Does the order of effects impact the sound?
- Thread starter marc32123
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ashcat_lt
Well-known member
How could it not? If you don't understand that, then you don't understand what these things are doing, and need to dive in and experiment. It won't do any good for anybody to explain it to you. Learn how the effects work and how they interact in various configurations by plugging (or instantiating) things in and seeing what happens. It's very difficult to actually hurt anything by "plugging it in wrong" nowadays.
VomitHatSteve
Hat STYLE. Not contents.
As a thought experiment, compare it to any other task where perform multiple transformative steps on a single object.
Say you wanted to paint a piece of wood. The steps are applying a layer of paint and sanding the wood down.
If you sand first and then paint, you'll end up with a smooth surface with an even layer of paint on it.
If you paint and then sand, you'll have a fairly rough surface with inconsistent paint coverage.
It's the same with audio FX. Each changes the audio in ways that build off the previous steps. Changing the order can result in a very different end product.
Say you wanted to paint a piece of wood. The steps are applying a layer of paint and sanding the wood down.
If you sand first and then paint, you'll end up with a smooth surface with an even layer of paint on it.
If you paint and then sand, you'll have a fairly rough surface with inconsistent paint coverage.
It's the same with audio FX. Each changes the audio in ways that build off the previous steps. Changing the order can result in a very different end product.
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
Compression before and after distortion is interesting. With the compression after the distortion the amount of distortion decreases during the sustain more than the level, which is odd. It sounds more natural to have compression before distortion.
yes it massively affects the sound, you only have to play with a boost + fuzz pedal and change the order to hear it. I expriement with the order or EQ and compression a lot, sometimes the right order makes all the difference, but remember there no rules, if you want to daisy chain 15 fuzz pedals into an amp and it gets you the sound in your head...do it!
ashcat_lt
Well-known member
I think the OP was talking mixing and specifically vocals.
For linear, time-static processes (EQ/filters, static delays and reverbs) order is arbitrary. Add in non-linearity (compression, expansion, saturation, distortion) or any kind of modulation, and the order becomes far more important. EQ before compression changes what the compressor does. A flanger before a delay is much different than a delay before a flanger.
Course things get fuzzy when your "linear" processors aren't.
For linear, time-static processes (EQ/filters, static delays and reverbs) order is arbitrary. Add in non-linearity (compression, expansion, saturation, distortion) or any kind of modulation, and the order becomes far more important. EQ before compression changes what the compressor does. A flanger before a delay is much different than a delay before a flanger.
Course things get fuzzy when your "linear" processors aren't.
witzendoz
Senior Member
I would usually have EQ > Compression > effects > Etc as first try setup, but there are no rules and sometimes I switch the order around as I may get something I like better. Try it and see.
Alan.
Steenamaroo
...
It's easy to explain with eq and compression.
Take a raw track whether vocals, snare drum..whatever.
Say it has frequent high frequency peaks which you intend to tame.
If your compressor goes first, these peaks will exceed the threshold before/more than anything else, and you'll probably have to eq slightly less.
If the eq goes first and you shape the high end, the compressor will react more evenly; That is, some other frequency range will trigger it, or be more likely to trigger it.
With reasonably heavy compression in each example, you'll have two noticeably different sounding results. Try it.
Take a raw track whether vocals, snare drum..whatever.
Say it has frequent high frequency peaks which you intend to tame.
If your compressor goes first, these peaks will exceed the threshold before/more than anything else, and you'll probably have to eq slightly less.
If the eq goes first and you shape the high end, the compressor will react more evenly; That is, some other frequency range will trigger it, or be more likely to trigger it.
With reasonably heavy compression in each example, you'll have two noticeably different sounding results. Try it.
4
4tracker
Guest
^ I love that quote in your signature. So funny
Aaron Acosta
New member
Here's something to do:
Compose a chord however you'd like (stab vs pad). Make a copy of your track and insert it to another spot in the DAW (placement). Open EQ FX. Next, put the mid frequency in the negative (-15db) and raise the high and low frequencies.
Then, compress the sound you just customized.
Then, editing the copy of your track, use compression. Filter and apply a Bandpass Filter (BPF) to it.
Play both sounds at the same time and notice some things that you've done.
1. Applied FX in alternating orders.
2. Accompanied a track with a secondary audio/midi
3. Innovated (invented) a dual mix for just One chord.
4. Expanded the control over your sound.
Compose a chord however you'd like (stab vs pad). Make a copy of your track and insert it to another spot in the DAW (placement). Open EQ FX. Next, put the mid frequency in the negative (-15db) and raise the high and low frequencies.
Then, compress the sound you just customized.
Then, editing the copy of your track, use compression. Filter and apply a Bandpass Filter (BPF) to it.
Play both sounds at the same time and notice some things that you've done.
1. Applied FX in alternating orders.
2. Accompanied a track with a secondary audio/midi
3. Innovated (invented) a dual mix for just One chord.
4. Expanded the control over your sound.