing is play the track as it is, then stop it and play it again with all EQs turned off. If it sounds better with them turned off then I can tell that the settings are too extreme. I listen to all of the tracks individually and mess with the EQs again - usually just taming all of the boosts/notches/shelves a bit and turning the nodes on and off to listen to what they're doing to the sound. I do this with the track soloed at first and then with the rest of the track. Once all of them seem to be sounding better and more subtle I listen to the track with all of them on and off again and just repeat the process until it starts sounding better with the EQs on.
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Axis Mundi
Axis Mundi
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 10:40
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For me personally, EQing is a precise science with many nuances and one of the trickiest things I'm attempting to learn/master. The results of great EQing however, are as powerful as they are subtle.
As I said, I'm not expert, but i think using some EQ on individual sounds and groups is very important in the pre-mastering stage. It's easy to overdo it, though, and this is one of those nuances.
Kane has a great suggestion and could actually be an improvement on my own method. I'll be trying out his suggestions as well, so thanks Kane 
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Gaiana
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 13:37
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Most of the time, we use quite a lot of heavy EQing to get all the sounds to mesh together, since we usually have a lot of layers going on at the same time.
For a layered complex sound, it is almost unavoidable to do some cutting in order for the sounds the fit together, else overlapping frequencies will start to fight and push each other.
Like Kane already said, keep referencing it while you are tweaking your sound, turn the nodes on and off, solo the track to hear the details, then listen en fix it together with all the other tracks.
My philosophy is, if there's frequencies in your sound which are not really doing anything else but taking up space, cut them, so the important frequencies become more clear and defined while leaving space for other sounds.
www.myspace.com/gaiana_25 |
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Colin OOOD
Moderator
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 14:36
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daark
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 14:52
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 15:38
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you can always make things sound better with equing , the trick is to get the sound natural ,it shouldn t sound like it have been equed when siting in the mix.you can use light eq or a lot... no rules |
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Alien Bug
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 16:30
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daark
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 17:39
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djsabreblade
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 9, 2009 22:08
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the thing im worried about is any amount of eq does kill some dynamic range [that is a fact], so in theory the cleanest clearest sound in the world would have little or no eq on it.
.... im gonna reference more a/b comparisons thanx for that suggestion whoever wrote it too lazy too check 
btw i don't really make trance its more chillout/electronic/soundtrack/electro/dance style thingy lol...so i do use alot of sample based software from actual acoustic stuff. |
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br0d
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 10, 2009 02:02
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The later in a mix you alter a sound, the less control you have over it, so earlier is better. The best case scenario is having good sounds to begin with (meaning you tweak synth parameters and good samples) second best is individual offline processed sound eq and channel eq, and then worst is eq across the mix bus and/or at the mastering stage.
Just don't use junky plugins and stick to long eq shelves where possible. In fact, if you can get a track sounding good with just shelves, that says something about the quality of your sounds and that means it's going to sound even better when you compress and limit the master.
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http://www.boole.org/audio/snippets/Boole-The_Vital_Few-Some_Snippets.mp3 |
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Gaiana
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Posted : Jul 10, 2009 03:58
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Quote:
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On 2009-07-09 22:08, djsabreblade wrote:
the thing im worried about is any amount of eq does kill some dynamic range [that is a fact], so in theory the cleanest clearest sound in the world would have little or no eq on it.
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In my ears, sometimes reducing the dynamic range of a sound creates clarity by leaving more space for other sounds, and makes it so you can place and move the sound better within the overall dynamic of the song.
Its nice to have seperate layered tracks occupy different areas within the mix, so they all together will attain the maximum bottom and floor of the space available in your song, thereby getting the maximum dynamic range on your endmix.
www.myspace.com/gaiana_25 |
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*eLliSDee*
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 10, 2009 12:59
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djsabreblade ,, u are getting advice from very good artists above. not me, but.....
I think EQing is a art in itself. (one i'm not very good at)
This perfect sound might not sound so perfect when played in a busy mix.
U can use EQ to shape all other sound around this perfect sound.
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daark
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jul 10, 2009 13:05
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Fragletrollet
Fragletrollet
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Posted : Jul 10, 2009 13:53
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