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Thought of the day: EQ
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routingwithin
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
46
Posts :
204
Posted : Jul 15, 2014 12:09:53
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* Forget about EQ'ing in solo. It is a pointless affair, if it sounds crap in isolation, don't try to fix it with EQ. It should sound good from the start. You can't polish a turd. Sample selection is key.
* Leave the EQ well alone in the production phase. When I was starting out, I would produce 30 sec of the track and then start throwing EQs on everything. This messes with the overall balance and switches your mind to the mixing phase- which can cause a lack of further production/endless tweaking.
* Use only your volume sliders to find a relative/natural balance for everything when producing. Leave EQ for mixing.
** When the production is done we can switch over to mixing. The main idea with EQ here is that "we should EQ sounds into one another". So they can become one image together/fitting. I start with the Kick, the only thing I EQ in isolation, and reduce a few cycles here and there. If you're finally happy with the kick's sound you have to note that the kickdrum sound at that moment is the origin point. So all other sounds is going to fit with the kick's quality and tone. It has to be perfect.
* Further on its easy. Play the kick and bass together and start to EQ the bass. Until you can hear how it joins the kick in harmony. Leave kick eq alone to prevent starting all over again. Then the snare, leads, loops, etc.
* You cannot give an instrument a space in the spectrum if you cannot hear all of the other instruments. Otherwise you would just be guessing where to place it.
So Equalize sounds together.
Enjoy
  " We are together in this matter you and I, closer to death, yes, closer than i'd like. How do you feel? - There can be no division in our actions, or everything is lost. What affects you affects me. " |
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fraxi
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
17
Posts :
159
Posted : Jul 15, 2014 17:39
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I think you should post some of your mixes at start
For me much more convenient is mixing while producing, when I finish a track I have to do only minor changes. It's faster and I hear and see frequency ranges which have to be filled.
Another reason of doing that is when I write a track I continuously listen to it. Listening to well ballanced and EQ'ed mix is very pleasurable. I don't like mess
http://soundcloud.com/deepskypsy |
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BigZ
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
18
Posts :
55
Posted : Jul 15, 2014 19:41
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Upollo
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
28
Posted : Jul 15, 2014 21:10
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Me too. Cut off the lowest frequencies (less than 40-50 Hz, less than 500 for the mids etc.), plus I assign a freq range to lows, mids and highs (as groups). So it's a kind of 'dual filter' usage. The upper frequencies are okay to have some overlap, because there's more room for them in tracks. In the lower regions, it's trickier.
So I do use eq in an early stage, only master equalizing later on. Not necessarily a bad thing i.m.o.
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routingwithin
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
46
Posts :
204
Posted : Jul 16, 2014 11:02
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i agree.
You have to cut lows on leads, etc, otherwise its gonna start irritating you. I understand that its easier to produce a track that sounds good Fraxi, you get into the feel of it and find inspiration to compose better sounding additions. However it does tend to mess with my workflow, trying to produce and EQ feels like doing two jobs at once, which means there will always be a lack of,, somewhere.
Concentrating fully on creation and effect will let you breeze through the possibilities more easily, yielding greater results.
imo
" We are together in this matter you and I, closer to death, yes, closer than i'd like. How do you feel? - There can be no division in our actions, or everything is lost. What affects you affects me. " |
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Rework
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
27
Posts :
45
Posted : Jul 16, 2014 13:04
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" the only thing I EQ in isolation, and reduce a few cycles here and there" <-- can you explain what you mean?
Do you cut or boost frequencies or what do you exactly do?
And please try to explain how you eq them together to become one image, do you low pass on sound at 255hz and highpass the second sound around the same area?
https://soundcloud.com/peter-fh |
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routingwithin
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
46
Posts :
204
Posted : Jul 16, 2014 16:12
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" the only thing I EQ in isolation, and reduce a few cycles here and there"
Reduce = Cut
cycles(per second) = Frequencies (hz)
If you start with:
"low pass on sound at 255hz and highpass the second sound around the same area?"
then you are already too technical. Lol
on your Q - No, because there is, lets say 7 sounds playing at once, so who's going to highpass lowpass where. You wont have enough space, and if you find space you would have EQ'd out the life and character of the sound.
Forget about everything that anyone has told you and concentrate on what you hear. Don't follow advice blindly, like highpass all leads at 250hz.
While EQ'ing - listen to what its doing to the sound.
Using Parametric equalizers like my favorite Waves SSL G EQ, really helps keeping the focus on your ears. Fabfilter Q I only use for steep lowpass, highpass cuts.
I cannot achieve the quality of the SSL with fabfilter q even if I duplicate all tweaks.
To form one image of everything you need to, yes, Use your Ears. The producers cliche.
First off, a Raw kick made by Bassizm sounds great for psy - but the quality sucks at high volume. So I would cut a few DBs in the LowMids and HighMids areas. Tweak until satisfied. Having good monitors in this situation is a must imo.
then play the bassline + kick together.
We already eq'd the kick so only focus on the bassline. While doing this, pull the bassline volume fader up and down, also wiggle it. So you can hear what the bass frequencies are adding and where.
Mostly the problem is in the LowMids area, but it varies. Cut the bassline frequencies that sounds too loud/interferes/masks with the kick. Know that in isolation the kick sounds great. So make the bassline fit that quality.
Keep on eq'ing until they sound more like one sound. To put it bluntly - they need to harmonize together. (having similar and complimentary tones)
See it like- both wants to stand in the same place, but wheres the space,, its in your face. lol - no seriously .. you keep them in the same place but bend them with EQ into one another. if you understand what i am saying.
Both needs to be clear, not muffled. So boosting the highs on both can also give you a more open and clear sound. Boost highs until its too crisp or sizzles, and bring it down slowly until you find the middle ground. Having more high frequencies in your kick and bass can really enhance the low end sound as well.
phew
" We are together in this matter you and I, closer to death, yes, closer than i'd like. How do you feel? - There can be no division in our actions, or everything is lost. What affects you affects me. " |
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